Ha Long Bay: Just as Incredible as You’ve Heard

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When you close your eyes and picture Vietnam, what comes to mind? Rice paddies? Conical hats? Crazy motorbike traffic?

These were all things I had in mind before traveling to Vietnam. And I did indeed encounter them all, nearly every day. But there was one other image that would pop into my head: that of the tall limestone islands of Ha Long Bay.

Ha Long Bay, Vietnam

Located in the Gulf of Tonkin and designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site for being “a spectacular seascape sculpted by nature,” Ha Long Bay has long been a popular destination for travelers to Vietnam.

And I didn't want to miss it, either.

Ha Long Bay, Vietnam

I had some misgivings about traveling to Ha Long Bay, however. After all, it's located in northern Vietnam, which is often prone to smoggy air drifting down from China and/or poor weather that often leads to little-to-no visibility. It's also quite popular with backpackers taking party cruises, and I was worried about the Bay being crowded and noisy.

But you know what? The Ha Long Bay that I experienced in late January exceeded all my expectations.

Ha Long Bay, Vietnam

Ha Long Bay, Vietnam

I visited Ha Long Bay as part of an Intrepid Travel tour of Vietnam. We arrived to the Bay before lunchtime after a few hours of driving from Hanoi and upon arrival boarded a private “junk boat” which would become our overnight home out on the water.

Ha Long Bay cruise

I LOVED our boat. It wasn't new or fancy like some of the other tourist boats you can spot out on Ha Long Bay, but it had character. It also was miles away from the party boats I had pictured — each cabin was fitted with a real bed, a Western toilet, and even a shower nozzle. Above the cabins was a dining/sitting area, and above that was an open-air deck with some sun chairs.

If you are going to Ha Long Bay, booking an overnight cruise is really the best thing you can do.

Ha Long Bay cruise

Ha Long Bay cruise

Our overnight cruise included so many highlights, from gorging ourselves on fresh seafood to kayaking among the karsts to singing karaoke onboard after the sun had set.

Here are photos from my Ha Long Bay cruise:

Seeing Ha Long Bay in the morning:

Ha Long Bay, Vietnam

Ha Long Bay, Vietnam

Ha Long Bay, Vietnam

Kayaking around the limestone islands:

Ha Long Bay kayaking

Kayaking at Ha Long Bay

Cruising past floating villages (and vendors):

Ha Long Bay, Vietnam

Ha Long Bay, Vietnam

Ha Long Bay vendor

Visiting Sung Sot Cave (AKA Surprise Cave):

Ha Long Bay cave

Ha Long Bay Cave

And watching the sun light up the islands and then set into the Bay:

Ha Long Bay, Vietnam

Ha Long Bay Sunset

And as for my fear of it being crowded? Well, with more than 1,600 “islands” covering more than 1,500 square kilometers, there really is plenty of space at Ha Long Bay.

Ha Long Bay, Vietnam

It may not remain this way forever, though. While the Ha Long Bay I saw was indeed beautiful and weirdly quiet at times, there's no denying that things could easily take a turn for the worst here if we tourists aren't careful.

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Is Ha Long Bay someplace YOU would like to visit?

 

 

*Note: I visited Ha Long Bay as part of a complimentary tour of Vietnam and Cambodia with Intrepid Travel. As always, though, opinions are completely my own.

"It's a dangerous business, going out your door. You step onto the road, and, if you don't keep your feet, there's no telling where you might get swept off to." - JRR Tolkien

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61 Comments on “Ha Long Bay: Just as Incredible as You’ve Heard

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  1. Please advise what month is the best time to visit halong bay weather wise for the sun

      Well you can never count on sunshine since weather patterns can’t always be predicted, but generally October-December is the most popular time to go for the weather (but it’s also the busiest time of year).

    […] has some incredible landscapes, from the limestone karsts of Ha Long Bay to the braided waterways in the Mekong Delta. I was constantly surprised by how different different […]

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