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Halong Bay

We decided on a three day two night trip of Halong Bay with Ocean Tours. The fact that you got to spend one night on their private beach resort swayed us! We arrived at ocean tours at 8am where we were called to an 'important announcement' we were told that we might have to spend both nights at the beach resort because of the tropical storm. This was better than nothing, a lot of other companies were canceling their trips because they only had a boat to sleep on and no one was sure how bad the storm might get. We arrived at Halong Bay 4 hours later in the pouring rain! Stood on the pier with half the group wanting to go and the other wanting to head back an agreement was made to have lunch on the boat before a decision was made. After a sea food lunch of stuffed crab and fish some of the group headed back to shore before our voyage around the bay began. The weather was a bit indecisive between rain and cloud which gave the limestone outcrops a misty appearance and due to the number of cancel trips they bay was quiet. With the rain holding off for a few minutes we decided to go kayaking in one of the thousands of small bays and through an open cave. Just as we boarded our kayaks the heavens opened once more!

After a quick trip round one of the limestone outcrops and through the open cave into the next valley and back the group where happy to seek shelter back on board the junk. This turned out to be only to be a quick rest as no sooner had we all boarded then the sun reappeared and our Italian shipmate was off the top deck into the water for a swim. After a long pause judging of the height off the top of the 3rd deck I was soon to be second to attempt the drop while Jen settled for the still high drop of the front of the boat. With clear blue water and the sun staying out for a short time it turned into a very nice if short swimming break on the trip through the bay.

After some more crab and fish, the evening turned into a little drinking and playing cards session to pass the time to get to a safe anchoring site for a night on the boat. After breaking anchor once and drifting in the dusk towards other junks, we all settled down in our very luxury cabin that including air conditioning and a separate bathroom.

The next morning we awoke to more rain and were told we would have to cross catba island by bus and then meet another boat to take us across to the private island in the south of the bay. The rain eased enough for us to attempt to disembark the junk onto the north pier with a quick scurry down a gang plank that was at an angle more then 45degrees! While Wilson our guide and I waited for Jen to join us (she was saying goodbyes) the heavens decided to do there worst and open up in a torrential downpour and the crew lifted up the plank with Jennie still on the boat! With only the bows of the junks to hide under it soon became a tight squeeze with the crew men and other passengers on the dock to keep dry. Slowly the few junks left leaving me and Wilson to make the 200m dash down the slowly disappearing dock with the bags to the mini bus. When the rain eased they lowered the plank again and Jen soon appeared at the van doing her famous impression of a drowned rat wondering what all the fuss was about.

After a race across the island with Sterling Moses long lost love child we made it safely to the main town of Cat Ba to meet up with the ferry. The short trip across to the island became very wavy as we left the sheltered harbor and approached the concrete jetty on the beach. After several attempts and one very near miss on the rocks because of the inexperienced island staff tying the boat to the jetty we rushed down the gang plank onto the island that was to become home for the night.

After a little panic attack from Jen about the water that was lapping the bottom step of 13 might somehow reach the door we had a quick swim with the island kids in the big surf on the private beach. In the morning we awoke to a calm bay and breaking sunshine which made it disappointing that we had to leave to return back to Hanoi. The boarding of the ferry was a lot more calm and smooth in the flat seas of the bay. After a cruise up Lan Ha Bay we met an empty junk that became our private charter back to the dock at Halong city.