Em & Tola's Travel Blog

Vietnam has gone by really fast, but at the same time I feel like we have been in Vietnam for around one month ... it has only been 2 weeks. The past two weeks have been packed. We have done a lot, learned a lot about history, and we have gone on a lot of tours. Before Halong Bay, I wanted a rest. I didn't want to go on any more tours and I just wanted to stay in one place for a few days. Tola and I even questioned whether or not Halong Bay was really worth it, but we decided that we should go; indeed, Halong Bay must be one of Vietnam's treasures for a reason ... so we went ...

I didn't have any real expectations when we began our journey to Halong Bay. Tola and I had heard about many scams that can happen to tourists when they visit Halong Bay, so we tried to enter with open minds as we went for it. It didn't take very long before we realized how fortunate we were going to be during our three days in Halong Bay.

After driving for four hours, we made it to Halong City. Then we got onto our "junk" along with 16 other foreigners who would be in our group for one night. The junk we stepped onto was far from junky as we made our way through the beautifully refurbished boat. The boat had three stories and could house 16 tourists and about 8 staff people. It was wonderfully decorated, and Tola and I became ecstatic .. we had never expected to be on such an amazing boat in Halong Bay.

As we made our way through the bay, we had a wonderful welcome meal. Eating on the boat allowed us to taste some Vietnamese seafood and other delicious dishes. It was wonderful, and I suddenly felt like I was in a completely different world. Immediately Tola and I met some wonderful people. A couple from France, an American girl, and another Italian woman. The six of us seemed to bond right away, so we kind of had a little group during our time on the boat. It was fun getting to know new faces and hear about where everyone had come from back home.

The sun began to shine magnificently on the boat as soon as we left the harbor in Halong City. It was breathtaking as we made our way through the gigantic limestone cliffs of Halong Bay. As the boat ventured forth, the bay became larger, and I was mesmerized as large bays continued to open up around every corner. As Tola and I sat on the top deck of the boat we didn't really speak to each other. The two of us seemed to be taken away by the beauty in front of us. Sitting and imagining, I became so thankful that we made the decision to visit Halong Bay.

During the remainder of our first day in Halong Bay we visited a massive cave within some of the cliffs. It was the largest cave Tola and I have ever been to, and we really enjoyed looking at all of the stunning formations within the cave. After our Halong Bay cave experience, Tola and I (and the rest of our group) headed back to the boat for the rest of the day. We spent a little bit of time kayaking through the bay, but we soaked up our time on the boat as much as we could. A lovely and unforgettable evening was spent on the boat with some delightful people.

On the morning of day two, Tola and I had to say goodbye to most of our group as we continued our adventure through Halong Bay. Almost everyone headed back to Halong City after one night on the bay, but a few of us had decided on more exploration. The moment after our goodbyes was one of my favorites of our Halong Bay trip because we stepped from our large boat onto a smaller boat. Then we took a ride through the cliffs for a couple of hours. The sun began to shine again and our boat ride took us through some of the most scenic sights I have ever seen.

After our boat ride we got off at a small island, and e spent a couple of hours biking along small paths on the island. It was calming to listen to the sounds of nature and look up at the mountains around us. Time went by quickly as we rode through the countryside and we soon found ourselves back on the small boat.

We made one more little trip in the small boat before relaxing in our little bay. Our little trip took us to another small island where a group of monkeys were hanging out. After exploring the beach, Tola and I decided to take a little hike up the cliffs (on a path). The view at the top of the cliffs was spectacular and well worth it. Tola and I made our way down the cliffs after we finished enjoying the unbelievable view. I was the leader as we walked down and as we turned the corner, there was a larger monkey standing in the path. I screamed because I was really surprised, and the monkey kept coming towards us. Tola and I stepped to the side to let the monkey pass .. we didn't want to get in its way even though it seemed quite laid back. We ended up running into another monkey on our way down, and seeing these monkeys in their element fit right into our day. I wasn't as calm as Tola was during the experience, but now the stories are fun to tell. :)

Next the small boat took us to a smaller bay about one hour away. When arriving our guide told us we would be sleeping here for the night, and Tola and I again became surprised by what was in front of us. As we walked towards the shore, a small white sandy beach stood in front of us. There were a few gorgeous bungalows along the beach and there were not many people in sight. I felt like I was in a movie (I have felt like this a few times during our trip) as we walked along the quiet beach to our tables set for lunch. Throughout our trip, we really enjoyed our guide, and he ended up being very generous to Tola and me. He always made sure we were comfortable and he really helped us have a great time in Halong Bay.

Resting was a big part of the rest of our day. We settled into the beautiful setting around us, and we had an evening to admire the area around us. Tola and I also took another kayaking outing, and we were able to enjoyed the bright sunset. Enjoying the sunset as we kayaked around the cliffs was the perfect way to end another evening. If you look closely at the second to last picture, you can see a school of flying fish in the middle of the picture. The fish were amazing!

After two nights it was time to head back to Halong City and Hanoi. Sitting on the boat deck allowed me to think of the past few memorable days on Halong Bays. The views surrounding our boat were just as spectacular as our boat headed back towards the mainland.

Halong Bay was a wonderful way to end our time in Vietnam. Our three days were incredible and they are probably days that will really stand out at the end of the next couple of months. The more we travel through Southeast Asia, the more I am impressed. Asia is such a big part of the world, and I know I am so fortunate that I am able to experience many beautiful places within its boundaries.