So Halong bay was properly amazing! Our bus picked us up and after a very cramped 4 and a half hours we arrived at ha long bay which didn't look like it did in the pictures!! However we jumped on a little boat that took us to the big boat for our nights stay.

The big boat also didn't look like it did in the pictures in fact it was a bit dodgy but we met some nice people and we were all in it together so wasn't too a bad! We were fed so much food over the next 2 days that neither of us really cared!

First we went to visit paradise cave which although was very pretty it was quite plain compared to the dark cave in phong nha! After we had lunch while the boat lagged on to our next spot where we could swim and where we'd be sleeping for the night!

We spent the next few hours jumping. And diving off the boat as the sun went down! The sunset was so beautiful with the sky lit with thousands of shades of red and orange and surrounded by the limestone islands we really never wanted it to end.

So we had dinner and then we were informed there was going to be a party! Me and em were both very tired by this point and had already drank enough so we both groaned! But we stayed up for a couple hours looking at the stars and attempting to socialise!

Surprising we slept very well although we were woken by the tour guide screaming wake up at half 6 so an early start for us! We did some kayaking that morning which was really nice although Emma was lazy again and again insisted her technique was the best although due to her lack of paddling I never saw this!

After there was yet more food and we were transferred by little boat to cat ba island where we'd be spending another night! We had a van take us to the centre but on the way the guide decided we'd do a 2 hr trek up a mountain for a view! And it was easily the worst trek of our lives we were dripping with sweat, unprepared also in flip flops! But when we got to the top the view was so worth it!! It really was amazing! Getting back down took a little longer as both our legs were very much aching from the trek up!

Anyways we made it back to our van (eventually) and were taken to our hotel which was really nice and after yet more food we were taken to monkey island for swimming and yes we saw a lot of Monkeys although they were pretty vicious and were attacking a few people who got too close!! And after a dip in the sea we were taken back to our hotel and yet more food! (we were pretty stuffed by this point) and then off to bed we went!

On our last and final day in ha long bay we were driven back to our boat and had a cooking class in making spring rolls and then had a very nice lunch until we reached the port where we were transferred to our transport back to Hanoi (a very cramped bus).