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Published: January 13th 2018
...medium sized load
...incredible the amount of stuff that can be strapped to a scooter. Any one whose been to Halong Bay probably gets the significance of the number 1,969. Its the recorded number of islands in Halong Bay. But we had to get there first.
Early Wednesday morning in Hanoi and feeling very organised. Packs closed and locked and heading up for breakfast at 7:30am. Bit over the breakfasts at the May De Ville. Three is enough. Food is good and there is a chef doing fresh eggs (cooking, not laying) and omelettes. Just time for a change. There's a first world problem right there, bored with your breakfast options.
Driver was picking us up at 8:30 am. He, rather 'the gang' turned up at 8:20 am. We were ready. The gang is 18 of our travel companions for the next day or so. Lots of Australians, trio of Argentinian women, couple of Europeans. Aside from a 2 year old, Reuben and Caitlin are the youngest by 15-20 years. We are traveling on a 25 seater bus. Quite comfortable. Finished the hotel pick ups and head for Halong Bay. Told its 3 hours or so to get there.
Turns out it's an interesting ride, even the kids were interested. Just drove through
Sung Sot Caves
...the views from the exit to the caves down over the Bay. patches of countryside, then dense housing and roadside businesses, then more countryside. The countryside along the route is all farmed. Rice paddys, banana plantations, ponds filled with flocks of white ducks, small herds of cattle and water buffalo. And the traffic. The rural version of Hanoi really, just slightly more sedate.
Lots of stereotypical postcard moments of women working in the paddy fields, overloaded bicycles. Caitlins a little shocked to see dead dogs, heads still on, on butchers barrels at the side of the road.
Stop at a half way point for respite and calls of nature. Half way point just happens to involve getting dropped off on one side of a complex, walking through it to then out the other side to rejoin the bus 30 minutes later. Of course the complex is full of arts, crafts and souvenirs. We were in the market for none so carried on through. There was some amazing silks and paintings though. Very colourful.
Arrived in Halong Bay around 12:45 pm. This is teeming with boats and cruises and pretty much as expected as knew there was going to be a hell of lot of operators. From the dockside the
...inside the Sung Sot Cave
...seemed to be enjoying it all. vessels range from fairly luxurious to 'how is it that thing actually remains afloat'. We loaded into a tender and travelled around 400 metres where we joined the V-Spirit Classic, or one of them as there are several. It is apparent that this is not one of the luxury vessels. Having said that it is in good order, if a little tired, but the web page possibly paints it slightly more gracefully than it really is.
Climb on board and find our cabin. It's small one double bed and one single bed with about 6 inches between them. With three packs it's a tight fit. Bathroom is really well set out. And that pretty much covers off any of the negative of the V Spirit. Everything else is really pretty good.
Set sail and sit down to lunch with a couple from Australia, he is Zimbabwean, and an Australian woman travelling alone. Lunch is amazing. Ten dishes served. Every one fantastic. Shrimp, chicken, Spring rolls, papaya salads. Everyone very happy.
Now gently cruising through the islands of Halong Bay. It's overcast, bit of low cloud around but still stunning. The cloud gives it a different atmosphere, even
..inside the caves...
...some idea of the scale of this cave. a little more mystery. Yes, there are boats all around but get over it. Filter them out and focus on the views. In some ways the other boats can compliment the views.
Around 2:30 pm climb back aboard the tender and head off to what sounds like some random caves. I'm pretty ho hum about it. Turns out to be these huge caverns. Absolutely fantastic and an amazing bonus. Probably listed on the itinerary somewhere but I'd missed it. Really something else and awesome to see. It's called the Sung Sot Caves and was really memorable. There is some lighting set up throughout and some pathing with some areas roped off. We thought it was done really well.
Then went to an island called Ti Top, or named after Ti Top, or both, and has a large statue of Ti Top at the entrance or concourse. There is a track to a small temple at the top with stunning views. Or there's beach football. Reuben wanted to do the latter and so he and I and a couple of the crew off the boat played a game against 6 young Vietnamese fellas who had obviously played before. Was
great fun but apparently quite serious. Reubs right into it. Very hard work but the young fella earned some respect and thirty minutes later when time was called we were 3-2 down. Not sure Reuben wants me to mention I scored the first of our goals when I had a few minutes out of goalie. Got put straight back in after scoring. Go figure. Very physical. Sand is hard to land on. I was injured and still feeling it 24 hours later. Caitlin had a blast photographing her fathers idiocy and brothers skills. I could hear her, and several hundred Asian tourists laughing. Gathered quite the crowd. Suspect I made YouTube on a number of sites in China and Vietnam.
Back on the tender and back to V-Spirit for pre dinner drinks. Then dinner at 7. Lunch was great. Dinner was fantastic. Only 12 courses. Included oysters marinated and cooked in the shell, prawns barbecued fresh at the table, some salads, crab cakes somehow cooked in the shell, steamed fish, the list goes on. All great. Flavours are extremely subtle but stunning. Dessert is more of a palate cleanser with a piece of fruit that has been individually carved
...one of a hundred million such scenes here..
...bit overcast but still stunning. Photographs don't come close to doing it justice. into floral designs. Presentation of all the food is incredible. Particularly when you look at the kitchen area of the boat, this cramped little area with fairly basic amenities. Just goes to show it doesn't take the flashiest Bosch range or oven to make fantastic food. Sure must make it easier though.
There is no internet. Post dinner entertainment was block puzzles at the table. I cringed when they first appeared but actually turned into a lot of fun. Our table did not win the free beer. Reuben a bit gutted about that. Really not sure why.
Following morning starts with Tai Chi classes at 6:30 am. We skipped it. After breakfast 7 of the group got on a tender and transferred to a 'day boat'. About half the size of the V Spirit but without accomodation. Then cruised through the islands for around an hour and then tied up to a pontoon and got out some kayaks. Caitlin and Reuben jumped in one and I followed behind. We mucked around in this idyllic setting and then followed our guide Dan around the point and beached up in this little bay leading up to some caves. Looked pretty
average from the beach but started walking through them and they just went deeper and deeper into the hillside and island. In places needed to crouch down or get onto hands and knees to move into deeper caverns. One of the caverns came out onto a ledge overlooking a landlocked lagoon with a mixture of fresh and salt water. Quite spectacular. Then into deeper caverns. The final one redefined darkness when all the torchs were turned out. Part of the charm of it all was that it wasn't regulated. It was just a walk with a local into some old caves. No signs, path lights, attendants.
One of the great things here was that there was virtually no one else around. There are these pockets and excursions where you get away from the large tour groups and do get more of a sense of the peacefulness of the Bay.
Retraced steps back to the beach and to the kayaks and a casual paddle back to the pontoon and the tender and then back to the day boat. Another spectacular lunch of local dishes. Heavy focus on fresh produce and seafood. Fantastic.
Afternoon was slowly sailing through the
...and another.
...always something different to see.. islands and then to a pearl farm where you got some patter about the culturing and cultivating of pearls and then led into a floating showroom and store where you have the opportunity to purchase a pearl or pearl jewellery at the source. All a bit of a waste of 30 minutes really. Mildly interesting.
About 5 pm rejoin the V Spirit Classic and a new set of guests to replace the ones that dropped off. Dinner was another 12 courses but apart from the spring rolls everything was different and just as outstanding. There were 4 others on the boat we had been with since the start and had got to know them all a lot better and so the kids enjoyed socialising with these other travellers.
Seems most people only do the one night. Glad we did the two night, three day one. The one night one is a 3.5 hour drive from Hanoi, night on the boat, then the return drive at midday the following day. The two day one breaks that up and the Bay deserves a little more exploring, even a day.
The next day, final day on the Bay started the
same. Only four of the seven two night team wanted to go kayaking, the South American women had never kayaked before and had found the first day challenging. The four of us caught the tender and travelled for about 30 minutes to another pontoon and more kayaks. Reuben and Caitlin jumped on one and I followed in another. This was different. We paddled into a large cave or cavern and paddled about 50 metres through it. The cave comes out into a large bay surrounded by high cliffs and is only accessible it seems through the cavern we had just passed through. There are a couple of large rowing boats rowed by a couple of standing rowers and holding around 20 passengers each. The boats are very noisy with yelling trying to make the bay echo. This is fine except on the cliffs around the bay and down to the water level are groups of monkeys. The rowing boats are throwing food to the monkeys and winding them up. Kayak in close to the cliff face away from the rowing boats and watch a large family group of monkeys not interested in the food. They are fascinating to watch and
...inside the caves..
...this is in the first chamber. the way they climb over these sheer cliffs with limited hand holds is phenomenal. The rowing boats leave and there is 5-10 minutes of just three kayaks in the bay. It is quiet and just a bit of magic. The setting, the wildlife makes it a special few minutes.
Head back to the V Spirit Classic, get changed and pack up.
The final 2 hours on the boat is a cooking display of sorts, just making rice paper fresh spring rolls. As we sail back into the port the final lunch is served. Different again but just as good as the previous two.
Dock around 12:30 pm and disembark. Thats the Halong Bay leg finished.
There was a lot of material on line about how commercial this experience is and how filthy the Bay and how much rubbish there is in it. The experience is commercial. It's a stunning area of the world, possibly unique, and millions of people want to and have seen it. It is a major revenue earner for the region and the people of it. There is an ecological bill that is paid from this tourism but at least in many areas
...quiet paddle on Halong Bay..
...Caitlin doing most of the work it seemed. Reuben focussed on navigating. there is regulation to offer it some protection. I guess if people feel strongly about it then they have the option of not going. As to the litter and rubbish, yes there was some, but nowhere near as much as I had expected. Perhaps that is seasonal as we are here in one of the quieter times of the year.
From the maps and the number of islands in the group it seems that most of the tour activity is focussed in one particular area of the Bay. Many of the outer islands are not readily accessible in the short time frames most of the tours offer.
It held a lot of surprises too. I had known there were caves but not the scale or impressive nat of them. Much of our time there was overcast, even then it was beautiful. On the occasions the sun did shine the colours of the forest and bush and water was just that much more vibrant.
Start the drive back to Hanoi. It's a long day ahead with a flight to Danang at 9 pm and then the drive to the accomodation in Hoi An. It will be a long
...cool view out...
...so many memorable views like this.. day.
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