Our van picked us up bright and early for the four hour journey east to Ha Long harbor for our overnight cruise to Bai Tu Long Bay, a less touristed area than the popular Ha Long Bay. This area is considered one of Vietnam’s most valuable natural assets due to its unique ecosystem and hydrocarbon reserves. It’s known for its many limestone karsts, or islets of dissolved limestone and other rocks, dotting the jade green waters. We were fortunate enough to spend the entire ride with a delightful Sri Lankan couple, Thusith and Charika, with whom we shared most of our meals.
Our biggest splurge in Vietnam was this cruise with Indochina Junk, and we couldn’t have been more pleased. Any apprehensions we may have had about being on a cruise (e.g. the other passengers, bad entertainment, tiny room, etc.) were dismissed as soon as we stepped aboard. A massive and tastefully decorated room for the three of us, no WiFi, an amazing crew and staff and a lovely group of 35 other passengers hailing from all over the world welcomed us onto this fantastic voyage.
After a satisfying lunch with incredible views of the karsts, we got ready to go kayaking. Less than half of the passengers opted for the kayaking, since the 60 degree weather was a bit too chilly for some. Jules was very apprehensive and kept asking what the odds were of the kayak flipping. Well, Philip kayaked around New Zealand for a few months, so we told him he was in good hands. Sure enough, once he got into the kayak he settled in after a couple of minutes and had a fun time. Since I was left without a partner, I was offered a spot in Coco’s, our guide’s, kayak…yessss!
Kayaking through Bai Tu Long Bay was hands down one of the highlights for all of us on this trip. Gliding along the calm waters with limestone formations 20 million years in the making rising up all around us was just spectacular. This was a geologist’s dream to see the layers of rocks formed over so many years. Coco was a man of few words with great kayaking skills, so the journey was incredibly peaceful with no forced conversation and no overly strenuous paddling for me, which freed up my hands to take photos. Very civilized, indeed. Jules somehow ended up without a paddle, so poor Philip had to work a little harder than me over the course of an hour. The most exciting part was navigating through an opening under one of the karsts covered with sharp oyster shells. Boy, was I glad I was with Coco.
A soak in the warm seawater pool on the upper deck and a hearty dinner later, Philip and I were excited to put Jules to bed so we could have a little nightcap. Darn, the fresh sea air must have done us in, since our lids started feeling heavy shortly after dinner. No nightcap, but we did manage to squeeze in a half hour of nighttime squid fishing. Did you know that squid are attracted to rave-like strobe lights? No luck in capturing these aquatic club-goers for us, but it was fun watching one of the crew members reel in four of them for lunch the next day.
There was a small group of guys waiting the next morning for Jules to show, since he taught both passengers and crew how to play a counting game called ‘Chopsticks’ the day before. It was a lot of fun watching him transcend language and age differences by a deceptively simple math game. After the morning mental math calisthenics, we disembarked to explore the Thien Canh Son cave, which is composed of three caverns filled with stalactites and stalagmites. Jules loved exploring the caverns with our guide extraordinaire, Nguyen Van An (aka Andy), who pointed out the many stalactites resembling animals.
After lunch it was time to say goodbye. I was surprised at how sad I was to leave the boat and strangers I had just met a day before. But, then, I also realized how the absence of both internet and cellular service allowed us to make personal connections more quickly. Now, I just need to figure out a way to unplug more in ‘real life.’
