Halong Bay (Vietnam Part 3)

During our stay in northern Vietnam, a visit to Halong Bay was a must. Numerous small islands rise out of the water here. According to legend, they are said to be cooled dragon fire.

Many formations also have more or less suitable names, such as the "Fighter Roosters" that we saw on our trip.

Since 1994, an area of ​​the bay with around 2,000 islands has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site and attracts more and more visitors.

The original inhabitants of the area are moving away. The residents of the floating fishing villages have partly moved to the mainland.

We visited a village where about 200 people still live in floating houses.

At night they go fishing on boats with bright lights to attract squid.

During the day, they row tourists through their village from the excursion boats.

500 ships take tourists through the bay, not quite half of them with overnight stays. We booked a two-day tour to experience the evening on the water.

The next morning we stopped at one of the stalactite caves, where we could admire the rock formations shaped by water. Evidence of human settlement was also found here.

On the way from Hanoi to Halong Bay and back, we drove through cities and along rice fields. The ground was being prepared and the seedlings for the summer harvest were being planted.

Some farmers had the help of machines, others still had the devices pulled by a water buffalo.

We took the necessary breaks at places that not only had toilets but also offered specialties of local production.

For example, we were explained how to cultivate pearls on a pearl farm. A small mother-of-pearl bead is inserted into the oyster. If everything goes well, you can "harvest" the finished pearl a few years later.

We also stopped at a pottery workshop and saw finished products and the lengthy process of decorating them with egg or shell fragments.

The cafe offered special drinks for the male world, such as the allegedly potency-increasing snake wine...