Travel Post #6: Beautiful Halong Bay in Vietnam

(Excerpt from my upcoming book)

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Chapter 2

Rain stopped by the time when I arrived in the late afternoon in Halong Bay. Scatters of clouds can still be seen up in the sky. The steps to get to the boat slip were steep and small. Walking with a suitcase (as I come to find out) was not the best option. The Vietnamese people, although friendly, are not as laid back as the fellow Laotians in Laos. If you come from Laos you might find Vietnamese to be a little aggressive and business oriented. They rush you sometimes. “Go Go Go, we have to get on the boat quickly” said the guy who was assisting with loading our luggages in the dingy boat. He threw my suitcase without giving much thought into the contents inside the suitcase. The small boat carried me and my fellow passengers to the big Junket boat. By the time we got to the boat it was dawn. To my surprise they gave me my own private room.

The junket boat was docked in the middle of the bay next to dozens other boats. It was great to have an on-board chef. We were welcomed with some hot tea and traditional Vietnamese appetizers. I met other travelers from South East Asia and Europe. After the customary introductions we discussed our travel plans in Vietnam. Later that evening, we tried to catch some Squid with our fishing rods. The fish seemed elusive at first but eventually were attracted to the fish bait. Inside the boat I was surprised to find a clean bathroom with hot water in the shower.

It wasn’t until the morning when I was able to appreciate the beauty of Ha Long Bay. Surrounded by thousands of limestone peaks (also called Karsts) rising up from the beautiful Emerald waters, Ha Long Bay looks like a mystical place during the day. Ha Long bay is one of Vietnam’s five UNESCO World Heritage sites. If you visit Vietnam you must go to Ha Long Bay.