A Tour of Halong Bay ( Ha Long Bay), Vietnam

Halong Bay (Ha Long Bay) in Vietnam is unique and I don't say that lightly.

The Bay is an Archipelago of over 1,969 limestone monolithic like rocks that jut into the sky like carved buildings in a city of waterways filled with fishing boats, tourist boats and Kayaks in the quieter areas.

Halong Bay (Ha Long Bay) is a massive place. The coastline is 120 Kilometers long and the Bay encompasses some 1,553 Square Kilometers.

I felt like I was cradled in a huge dent in the surface of the earth with all these massively steep rock formations looming over me like a giant monster's teeth topped with thick jungle vegetation.

Some of the rocks are so steep that there is no beach at their bottoms. The hard rock just descends into the sea and the water washes against their sides.

The tourist boats steer away from these and head to some other of the rocks, a few with some nice beaches at their feet.

Halong bay (Ha Long Bay) was named a World Natural Heritage By UNESCO in 1994 for its outstanding aesthetic value, geological and geomorphologic value.

I don't know what the last two are but its a small list to be on.

It's worth the trip to Halong Bay (Ha Long Bay) and it's pretty easy to get there.

• You're Coming Down from China:

If you're coming down from the South of China, you can get a train to Hanoi from Nanning Station, Kunming Station or Guangzhou Station. From there you can transfer to a train destined for Hanoi.

The only direct train to Hanoi originates in Beijing.

If you've bought a First Class ticket on any of the trains then you'll be quite comfortable. But I still fill my bag with food and drink for the ride. The food choices are limited on the trains, are expensive and saturated in MSG.

If you are on the train out of Nanning Station then you'll enter Vietnam via the Dong Dang border crossing which is just North of Lang Son Province. Just sit back and relax (With one eye on your belongings).

The train takes you right into Hanoi and very near some cheap hotels.

Trains coming from Kunming cross the border at the Lao Cai border crossing in North-Western Vietnam.

From Guangzhou, you will cross the border at Mong Cai, a few hours drive from Halong Bay. It is the closest stop to Halong bay but you'll need to get to Hanoi or Haiphong City.

There is also a border crossing at Huu Nghi in Lang Son province. It's a road crossing. You can get a bus out of Nanning to Hanoi and this is where you'll enter Vietnam.

I decided to stay with the train because I like to hang out the car windows at night and watch the passing countryside.

• You're Coming up from Hong Kong:

This one is easy. Just make sure that you have a travel visa to Vietnam and also one for China.

The best place to get your Chinese Visa at China Travel Services.

The office I used was at:

They will also sell you a bus ticket to the Chinese city of Nanning. It's the closest city to Hong Kong that offers trains to Hanoi, Vietnam.

I took the bus because it was cheaper and departed from Nathan Road in Kowloon, near where I was staying at the Mirador Mansion. Getting to the train station was a pain because the Light Rail Service(LRT) doesn't get you close enough. It's nearly a 20 minute walk away.

And you have to buy your train tickets from:

They are open Daily from 8am-7pm.

Either way, your destination will be Nanning city in China. From there you can get a train directly into Hanoi, Vietnam.

Of course, you could fly up to Hanoi but if you're coming in from China then the Train/Bus ride is a great experience. That's if you have the time, of course.

• From Ho Chi Minh City

You can jump on the train to Hanoi. It's about a 24 hour trip so try to get a sleeper if you can. The ticket will set you back about $30USD as of December 2006.

I flew up with Vietnam Airlines. From Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi return set me back about $90USD.

From Hanoi to Halong Bay

Once you're in Hanoi then you can grab a room, relax and decide how you're going to see Halong Bay.

You could make the trip alone. I ran into a few people who went this way and in the end they found themselves bartering to get on the same boat as the tour package people.

In the case of Halong Bay I recommend getting booked on a 3 day package tour. It will include the bus down to Haiphong city and 3 days of mountain biking, kayaking and visiting the Islands.

You'll get 2 days on the boat and 1 night in a cozy cabin on the boat and 1 night in a small hotel on Cat Ba Island.

I took the tour because I didn't feel like learning the ins and outs of Halong Bay. That and it's a battle with the Vietnamese for the price of everything. I just wanted to see Halong Bay with a guide that knew the place well enough to show me the best places.

And they delivered.

I got on the tour bus in the morning. It'll pick you up in front of your hotel or Guesthouse if you book through them but they often hike the prices considerably.

I just took a stroll around the block and visited the 4 travel agents there and saved a worthwhile amount.

And they still picked me up outside my hotel. I stayed at the Fortuan Hotel. They are at 68 Hang Bo Street, Hoan Kiem District,Hanoi, Vietnam. You can book that hotel at $7USD a night or any other Hotel, Hostel or Guesthouse Here.

It was a three hour bus ride down to Haipong City from Hanoi. You can avoid that three hour trip by staying in Haiphong City overnight but the hotels are fewer and more expensive.

We had boarded the boat by Noon and were off into Halong Bay soon after.

There seems to be a single itinerary for each travel company touring Halong Bay. They all do the same things and go to the same places. The only difference is the quality of the boat you'll be on and the subsequent price.

First and cheapest are the traditional looking mid-sized ferries. They take great photos for the walls of the travel agency but you'll get exactly what you pay for.

The ferries get around to the places of interest but most people felt rushed through the tour and the food was not especially edible.

Second are the Junks. I love that name but had always thought they were a Chinese vessel. Anyways, most are modeled after traditional 16th century red-sailed Junks but the inside cabins and other amenities are as modern as it gets.

The two most respected and well-known names amongst the Budget crew are the 'Huong Hai' and 'Bai Tho' Junks. I went with 'Huong Hai' Junk for no particular reason.

I did the 3 day trip that cost me $260USD but is $210USD without the Kayak adventure. You stay on the boat for a few hours while the Kayakers see some amazing stuff.

It may sound expensive but it included everything, even the hotel on Kat Ba Island.

The 'Bai Tho' Junk cruise offered the exact same rates @$210USD for non-kayakers and $260USD for kayakers.

Both the 'Huaong Hai and the 'Bao Tho' are the cheapest and most reliable of the Junks in Halong Bay.

Third is for you rich folks. The slogan goes: "For the ultimate Halong Bay experience let Emeraude Classic Cruises transport you back to the days of old 'Indochina' as you discover Halong Bay in style on board a luxurious replica steamer.

Sounds pretty good. I couldn't afford this ship and they wouldn't let me on board to have a look around. Even my barrage of questions seemed to pee them off! Snobs. Apparently, they haven't heard of Travel-Budget-Asia.com! (Sarcasm).

Here's a sattelite image map of Halong bay. You can zoom in and out or go anywhere you want on the Globe.

• Titop Island

The boat took over an hour to navigate the limestone Islands before we got out into the open Bay. The Vietnamese Captain and crew were calling back and forth to each other as the boat slid through the waters.

When we arrived at the Island the only thing going through my head was why anyone would name it 'Tiptop Island'.

At first they couldn't get me into the water despite the coaxing and the fact that the other passengers were already splashing about.

Like a sheep I eventually followed the others in and really enjoyed the swim. But why Tiptop Island?

• Hang Sung Sot

Next we headed to Hang Sung Sot. It's an enormous cave with incredible stalactites and stalagmites hanging from the ceiling and jutting up from the ground.

I loved the eerie sounds that flooded the cave despite the other tourists testing their echoing voices over and over.

There is also some interesting 19th Century French graffiti painted on the walls.

A nearby Bay was the next destination and there were many other boats anchored in the same spot. We did the same and spent a few hours swimming about and digesting the views of Halong Bay in the dying light.

The Vietnamese tour guide told us lots of stories over dinner and even though some of the stories were ridiculous, the setting was perfect and I loved the effort. The stars were clusters of light and the voices from the other vessels carried far.

We slept overnight in cabins on the boat, and the next day we headed off further into the bay. I didn't get a good night's sleep though.

It was so beautiful up on deck that I sat there through most the night. A feeling of complete freedom washed over me and I was humbled by the setting, even though the limestone islands were mere shadows in the night's sky.

I eventually turned in but was woken by the early morning commotion of the crew getting breakfast ready and preparing for our next destination.

Breakfast was great and I found myself eating more than I usually do. It must have been the fresh air and all the swimming but it sure felt healthy.

We were soon off again but we met up with a smaller boat and were told to switch over. The bigger tourist boats cannot get near a lot of the islands because of the rocky shores and the shallow rock looming beneath the hull.

The smaller boat took us near Monkey Island where we took out some Kayaks for some more intimate exploration of Islands and Bays inaccessible by other, deeper keeled vessels.

The most memorable spot was a bay that was completely sealed off except for a tiny entrance under an overhanging Archway.

I was told that the Bay is completely inaccessible when the tide is riding high. I heard stories of people getting stuck in there overnight and never being heard from again. Apparently, it is a nursery for dragons according to local drunken lore.

Monkey beach is where we went next but I didn't see any monkeys. Apparently, they were all hiding in the Jungle. They don't do that anywhere else and in fact are pests in Thailand. But the Vietnamese do consider them food and that has a great impact on the psychological state of the monkeys on monkey Island.

You wouldn't want to be reincarnated as an animal in Vietnam. That's a pretty strong hint you did something wrong in this life.

Monkey beach was a great place for a swim though.

A smaller Island near Monkey beach was where we had our lunch. The food was fruit salads and Vietnamese fresh rolls and some pretty chewy pork and rice. I ate it before I had fully identified all of it.

• Cat Ba Island

After lunch, we took our boat over to Viet Hai Harbour on Cat Ba Island for some Cat Ba Island Tours on Mountain Bikes. Cat Ba Island is the largest Island in Halong Bay and even has a small population of inhabitants (Farmers and Fisherman mainly).

I didn't remember seeing the article for mountain biking in the tour guide but I was up for it. We pedaled through some amazing rice paddies and a few tiny villages.

Lucky for me the next day was just the journey back to Hanoi. It's about 2 hours on the boat back to the mainland and then another 3-4 hours by bus to Hanoi.

Most everyone stops in Hai Phong for lunch and then makes the trip up to Hanoi with full bellies and caffeine rich blood.

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