After a chaotic time in Hanoi (those motorbikes are really frightening), we headed off to Halong Bay yesterday morning for an overnight cruise on a small junk. I had no idea what to expect, especially after our quaint but kind of sketchy slow boat to Luang Prabang. I was therefore totally unprepared for the amazing little boat that awaited us. For starters, the dining room was the nicest one we've had so far on the tour (with the exception of one of the nights I went out on my own). Really. Complete with bowls of lime and flower water for rinsing fingers between courses (there were several at each meal). Service so good that the waiters appeared to peel fruit, crack crabs, and generally anticipate our every move. Bonus: cute (although necessarily small) cabins, totally done in teak, with lovely, modern showers en suite and plush guest robes.
As for the bay itself, while the fog and mist were a little disappointing (obstructing the view), it was pretty great: crazy rock formations covered with trees (and occasionally buildings) jutting out of the water, some with caves and lagoons. This morning, before departing the bay, we took a ride out to a lagoon full of monkeys (I may be exaggerating when I say full of, but there were more than a dozen).
Back in Hanoi now, where I've walked around the Old Quarter while managing not to get hit by motorcycles. I'm awaiting the overnight train to Hue, hoping that we're on a new train (clean sheets).
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment