Halong Bay

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Just got back from a 2 day trip to Halong bay. For anyone who doesn't know Halong Bay it's a large area of huge limestone mountains, that are just straight up out of the water and covered in jungle. Absolutely stunning and one of the parts of Vietnam I've been so excited about. Atchally I don't know why I'm discribing it, it's where they finished the Top Gear tour of Vietnam, on a floating bar in Halong Bay and if you haven't seen that then there's no hope for you. The tour was amusingly disorgansisd, it got the point that our guide was hiding from me and Helen and some of the other people on our tour out of fear for his personal saftey.

Halong City Harbour was a scrum, we'd prepaid for everything in Hanoi, and we were sold on from the bus that had brought us from our Hotel - a bit like human trafficing, I wonder if Helen cost more for being blond?? After being passed from tour guide to tour guide, lots of shouting, and tickets, money and passports being randomly tossed around we were on a boat. Out of the harbour and in Halong bay was a complete change of pace, completley calm and the Vietnamese had regained their Asian zen.

We went to Cat Ba Island, first stop was some caves, which were really nice but they had put lots of floresnet coloured lights in, and there was about half the population of China there looking around as well. We were beginning to re-loose our zen and we hadn't brought any water on the mainland and it was twice the price since it was so touristy. On backpacker principle we don't pay more than 10.000 at the absolute most for a litre of water, luckily some intelligent Vietnameseies were rowing about undercutting the mean touristy water sellers. Next we went around the bay for a bit, it was slightly cloudy which created a wonderful atmosphere with the limestone mountains surrounding us. Me and Helen decided to get onto a smaller boat to go into some caves, or through narrow breaks in the mountains into big coves where your surrounded by the mountains. Apparently it's where they filmed one of the recentish James Bonds (Tomorrow Never Dies possibly??). We then went around a floating village, where the people live on little floating houses and have a school and apparently never go to land. The main question we wanted answering was are the dogs trained to poo over the edge of their houses into the water?? Still haven't found an answer, might have to go back and interview some of them in my best Vietnamese.

Back on the boat we went to the main Cat Ba island stop and got on a bus to the hotel (which was not what we had been told was happening) luckily there were lots of other confused backpackers to make a fuss for us so we just followed. It's amusing to see how some of the backpackers deal with the people the disorganised people and the others who are hanging around hasseling you, a guy was trying to get on the right bus just started talking Spanish - obviously making the situation really confusing, but at least really funny. Others start annoying the hasselers back, by asking what's free and begging them to be there new best friends. Definatley better than loosing your temper and more entertaining than putting on the 'don't mess with me' face we've perfected over the last few weeks.

Everything went fine and the next day we got up and went treking in the national park. Our guide, who reminded of my old Spanish teacher, Mr Walker-Smith (I know a few people will be able to understand the seriousness of this!) and looked scared and pained everytime we spoke to him, either way he promised me that the hike was easy and flat (due to rib pain). I have never been on a less flat or harder trek in my life!! It was ok at first, up a path, then the path turned to slippy rocks, which then turned to rusty ladders. If you've ever broken a rib you can probably imagine how unpleasant it is to haul yourself up a moutain through the jungle. We were the sweatiest most foul smelling people by the end!! The view from the top was pretty good, although I had images of spending the two days sailing around the bay, sunbathing, beer in hand and this wasn't what I'd planned for.

Back at the hotel we showered and were collected to go back on the boat. It was a different boat, and really nice, our tour guide had disappeared and all the staff were really nice!! Finally the trip was what I expected it would be, we had our own cabin and there was only 4 of us on the boat, me and Hel and a young Australian couple who were really nice and gave us loads of advice about our trip there. We anchored next to another boat with a few other people. The others swam and kyaked but my rib told me not to so I watched the sunset from the top deck of the boat. It was perfect!!

Leaving Vietnam in a few days, going straight to HK on a 28 hour bus through China. Personally I can't think of a worse of many worse things but it works out a lot cheaper than any other transport. Really, really loved Vietnam and feel like we've seen a lot of it, I think more than any other country I've been to I'd recommend to people to spend some time here, it's like no where else on earth. The culture is interesting and unique, different in many ways to other parts of Asia, the history is facinating and the scenery is breathtaking! The people, although 90% are lovely, some are a bit money grabbing and you just feel like the walking ATM. Particularly on this last trip, people were pretty mean at points, until they realised that either you'd already paid for what they were selling or were about to part with some cash, and then their attitudes had a complete change. They're smart, and persistant and although I think it's worse in many other countries I've visited I don't like there attitute to tourists at times. Although there's some poverty here (we have hardly seen anything really bad, but I don't know if that's because we're kept from seening it) there's a lot less poverty than in Africa but your more persisantly hasseled. Having said that I've just been given an ice-cream by the girl behind reception for no reason and we have come across so many really interesting (usually slightly crazy) Vietnamese, esspecially Tuan and Lulu on the tour. Most importantly they love there karaoke, and singingly loudly out of tune and you can't help but love a nation of devoted karaoke singers.

One thing I'll never forget about Vietnam is how motorbikes/scooters rule. They have right of way everywhere, roads, pavements, dirt tracks, everywhere they physically can get the bike to go! They take up almost all the road, and then are parked all along the pavement meaning you have to dodge in and out of traffic in the gutter! I've been told many times that the population of Vietnam is about 80 million, and there are over 40 million motorbikes in the country!! Insane!! They drive them straight into there front rooms, imagine if you did that at home!! Ones just driven into the hotel lobby past me, which would be very strange most parts of the world. We were told in Saigon that you can't get a girlfriend or boyfriend if you don't have a scooter and they are hugely important for your social status!

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Comments

[anonymous]

Glad you enjoyed your trip and loved Vietnam. You are very kind and open minded. I mean, with the same experience as yours in Halong bay, many tourists would behave in ways different than yours. You are also so clever: a 'don't mess with me' face would never be a good way. Happy travel!