Halong Bay is storybook Vietnam, a fairy tale world of descending dragons that were send from the heavens – dragons that did not breathe fire, but spat jewels and jade.
Those jewels of legend are the present day limestone karsts that rise magnificently over beautiful green waters. Laden with dense vegetation and pockmarked with cave openings, Halong bay is a picturesque limestone archipelago and an UNESCO World Heritage Site well worthy of a visit.
The first glimpse of the karsts.
Package tours are the most popular way to explore the bay, and if you book with the right tour agency, you are guaranteed an easy and fulfilling vacation.
I would not recommend a self-exploratory trip along Halong Bay, as the possibilities of what could go wrong are endless – in terms of transport, weather, accommodation and food ( there are also, horror stories of having to share accommodation with rodent’s #truestory).
That said, finding the right tour operator can be a challenge, as scams are plenty.
Vietnamese tour agents can be very persuasive and convincing, however a little homework before making any payments/bookings will go a long way in ensuring a relaxed and memorable trip.
Exercise basic caution – read reviews, seek real pictures of the tour (rather than falling for photoshopped glossed over catalogs) and cross verify the price with several tour agents.
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I booked my tour to Halong Bay with ‘Adventure Indochina Travel Day Tours’ and was extremely happy with the quality of service and ease in exploring the bay.
Here are some pictures from the 2 Days and 1 Night cruise.
Jade waters and abundant islands
Archipelago
A section of ‘Surprising cave’ – in all it’s technicolor glory
Rising tide and the sinking sun
The quality of your trip i.e., sections of Halong bay you explore, activities you undertake, the food on board and the accommodation you get , are entirely dependent on the cruise duration, cost and the itinerary deal you make with your travel agent at the time of booking.
Some popular activities that most tours include are:
1. Visit to ‘Surprising cave’
2. Kayaking
3. Swimming on the beach
4. Visit to the pearl farm
5. Cooking class on board
6. Squid fishing in the night
7. Visit to floating village
8. Cycling in Cat Ba island