Halong Bay, Day 1

Thursday, 8.2.2018

Despite favorable conditions (good bed, quiet location of the room), I can sleep very poorly due to the time change. At 6:30 am, I go to breakfast in the restaurant, which is located on the top floor of the hotel, the 10th floor. So with a view of Hoan Kiem Lake. There is quite a lot of choice of hot meals (noodles, various vegetables, fish, etc.) and eggs, various breads (including green bread = green tea bread), fruit and drinks.

We will be picked up at 8 am to go to Halong Bay.

During the car ride, our Vietnamese tour guide tells us a lot of interesting facts about the country. Hanoi has about 9 million inhabitants and about 6 million mopeds. Saigon has about 10 million inhabitants and about 7 million mopeds. These are affordable compared to cars even for average earners (200 – 300 euros per month) and cost from 700 euros. For a car, you have to shell out around 17,000 euros, not everyone can afford that. To drive a moped, you have to meet 3 requirements. 1) driver's license, 2) registration, 3) insurance. We learn that Vietnam is the second largest rice producer in the world and nothing is free, even public school costs money. After about 4 hours, we are in Halong City and are taken to our junk boat with a small shuttle boat. There is room for 24 people, but we are only 17. The cabin is very nice. Wood-paneled with a large window and a nice bathroom. Our first activity on the boat is lunch while we glide past countless limestone cliffs and islands. The sun is also smiling at us, even though it is not necessarily warm with 18°C and the wind from driving. In 1994, the bay was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. However, what is frightening is the number of boats in all possible sizes (from fishing boats to cruise ships). However, the preservation of the World Heritage title is not guaranteed, as the coal industry in nearby Hai Phong and the high number of tourists with their accompanying effects (garbage, hotel castles and environmental pollution caused by the boats) are extremely damaging to the bay. And it is currently low season. After lunch, we go to another bay and switch to two-person kayaks. We paddle through a calm bay through a floating fishing village and then visit a pearl farming farm. It takes about 3 - 5 to grow to the size where they can be harvested.

Back on the boat, we enjoy the sunset before we are shown in a crash cooking class how to prepare spring rolls.

The following dinner is prepared with a lot of love and the seafood is served with artistic decoration. A culinary delight. After that, I say goodbye in my cabin to write these lines, while one could also fish a little. Afterwards, there is also karaoke. I can't see it, but I can hear it, since the restaurant, where the event takes place, is directly above my cabin. After an hour of torture, it is finally quiet at 10 pm and I sleep quite well.