Halong Bay in the fog!

Halong Bay

Our tour guide kept apologizing for such crappy weather, but it was beautiful in its own way. I like it when it is overcast, so I was pretty happy - but it did mean a limited view of the 2,000 islands of Halong Bay (see the many foggy pictures below).  I even busted Domo and Tigerduck out (finally) for scenic shot from our boat hotel room.

We stayed on the Glory Cruise (the type of boat is called a Junk) and the food was delicious.  I never did get to order the drink "Tequila Sunrice", but I was tempted.  I also thought our tour guide was joking when he said we'd feel fat afterwards, but they really pummelled us with all sorts of local dishes and I liked most of them.  Jefferson even got to roll his own spring rolls (while I drank a beer - typical).  The rooms were really nice - nicer than our hotel in Hanoi - and I didn't even get sick from the boat rocking - wahoo!  At night they set up squid fishing rods for us and one guy caught one!  The crew was so shocked that they all came out to fish for a while after - but we only ever caught that one.

Jefferson making a spring roll!

There were 19 other folks on the boat with us and I don't think any other group was of the same nationality - so that was pretty cool.  We had Aussies, French, Sri Lankan, German, Japanese, Spanish, English, Malaysian, and Filipino - and we had a great time with them.  The tour guide kept saying we would "party with our friends" and I just rolled my eyes (internally), but we did exchange some info with a few folks and may meet up with them again - so I stand corrected.

At the top of the caves.

Since it was so foggy there was no swimming or kayaking, but let's be honest - I wouldn't do either of those.  The bay was gorgeous but was so filled with trash and litter that it was a bit sad.  We did a paddle boat with the local folks that live on floating villages and it all felt very remote and peaceful until one of the older local ladies ring tone went off with some pop song and she answered her cell phone.  Us and just about every other cruise ship in the bay decided to tour the three caves instead - named the Surprising, Amazing and Shocking caves (I'm still not sure if our guide made that up).  They were pretty but I had to walk over 800 steps up and down to get there - and we all know how much I hate steps.  It wasn't that bad, actually - but it sure was crowded.

In general we like to avoid taking guided tours like this, but we were pretty pleased with how this one turned out. 

Halong Bay islands

Domo and Tigerduck at Halong Bay

  

Jefferson at Halong Bay

Karen posing on the junk (boat)

Excited cave faces

"Shocking" cave at Halong Bay

Excited (ish) faces riding a boat