Halong Bay

We decided to follow the tourists on this one, on a 2 day/1 night Halong Bay cruise.

• After a 4-hour drive through rice paddies, and complete with hand swept highways, we arrived at Halong Bay, which reminded us of the touristy Fisherman's Wharf in SF.
• Onto our boat!

   

• Despite the dense cloud cover, the mist made the enormous limestone edifices look quick magnificent, if not a little ghostly.
• After a 10-course lunch (with many veggie options and lots of grease), we stopped at Surprise Cave, with just about every other tourist in tow. We kayaked around the bay and explored a floating village.
• Back to the boat for hot shower and more food! Dinner was all about presentation :) Unfortunately the beautiful carvings and veggie decorations were left off the veggie plates, but it was fun nonethless.
• The evening involved karaoke - more for the boat staff than for the tourists. Thoroughly amusing. We hung out on the deck and went to bed super early, for the first time in a week.
• Excellent sleep and a morning wake up call through the loudspeaker! Broken english announcing breakfast.
• Boat ride back through the Islands, amazing scenery and super ethereal due to the clouds.