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Kayak Halong Bay, Vietnam
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No. of Halong Bay lovers:……………
We decided to book the Valentine boat owned by Indochina Sails. We chose the Valentine since the pictures of the boat, rooms, and common areas looked stunning. At least they did in the pictures. We were told that some boats the look nice in the pictures are very old but they use the pictures from when they first sailed. We also liked that this boat only had 5 cabins for a maximum of 10 people when some alternatives had as many as 25 cabins and 50 people.
Indochina Sails
One other positive was that the boat supposedly would be away from other boats when it was time to sleep and that it had it’s own private dock away from the hoards. When we first boarded the boat I was in awe. The boat was just as promised and only a couple of months new. We took a small boat to reach the Valentine and I thought it was a little bizarre that no one else was on this boat. It turns out that Stacy and I were the only guests on the entire boat (there was also a travel agent inspecting the boat).
As a result they gave us the Presidents suite which we were told was the biggest cabin in all of Halong bay. It was huge with a Jacuzzi tub and separate marble bathroom and rain shower. The walls were made of thatched bamboo and dark wood that glistened in the sun. The ceiling was almost high enough for a second floor! The top deck had 6 gorgeous teak loungers that we had to ourselves. Soon after we arrived on the boat the ship began to sail and we sat down to our 5 course lunch. I only wish I knew it was 5 courses so I could have paced myself. Delicious soup, papaya salad that looked too good to eat, perfect lemongrass shrimp, thai chicken, and dessert were some of the items. After lunch we visited an island that had several steps leading up to a sweeping view of Halong Bay. After snapping too many pictures we were soon back on the boat sailing some more and then off to a secluded bay for a little kayaking.
Nearly the entire time sailing we only saw the 3 other boats the company owned (Ginger, Jasmine, Indochina) but at this bay it was just our boat. It was so great to be the only guests, they completely worked around our schedule and asked us what we wanted to do of all the options. Kayaking was a highlight of the trip. No one else around and the water so still that it looks like glass. The reflection of the rock formations and trees looked nearly identical whether looking at them straight on or it’s reflection in the water.
Back on the boat for some relaxation and then we had dinner. Another meal with too many courses, this time we joined the travel agent (Simon) and an employee of the company. Later after dinner we took the small speed boat to the Indochina sails to listen to some live traditional Vietnamese music and eat squid that was caught just 15 minutes before we arrived. May have been the best I have ever tasted. When we got back on our boat, I grabbed a fishing pole and tried my best at catching some squid.
This is more fun than normal fishing because you can see the squid in the bright light that was shining on the water and once you see the squid close to the lure you pull up to catch it. I caught one but surprisingly it was during one of the only times I wasn’t actually trying to catch one. It was nearly 12:30P when I went back to the cabin to sleep. I didn’t want to go to bed since I knew that I would wake up with the main part of the trip already over. Plus, I wanted to make it to the 6:30A kayaking adventure.
Source: TravelPod
Supported by: Indochina Sails
We pulled into Hanoi at 4.30am! With our eyes just open we made it back to Elizabeth Hotel to catch up on some emails before setting off to Halong Bay. Back on the bus again for three hours we stopped and grabbed some fantastic egg, bacon and cheese bagettes (or it could have been we were starving) before getting back in the bus. We had another wait at Halong City before boarding our boat in bright blue sky and brilliant sunshine! We set off on our cruise along Halong Bay with a seafood lunch onboard. Our first stop was at the … caves we wandered through back on the boat only to nearly leave one of our passengers behind. We set off again through floating villages and through the spectacular formations of the bay. Next stop, kayaking! After our previous experience we now considered ourselves experts or close too especially given the absolute stillness of the water compared to that of Laos. Back on board to our docking point, we were finally allowed to jump in! Joined only by a few others we enjoyed a late afternoon swim in the quite warm bay! Swimming was called to a halt to take some pictures of the amazing sunset….. only for the batteries to run out!! Showers and it was time for dinner on board! After dinner we had a few beers and a game of cards with some others including our Vietnamese Tour Guide whom we tried to teach the rules of “Cheat”,…. impossible.. but very amusing cos he just couldn‘t cheat “oh my Buddha”. We chilled on the roof under the stars before bed.
Indochina Sails at night
Up at 4.30am to see the sunrise (with fully charged camera batteries, our batteries we definitely still running low!). But unfortunately it was too overcast, instead we enjoyed an beautiful transition from dark to light without the sun rise. After a few reasonable photo’s we crashed for a couple more hours. After a light breaky we cruised to Cat Ba Island. After a friends had said the trek was a short walk along a path. Carly set off in thongs and shorts. Two and a half hours later up two very substantial hills, no path and lots of grit and sweat the thongs were not such a great idea. But the magnificent views of the harbour and national park were worth it.
A easy climb down and we jumped back on the bus to our motel with beautiful views overlooking the harbour. After lunch we walked to Cat Ba Beach 1 and 2 after a quick swim to cool off dodging the litter and huge weed we went back into town. We met up with our group for dinner ( which was the same as dinner the night before and the past two lunches) tofu, vegies, squid and spring rolls. We wandered up the street, alive with street performers and locals before crashing early to catch up on some well needed sleep, in a stationary bed
Feeling refreshed we joined the others for breaky. Before a long journey back to Hanoi, back on the bus to the harbour ,to the boat to Halong city, to the second (very hot!) bus and finally back to Elizabeth Hotel to pick up our bags and washing and then a taxi to the airport. Next on the plane to Bangkok! Jez was pretty happy to see the back of Hanoi! We arrived in Bangkok at 11pm with plenty of time to kill before our next flight to Koh Sumui at 6am! We checked in our bags and wandered around the airport, grabbed some burgers and watched the soccer with the rest of those stuck at the airport at 3am in the morning sprawled out on the floor out the front of one of the restaurants. Finally 6am arrived and we set off for Koh Sumui!!!
Source: Travel Blog
Supported by Huong Hai Junk
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The driver made one stop along the way at a big souvenir emporium for tourists. We appreciated the bathroom break and Jeane browsed quickly. She saw a small red lacquerware vase that she really liked and I told her to buy it, since she might not see it again. Good call. 15 minutes later we were moving again. We arrived at the cruise waiting area just shortly before noon. I neglected to mention that we were originally booked in the single suite on the Valentine, a small ship with only 5 rooms, including the suite. Unfortunately, I had received an e-mail from Tonkin two days prior saying it was not to be and that Indochina Sails had offered an alternative, a suite on the brand new (but larger) Indochina Sails III. Tonkin felt that I should go for it only if we could do it at half price to compensate and I agreed. Indochina Sails also arranged for a bottle of Chilean Red in our suite for our troubles.
Indochina Sails 3
From the waiting area there is a shuttle boat to take passengers to the ship. We departed just before 12:30. After boarding the ship, orientation and check-in were relatively quick and painless. While the ship was bigger than we would have liked, our a/c suite was very nice – king size bed, rain forest shower, plus a jacuzzi bath and a small private deck. There was also a safe and a minibar in the room. Lunch was the first activity of the cruise and it was an international/Vietnamese set menu, not a buffet. Very nice. The price of the cruise was all inclusive, except for drinks and kayaking.
There were two afternoon activities – first, a trip to Titop Island, named after a Soviet astronaut who visited there with Ho Chi Minh and second, kayaking at the Hang Doi Bat Cave area. It was pretty overcast with a few rain drops as we climbed the several hundred steps to the top of the mountain on Titop Island. In spite of the haze, the views were pretty good so we took some photos. The late afternoon kayaking was better – the ship’s guide was helpful, we were in a good group and the skies had cleared somewhat. The lagoon and surrounding waters are very quiet – it was nice to get away from it all as Halong Bay had been very busy. Our guide took some great photos of Jeane and I in our kayak. Kayaking cost $10US extra per person.
Back on the ship, we relaxed with our own cocktails in the room as we cruised toward our anchoring destination for the night. Afterward, we enjoyed a food carving demonstration, followed by a nice buffet dinner. We skipped the movie afterward, “The Quiet American” (I have it on DVD at home) and turned in early.
We awoke at about 5:30 the next morning (Sunday, 4/12), showered and got ready for the day. The ship pulled up its anchor shortly thereafter and we headed towards our next destination, a small fishing village and the Surprise Cave. Coffee and pastries were put out at 6:45. Jeane and I entertained ourselves by photographing the fishing village while we waited for the 8 AM transfer to the Cave. We spent about an hour at the cave, which is actually a series of 3 large caves with the “surprise” being the size and scope of it all. The caves were enhanced with artificial lighting. Steps and handrails were in place where it was necessary to climb. The ship’s guide gave us some history of the caves and pointed out the various formations inside.
We returned to the ship for our final meal, a buffet breakfast which included omelets made to order – not as good as the Metropole’s buffet but fine none-the-less. The ship’s crew requested that we put out our larger bags before breakfast for transfer to the pier. After breakfast we returned to our room to find that housekeeping was already starting to clean it. We used the public facilities instead and retired to the sundeck to relax and settle our bill while we approached the pier.
Our driver was waiting for us at the pier and the ship’s guide helped us with our bags. I gave him a tip and bid him farewell. The one-night, two day cruise had been just perfect. We would not have wanted to stay an additional night. The return drive was fairly quick and uneventful. We made the obligatory stop at the overpriced souvenir place but did not linger. I think Jeane would have liked to have spent more time there but I just don’t care for these places on principle.
Reported by Craig
Related to Ha Long bay:
Ha Long Bay in the northern province of Quang Ninh has thousands of islands and many beautiful areas.
Cruise on Ha Long bay by Indochina Sails
For nearly a decade, the nominee for a Natural Wonder of the World title has attracted more tourists since the bridge linking Bai Chay (Chay Beach) and Hon Gai (Gai Islet) was built.
In the bay area, there are many caves, beaches, restaurants, hotels and entertainment sites. Among its well-known scenic spots and tourist sites are Thien Cung, Dau Go and Trinh Nu caves, and Ti Top, Tuan Chau and Ba Trai Dao beaches.
At hotels on Bai Chay, visitors can ask at reception desks to hire tourist ships to visit the bay. You can choose which ship from photos and decide beforehand how long the tour should be and which places to visit or if you will have lunch on board.
The ships usually have sofas on the top deck for tourists to sit and watch the seascape. The deck below has tables and chairs made from precious woods worth billions of dong. Some cruises from big travel agencies also have karaoke rooms and bars.
According to Ha, who is a helmsman, tourist ships have to compete with one another because hundreds of them operate in the bay. A ship is considered successful if it is recommended by its customers. For this reason, tourist ships strictly observe the itinerary and respect customers.
Tourist ships usually take people to see Bai Chay Suspension Bridge first and then take them to visit Thien Cung Cave, one of the biggest and most beautiful caves in the bay. If there is time, they will stop at other caves and Ti Top Beach, a beautiful coral beach.
The ships also go past Ga Choi Islet, two rocks which look like roosters fighting each other.
The crew normally brings along fresh seafood for customers’ lunch. During the boat tour, you can see small boats selling fish, crabs and shrimp that you can buy and grill them to eat on board.
Reported by Phan Huy Tram/ TNnews
Recommended for vessels in Ha Long bay : Indochina Sails & Huong Hai Junk
Indochinasails on Halong Bay
My bike is sitting un-used in my room, waiting for a ride. I have not cycled since arrival in Hanoi as it looks to be quite a big challenge to navigate the horrible traffic congestion out on those streets. It is the worst I’ve ever seen, and I’ve been to quite a number of third world countries. It is a total free-for-all out there. Accidents are commonplace, much like bumper cars, except with bicycles, motor bikes, and pedestrians running into each other.
I was up early for an all day guided tour to Halong Bay. The cost was $29 and included lunch. I originally had planned on cycling out to Halong and then spending a couple of days exploring that area, but I’m already a couple of days behind my planned time for this trip and by taking a commercial tour, it will get me back on track. At 6:30am I took the elevator down to the lobby, it was pitch back inside and outside, no lighting in the lobby at all. The front doors were locked and closed shutters blocked the view to the street. As I got used to the darkness and looked around the lobby, I could make out people sleeping on cots and also that there were a number of motor bikes parked in the lobby too. I stood around wondering how I was going to get outside where I would be picked up by the tour company mini-van. Soon, a few of those sleeping bodies began to stir and awaken. Within a few minutes they were all getting off their cots, turning on the lights, folding the cots up along with their bedding, and preparing for the work day ahead. These people were all hotel employees, and I surmised that this hotel is also their home. What a way to exist! I’m sure many other employees live in the same manner at other businesses.
The tour van came by at exactly 7:30am and we headed east out of the city on our way to the Gulf of Tonkin, 115 miles away. We soon crossed over the Red River, named not for political reasons, but because of a mineral in the river that turns the water a red color. The trip to Halong would take 3 1/2 hours and part way our group of 8 tourists stopped at a small village for a tour of a cottage industry. This occurred I would guess, because the driver would get a commission on whatever we would purchase while shopping there. It seems that every village produces or manufactures a particular product or item, and in this case it was a village of silk weavers and embroiders. I must admit, these artists did amazing work. When given a small 6 inch photograph, they would embroider a duplicate scene to a size of 12 inches, or up to a three foot size reproduction in perfect detail, using about 100 stitches or more per inch. You could stand a foot away and not be able to tell that it was not an enlargement of the photo, or a very good oil reproduction. I was really impressed with the quality and would have loved to have purchased one, but such is my limitation when touring by bicycle. Space is always a big consideration and at a premium, with no extra room for non-necessities. When one of these masterpieces is finished, it is fairly weighty and quite stiff, so they cannot be rolled into a smaller package.
After that break, we continued on. I found myself sitting next to a young gal from Canada named Jennifer. She is working in Vietnam and was on a break, therefore taking today’s tour. Her job description is something we would all probably love. She works for an international five star hotel chain and therefore travels world wide checking into the company’s hotels, incognito, and spending five days at each one. She uses all the amenities the hotel offers in addition to eating in their restaurants, and then writes a report on her findings. After a five day stay, she flies on to the next one. All her expenses are paid, and she gets a salary in addition. I didn’t know such a job existed! She told me she is due for a vacation soon, and I asked her where she will go on a vacation as it appeared to me that she is on a perpetual vacation. He favorite vacation spot… Thailand! Mine too! Then she told me that when she goes on a vacation, she never stays in a five star accommodation, even with a big discount, she prefers smaller, unique accommodations with a local atmosphere instead of the same-same accommodations of the big chain hotels. She asked me for some suggestions on places to go and places to stay in Thailand, and I offered her some advice on great locations like Koh Samui, and Phuket which are a couple of my favorite places to visit.
After our little shopping spree, we continued on. This mini-van driver was much more sane than the insane driver I had from the airport. At one point we passed a truck load of ducks, each one was placed in a white sack with a slit for the duck’s head. There must have been at least a thousand birds packed on that truck and all their heads were bobbing up and down and darting in every which direction. We were all amused at that sight. Legend says that a huge dragon ran down from the highest mountains and into the sea at Halong Bay. On it’s way down the mountainside, the dragon’s immense tail was swaying to and fro and thereby digging very deep valleys and raising the soil to form higher mountains. These deep valleys were then filled with sea water and that action created the 3,000 islands that make up Halong Bay.
When we arrived at the pier on the bay shore, we were divided into 3 groups, so each group had it’s own guide/translator. Each group also had it’s own boat. The group I was in boarded a 40 foot long converted junk that was actually pretty nice with a lower deck that served as a dinning room, and an open air upper deck which was for lounging. Our guide’s name was Tom. Tom was a girl. Of course I teased her about the name, and she would just look at me with a ‘I don’t understand look’. I didn’t think she knew anything about teasing, so I explained that I was just having fun with her name. She told me she loved Americans!
We were served a great meal in the dinning room of the boat. There were 6 large plates of food, served family style, plus rice and drinks. The boat trip took us through a number of islands and we all relaxed on the teak lounges on the top deck. The trip took a couple of hours, the scenery was magnificent and the sea was calm and clear. We docked at one of the islands and then climbed a long staircase up the side of a mountain and entered some huge caverns. The caves were illuminated and had nice tiled pathways and stairs. The caverns were immense, so large that it was hard to realize their actual size. Tom gave us a running commentary, but her English was difficult to understand, so we didn’t learn much. This trip to Halong Bay is considered the number one tourist destination in all of Vietnam. In 1994 this area was designated a World Heritage Site and became protected, that shows the importance of this beautiful spot.
We got back to Hanoi late in the day, about 8:30pm, and the driver unloaded all of us at a central location, not at each of our hotels. I was ravished by hunger by this time of day. Our drop-off location was near the lake so there were numerous restaurants to choose from. I chose “Mama Romas”, a great choice, if I say so myself. The Ambiance was very nice, right out of Italy. There was a solo violinist playing soft romantic music right across from my table. The meal I ate was better than meals I got when visiting Italy! The only thing I missed was my sweetie who could be sitting in the vacant chair at my table. By the time I walked back to my hotel, the street sweepers, with brooms and shovels were out in force. It’s a big job picking up all the trash that is deposited in the gutters and on the streets in this city. During the daytime, people toss all kinds of trash and garbage into the streets and there are piles of stinking garbage everywhere by nightfall. By morning, everything has been cleaned up.
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