We arrived in Hanoi after a short flight from Huế and a bumpy approach through intermittent rain clouds. By evening, the rain had moved on, and the next morning we headed out for three days in Halong Bay.The 100 kilometer drive to Haiphong, where we’d meet the boat, took us across the Red a River and into agricultural land.Lichee and green quava orchards turned to banana plantations. And then, surprisingly, came a forest of new condos. Literally new cities of condominiums to serve as bedroom communities to Hanoi, a 45-minute commute away.We arrived to a waterfront busy with tour buses and clams sorters. We picked a cruise sailing from a Haiphong harbor instead of Halong to save us a couple of additional hours driving time. This harbor is relatively new to tourist cruises. Offshore were any number of boats awaiting passengers. The boarding process was a bit of a cattle call, then we were all in life vests, headed for the Orchid III, wondering why they didn’t use an even louder Diesel engine. Sure, we couldn’t talk, but we could still hear ourselves think. An oversight on their part. We arrived at our boat, which is remarkably like all the other boats, and checked in. After our experience with small cabins when we sailed up the Nile, we booked a suite. Large windows, lots of space, and a round bed. It did the job. The pilot immediately headed us out toward Cat Ba Island, which lies between Haiphong and Halong Bay proper. We went up on deck to enjoy the passing scenery and steam-bath breeze.We passed floating micro-villages and their oyster farms …Working boats moving people and supplies …And wives out in the middle of nowhere rowing their dozing husbands around. Or maybe she was just looking for the right spot to tip him overboard. The sea was flat and set the stage perfectly for the countless karst formations that soon surrounded us. Karst is a land contour created when porous, soluble rock, like Halong Bay’s limestone, dissolves unevenly, creating steep rock faces, caves, and hollows (above and below). In the evening, the boats drop anchor and settle for the night in loose groups. Unfortunately, the food onboard is not blog-worthy. That said, I’ll now blog about the food. It’s decorative and plentiful but universally bland, perhaps in an attempt to minimize conflict with the diverse palates of passengers? At mealtimes, we forgot we were in Vietnam (above and below).On the morning of our one full day, we were tendered to Cat Ba Island, where we could bike a few kilometers to a valley village. After a few missed turns on the road, we found our way past high ponds (above) and into an agricultural valley (below). The lush green on the steep hills remind us a little of the Koolau mountains on Oahu. The village was originally agricultural, and still is to a fair degree.But many villagers have opened little restaurants of sorts, offer home stays, or sell trinkets to tourists, allowing them to move out of traditional housing (above) and build new modern homes (below).Nevertheless, much of the old remains still. Then we were headed back to the boat, along with a local guy I had to eventually overtake. The afternoon took us between more of the karst islands. Where we did a bit of kayaking to explore them up close (above and below).That evening, another sunset …Another moonrise. And the next morning, full speed back to Haiphong.Then the highway, the Red River, and Hanoi. Ciao, ciao karst.
