Ha Long Bay

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A little 2 day 1 night cruise out onto the waters of Ha Long Bay, started early and took 4 hours to cover 175km! In the Vietnamese style of enforced tourism, we had to stop at a centre selling local crafts at exhorbitant tourist prices, along with a million other tourist buses.

We arrived in Ha Long city around 12pm and were shepherded across 4 boats to our identical junk- minus the advertised sails. Lunch (abysmal food) was eaten while we waited for the congestion to ease so we could make our way out into the bay. Once out in the bay, the awfulness of Vietnamese tourism was soothed somewhat by the beautiful tomb-stone shaped pillars of limestone jutting out of the water as far as the eye could see. In the far distance they were simply smudges of blue-grey against the sky.

We stopped to explore a huge cave. There were some amazing water-sculpted rocks, but badly let down by the technicolour lighting in the alcoves. Some of us then went to a grotto, much more natural, green and damp, with some strange chinese symbols carved in the rocks.

Our next stop was a floating village, where we were suddenly inundated by sampans full of fruit and other wares. We were told we could go and see some more caves if we paid some more money. Strange when our trip was 'all inclusive'! We declined and simply watched the lives around us.

In the evening we cooled off by jumping off the boat and swimming in the plastic-bag-infested waters. Environmental management is not a strong point here! Our room on the boat was clean and pleasant, even if we did have to sit on the floor to get enough pressure in the shower!

Next day we were awoken at 6am by the throbbing of the engine beneath our bed. By 7am we were in kayaks, and out among the boast of a small floating fishing village where everyone was just starting their days. People were crouched cleaning teeth over the bag of the boats, children were playing in hammocks, people fishing, and 2 men beating the water with flails to encourage the fish to their nets. Fascinating to watch, but as soon as the sun rose we became too hot and headed back to the boat, only to see it heading off into the distance.

It soon returned, and after a quick swim at at beach (good quality water that brought me out in a rash within minutes!), we headed back to Halong City, where more poor food and a long bus drive back to Hanoi awaited.

Somewhere I really wanted to see, and we are glad we went, but the style of tours here is abysmal, and we were completely overcharged for it by our hotel.

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