We arose for an early breakfast. The views of the karst limestone cliffs of Ha Long Bay from our cabin window were spectacular!
We didn't have much time. Shortly after breakfast, we were loaded up onto a little boat and were presently on our way out further into the bay. We were glad that we hadn't stayed up with the late-night crowds partying and singing bad karaoke! Several of those on our cruise did not join us on our morning expedition. I guess they partied too hard...
We were taken out to a small floating platform in the middle of the bay where we were given a choice:
We could either borrow a kayak to explore the area or go for a ride on the "bamboo boats". We opted for the latter.
Nowadays, bamboo boats are not made of bamboo, but of plastic, although it is still possible to have a very traditional bamboo boat (or coconut boat) experience in some other parts of Vietnam.
Mom and I (and about six other travelers) boarded the plastic boat which was rowed by a very strong lady who stood at the back pushing the boat forward with a pair of oars.
It must have been quite the workout to ferry the eight of us along across the glistening blue-green waters of the bay.
Slowly, we were ferried towards the sheer face of the skyscraping cliffs which jutted out of the glassy water ahead of us. There, just ahead, was a small gap - barely four feet from the surface of the water to the overhanging cliff (if that).
We crept through the natural tunnel in the limestone karst.
Each of us in the boat could easily reach out to touch the stone above our heads, and there was one brief moment where it almost seemed necessary to reach up to help push the boat along while our pilot ducked below a down-jutting piece of stone.
We, too, had to duck to keep our hats and glasses from being knocked off of our heads.
We emerged into a secret grotto, surrounded on all sides save for the small tunnel we had just passed through by towering limestone spires.
It was otherworldly. Light streamed down from the sapphire sky, lighting the bay in its most beautiful jewel-green and blue colors.
This was my third time to Ha Long Bay, but the first time I'd ever been there on a beautiful sunny day. The other times I had visited had been grey, gloomy, overcast, and dull. Now THIS was exactly what the bay had been promised to look like!
This was my third time to Ha Long Bay, but the first time I'd ever been there on a beautiful sunny day. The other times I had visited had been grey, gloomy, overcast, and dull. Now THIS was exactly what the bay had been promised to look like!
Slowly, we were rowed towards one of the cliff faces. We were delighted to see a pair of small baby monkeys clinging to the sheer rock!
The monkeys, crab-eating macaques to be exact, make their home scampering over the tall and densely-jungled karsts that jut out of the sea like the spine of the mythical dragon from which the bay gets its name.
These monkeys can be seen all across Thailand too, but I still find it really exciting when I see one in the wild.
After nearly a decade abroad I forget how exotic my adopted home is... but the sight of a mischievous monkey always reminds me that I'm not in Texas anymore!
(In fact, one time a monkey broke into my camping cooler... but that's a story for another day).
The guide of one of the other boats tossed some lettuce, tomatoes, and chopped carrots onto the front of their boat. One of the bigger and bolder monkeys hopped down to grab his fill, allowing the excited tourists to snap plenty of photos of the interloper.
We spent some time gently paddling through the still green waters of the secret cove. It was a beautiful morning on Ha Long Bay, and the sun was shining in the sky above us.
After a while, it was time to head back to the platform, and subsequently our boat.
To do so, we had to first squeeze back through the low crack in the karst cliff-face.
This really made us feel like we were part of an expedition!
But soon, we had emerged back into the bay.
We were thus deposited onto the awaiting floating platform, whence we re-boarded the boat back towards our awaiting ship.
Back aboard, it was time for a quick seafood lunch (delicious!). Then, we had to pay our on-board tab, pack up our luggage, and check out of our room.
It had been a phenomenal overnight expedition abord this little cruising junk, but it was nearly time to return from the otherworldly Ha Long Bay back to the real world.
Mom and I had had a fantastic time on the bay! I really hope that this can be a birthday she remembers for all of her life!
Eventually, we were taken back to Ha Long Harbor, loaded onto the awaiting buses and vans, and taken back to Hanoi.
About halfway back, we made a brief stop at one of the ubiquitous Vietnamese rest areas. We took a moment to visit the toilet, then hit up the shops!
We each had a caphe sua da (Vietnamese iced coffee) and bought what we had hoped was something like peanut brittle.
It wasn't.
It turned out to be a sort of brick of peanut brittle sandwiched between two rice crackers. It was way too hard for Mom to eat, and I could barely take a bite myself without feeling like I was about to pull my own teeth out!
I guess we should have gone for the banh mi...
I guess we should have gone for the banh mi...
(We ended up accidentally "forgetting" this tough peanutty snack at our Hanoi hotel...)
And then, it was back to Hanoi via the country's brand-new and very lovely high-speed highway! We had had a great time on Ha Long Bay, but our Vietnam adventure wasn't quite over yet!
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