Low season provided the four with just about a private boat (Fred and Mike from Copenhagen were also on board) to see Halong Bay. The ‘junk boat,’ as they are called in Vietnam, was our wooden floating home for two days and one night. Our first stop in the Bay was to ‘Amazing Cave’ where we walked deep into cavernous chambers that were lit up with various colors reminiscent of Disneyland. The walk back to the boat had women in medium-sized row boats filled to the brim with snacks, cold drinks, and souvenirs. Fishing nets on long poles collected money and sent back the purchase from the water below - an interesting niche indeed.
Kayaking was next on the itinerary and provided some lovely scenery and a good amount of exercise. We were disappointed with the quality and cleanliness of the water, however. Thousands of boats, tourism, and a local culture that lacks incentive to recycle or properly dispose of waste poses a serious risk to the health of this natural site. Back on the boat and showered up, it was dinner time! A family-style setting for the six of us provided the opportunity to share a meal and good conversation as the sun went down. Various seafood, vegetable, and rice dishes were on the menu. The remainder of the evening was spent sitting on the deck with Amy and Erin for drinks, chatting, and a touch of martial arts lessons from Erin, who is a second-degree black belt! Hi Yah!
Breakfast and a quick boat ride through the islands dropped the four of us off at Cat Ba Island. A 30-minute bus ride took us to a small village where we began our trek through the hills of Cat Ba. Up and down through hills, farmlands, trails and valleys was a great way to enjoy a hot sunny day with friends. The stop for lunch was a wonderful experience. The four of us sat and enjoyed a flavorful meal prepared by a family who lives in a humble home in a remote valley. The man of house let us try the home made honey wine that will quicken the step of even the most experienced drinkers. With full bellies we sat back and took in the moment and then enjoyed the views from the roof of the concrete home. A short walk through more farmland and rice patties took us to where we caught the bus to Cat Ba town. We checked into the hotel where we would stay for one night and then set off to see the local beaches and wander through town. A thriving resort town, Cat Ba was a good place to kick the feet up and enjoy the mixture of tourism and local lifestyle. We sat on the street and had a pitcher of the infamously cheap ‘bia hoi’ (fresh beer) and watched life go by. To remind ourselves of how real beer tastes and to make Amy feel at home, we then stopped at a New Zealand style bar on the main drive.
The following day was spent making our way back to Hanoi. The long boat ride back to the main port in Halong Bay let us snap photos and take in the beauty of the islands of the bay. We made it safely back to busy Hanoi where it was next stop Sapa!
View pics from Halong Bay at: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2258065&l=10134&id=10708181
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