Ethereal is probably the best way to describe Halong Bay, a UNESCO heritage site with just under 2,000 limestone karsts rising majestically from the South China Sea.
This is where we have spent the last few days, relaxing on board The Dragon’s Pearl. It’s owned by Indochina Junks, one of the more expensive companies that run cruises, but we thought what the hell - let’s treat ourselves! Another reason we chose to book with theses guys was that they are the only outfit with a permit to sail in the Bai Tu Long area of Halong Bay. This meant that rather than being surrounded by the other 500 junks which set sail every day, we were alone. In fact, during the three days at sea, we only saw two other boats.
On our first evening, as we headed out into the ocean, a blue mist hung over the whole of Halong Bay. It was a calming and atmospheric sight, but really all we wanted was a stunning sunset. We were certainly owed one!
The second day consisted of eating, kayaking, eating, swimming and then eating some more. The guys who worked on The Dragon's Pearl definitely loved to feed their guests :-) The most memorable meal was definitely dinner on the final night, where we were taken into a beautiful candlelit cave and served a BBQ feast of meat and fresh seafood.
In the late afternoon of the second day the sun finally came out, transforming the whole of Halong Bay. The sky turned bright blue and the water shimmered a beautiful emerald green, reflecting the towering karsts.
Maria used the time to take a small row boat to meet the locals at a nearby floating fishing village. I couldn’t resist lying out on the deck and topping up the tan!
It seemed our prayers had been answered and, as the day got better and better, our smiles got bigger and bigger.
Then the sun began to dip, illuminating everything in a gorgeous orange light and we finally got the sunset we’d been wanting for soooooo long!
We honestly couldn’t have asked for a better way to end our last experience in Vietnam :-)