The pictures seem stunning by themselves, but they really take on a whole new life when you experience it for yourself.
Halong Bay is probably one of the most beautiful things you will ever see. Nestled in northeast Vietnam, approximately two hours from Hanoi, sits this assortment of 1,600 massive limestone rocks jutting out from the bay, all shaped differently from one another, yet each one more impressive than the last.
It took me a while to finally settle on a tour of the bay. Once I knew I was going to be spending a good amount of time in Hanoi, Halong Bay was the first thing on my list, after savouring some delicious pho, that is! I did lots of research on Google, and I came across several warnings telling me to be careful and try to avoid scams - the touristy nature of this place makes it very easy to get scammed.
Eventually, I came across the Hanoi Central Backpackers Hostel, one of the best hostels I've ever stayed at, where I stayed three nights, and I decided to embark on the Halong Bay tour with them. It seemed quite affordable (only $89 USD - around $110 CAD) and I was sure to be travelling with other young travellers like myself. The tour is called the "Hideaway Tour," because instead of concentrating their time in the more touristy areas of the bay, the Hideaway Tour takes you to the south of it, where it tends to be less touristy and therefore less polluted and more peaceful.
The tour began at 7:40 on my third day in Hanoi. I passed out on the bus because it was so early, but I did manage to make a few friends and socialize along the way! At around noon, we made our way onto the boat, had some lunch, and started touring the bay. Not even the rain could deter from the amazing beauty of the bay.
We toured for a couple of hours, and as the rain eased we were let up onto the upper deck to have a few drinks and just enjoy our surroundings. We eventually made our way to a good swimming spot, where the water was warm and the views were absolutely stunning.
For obvious reasons, I did not take my phone into the water with me, however, as you can imagine, swimming in between the rocks and seeing them towering over you is quite spectacular.
Once we finished swimming, we directed ourselves to a private island where our sleeping quarters were located. This island is absolutely stunning all by itself, and the environment was perfect for a good night out. The music was going all night, alcohol was extremely cheap ($1.50/bottle of beer) and it was the perfect place for a nice swim and an amazing night! I was travelling alone, but many other travellers were on their own as well, and it's extremely easy to make new friends so you are certainly never lonely.
I mean, when this is the view from your room, there really is no way anyone could complain!
The tour I took offered a two-day and a three-day option. Due to time constraints, I was confined to a two-day option, however on the second day we all awoke to some torrential rainstorms. The three-day people were to go on a hike that day, however that hike was cancelled. This said, we were still invited to go kayaking in the morning, an opportunity I did not forgo. My friend and I kayaked for a good hour (in the rain), which was one of the most peaceful and satisfying experiences of the entire trip!
Throughout the tour, we learned that there are actually thousands of people that actually reside in Halong Bay. These people are primarily fisherman, and they live in these little fishing villages on floating rafts, so they rarely even set foot on land. Apparently these fishermen make less than $200 USD per year, though they have very little need for that money since they're almost entirely self-sufficient, their only real purchase being water, seeing as the tap water in Vietnam is not safe to drink.
I didn't get too many good pictures of the fishing villages, but they can be seen above, in blue. During a trip like this, despite the sheer beauty of your surroundings, it's impossible not to take a moment and reflect about life. These fishermen, for example, make very little money, and would never even be able to afford themselves a tour of Halong Bay, yet they live among one of the most stunning landscapes in the world. They live a simple life, and despite their low income, I am convinced that their lives are actually quite happy and stress-free, something that really makes you wonder about materialism in our world and whether it's really that important.
After lunch, we sailed away from the bay and back to Hanoi. The two days spent in Halong Bay were exhilarating, peaceful and unforgettable, dotted with new friendships, incredible landscapes and some important lessons.
I would not hesitate to recommend this trip to anyone. I know I certainly will never forget my trip to what is known in English as the bay of the Descending Dragon.
-Daniele
