Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay: Magic on Earth

It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is also often listed as one of the top natural wonders of the world. I simply call it ‘magic on earth’! This magic is formed by the blue waters of the bay coupled with the densely forested limestone islands that rise mysteriously out of the ocean floor at about 1,600 places.

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Immensely popular with backpackers around the world, Ha Long (descending dragon) bay in Northern Vietnam’s Quang Ninh province is seriously special as it provides you with the experience of some of the most scenic ocean karst topography in the world. Most visitors soak in these lovely views while living in a local cruise ship on the Halong bay waters for a few days to a few weeks.



They fish, they swim, they relax on its pristine beaches and they make merry. They climb to panoramic viewpoints, they watch different flora and fauna, they go on cave adventures, explore hidden lakes, experience floating villages and a lot of partying during the night.



The adventure enthusiasts have a much different kind of fun. From rock climbing to cliff jumping and from kayaking to caving, Halong bay spoils the ocean adventurer. The many different crags on these limestone mountains excite the rock climbers, who sweat it out while climbing these steep rocks and then finally cool it off by diving into the ocean waters for a relaxing dip. As most of the limestone karsts are closely packed together with shallow waters between them, the cruise ships cannot come close to them. Rather, it is the kayakers who can explore its many hollow caves, shallow waters and the many desolate, white sandy beaches that are teeming with hermit crabs and other exotic marine species.



The land adventure lovers are not to be left far behind as there are the many rich and biodiverse islets that are home to many endemic floral and faunal species that have made this place their home amongst the tropical evergreen oceanic environment. You can simply climb up the small ones for deeper exploration and panoramic views or trek through the dense foliage of the much larger ones to be simply amazed at the variety that this place has to offer. And sometimes you can climb into the hollow confines of some of these islands that are home to enormous cave systems and gape at the wonders of the numerous stalactites and stalagmites.



Whatever be your thrill, this natural wonder called Halong Bay is bound to delight you with its magical elements. I am pretty sure that most of you will have it right up there in your Vietnam travel bucket list, but even so, do ensure that you keep some time at hand to experience the magic of Halong bay!

Best Season to Visit



The summer months are usually the best time of the year to explore Halong Bay as that is the time when the days are bright and sunny and the views are clear. Usually winters are wet, cloudy and gloomy with poor visibility. But, having said that, ocean weather is unpredictable and can change any time. Halong bay is open all year around except for when there are heavy rains and/or storms.

How to get there



The nearest airport is Hanoi and it is the nearest large city for all emergency and luxury hotel needs. The nearest road access is Halong city. Usually, visitors opt for tours from Hanoi, but I would also recommend staying at Cat Ba Island and exploring Halong Bay from there, either as day trips or on cruise ships.

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Top 5 Favorite Destinations in Vietnam

Vietnam is one of those South East Asian countries that has beautiful tourist attractions right from the south to the north. I spent close to 40 days in this country across 2 backpacking trips and based on this experience below are my top 5 favorite destinations of Vietnam.

Hoi An

In my mind, this is Vietnam’s cultural hub. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a shopping hub, close to the yesteryears Hindu kingdom of My Son, has beaches, has tropical islands around it, has a river flowing through it and has marble mountains next to it. What more can one ask for? This place deserves the most of your Vietnam time as this place has variety, class and very friendly people. I totally dig this place, the relaxed atmosphere of having dinner at its river side restaurants, diving amidst the white corals of its offshore islands, exploring its rich cultural past and seeing true Vietnam countryside around it.

Tam Coc @ Ninh Binh

This place is Halong bay on land. For some reason, I like this place more than Halong Bay. The mighty limestone karsts, the green paddy fields and the snaking river cast a scene out of a fairy tale. And the best part is that it is not as expensive or crowded as Halong Bay. And the more you stay at Ninh Binh, the more rare discoveries you make.

Halong Bay

If there is one place that people think of when you mention Vietnam, it has to be Halong Bay. It is a natural wonder and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The views of these limestone hills jutting out of the sea with mist surrounding them is a sight to die for. Climbing the crags and jumping into the sea from a height of 20 feet is possibly one of the best thrills of Halong. Going on a boat cruise and kayaking through the bay has to be a close second. The jungles of Cat Ba island are also a great allure.

SaPa

The mountains of north west Vietnam with its different tribes, terraced rice plantations, gorgeous mountain hikes and scenic natural beauty is very unlike Vietnam, but its beauty makes it one of Vietnam’s top attractions. It’s mountain culture, its cooler climes and its laid back atmosphere makes it special.

Saigon or Ho Chi Minh City
This is the bustling capital of Vietnam. It’s French architecture, it’s gory past, it’s unlimited shopping opportunities and its proximity to the Mekong delta gives it a special edge. Whether you are exploring it from the Saigon river or from inside the Cu Chi tunnels, this metropolis has a lot to offer. It’s high two wheeler population is also a sight to see, though one cannot see it for too long.

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Travel Photo: Sunset over Halong Bay

Halong Bay is one location that ensures your jaw drops when you see it in photographs. But, it is only when you travel there that you realize how difficult it is to get the right weather as the weather here is so unpredictable. One day, it will be nice, clear, bright and sunny and the other day it will be all misty and grey.


Thankfully, for me, it was one of those days when the evening cleared up leading to a great sunset over the bay. I got to see this stunning view from on top of Cannon Fort on Cat Ba Island. I really like the moored boats in the bay as they add variety to the mighty mountains in the background. Cannon Fort is one of those places where you can get mind blowing views of the Halong bay from at least 3 different directions.

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Lost my Temper at Lan Ha Bay (Halong Bay), Vietnam

I am closing in on  four months on my south east asia backpacking trip and today was the first day I lost my temper. Generally, I am very patient, but my patience ran out of all control at Lan Ha bay, which is next to the world famous Halong Bay. And the reason was simple and pure cheating.

We took a boat cruise to the Lan Ha bay and after kayaking, we decided to have lunch at the floating restaurant who rented us the Kayaks. When we asked for the price of a meal, we were told that it is 30,000 VND. We agreed on the price and had our lunch. When we were paying 30,000 VND, the restaurant guy says that we need to pay 50,000 VND for our lunch and that is the price he had conveyed to us earlier. 30,000 or 50,000 VND doesn’t make a big difference for me, but what makes the huge difference is quoting a price for a meal and when the meal is over, then increasing it.  I know that they get food from the island and supplies are expensive, but whatever is the reason, he cannot change a price he quoted 15 minutes back. He can quote 10 times more for all I care, but not go back on his word. I paid only because I didn’t want a poor family to suffer even more, but since I absolutely didn’t like the fact that I got cheated, I just could not control it and had to vent it out.

A similar experience happened with our boat guy who wanted to make more money and said he had paid some entrance fees to some island we visited. All this was a scam as there was no entry for that island and he had no receipt to support it. We didn’t pay here, but again was unhappy at the scams happening in one of Vietnam’s biggest tourism money generators.

And to top this all, I found Halong bay to be one of the dirtiest places in Vietnam and also the most beautiful. It is beautiful when you see the karsts from a distance, but when you are on the water, all you see is rubbish, cigarette buds and oil floating on the water. Sometimes, I think how long will Mother nature tolerate all this abuse.

I think why are the people resorting to cheating when they are so poor and badly need the money. I fail to find an answer. But, I will have to say that the people of Vietnam (generalizing from the tourist district) are possibly the biggest cheats I have come across in Vietnam. They just do not want to do anything legally or ethically. I have so many instances to support this fact. Most of the times, I have stayed clear of them scams, but others have got caught in their net. I don’t know how other tourists tolerate this. May be, they are more patient than me or they simply don’t care. But, I am now contemplating on not visiting Vietnam and especially Halong bay again in spite of both Vietnam and Halong Bay being very beautiful and diverse for a travel photographer like me.

It is very rare for me to lose my temper when I am out traveling, since I absolutely adore traveling and visiting different places. But, when I did lose my temper, it meant, I couldn’t tolerate the nonsense any more.

To all you travelers to Vietnam, BEWARE and STAY AWARE of your tourist connections in Vietnam. The people of Vietnam need to realize that we, the tourists, support their economy in a big way. Even if they cannot respect us, they should not abuse us.

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