Day 5 - Ha Long Bay

My excursion today took me to the famous Ha Long Bay. Ha means 'landing place' and Long means 'dragon'. According to legend, a dragon settled in this bay. Wherever he spewed his fire, a rock grew. Ha Long Bay is known for its numerous limestone cliffs that make this landscape enchantingly beautiful. It is not difficult to believe in the ancient legends of dragons here.

However, my day started with changing accommodations. I will extend my stay in Hanoi until Monday, but I couldn't secure a place for two more nights in my current accommodation. So I had to spontaneously book a bed in another hostel. Early in the morning after breakfast and check-out, I wanted to try another tip from the friendly receptionist at the massage salon: Gojek. With this app, you can book taxis and motorbike drivers. The app tells you the price for the route in advance and guarantees that you will not be ripped off. Booking through the app was surprisingly easy and fast. However, the ride on the back of the motorbike with a large backpack and shoulder bag made me decide to book a proper taxi for the next ride with luggage. After this combination of abdominal training and awe of God, I arrived safely at the new hostel, where I stored my backpack before strolling to the pick-up point for the day trip.

The approximately three-hour, calm bus ride took us from Hanoi to the harbor. On the way there, we stopped at a rest area where you can not only get coffee but also buy pearl jewelry. On the back of the building, they show how shells are opened and the precious pearls are removed.

Once on board the ship, various Vietnamese delicacies were served to us for lunch. I sat at a table with a young Indian couple and two Australian students, and we got along splendidly. The couple had traveled Vietnam from south to north and gave me valuable tips for my onward journey. We also exchanged travel tips for India and Austria. Our first stop in Ha Long Bay was Ti Top Island. It was named in honor of a Russian astronaut. You can reach an observation platform at the summit of the island by climbing over 500 steps. From here, you have an excellent panoramic view of the bay and its many islands. Once back down, I quickly took off my shoes and went to the beach. Over a year and a half since I felt sand and the sea between my toes.

The next stop took us to a floating dock from where we could embark on kayaks and explore the nearby bay on our own. To reach the bay, we had to pass through a cave, which proved to be somewhat difficult for some kayak beginners. Back at the dock, I couldn't find my flip-flops anymore. Quite desperate, I turned to our guide Hom, who helped me with the search and asked the local staff for help. It turned out that a couple who boarded a kayak after me took my flip-flops. The staff could describe the two of them to us. So, Hom and I got into a kayak together and set out to search for the audacious couple. In short: we managed to recover my flip-flops, though we got soaking wet afterwards, but we had a lot of fun and laughter during our chase. I then thanked Hom with a piece of Zotter chocolate that I still had with me and a tip for two beers, which he initially refused to accept.

Our last stop of the day trip took us to the caves on Sung Sot Island. I had never been in a limestone cave before and I was amazed by the illuminated formations I saw there. The interior of the cave seemed like another world to me. This must be what it looks like on the moon or on another planet.

Back on the boat, we were served tea and small coconut cakes that strongly reminded me of the coconut cubes made by my dear grandmother in Hötting. On deck, we were treated to a dreamy atmosphere. The evening light of the setting sun laid like a light veil over Ha Long Bay.