Halong Bay - Cat Ba Island (11-12 Nov 12)

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So after the overnight return train ride back from Sapa to Hanoi, and another quick overnighter at Hanoi, and I was finally on my way to the place that I really should have gone to on my very first visit to Vietnam way back in 2005. For some reason I'd declined to check it out back then, thinking I would surely have an opportunity again in the near future. Turns out that near future would be 7 years later! So 2500+ days later, I finally saw Halong Bay in the flesh.

And not a moment too soon either. If there was ever an attraction that truly reflects the extent of the development of tourism in Vietnam, it has to be Halong Bay. Crowded from the get-go, from the packed mini-bus ride there, to the throngs of tourists milling around at the harbour at Halong Bay City. And we were told this was the low season! Seems like no self-respecting Hanoi visitor misses the side trip to this Unesco World Heritage site, except for the 2005 me!

So was it worth it? Well, yes and no. Of course I had to scratch this seven-year itch. And of course, stripping away the convoys of Chinese junks heading out simultaneously, all the tourists (including the obnoxious, loud-talking ones on-board) one can certainly still (for now at least) find that little magic that must have greeted the Descending Dragon after which the bay is named. But that magic is probably dwindling as rapidly as the visitor numbers are rising, which only serves to dent further regret in my mind for not having visited earlier when I had the chance. I'll let you decide for yourself from the photos.

I'd signed up for a 2D1N stay onboard, but apparently stormy weather was predicted that night, so we were diverted to nearby Cat Ba Island instead, where we stayed at the Viet Lotus Hotel.

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Photos

Halong Bay
Apparently they filmed the relatively recent James Bond installment Tomorrow Never Dies here, which reminds me of when they filmed the much-older Man with the Golden Gun in Koh Phi Phi, Thailand. History repeats...

Halong Bay Cave
Paradoxically, it probably would've been much more impressive without all the artificial lighting, which made it seem quite contrived. Couldn't help but compare it to the awesome Kong Lo cave back in Tha Kaek, Laos.

Halong Bay City-Hanoi
Representative Northeast Vietnam countryside.

Colourful Souvenir Store
At one of the mandatory tourist trap pit-stops from Hanoi to Halong.

Halong Bay
Little fishing village where we did some (free) kayaking, and where the richer, older folk chose bamboo boat rides instead at VND120k (USD6) per pax!

Halong Bay
Relieved to have finally scratched this seven-year itch.

Halong Bay
Convoy of (just) three Chinese junks in sight. Apparently this was the low season. During peak season, there may supposedly be as many as 600 junks in the bay in a day!