Vietnam | .: Lifestyle Inspired :.

Consider every superlative you know, such as idyllic, mysterious, magnificent, breath taking, beautiful, wonderful, etc. etc. and you are just on the cusp of almost adequately describing the splendour of Halong Bay, that means descending dragon bay. It’s one of those few places, for example, like Uluru (Ayres Rock) in Australia or the Grand Canyon in the United States of America, that has to be seen to be believed and cannot, no matter how well taken, be adequately captured through pictures. The 1992 Academy Award and Golden Globe winning film, Indochine, with its brilliant cinematography, comes the closest of all to portraying the mesmeric allure of this UNESCO World Heritage listed area.

Halong Bay is located in northeastern Vietnam, around 150 kilometres to the east of Hanoi, and encompasses an area of some 1,500 km2 of over 3,000 limestone islets bordering the Gulf of Tonkin. The most visited area of Halong Bay is its core of around 450 km2 that has in the vicinity of 750 limestone islets, that have been formed over the last 500 million years.

The stunning Halong Bay

The effect is stunning with numerous grey limestone monolithic islets that displays karsts (geologic formations shaped by the dissolution of layer or layers of the soluble limestone) of various sizes and shapes appearing to have just leaped out of Halong Bay’s tranquil waters. Some of the islets have exposed, sheer, faces that are devoid of any flora with other islets being covered in lush tropical foliage with sea caves, grottos, beaches and vast internal caves.

Visiting Cat Ba Island, Titop Island and Tuan Châu Island is very popular, as they all rise spectacularly from the waters of Halong Bay with dense jungle and magnificent cave systems, which contain large stalactites and stalagmites, together with relaxing tourist facilities including hotels (Cat Ba Island) and stunning beaches.

Also arising majestically from the waters are numerous other limestone features, including “Kissing Rocks” two extraordinary shaped limestone features that are much photographed and were depicted in the 1997 James Bond movie Tomorrow Never Dies. Surprisingly, to many westerners, Halong Bay is also home to many Vietnamese who live on floating villages, where the residents cultivate fish farms and have a thriving tourist trade through the sale of snacks, souvenirs and the like, together with the hire of sea kayaks that can be used for closer exploration of the many wonders of this area.

Travelling to Halong Bay is easy with a variety of trips being able to be booked from any accommodation in Hanoi, that generally involve a mini bus ride to Halong City and then embarkation on a boat to cruise the waters. There are numerous cruises available ranging from single to multiple days and the shoreline of Halong City is full of pleasure craft, ranging in size, carrying capacity and standard of accommodation, just waiting for hire! Spending at least one night on Halong Bay is recommended as it is really the only way of seizing the moment and soaking up the atmosphere of this natural wonder, together with the joy of experiencing both dusk and dawn on the waters. Also, most cruises take the advantage of buying fresh seafood at the floating villages for their evening meals!

If your budget is able to stretch that far, you are able to charter a light aircraft from Hanoi or even charter a helicopter to experience Halong Bay’s beauty. However, nothing compares to cruising on one of the local craft with at least an overnight onboard stay.

Dependent upon the time of the year that you travel, the skies over Halong Bay will either be clear or shrouded with mist. Don’t despair, any time of the year is fantastic to cruise Halong Bay as even a heavy fog just adds to the ethereal nature of Halong Bay.

Along with spending some time in Halong City, it is well worthwhile visiting Hai Phong, Vietnam’s largest and busiest port which retains its considerable charm. Hai Phong possesses a township atmosphere that has some fine examples of classical French colonial architecture that belies its status as Vietnam’s third largest city. It is hard to believe that during the 1960s and 1970s Hai Phong was the heaviest defended sea port in the world. Time heals all wounds.

Without doubt, there is no other place on earth like Halong Bay and a visit, no matter how short or long or whatever the time of year, will provide you with enjoyable lifelong memories.

The boat i took for overnight stay in Halong Bay

My room inside the boat

Toilet was clean

Came with a small living room

Going to have a BLAST

Hang Dau Go (Cave of Marvels)

Sunset at Halong Bay, simply mesmerising

Sunset at Halong Bay, one of the best ways to end your day

For more Halong Bay photos, please Click Here…

First of all, this could be interesting to you. If you’re in Hanoi, do pay attention that none Vietnamese are FAT. They are generally ‘fit’ if not skinny.

While many Asian cities have simply mown down their history over the last few decades, replacing it with an influx of ugly modern skyscrapers, Hanoi has simply well layered. French colonial influences still stand tall here, with the city having largely escaped the devastating affects of US bombing elsewhere, and left behind colossal mansions and tree-lined boulevards that haven’t changed too much in centuries.

A mass of motorbikes swarms through the tangled web of streets that is the Old Quarter, a cauldron of commerce for almost 1,000 years and still the best place to check the pulse of this resurgent city. Hawkers in conical hats ply their wares, locals sip coffee and bia hoi (beer) watching life (and plenty of tourists) pass them by. Witness synchronised ‘tai chi’ at dawn on the shores of Hoan Kiem Lake while goateed grandfathers tug at their wisps over the next chess move. See the bold and beautiful dine at designer restaurants and cut the latest moves on the dance floor. Hanoi has it all: the ancient history, a colonial legacy and a modern outlook. There is no better place to untangle the paradox that is modern Vietnam.

Highlights:
Hoan Kiem Lake
Hoan Kiem Lake is a pleasant park in the center of town, within easy walking distance from anywhere in the Old Quarter. It’s the locals’ favorite leisure spot, and a great place to watch people practicing tai chi in the morning or to sit and read in the afternoon. Hoan Kiem means “returned sword”, and the name comes from a legend in which King Le Loi was given a magical sword by the gods, which he used to drive out the invading Chinese.

Halong Bay
Magnificient Halong Bay is undoubtedly the natural wonder of Vietnam. Picture 3,000 or more incredible islands rising from the sea and you have a vision of greatness. Isn’t that inspiring?? Your trip to Hanoi will not complete without a visit to Halong Bay. Located 170 km away from Hanoi, Halong Bay is the World Natural Heritage site. With its picturesque blend of land and sea, this one of the world’s most precious beauty spots.

Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre
A visit to the water puppet theater is a real highlight of a trip to Hanoi. Live musicians accompany folk legends from Vietnamese history, told with wooden men, women and dragons, dancing and splashing on the face of the water. The narratives are sung in Vietnamese, but a list of titles is available in several languages. Tickets are 40,000 and 60,000 dong. There are several performances throughout the day, but it’s virtually impossible to buy tickets for the same day, and most performances for the following day will be sold out as well.

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
The city down south may have his name, but only Hanoi has the man himself, entombed in distinctly Lenin-esque fashion – against his wishes, but that’s how it goes. No talking, short pants, or other signs of disrespect allowed while viewing; photos are allowed only from outside, in the grand Ba Dinh Square.

Ho Chi Minh Museum
Right around the corner, this gleaming white museum and its gloriously ham-handed iconography are the perfect chaser to the solemnity of the mausoleum. One of the more informative museums in Vietnam, and perhaps one of the oddest in the world.

Pho Bo
Pho Bo is a Vietnamese beef and noodle soup. The soup includes noodles made from rice and is often served with basil, lime, bean sprouts and peppers that are added to the soup by the customer. Discover Pho Bo–the breakfast that built a nation.

Best Way to Get Around:
Taxi
Taxis are the best way to travel long distances, but the cyclos, or pedicabs, are a cheap way to make shorter trips. Taxi fares are not always consistent, and the rates for each taxi company have not been standardized. Some meter taxi owners in Hanoi will attempt to negotiate a flat fee in advance rather than use the meter. If you have a fair idea of how far you’re going or how much you’re willing to pay, this is probably a good idea. If the driver refuses, turning around and walking away will almost certainly change his mind. Don’t sweat it, it’s all part of the expected negotiation protocol. It has also become common for the drivers of some of the less reputable taxi companies to “fix” their meters to run faster hence giving differences in prices for the same distance by a factor of 30!

Motorbike
For lone travelers, rides on the back of motorbikes (actually low-powered scooters) are popular too (known as xe om, literally meaning motorbike-hug). Motorbike drivers can be found on virtually every corner, especially in the Old Quarter. Expect to be offered a ride every half-block (or more). Negotiate a fare in advance, and again, turn around and walk away if you don’t like their offer. There are far more drivers than tourists, and they know it – your fare could be the only one they get all day. You might want to write down the negotiated fare to avoid confusion. Even if you do speak Vietnamese, a driver might pretend that you said 50,000 dong instead of 15,000! In case of argument over fares after the ride, keep calm and repeat the original agreement (remember, you have the leverage). A typical 10 minute fare should cost no more than 15,000-20,000 dong.

STAY SAFE
Like everywhere else in Vietnam, traffic in Hanoi is dominated by an incredible amount of motorbikes, all of which seem to be making a mad, desperate dash for something just out of reach all of the time. In other words, pedestrian traffic can be overwhelming for visitors, especially in the narrow streets around the Old Quarter. When you leave the curb, look both ways, and take each step slowly and patiently while trying to make eye contact with any oncoming drivers. The key word here is slowly and don’t rush. This way the drivers are aware of you, and can take you into account (along with all of the other motorbikes). It may look, and indeed is somewhat chaotic, but be patient and pay attention when you’re crossing any street, large or small, and you should be fine.

David Tann...waiting by the roadside of Hanoi for my transportation at 5.30am
Waiting by the roadside of Hanoi for my transportation at 5.30am after returning from Sapa