Hạ Long Bay

Hạ Long means “descending dragon” in Vietnamese. It includes 1,969 limestone islands and islets covered of rainforests. Their shapes form an ongoing up-and-down curves that look like a dragon. This spectacular area is part of the UNESCO world heritage. The images I’ve seen on internet are stunning. Being there on site was unbelievable.

Cruising on Halong Bay

After comfortably adapting to the country’s timezone in Hanoi, we continued our trip with cruising on Hạ Long Bay. It’s a lifetime experience and the views I’ve seen are indescribable. There are many unforgettable moments throughout our stay: moving in with these islands on the deck at sunrise for tai chi, watching the sunset while sipping on margaritas, and listening to the breeze under the moonlight in pyjamas just to name a few.

⛅️| 25˚C
📍 Mon Chéri Cruise

Kayak

I get excited especially when it comes to outdoor activities when abroad. There’s just something enchanting about the foreignness that boosts my adrenaline at times. Đẹp trai and I enjoyed kayaking on the Lan Hạ Bay and other beaches. It was a nice team activity especially on our first kayak location, in deep water. We received minimal instructions for kayaking (though I at least had done this previously, not đẹp trai). We were literally told:

Look at me, look at me. Hold the paddle like this. Right, right, right, right. Left, left left. Okay?

My man started panicking in the middle of the ocean. The relaxing aspect of that experience was the view and our presence in the middle of the islets on the bay.

Locations: Hạ Long Bay - Lan Hạ Bay

Bicycle

Biking from the shore to Việt Hải Village was one of the highlights of my activities. I don’t bike year round, so the sport really worked out my cardio. Nonetheless, the road was easy enough to follow (says the one who made the tourist group wait for her). I’m such in awe of the bicycle scenery that I wish I could play it slow motion in my mind as I shut my eyes. I’ve finally touched the soil one of these 1,969 islands and islets, the Cát Bà Island.

Location: Việt Hải Village

Fish massage

Funny moments of the trip usually happen to my đẹp trai. Along with our excursion group, we came around a bassin full of, not so small, black fish, ready for feet massage! But not me. Every participant shrieked at the first contact with the fish. I bet the sensation is super weird. Đẹp trai even went out of breath from laughing.

Location: Việt Hải Village

Động Trung Trang (Trung Trang cave)

I had a great experience visiting the Trung Trang cave. The natural formation of the rocks on the top (scientifically called stalactites) had fascinating shapes like strings of water. There was this part inside of the cave where this formation continued to the bottom. It was told and truly looked like a dragon reaching down for the island.

I find it really astounding that Mother Nature has brought such beauty and complexity to our planet. The cave is massive and has naturally formed semi-enclosed areas that used to be rooms, a place of operating Naval headquarters during the war against the U.S, among other things. Some of today’s remains that I saw include a bath tub inside the cave to heal sick or injured people.

Location: Cát Bà Island