The Ha Long Bay, Cát Bà Island - in the paradise of Vietnam

The Ha Long Bay is considered the most important landmark in Vietnam. And it definitely deserves this title. Our journey from Hanoi was quick and easy. Within about 4 hours, we were on Cát Bà Island by bus and speedboat. Already on the way there, we could imagine how beautiful the landscape must be. However, we also noticed that the quality of the roads was steadily decreasing. Especially on the bus on the island, after we had crossed, it was a constant jolt. However, nature made up for it.

Arriving, we decided to take advantage of the beautiful weather and go straight to the beach. The sea was warm and refreshing. Cooled down, we sat on the beach, where we were almost completely alone, and drank a fresh coconut.

Yes, it all sounds as beautiful as it was. We were also looking forward to these days. Just relaxing, on a quiet and beautiful beach.

On this day, we were also exactly 3 years together. Time flies... For this occasion, we went to a floating restaurant in the evening and ended the day there.

Speaking of going out to eat. Since everything in Vietnam is extremely cheap, we actually go out to eat every lunch and dinner. For an average of 4-5€, you get a main course with a drink. And so far, we have never had a bad experience in terms of quality. We haven't taken a close look at any kitchen here yet, but maybe that's also something to avoid. It is also recommended to avoid the so-called 'street kitchens' we mentioned (trying it once is okay!), as they may cause some stomach discomfort.

For the second day, we booked a day trip by boat through Ha Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay. A kayak ride, lunch, and a tour guide were included. The two bays flow into each other. The bays hardly differ visually. However, Lan Ha Bay has something very special: floating villages. The people mainly live off fishing. We visited such a family on the trip. They had a fish (unfortunately, the species was not mentioned) that was their everything. It was a huge marine creature with a length of about 1.50m. The circumference was in similar proportion. If this creature were stolen, the whole belongings of the family would be gone, so they said.

We had watched documentaries about Vietnam before. It was also about the floating villages. At the time of the documentary, there was still a school there. However, according to the guide, it no longer exists. To go to school, people have to go ashore.

During the trip, we also talked to the tour guide about various problems in the country. Climate change has made it difficult to determine which season is currently prevailing (for example, the rainy season). There is confusion. Plastic waste is also a big problem. And life in Vietnam is understood in such a way that people here work primarily to secure their survival.

After eating, we boarded the kayaks and paddled along the bay, through the beautiful rock formations and caves. After about 1.5 hours, we returned to the ship and continued to a deserted beach, where we stayed for about an hour before returning to Cát Bà.

The next day, we rented a scooter and explored the island and its national park. It offered very beautiful vegetation and a great variety of species. Max is also pretty sure he saw a monkey. Maybe it was even a Cát Bà langur. These primates can only be found on Cát Bà.

When we reached the top, we had a great view of the national park with its karst hills.

In the evening, we drove back on the coastal road with a beautiful panorama.

On Thursday, we had planned to travel to Hội An. And with that, a 16-hour bus ride... However, we had booked a night bus for that, so we could have a relatively restful night in the beds/loungers.

How it turned out in the end, you will find out in the next post.