The Legend Of Halong Bay
The mysterious and awe-inspiring Halong Bay, like much of South East Asia, is shrouded in myth and legend.
So it is said, long ago at the birth of Vietnam, the forefathers were faced with fierce opponents from the north by sea. The Gods from the heavens looked down on the people and sent the mother dragon and her children to help the ancient people of the newly formed country.
The dragons came down and incinerated their enemies. They spat out jewels, that upon hitting the land, created great islands forming invincible defensive walls that the invaders could not overcome.
Once the battle was complete, the dragons did not return to the heavens. They remained in the mortal world and the dragons lay on the lands and as the seas rose they remained where they lay. It is the dragons’ bodies that now form the iconic mountainous landscape.
Where the dragons lay on the lands, this is now known as Bai Tu Long. This literally translates to ‘Thanks to the Dragon children’.
Where the mother Dragon lay now forms Ha Long Bay. This literally means ‘Descending Dragon Bay’.
Present Day
If your heading to Ha Long Bay, you will for sure be starting out from the Vietnamese capital, Hanoi. From here it is approximately a 4-hour journey from the capital via coach. It will most likely be an earlyish start. I was told I would be picked up from my hotel guest house at 8.30 am. At 7.50 am I received a phone call from reception informing me I was ‘late’ for my trip. This would be a telltale sign of how this trip went. Timescales go right out of the window! I then had to jump on the back of a moped with my backpack on and was whizzed through narrow passageways to be taken to the bus pickup point in central Hanoi.
This was not expected at all, but it is understandable as to why it is easier for you to go to the bus, rather than the bus come to you. Have you ever seen the roads in Vietnam? Something I recommend researching before you arrive so you’re not AS taken aback.
While you’re starting your journey out of Hanoi, and most probably returning there, it would be a great idea to see some of this vibrant and crazy city. Check out my previous blog, ‘Good Morning Vietnam’ for top tips for starting your trip in the capital of this beautiful country!
How To See Halong Bay
There are many ways in which to see the iconic UNESCO site. This does all depend on your budget. Personally, to really experience the best of the area, it has to be done by ‘Junk Boat’.
However, there are a lot of different companies and a lot of different boats, catering to all different types of experience. Some will cost you around $170 for 2 days one night, others are around $450 for the more luxurious junk boats. I paid around $250 on a 3-day three-night party junk boat. For this, I got 2 hours free drinks onboard on the first night, my own cabin and shower, and my own cabin on a ‘paradise island’ on the last night. I will let you know what activities were on offer later in the article.
Hidden Gem
There is a cheaper alternative. In actual fact, the views from the secret viewpoint are maybe the best views of the entire area. This secret viewpoint is known as ‘Poem Mountain. I have not been here as of yet, but have been told that the hike is not for the faint-hearted. Therefore, as you can see from below, the views surely make up for that.
But do you really want to take the 4-5 hour drive to just look and not experience? As I said, the best way to experience the magical bay is to stay and explore by junk boat.
Activities
The itinerary is pretty packed during the trip I must admit. Our group took part in kayaking around the mystical dragon landscape, sunset cocktail party, snorkelling, exploring some of the many caves via kayak, boat jumping…and drinking.
There are morning activities where you are able to visit some of the floating markets amongst other things. One thing I will say about the few days I spent visiting this wonderful place is that you will have your days packed with activities.
Your meals are included and the food was great. Although, it is hard not to enjoy food in Vietnam!
Like I previously said, I even got my own cabin on a private tropical island! It was like my own slice of heaven.
We even got to visit Monkey Island and hike around the hills, which was incredible. You could just watch the monkeys cause mischief all day. Oh and word of warning…they like Pringles and know how to get them from bags!
Shop And Haggle For Best Deals
I would recommend this all over Vietnam. It is always well worth shopping around and ALWAYS haggle. The meals, activities and a certain amount of free drink should be included. However, inclusive extras will be dependant on the package that you are sold. I paid the same as a few of my ‘shipmates’ for the trip we were on yet I got the private island night stay and happy hours on each night on board the junk boat. It does pay to haggle with tour agencies as you will get more if you only ask.
Before travelling here I was advised not to pre-book my tour but to do so from an agent when I arrived in Vietnam. Knowing I wouldn’t have the time to do this and did not want to miss out on the dates I wanted as I was on a pretty strict schedule to start with. I just haggled over emails and ended up getting a great deal.
Warning
There is a LOT of waiting around and jumping from boat to boat. This is why I recommend 3 nights. I met some other travellers who did just the one night on the private island with me. They literally spent a couple of hours on the boat, kayaked around the bays, and then were moved via three other boats to get to the private island. This was very rushed from what they said and not the experience they had expected.
I really would recommend spending a little more and getting to spend a couple of days and nights on the beautiful UNESCO site. This made me feel sorry for some of the guys I met due to the fact they didn’t get to experience as much as I had. You don’t ever want to leave somewhere and say, ‘I wish I had’.
Pictures Paint A Thousand Words
Due to the outstanding beauty of Halong Bay all day it would be easy to bore you even more with things I did. This really is a place that actually requires very little write up as the scenery just sells itself! There is a reason why around 6 million travellers visit this incredible place each year. In conclusion, Vietnam is a must-visit destination and Halong Bay is top of the list of things to see while here.
Have you ever visited HALONG Bay? I would love to hear your stories, get in touch ryan@travelwithcooky.com
Keep Me Posted
As you will know by now, this is the second article in my series on visiting Vietnam. Keep an eye out for my next chapter where I will take you into one of the most beautiful destinations on earth and why you MUST ride the Hai Van Pass! Stay posted on all updates by subscribing to my mailing list below.
Did you like this article? Here are some more from places that really should be on your list to see.
- Good Morning Vietnam
- Taking on Trolltunga
- Jordan, The Arabian Nights Experience
- San Giorgio Beach In Sicily, Italy – another awesome post from ‘Lifetime Traveller’
Founder and creator of Travel With Cooky.
This website and its blog posts are based on my own experiences and recommendations. My goal is for you to learn how to travel the world on a budget as I do and help you see more of the beautiful world we live in!