This post is a continuation from Hanoi.
Is Halong Bay one of the more amazing tourist destinations on earth? To judge, you might have to go yourself. How long should you spend there? Well, how long is a piece of string?
A visit to Halong Bay was part of our guided tour but, though many traveller friends had remarked about it, we had little idea about what our visit would entail. The main photo above indicates what you will see once you get among the islands. It is amazing because of the main sight itself (the islands in the bay and in neighbouring bays), the size of the “fleet” of boats that service the tourists, the magnificence of the boats themselves, the high degree of organisation and infrastructure and, at least for us, the high quality of the tourist experience.
Travelling to Halong Bay
The Bay is in the north east corner of Vietnam, close to the China border and bounded on the south east by the large Chinese island of Hainan.
Our group travelled for three hours from Hanoi, through countryside that was unremarkable, though still interesting. You pass through industrial and farming areas and towns and villages; the tall narrow houses common in the north are intriguing; while there are some tourist stops that are interesting and educational. One sees that Vietnam life and society vary from ancient to traditional to pragmatic to ultra-modern.
The “Junk Boats”
Our experience of the Halong region was probably similar to that of most tourists. Thus, on arrival at the sea, we didn’t head into the town itself but were driven over the causeway onto a large island where huge numbers of boats depart for the bay itself; when we disembarked the next day we headed straight back to Hanoi, having seen next to nothing of what else the area has to offer.
We would spend a night on our boat but our visit would last less than 24 hours. Others do a cruise of just a few hours, others do a cruise lasting some days, others visit Halong City (aka Bai Chay) which spreads up the coastline. There are sites, islands, bays and sea tours of interest apart from the main bay itself.
Our departure island provides one of the most remarkable “processions” you may ever come across, when hundreds of so-called “junk” boats depart at the same time at midday. They are certainly not describable as “junk” as we would normally use the word in English: they range from basic to luxurious, many show their age, but at the same time they can be just gorgeous. The extent of the “fleet” is mind-blowing: were we told that typically 500 tourist boats an afternoon set out from the various departure points?
From the top deck of your boat you can watch the mesmerising procession of boats leaving the harbour for the sea and Halong Bay. Here is a short video – albeit a “look and shoot” one – showing a short section of the “procession” followed by some views taken among the islands with the hundreds of boats that departed with you. The video may take 30 seconds or so to download; the music is an edited segment from The Swan by Saint Saens (for source, see: About Us and check Music Sources.)
Among the Islands
Lonely Planet describes Halong Bay as follows: “Towering limestone pillars and tiny islets topped by forest rise from the emerald waters of the Gulf of Tonkin. Designated a World Heritage site in 1994, Halong Bay’s scatter of islands, dotted with wind- and wave-eroded grottoes, is a vision of ethereal beauty …“
Your experience will depend on the weather: it seems it can be overcast, to stormy to brilliant sunlit stillness. The conditions for our visit, although hazy, were described as “good”.
It does not take long to sail into the huge cluster of islands. You will be joined by many boats and tourists, yet it doesn’t seem crowded on the water. There are sights of ancient cultures with a modern city not far away. You will probably visit a cave, climb a hill or two, and of course, take heaps of photos. When you make a landing, you have plenty of company!
Life on board was quite special for us. We were on a gourmet tour, after all, so we dined especially well.
Click here for the next post in our Vietnam journey: Halong Bay – The Food.