Ha Long Bay

One of the top tourist destinations in Vietnam as well as a Unesco World Heritage site is Ha Long Bay. We decided to take a 3 day tour, including staying 1 night on the boat and 1 on the largest island Cat Ba. It is unfortunate however, given such popularity, that there are so little options to explore the archipelago other than an organized boat tour.













 The first stop on the tour was the largest cave in the area. It was well maintained and was a very enjoyable experience, although the colorful LED lighting somewhat diminished its natural beauty.

The small rock formation in the right side of the panorama is so iconic that it's featured on the Vietnamese 200,000 Dong bill.

Later in the day we got to kayak in this beautiful setting.

After spending the night on the boat we disembarked on Cat Ba island, the largest one in the archipelago. Most of the island is a national park covered in lush green vegetation and inhabited with wildlife. We were able to spot some deer while trekking to a mountain peak.

 

 The from the top of Ngu Lam peak.

The island's port and tourist hub is Cat Ba town - the largest one on the island. This time of year it feels desolate, with a bunch of hotels and restaurants being closed due to lack of business. We imagine it's a happening place in the summer time though.

Our favorite spots in town were the 3 hidden beaches off the southern coast. Each of them is set in its own bay which makes them feel  secluded and special. 

Beaches #1 and #3  are connected by a cliff walk above the water.

It is good to be reminded how small we are facing the grandeur of nature. "Look deeper into nature, and then you will understand everything better." Albert Einstein

 

 Looking back at our experience, we wish we would have done it on our own, at our own pace, not part of a tour. Our excitement to see as much as possible wasn't fulfilled with the set schedule we were bound by. Not going into details, but the crew of the boat and our tour personell wasn't the friendliest bunch, which was a good reminder of the fact that it's not where you are, but who you're with that affects your experience the most.