By After our wonderful introduction to Vietnam in the city of Hanoi, it was time for us to head to the coast to explore one of the most visited places in Southeast Asia: Ha Long Bay. To be honest, we were excited to visit, but touristy places aren’t really our favorite, AND we had heard mixed reviews of Ha Long Bay. BUT the amazing thing about Southeast Asia is, you can always find a hidden gem, that is off the beaten path from the touristy craziness if you look hard enough or venture far enough!
What we decided to do to avoid the crowds, was splurge for the boat cruise that goes further out past Ha Long Bay, into the more remote Bai Tu Long Bay. I can say without a doubt that it was SO worth it! Bai Tu Long Bay was far less crowded, less polluted and has the exact same scenery.
The boat cruise we took was a one night cruise with Dragon Legend. It is a bigger boat, so that means more people, but for just one night it was perfect. I would recommend doing a private boat or smaller boat if you plan on going for more than one night. Our fare included round trip transportation to/from Hanoi in a luxury van. The drive is about three hours, and you make stops along the way. After the van ride, you are taken by a small “water taxi” boat to the Dragon Legend. The boat itself was gorgeous! It had a small pool, top deck with lounge chairs, old Vietnamese wood details and a beautiful open air dining area. Our room was super spacious and had a gorgeous soaking tub with views right over water of the bay. Everything was included, except alcohol, and once again for one night it was fine, but the food was very underwhelming.
The highlight of our boat trip, besides the gorgeous scenery, was taking out a kayak from the boat into hidden coves around the cliffs to a small beach. We went just before sunset, making it to the beach to watch the sunset. It was absolutely magical!
It was one of the most stunning sunsets we have ever witnessed!
Overall, we really enjoyed our visit to the famed Ha Long Bay area, and would recommend it to anyone visiting Vietnam. It is worth seeing the spectacular limestone formations that spring up from the water, and enjoying some peace and quiet away from the big cities. Just remember that you will encounter MANY other tourists and pollution, and it takes time to get away from that, but it is possible! Honestly, we felt that one night was plenty, because after a while all the scenery does look the same and there are so many other amazing places in Vietnam to explore! The rest of our trip is best shown through photos, so enjoy!
Happy Travels,
Courtney
OFF THE BEATEN 'EX-PAT'H 