Ha Long Bay

After hearing about the potentially horrendous 30 hour bus journey from Laos to Hanoi, I decided to bypass my morals and book a flight. It took less than an hour and I managed to meet an American guy called Mark who was staying in the same hostel as me. We both shared a minibus and arrived in the center a short while later. Unfortunately the driver took us to the old Hanoi backpackers so we had to carry all our luggage through the bustling streets for 15 minutes till we arrived at the right place. It turned out to be a good thing as we had the chance to explore the city.


Mopeds are the main form of transport in Hanoi as the streets are narrow and it is cheaper to buy and run a moped. The roads were all flying the Vietnam flag and red banners were everywhere. The election of a new president was happening that week so the banners held some relevance towards it. Unfortunately I can't read Vietnamese so couldn't tell you what they said.

As soon as we checked in, me and Mark booked our Ha Long Bay trip and set out the next morning. There were about 26 people on our boat, predominantly British or American. Our tour leader was also a Brit and had just become a guide a few weeks previous. After some introductions, we set out from the bay. Now I don't remember much of what followed as there was a lot of drinking games involved, but I think I had a good night. Everyone seemed to think so the next day. Nursing a hangover, we set out for Castaway Island (the Island where the film was set).

For all those that don't know, Ha Long Bay (meaning 'Descending Dragon') is a UNESCO site in the South China Sea. It consists of thousands of Islands,  many of which are inaccesable due to dense jungle and sheer rock faces. According to UNESCO there are 1969 islands (coincidentally, also the year Ho Chi Minh died), but our local guide believed there to be closer to 3000. Covering over 1500Km, you have to travel maybe 4 hours by boat to reach the final islands. The peripheries are also home to floating villages who are solely dependent on the sea and never venture to the mainland. We didn't have the privilege to make it out that far but we were still able to see a few floating villages. Unfortunately, these are essentially superficial and the ladies there, nicknamed the 'buy something' people, try to sell you drinks and paraphernalia from their boats.

Just before we arrived at our island, we visited a cave contained within an island via kayak. It was set in a beautiful cove and deep within you could see stalactites and bats. From there we took the short journey to our private paradise. Basic amenities were nestled amongst the trees whilst our beach overlooked the surrounding islands. It was surene and surreal. We all settled in and played Volleyball, Cricket and ball games in the water. In groups, we all went out on the water to have a go at wake-boarding. It was loads of fun but I am not going to call myself a master just yet.

After, Mark, two girls and I decided to go kayaking for sunset. Paddling far from the island, we came across a secluded cove surrounded by forested islands on all sides. Mark and I ventured as far as we could until we reached the cliff face. The sun shortly set behind the islands and I managed to take a few shots on my waterproof camera. I hope they develop as it has it was the most beautiful sunset I have ever laid witness to.

After dinner more drinking games commenced and then it was into the sea we went. Many choose the naked option but I decided to stay in my bikini (a wise choice I may add. God knows what lurks in the sea at night). Swimming out into the darker depths, the water came alive in a sea of green. Ultraviolet plankton glimmered in the moonlight; like a scene from Avatar. I found this highly fascinating and spent a considerable amount of time transfixed on their iridescent beauty. A perfect end to a perfect day.