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Timeless Charm.......Northern Vietnam (Part 1): Ha Long Bay

Ha Long Bay.......mystically calm
A wet day.....the scenery of 4 hours journey from Ha Noi to Ha Long

The Ha Long city mainly lies on Hạ Long Bay which is located 178 km east of Hanoi. Vịnh Hạ Long or Ha Long bay (means "Descending Dragon Bay") is listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994 and located in Quang Ninh province, Vietnam. Believe it or not...... this bay is also listed as one of the New Wonders of Nature.

The cruisers at Tourist Pier, Bai Chay



Just a gentle reminder, if you wish to visit Ha Long Bay from Ha Noi, do arrange with appropriate travel agent in Ha Noi, or you can communicate with me to get a cheap and professional cruiser agent contact. Trust me, they are cheap and good for door-to-door service. The minibus transferred from Ha Noi Old Quarter was around 0800-0830 and we reached Ha Long Bay around 1230. The lunch was served  straight away when the cruiser start departing from the pier. After the long transfer from Ha Noi, the simple seafood and vegetables lunch was more than enough.....and delicious too.

The partners in crime.......the Italiano, the Malay and the English


The bay features thousands of limestone karsts and isles in various shapes. Ha Long Bay is a center of a larger zone which includes Bái Tử Long bay to the northeast, and Cát Bà islands to the southwest. Hạ Long city is divided into two parts: East Hạ Long and West Hạ Long. The eastern part is also known as 'Hon Gai', where most of the official buildings and industry are concentrated, is connected by bridge with the western part which is also known as 'Bai Chay', considered to be more of a tourism attraction. The tourist pier for  boarding the cruiser is located here too.

The fighting cocks....the symbol of Ha Long Bay








Ha Long Bay covers an area of around 1,553 km square, including 1,960–2,000 islets. The limestone in this bay has gone through 500 million years of formation in different conditions and environments especially wind and water. The evolution of the karst in this bay has taken 20 million years under the impact of the tropical wet climate. At the time I visited Ha Long Bay, the weather was gloomy with rain on and off, so I did not manage to capture the magical moment as I wish. Nevertheless, the scenery was breathtaking.



While cruising around the bay, the cruiser stopped by at one of the fishing village. We were allowed to go for kayaking or transfer to a bamboo boat to explore the village and close surrounding. The water is crystal clear, very calm and good for swimming too, if you booked for the overnight cruiser the latter will be permitted.

The fishing village






The geo-diversity of the environment in the area has created biodiversity. Historical research surveys have shown the presence of prehistorical human beings in this area tens of thousands years ago. Some of the remaining can be seen in the caves or grottos. One of the popular grottos includes the "Dong Thien Cung" or the Heavenly Palace Grotto. The interior of the grotto was so beautiful however, the surrounding crowds from other cruisers have triggered my migraine.....too many people. Thanks god this was the last stop for the day cruiser tour. 

The Heavenly Palace Grotto





The tourist boat reached the tourist pier again at around 1630 and directly bound for Ha Noi. Do not try to arrange your own transport without the help of the local.....you’ll get a severe headache. All in all, Ha Long Bay is one of the must see nature wonder.....recommended!

Ha Long Bay, the fishing village and rainy day


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