20.10.2022 – The Ha Long Bay

It is probably the most famous spot in Vietnam, the Ha Long Bay. Crystal clear water, limestone islands covered with rainforest, sticking out of the sea, and sunshine - that was the image I had in mind before my trip. If I'm honest, it was also the only image that came to mind when I thought of Vietnam. I didn't know much about the country otherwise. It's almost self-explanatory that Ha Long Bay was at the top of my list. And since I wanted to slowly make my way south after about a week and a half in the north, a stopover on the northwest coast fit well into my non-existent plan.

After a relatively relaxed bus ride - I managed to sleep for five hours out of a total of eleven - I arrived on Cat Ba on Tuesday morning. Cat Ba is the largest island in Ha Long Bay. Many day tourists, who travel from Hanoi for a boat tour in the morning and return to the capital in the evening, start their tours in Ha Long, which is why I decided to avoid the big crowd of tourists. Fairly, however, it must be said that Cat Ba is no longer a secret tip. Nowadays, there are also hotels, restaurants, and beach clubs here. Due to its island status, it is still a bit more pleasant and quieter than on the mainland.

After the hustle and bustle of the past few days, I wanted to take it a bit easier on the first day. After a quick breakfast at the market, I grabbed my swimming trunks and towel and headed towards the beach. After about 15 minutes of walking, I arrived at the allegedly most beautiful beach on the island. Palm trees, white sand, and clear water, even if I haven't seen the other beaches, there is not much room for improvement. Covered in sunscreen of the brand "We need the hard stuff for the white Germans," with a sun protection factor of 81 - apparently the pharmacist really had pity on me and my white body - I let the sun shine on my belly until the afternoon. It was actually sunscreen with a UV protection factor of 81 - the pharmacist apparently had real sympathy for me and my white body...

The next morning, it was time to pack up again, check out of the hostel, and head to the next accommodation. But this time, the path didn't lead me to the next hostel, but directly onto a boat. As part of a tour, I was supposed to explore Ha Long Bay with a boat for two days with five other backpackers. However, unlike the advertisements of the tour provider, we had booked the package without sunshine. We started around noon in pouring rain and cloudy skies on our little expedition. However, this did not dampen the mood, our small group, consisting of a Swiss, a French, a Dutchman, and three Germans (including me and two others), got along splendidly from the beginning. And apart from that, the fog and the rain create a mystical atmosphere.

After about an hour of sailing, we anchored for the first time. The program included the first of several opportunities for swimming. I would have loved to make you jealous with spectacular underwater pictures at this point, but my little action camera is currently and in the near future unintentionally filming from the sea floor, so you have to make do with the pictures taken from the boat.

After the bath in the Gulf of Tonkin, the next highlight followed: a kayak tour through a cave into a small lagoon. By the way, not a good idea for people with claustrophobia, the distance between the water and the cave ceiling was sometimes less than 50 centimeters, so you had to lie down in the kayak to pass the cave and the stalactites hanging from the ceiling. Just the passage alone was already spectacular. And when you think it can't get any better, you look at the end of the cave into an abandoned lagoon surrounded by rocks and jungle. An unforgettable experience.

We ended the evening with beer and a delicious dinner of fresh seafood and fish - delicious!

The next morning, we set off relatively early so that we wouldn't have to share the next lagoon with other tourists. And the plan worked, after passing through three caves, we landed again in a completely deserted world. The smell, the view, the sounds, all of this cannot be described in words. From one second to the next, you feel completely insignificant, and in a positive way.

Unfortunately, the monkeys living on the cliffs did not show up this morning, but that would have made things too perfect. However, we were able to observe hundreds of bats in the cave ceilings - also an experience.

In the early afternoon, we visited a small bay including a beach before heading back to Cat Ba. Hardly arrived there, I already took the bus to the next place.

(Due to the circumstances, I couldn't take too many pictures, which is why I will update the blog post as soon as I have the pictures from my fellow travelers)