Ha long Bay is one of the fascinating place where you can see limestone cliffs crystal clear bay water . Your Ha long bay tour starts from Halong bay harbour or the Haiphong port . This places are very near to the capital Hanoi and just 178 km . Ha long bay is a city which is full of tourists and It is a UNESCO World Heritage site . People take a boat tour from this ports for a day or more than one night . In this tour you can see limestone mountains which looks like floating in the bay and also some limestone caves . People says that in the full moon it looks magical and lots of Honeymoon couples make journey in this time .
Tales behind the creation of the Ha Long Bay :
There is a beautiful vietnames mythological story that defines the creation of the Ha long Bay . When foreign invaders try to attack Vietnam then god sends a family of dragons to protect Vietnam . This dragons spitting jewels and jade into sea and those becomes limestone mountains in the sea . The foreign invaders can not invade Vietnam and it was protected by this way . The place where the mother dragon descended is called the Ha long . This limestone mountains looks very similar and easy to forget the route . So it is a natural barrier for for this parts of vietnam .
How the trip arranged ?
For making a halong bay trip first you have to contact a travel agent . He or she will contact with the boat company . This trips can be a day trip or a multi day trip . I choose the day trip . I contacted a local tour agent in Ha long Bay city and she arranged a day trip for 650000 VND . This was the off season for the Halong Bay tour as in the colder months there was heavy mist . But in full season the rates may be higher .
Lots of people book this tour from Hanoi .In this tour the return journey fare from hanoi is also included in those trip . So it will be around 1000000 VND . Though the road condition is very good still it will be very tiring . So saving a little bit of VND and make the journey more relaxing I started it from Ha long Bay .
First a van takes us to the boat station and then they will give ID for the each member travelling in the ferry . Our boat leaves around 8 am and within 1 hour we are inside the jungles of the submerged limestone mountain . In the whole journey they will stop at two area first a limestone cave and mountain tour through a Bamboo boat and next one is a limestone cave where you can see different shape made by the erosion of the water . After that , they will serve you a heavy lunch and the tour ends around 1-2 pm .
Our boat has two deck , the lower deck is full of people , sitting area and the dining hall and the upper deck is just to see the view of the Ha long bay . We often come back to the lower deck because it was raining sometimes . Slowly slowly we are reaching towards this chickens rock
Chicken’s rock :
This limestones are making different shapes and sometimes make specific figure . Here is two rocks which looks like two chicken kissing each other and is very famous among the tourists . It is called chicken’s rock .
Running boat Hawker :
In the journey through the Ha long bay sometimes you see some fruit and handicraft items seller boat come closer to your boat and they run parallel with your ferry . They will go in the same speed as the big boats . They will run few minutes with the boat and then sell some items and then they leave .
It looks amazing how they sell items in this short span of time .
Journey Through Bamboo boat :
Here the main boat will be stopped and we have to get down in this boat stations . There are lots of local woman who runs this bamboo boats . Few years ago there is floating village situated near to this area . In one Bamboo boat there will be maximum 4-5 people . They will run this boats through two caves which are naturally made but in some areas it has been broadened for the boat navigation which damage the beauty of the caves .
After the first cave you will reach in a pool like area which is surrounded by the limestone mountains . This area is very calm and you can even listen to your own breath . This misty weather makes it more special . It was really like a heaven , Water are crystal clear and the scenery are breath taking . You can see lots of monkeys in this islands . Then , after sometime it returned through some another cave and reached to the boat station .
Journey through the Limestone cave :
This is the second stop in our journey . I must say the shapes made by the water erosion is this limestone cave is just magnificent . From where the boat docks , you have to climb a quiet stairs to reach to the face of the Cave . Then there is dedicated way inside the cave to travel . some areas in the cave are so small that you have to bow down your head . Some paths are very slippery so be better be careful . Some figures are looks like such that people worship it as god . Inside the cave in a spot you can see a natural water sprinkle .
Ticket for the cave is included in our package . There are lots of other caves inside Halong Bay . which has their own beauty
Special attraction in Ha Long Bay :
Local sea food are the special attraction in the city of Ha Long Bay . In front of the all restaurants there will be lots of aquarium where there will be different shrimps and different fishes and snails .
You can get the sea food at very cheap rates as this fishes are catched from the sea by the local fisherman .
Summary :
Rather than taking a day trip you should make a multi day trip . As in the full moon it looks wonderful and lots of Honeymoon couple take a one night and two days trip . Before going to this trip you should have some pills to protect from sea sickness and when you enter in the cave you may feel claustrophobic , so be careful about that . This journey is a lifetime journey and people remember it for forever .
