Towards Ha Long Bay
At 8 am, we leave Tam Coc heading towards Ha Long Bay. It's a 4-hour drive covering approximately 200 km. The journey takes place on well-maintained roads, but they are very busy, especially with heavy traffic. We are close to Hanoi, in the Red River Delta, one of the most fertile and densely populated areas in all of Vietnam. Our driver skillfully navigates a slalom that lasts for almost the entire trip, dodging various types of vehicles. We stop at what resembles a service area. We're drawn to 5-liter containers, inside which there are... large snakes and an undefined animal organ that might contain bear bile, about which much is rumored. Everything is strictly preserved in alcohol. It's a shame we couldn't take them with us; they would have been an original souvenir. We pass through Hai Phong, one of the country's main ports, without stopping. Along the way, we encounter a procession of vehicles with Vietnamese flags and military personnel: it seems that a fallen soldier from the war has recently been buried here. This offers a glimpse into nationalist rhetoric, as well as a proper tribute to those who died for their country.
Around 12:15 pm, we arrived in Halong to check in and begin our cruise on the bay with that name. The Bay of Halong is a poetic name meaning "where the dragon disappears into the waters." According to legend, the hundreds of islets are the remains of a dragon's tail that disappeared into the waters of the gulf. We were first loaded onto unstable boats and then transferred to the typical vessels, the junks, for visiting the bay and its caves and seeing some of the 3,000 islands scattered across a basin of 1,520 square kilometers. The work of wind and water erosion over thousands of years has created an incredible landscape of islands, islets, and rock formations, some of which are hundreds of meters high. Some of the islands have also formed a internal pond, accessible through a passage that disappears completely during high tide. During the shoulder seasons, the morning mist creates even more suggestive effects, making islands and rocks appear and disappear in the distance.
Cruise among caves and rock formations
On board the boat, we are assigned rooms with a refined style and stunning views, and we set off for lunch. The type of tourist we encounter is now the sophisticated traveler. Those who only choose to visit the most important places and are not inclined to be surprised by an adventurous trip. After all, if you want to visit the bay, there seem to be no other options. We show our best manners and have lunch with a German couple familiar with Eastern destinations, and a charming elderly couple from America. In reality, he is of French origin but lived in Vietnam during his youth, before the war broke out, while she has Egyptian origins. Ultimately, they are both friendly couples, and we quickly connect, talking about trips we have taken or are planning. The food is of exceptional quality and is served as if it were a gala dinner. After all, the company must justify the cost and somehow occupy the customers' time. With full stomachs, we set course for Surprise Caves The real surprise is the cluster of boats unloading hordes of tourists towards the cave. The little-ventilated climate transforms the docking bay into an unbreathable environment due to engine emissions. And luckily it's a place protected by UNESCO, with very strict regulations. The caves are beautiful, as are all karst cavities, with enormous stalactites. Everything is richly illuminated to create a striking effect. It remains to be seen whether all those colored lights cannot harm the delicate natural environment found in the rock. The cave has been inhabited for 130 years and was a refuge for the people who lived in the area, sheltering from bad weather and enemy incursions. We take our small boat and go to the island of Titop, where we climb 220 steep steps to enjoy the view. wonderful view of the Faraglioni surrounded by the buildings and boats anchored in the bay, which illuminate the archipelago. The scenery is quite nice, but it loses some of its charm due to the lack of natural features. The weather isn't sunny, and the fog on the horizon provides a better sense of depth in the view of the islands They rise straight up from the water's surface. We return for dinner, which offers a spectacular show even better than lunch. The lights go out and, with a high risk of tripping, waiters enter the room carrying plates filled with pineapple, illuminated from within by a series of shrimp hanging from the holes in the skin. The rest follows with similar choreography. And call it third world, plus in a country where socialist morality reigns supreme. We spend some time on the upper deck, moments when time seems to have stopped. Around us, the Tonkin Gulf appears to barely whisper its history, while silence prevails elsewhere. Finally, we fully enjoy the magic of this enchanted place.
