Ha Long Bay, Vietnam
Surreal Limestone Outcrops Dot the Surface of Halong Bay
Like a Chinese painting, the limestone outcrops, the fjords and grottoes, make this a magical place, and now you can cruise in comfort in a 5-star vessel.
One of the great natural wonders of the world and an UNESCO World Heritage Site, is Halong Bay in Vietnam. Over an area of 1,500 square km. are scattered thousands oflimestone karsts and grottoes which surge out of the calm emer5ald waters of the Gulf of Bac Bo. It can only be really appreciated if you meander through these islands, fjords and outcrops in a boat.
Ha Long Bay or Bay of the Descending Dragons is surrounded by crystal clear water and is a perfect spot to escape ro from the hectic pace of Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City. The silence of the area is almost unearthly, and the grottoes with their stalagmites and stalagtites are awe-inspiring.
A short trip from Hanoi to Halong Bay through countryside that hasn't changed in decades, passing bullock carts carrying workers home from the paddy-fields, Chinese cemetaries set up in family fields, and buffaloes standing knee deep in water with birds sitting on their backs, calls to mind pictures from the last century.
And now with the licencing of boats to cruise within the protected waters of Halong Bay, most of them having eco-friendly water and waste treatment systems, it becomes easy to spend time in this charmed place. When I visited it five years ago we had to negotiate a fee with a local fisherman who cooked us lunch on board, but nowadays there are more than a few licenced boats to take you around the bay. Junks ply the Gulf as well, and with the sun setting behind their red sails, and the calm waters reflecting the ball of fire in the sky, you will think you are in another land. Add some black Chinese script and you have the perfect picture.
Several of the boats that cruise this UNESCO World Heritage site are five-star vessels, modelled in the tradition of the grand old paddle steamers of the colonial era, one of the most famous of which is The Emeraude which was painstakingly copied from old manuscripts in Paris. The original used to ply the Indochina waterways in the olden days..
Afternoon tea is a speciality of these cruises, and some even offer body massages and Tai Chi classes and their are even cabins for those who wish to relax completely during the cruise.
Your hotel can make all arrangements for you. If travelling from Hanoi, a car and guide is usually recommended, as although the route is safe for self-drive, the scenery is so delightful it is better to have someone in charge of the car!
See Also - Hanoi - Vietnam's Capital of Cool
See also - Ho Chi Minh City - former Saigon
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