During my travels I have seen uncountable sights that still manage to make my skin shiver. I have seen life under water in the Whitsundays and I have watched the sun rise over Mount Batur. But none were as brilliant as sailing through Halong Bay, one of the Seven Wonders Of Nature.
Halong Bay Cocktail Cruise
There are different travel agencies where you can book your trips, but I decided to play safe and opted for the slightly more expensive trip that Hanoi Rocks provided; Halong Bay Cocktail Cruise. (Read my article “6 reasons you should stay at hanoi rocks hostel“
Halong Bay is UNESCO World Heritage Site, a bay where thousands of limestone karsts scatter across the sea. Filip, our Vietnamese guide explained how Halong Bay came to be and enlightened us with myths about sleeping dragons and wars from thousands of years before.
As the limestone isles come closer in view and suddenly surround us I try my best not to blink. Apart from a few small fishermen’s boats, there isn’t any other boat in sight. The solitude I find here is welcoming after the loud streets of Hanoi.
The weather wasn’t with us that day. Dark clouds rolled in and right before we started kayaking, the skies opened up and rain poured down. My first reation was, “you know, nevermind, I’ll just have a beer.” Suddenly I was holding a paddle in my hands and sitting in a already filled with water kayak. There was something magical about hiding underneath the caves as rain poured down and thunder breaking in the skies.
Unfortunately, there is a lot of pollution in Vietnam and the water in Halong Bay was not spared. I put the dirt and jellyfish in the back of my mind and joined the crew by jumping off the boat.
CAT ONG ISLAND
In the late afternoon we arrived at our private island on Cat Ong Island. The twenty of us shared a large bunk bed cottage. We explored the nearby beaches. Together, we filled our night with talks and laughter and songs over a bonfire.
In the late afternoon we arrived at our private island on Cat Ong Island. The twenty of us were the only guests on the island and we filled our night with talks and laughter and songs over a bonfire.
Read all about my Southeast Asia’s adventures here!
Leave a Comment