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Published: October 9th 2011
Having come to the end of our travels with our Intrepid companions, it was time to set off on some more adventures of our own. Any trip to northern Vietnam requires at least an overnight stay on a "junk" in Halong Bay. We decided to book a 2 night/3 day cruise on Jewel of the Bay.
Halong Bay, in the Gulf of Tonkin, includes some 1,600 islands and islets, forming a spectacular seascape of limestone pillars. Because of their precipitous nature, most of the islands are uninhabited and unaffected by a human presence. The site's outstanding scenic beauty is complemented by its great biological interest.
Several of the islands are hollow, with enormous caves. Hang Dau Go (Wooden stakes Cave) is the largest grotto in the Halong area. French tourists visited in the late 19th century, and named the cave Grotte des Merveilles. Its three large chambers contain large numerous stalactites and stalagmites (as well as 19th century French graffiti).
Some of the islands support floating villages of fishermen, who ply the shallow waters for 200 species of fish and 450 different kinds of mollusks. Many of the islands have acquired their names as a result of interpretation
Jewel of the Bay
The trick was not to look too closely at the boat.of their unusual shapes: such names include Voi Islet (elephant), Ga Choi Islet (fighting cock), and Mai Nha Islet (roof). 989 of the islands have been given names. Birds and animals including bantams, antelopes, monkeys, and iguanas also live on some of the islands.
The bay was World Heritage listed by UNESCO at the 18th meeting of the Committee of the World Heritages of UNESCO (in Thailand on December 17th, 1994). It is one of Vietnam's most popular tourist destinations.
Halong Bay has been the setting for local naval battles against Vietnam's coastal neighbours. On three occasions in the labyrinth of channels between the islands the Vietnamese army stopped the Chinese from landing. In 1288 General Tran Hung Dao stopped Mongol ships from sailing up the nearby Bach Dang River by placing steel-tipped wooden stakes at high tide, sinking the Mongol Dubhai Khan's fleet.
During the Vietnam War, many of the channels between the islands were heavily mined by the United States Navy, some of which still pose a threat to shipping today.
In 2009, the New 7 Wonders Foundation, which runs the New Seven Wonders of the World program, included Halong Bay on its list
of nominations as one the World's 7 Natural Wonders.
The fact that the bay is one of the most heavily populated tourist destinations is obvious when the bus pulls into the port. The port is a noisy, crowded messy affair, with hundreds of mini-buses pulling in to drop off tourists who are subsequently herded on to an equal number of boats.
Eventually it was our turn to head out on to our junk - a word used in reference to the type of boat, but could very well refer to the condition of most of them. Water traffic in Halong Bay was akin to the traffic back on land. Captains vied for position close to the dock - no one actually docked, they just all crammed up close together. Horns, smoke from the boat exhausts, all made for a different experience than we had so far been expecting.
Once you manage to get out of port - without taking out too many of the other boats - it become apparent why Halong Bay is a must see. Shrouded in mist as we sailed out among the islands it was easy to forget the hundreds of other boats
in the bay and simply appreciate the majesty of the place. Stunning karst scenery, secluded beaches, majestic cave formations and hidden lakes were home for the next couple of days.
Once again, the food was another highlight. Fresh seafood, classic bottles of NZ wine, and great conversation with our fellow passengers were the order of the day. The artistic display of the food deserves a special mention. Tables had been set up individually for each couple on the boat, but as there were only about 16 of us, we took it on ourselves to rearrange the dining room with one long table in the middle. The crew took it in their stride, just going with the flow. While the boat might have looked a little scary and run down, the crew were fantastic, attending to all our needs.
Trips from the boat included swimming, beach hopping, exploring the caves, climbing the lookouts and kayaking through the myriad of hidden lakes within the larger islands. And there was plenty of time to just laze about the upper deck of the boat and catch up on some reading (and blogging).
On day one we stopped at Ti Top Island
Chillin' on deck
Time to relax with a drink and a book and Beach. The beach takes the shape of a crescent encompassing the island. Though it is small, it wins kudos for its quiet and airy atmosphere, as well as its alluring landscape. On November 22, 1962, this tiny island had the honor of receiving a visit from astronaut Ghermann Titov, a hero of the former Soviet Union, accompanied by President Ho Chi Minh. To perpetuate the remembrance of their visit, Ho named the place Ti Top Island.
Halong Bay is not just a haven for tourists but also home to floating fishing villages and a pearl farm. A community of around 1,600 people live on Hạlong Bay in four fishing villages: Cửa Vạn, Ba Hang, Cống Tàu and Vông Viêng. They live on floating houses and are sustained through fishing and marine aquaculture.
There couldn't be a better location than to wind down and relax before heading back to the bustle of Hanoi to start the "luxury" part of our holiday. One night at the Intercontinental West lake and then off to the resorts of Hoi An (and as it turned out the tail end of Typhoon Megi).
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