Vietnam – The Magic of Ha Long Bay

Just a few hours outside of Hanoi lies Ha Long Bay. This shallow bay has hundreds of small islands that are limestone rocks that rise several hundred feet out of the water, with shear, vertical walls. It has become one of Vietnam’s most popular tourist attractions.

Hundreds of boats go out to cruise the bay, typically for one or two nights. Most of the boats are built in a traditional junk style, though there are a few modern-looking ones as well, and most carry between 20-100 passengers.

When we visited, In November 2022, Vietnam was only just opening up to tourists again. But China, their largest source of foreign visitors, had still not allowed their citizens to travel internationally. We learned that before the pandemic, there were 700 boats actively cruising the bay. When we were there, only about 200 were operating (which still seemed like an awful lot).

Because Ha Long Bay had become so crowded, we chose a tour that went to Bai Tu Loc Bay, right next door. There, we saw the same sights as Ha Long Bay and only a handful of other boats. We also booked a much smaller boat, with only 4 cabins. This made for an altogether nicer and more intimate experience.

Vung Vieng Fishing Village

Until just a few years ago, there were a number of small, floating villages inhabited by fishing families living as they had for hundreds of years. With their populations dwindling and tourism booming, all the remaining families were consolidated into just one village. This move was designed to allow their traditional lifestyle and tourism to coexist.

We even visited a large limestone cave that at one time had housed 50 families. They, too, were all relocated and the cave is now part of the tour circuit.

Indochina Junk

We loved everything about our tour with Indochina Junk. The 3-night, 2-day itinerary included a visit to a floating fishing village, a picnic on a secluded beach, a couple of kayaking sessions and a visit to a cave on one of the islands.

In addition, we enjoyed fabulous meals 3 times a day from the wonderful chef and staff on board. A fantastic experience all around.

Next stop – Mai Hich