A cruise round Halong Bay

A 4 hour drive from Hanoi and we’re at Halong city about to board our junk for the next 3 days, we meet our fellow travellers which are an American couple and their daughter who is studying in Hanoi, and bizarrely enough another Finnish connection, a young couple from Helsinki. There are 7 of us on a 22 birth boat along with 12 crew so we have plenty of space.

We set of from port and we’re served a welcome drink and after half an hour to settle in we’re treated to lunch on board which is a multi course affair with some superb sea food.

 Our cruise continues through some stunning strange scenery,

 after a few hours we stop to do some kayaking

 then it’s time for a cooling swim

 After a superb dinner we try our hands at some squid fishing, Jo manages to catch 2.

 Next day starts at a respectable 8:30 with an open air breakfast followed by some more kayaking to a deserted beach where we have time to have a swim and relax.

We cruise round some more islands

Then after lunch a visit to a floating fishing village

our boat-woman catches a jelly fish as that just happens to be floating past, she can get nearly 2 dollars for that selling it for export to China.

 The boat then cruises to a secluded bay where we weigh anchor for the evening,

Our meal tonight is in a limestone cave which is set up just for the 7 of us,

 the meal is superb and complimented by some amazing vegetable carvings

Yes, that small junk is made entirely from vegetables, including the sails.


The night is rounded off by the crew singing songs

before we cruise through the darkness to our mooring for the night.

 Next morning is another cruise through the bizarre islets and rock formations of Halong bay

back to the port of Halong city where we return to Hanoi. A fantastic trip.