Paradise on Earth at Ha Long Bay

One of the only things Esther and I had booked prior to arriving in Vietnam was our boat trip to Ha Long Bay. We knew we wanted to experience this UNESCO World Heritage site and we had read plenty of reviews online which pointed towards the fact that the quality of tours was mixed to say the least. So, we continued to research and read recommendations about tour companies, boats, tour duration, cost and so on.

The view from the top deck

In the end we actually booked via our hotel in Hanoi. We stayed at the Especen Hotel and they advertised a couple of tours with Galaxy Cruises on their website. I was apprehensive about booking through the hotel initially; everything in my gut told me that this relatively budget hotel would be trying to rip us off and we would end up on some dodgy boat having a slightly awful time in one of the most beautiful places in the world. However, Tripadvisor reviews were positive so we booked a two day, one night tour for $159 each which was a lot of money considering how cheap everything else in Vietnam was! I mean, we were staying in a hotel which would be maybe 3 star in the UK for $8 each per night..

Day one: Hanoi, my first taste of Vietnam

After a 12 hour flight where I had managed only an hour or two’s sleep, we walked down the stairs from the plane and whoosh; the humidity hit. I knew what to expect. I had done my research. I had tracked the weather in Hanoi for weeks prior to the trip and I thought I knew what 29°C and circa 80% humidity at 8am would feel like. I did not! It was kind of like stepping into a bathroom when the person before you has just had a hot shower, but maybe three times as warm! It was quite overwhelming, but a fitting introduction to the climatic conditions that Esther and I would be battling for the majority of our trip.

After minimal sleep and maximum visa scrutiny and luggage wait time, we walked out of the airport to find the bus which would take us into the heart of the old town. This was not straightforward. My Lonely Planet guide advised that for $3 we could get the Vietnam Airlines minibus to take us to their offices in the old town, which would be perfect as it was only a short walk from our hotel. After much gesticulating with a lovely lady at the information desk who did not speak English I managed to locate the correct bus stop. Although the bus driver did not. We waited over an hour for a bus which was supposed to run every 30 minutes before we gave up to source alternative transport. Along with another 3 tired travellers we sourced a minibus from another bus-stop and paid $5 to drop us at each of our hotels, which was a god-send.