Ha Long Bay and Cat Ba Island

Snuggled under the duvet at the Hung Long Hotel on Cat Ba Island. This is the most money I’ve paid for a room due to the dreaded single supplement – an extra $20 – but it is big and luxurious with a great view…worth every penny. Actually, the entire Ha Long Bay cruise has been excellent value for money. I’m sure there are less expensive tours, and I know for a fact you can pay a lot more, so I’m feeling like Goldilocks with my “just right” option.

We boarded Hoa Binh in Ha Long City a little after noon yesterday after an uneventful 3.5 hour drive from Hanoi. My fellow boat mates included Andre and Catherine from Montreal, Peter from Portland, Oregon, Richard from London and Tilly from Copenhagen who has two months left in a year-long, round the world adventure.

There aren’t enough superlatives to describe Ha Long Bay. It was overcast when we set out and this only added to the ethereal atmosphere as we (and hundreds of other boats) glided past the huge karst rock formations jutting out of the sea. It was difficult to concentrate on the exquisite lunch the crew had prepared for us, surrounded as we were with such beauty.

We eventually stopped at Ti Top Island where Peter, Richard and I climbed the 400 stone steps to the look-off. Others combed the white sand beach or dipped their toes in the bay…a bit chilly for my taste given that I’ve been spoiled by bathtub temperatures in the south…

The pre-dinner cooking class – totally unexpected – taught the fine art of assembling fresh spring rolls. The galley crew had done all the heavy lifting of course, chopping, slicing and dicing so that all we had to do was put the filling in the rice paper and roll it up. Sounds easy, right? Let’s just say I’ll need a bit more practice.

Then, dinner. Once again blown away by the effort put into the meals. I think it’s safe to say that none of us left the table hungry.

Day 2 could have started with photos at sunrise followed by tai chi on the top deck. Luckily, Andre took care of the pictures (and has promised to share) and Catherine was the tourist representative at the tai chi class. The rest of us just showed up for breakkie at 7, well rested and eager to start the day.

Sung Sot cave was next on the agenda, a great opportunity for folks who didn’t make it to Phong Nha to get a taste of the wonders that exist in our natural world.

Returning to the big boat, Peter and I prepared to say our good-byes. The others were going back to Hanoi and we were continuing on with another day on the water and to spend the night on Cat Ba Island. I hated to leave our little group as we had bonded quickly, but more adventure awaited.

We transferred to a bigger boat and settled in with a coffee, only to be told five minutes later that we were switching boats again. This time, a smaller vessel with four other passengers, Tony and Wendy from Melbourne and two young guys from Israel – didn’t catch their names. Our guide…Mr. Hero.

We made a stop on Monkey Island where we could have gone for a swim if we wished (the young guys did and the comment as they surfaced was “bloody hell”). I opted for a shell and monkey search. Lots of shells…zero monkeys. Back on the boat, this time heading to a small village on Cat Ba where the guys were staying in a bungalow in Viet Hai. We all got on bikes and cycled to the tiny community to get them checked in. It was a charming little place…very little there but surrounded by breathtaking scenery. Loads of biking opportunities as it’s right in the national park (as is most of the island). This little village sits in a valley and as such was covered in water during the rainy season five years ago. I mean eight metres of water…up to the Welcome to Viet Hai sign that arches the roadway into town.

• 

  

We reached Cat Ba City mid-afternoon. It might as well have been 10 at night as far as my energy level was concerned so I opted for a hot shower and some down time before meeting Peter, Wendy, Tony and Mr. Hero for a nice dinner. Absolutely fabulous tour!