Friday 15 June
We awake to hazy sunshine and again luxuriate in the peaceful, natural beauty of our surroundings. Halong Bay is a clear as glass, with the greenery covered peaks rising from the sea all around us. The waters are peppered with a few small boats and a couple of other tourist boats in the distance.
We opted for a 3-day, 2-night tour; some people booked a 1-night tour and are returning to Hanoi today. After a shared breakfast, we all visit an oyster farm, to find out how pearls are cultured; there is of course, pearl jewellery for sale but we don't buy anything. We then part company with those returning to Hanoi; those of us who have booked the 2 night tour will be staying on Cat Ba Island tonight, some in a hotel on the busier side of the island, some in a more remote, peaceful "bush" part of the island, in their own straw roofed bungalows. No prizes for guessing where Reg and I chose to stay when we booked.
The 5 of us from our original group who are staying longer - Reg and I, the young Finnish couple and Jesse, the young Californian - transfer to a ferry boat to join other passengers who are also staying an extra night. We meet up again with the 4 Australians who travelled with us to Halong Bay in our minibus but weren't on the luxury junk - they are a lovely group of friends who don't book anything in advance and just go where the wind takes them. There are also 2 Australian women in our age bracket (!) on the ferry boat, who we learn, are the only other 2 people to opt for the jungle bungalows tonight.
It's late morning and our ferry takes us to one of the beaches on Monkey Island, where we can explore the island for a while or have a 45 minute swim before lunch. I'm in the water within 5 minutes of leaving the boat, with Reg enjoying a spot of relaxation on the beach. The water is so warm you could stay in the sea all day. This swim is a highlight of the tour for me, and I'm looking forward to lots more swimming when we have our week's "rest" in Hoi An next week.
We have a look at various coloured starfish, about 12cm in diameter, which are in buckets on the beach - no doubt to be cooked for someone's lunch - I hope not ours. A women who went exploring (not one of our party) has her hat snatched by a monkey - that's the last she'll see of that, I guess - the monkey thoroughly enjoys taunting her by playing with her hat in front of her.
A different boat again collects us for lunch on the boat, which again is a variety of fish, seafood, and mini crispy stuffed pork and vegetable rolls which are delicious. A bowl of french fries is put on the table at every meal except breakfast - the chips are more sweet-tasting than ours.
After lunch the boat makes it's way to Cat Ba island, where we will be spending the rest of the day. The tour includes a cycle ride of about 4 kilometres to our bush bungalows; even those who are staying in hotels on the other side of the island will come on the ride; they will then cycle back to the wharf to board another boat to their side of the island.
We are kitted out with bikes and helmets - the bikes are roadworthy, apart from some people's brakes not being what they should be! - although there are no gears. Our backpacks (we only brought what we needed for the Halong Bay tour - most of our luggage including my heavy suitcase is back in our hostel in Hanoi) and the luggage of the 2 older Australian women, Elizabeth and Barbara, who are also staying in bush bungalows, is taken on by motorbikes to our bungalows.
We ride though magnificent Haimountainous countryside and riverside scenery along a mainly flat road towards our bungalows. The cycle ride is another highlight of the Halong Bay tour, as is our bungalow. Nestled in the bush, on the edge of Viet Hai village, are a small cluster of bungalows; each is a small square building with comfortable double bed, ensuite bathroom, a small patio with bamboo table and chairs, electric sockets, the all-important air-conditoning, and, we're surprised to find, wifi - and beautiful views of the surrounding countryside, where we can see a small homestead and a cockerel pacing his territory. We have shutters on the windos (no glass) and a mosquito net.
Dinner will be cooked for Reg and I, Elizabeth and Barbara, by a local couple, and we'll eat it in the tiny restaurant/bar about 50metres from our bungalow. The others in our party have cycled back to the wharf, to be transferred to their part of the island - we will cycle back to the wharf tomorrow morning. Meanwhile we are the only 4 tourists on this part of the island, and it's bliss - so peaceful and rejuvinating.
We can explore the bush if we want, if we keep to the paths, and Elizabeth goes for a walk; I have a rest on the bed and Reg enjoys his music, sitting with a cuppa on the patio. A lizard scutttles along the window frame, and I decide I will close the shutters at night - just in case!
I'm woken about an hour later by the sound of heavy rain and thunder, and lightning streaks across the sky. We have a terrific thunderstorm and the electricity fails. I left my torch back at the Hanoi hostel(!) The storm is over in half an hour but still no electricity. At 7.30 pm we pick our way in the dark acrsss to the little restaurant, hoping we'll still be able to have dinner! Inside the restaurant is one table, beautiful laid, with a candle glowing in the centre of it. It's magic.
We enjoy a delcious meal of squid (Reg has chicken), with rice and various fruits and vegetables. We enjoy hearing the stories of our 2 Australian companions, especially the voluntary work they are doing in Cambodia with children; Barbara also tells us that she is a respite carer for 2 Downs' Syndrome young adults back at home in Australia; she's been doing it every week with one young man for 11 years, and with the other for 6 years. She's 69 years old and is a still doing triathlons. Fair play.
As we return to our bungalow, there is once again electricity in the bush village.
We awake to hazy sunshine and again luxuriate in the peaceful, natural beauty of our surroundings. Halong Bay is a clear as glass, with the greenery covered peaks rising from the sea all around us. The waters are peppered with a few small boats and a couple of other tourist boats in the distance.
We opted for a 3-day, 2-night tour; some people booked a 1-night tour and are returning to Hanoi today. After a shared breakfast, we all visit an oyster farm, to find out how pearls are cultured; there is of course, pearl jewellery for sale but we don't buy anything. We then part company with those returning to Hanoi; those of us who have booked the 2 night tour will be staying on Cat Ba Island tonight, some in a hotel on the busier side of the island, some in a more remote, peaceful "bush" part of the island, in their own straw roofed bungalows. No prizes for guessing where Reg and I chose to stay when we booked.
The 5 of us from our original group who are staying longer - Reg and I, the young Finnish couple and Jesse, the young Californian - transfer to a ferry boat to join other passengers who are also staying an extra night. We meet up again with the 4 Australians who travelled with us to Halong Bay in our minibus but weren't on the luxury junk - they are a lovely group of friends who don't book anything in advance and just go where the wind takes them. There are also 2 Australian women in our age bracket (!) on the ferry boat, who we learn, are the only other 2 people to opt for the jungle bungalows tonight.
It's late morning and our ferry takes us to one of the beaches on Monkey Island, where we can explore the island for a while or have a 45 minute swim before lunch. I'm in the water within 5 minutes of leaving the boat, with Reg enjoying a spot of relaxation on the beach. The water is so warm you could stay in the sea all day. This swim is a highlight of the tour for me, and I'm looking forward to lots more swimming when we have our week's "rest" in Hoi An next week.
We have a look at various coloured starfish, about 12cm in diameter, which are in buckets on the beach - no doubt to be cooked for someone's lunch - I hope not ours. A women who went exploring (not one of our party) has her hat snatched by a monkey - that's the last she'll see of that, I guess - the monkey thoroughly enjoys taunting her by playing with her hat in front of her.
A different boat again collects us for lunch on the boat, which again is a variety of fish, seafood, and mini crispy stuffed pork and vegetable rolls which are delicious. A bowl of french fries is put on the table at every meal except breakfast - the chips are more sweet-tasting than ours.
After lunch the boat makes it's way to Cat Ba island, where we will be spending the rest of the day. The tour includes a cycle ride of about 4 kilometres to our bush bungalows; even those who are staying in hotels on the other side of the island will come on the ride; they will then cycle back to the wharf to board another boat to their side of the island.
We are kitted out with bikes and helmets - the bikes are roadworthy, apart from some people's brakes not being what they should be! - although there are no gears. Our backpacks (we only brought what we needed for the Halong Bay tour - most of our luggage including my heavy suitcase is back in our hostel in Hanoi) and the luggage of the 2 older Australian women, Elizabeth and Barbara, who are also staying in bush bungalows, is taken on by motorbikes to our bungalows.
We ride though magnificent Haimountainous countryside and riverside scenery along a mainly flat road towards our bungalows. The cycle ride is another highlight of the Halong Bay tour, as is our bungalow. Nestled in the bush, on the edge of Viet Hai village, are a small cluster of bungalows; each is a small square building with comfortable double bed, ensuite bathroom, a small patio with bamboo table and chairs, electric sockets, the all-important air-conditoning, and, we're surprised to find, wifi - and beautiful views of the surrounding countryside, where we can see a small homestead and a cockerel pacing his territory. We have shutters on the windos (no glass) and a mosquito net.
Dinner will be cooked for Reg and I, Elizabeth and Barbara, by a local couple, and we'll eat it in the tiny restaurant/bar about 50metres from our bungalow. The others in our party have cycled back to the wharf, to be transferred to their part of the island - we will cycle back to the wharf tomorrow morning. Meanwhile we are the only 4 tourists on this part of the island, and it's bliss - so peaceful and rejuvinating.
We can explore the bush if we want, if we keep to the paths, and Elizabeth goes for a walk; I have a rest on the bed and Reg enjoys his music, sitting with a cuppa on the patio. A lizard scutttles along the window frame, and I decide I will close the shutters at night - just in case!
I'm woken about an hour later by the sound of heavy rain and thunder, and lightning streaks across the sky. We have a terrific thunderstorm and the electricity fails. I left my torch back at the Hanoi hostel(!) The storm is over in half an hour but still no electricity. At 7.30 pm we pick our way in the dark acrsss to the little restaurant, hoping we'll still be able to have dinner! Inside the restaurant is one table, beautiful laid, with a candle glowing in the centre of it. It's magic.
We enjoy a delcious meal of squid (Reg has chicken), with rice and various fruits and vegetables. We enjoy hearing the stories of our 2 Australian companions, especially the voluntary work they are doing in Cambodia with children; Barbara also tells us that she is a respite carer for 2 Downs' Syndrome young adults back at home in Australia; she's been doing it every week with one young man for 11 years, and with the other for 6 years. She's 69 years old and is a still doing triathlons. Fair play.
As we return to our bungalow, there is once again electricity in the bush village.
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