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Ha Long Bay is Vietnam's - and arguably the world's - most spectacular natural attraction. Ha Long Bay comprises some 1,969 islands, 989 of which are named. Now a UNESCO world heritage site, Ha Long Bay is a fabulous place to explore by boat. Cruising amongst the 4000 square Kilometres giant rock formations, grottos and caves is nothing short of breath taking. The bay is dotted with boats from simple sampans to big cruise ships and a place to really relax.
To reach Ha Long Bay most travellers take a bus from Hanoi, 165 km and roughly 4 hours away by road. You can arrange this yourself or via one of Hanoi's many tour agencies. The route between Hanoi and Ha Long City was one of the most heavily bombed strips of land in North Vietnam, although there is little sign of this today. The road is in poor condition and the journey is likely to be a bumpy one.
On arrival in Ha Long City there is little to see or do other than head straight to the port and find a boat. A variety of recently constructed hotels and cafes offer a bland variety of places to eat, but don't bother unless you are very hungry! Look out for the massive luxury cruise ships moored in the distance.
If you have arrived on an organised tour you will be transferred to a boat - large or small - depending on the size of your group and the whims of your guide. Independent travellers must deal with dockside touts offering seats on those very same boats. There are a few choices for cruising the Bay - 4 to 6 hour cruises including visits to the caves and floating village, all day cruises including a visit to Cat Ba Island, or longer trips for those looking to spend a night or two partying on Cat Ba Island.
The best way to enjoy Ha Long Bay is to find a comfortable spot on whatever boat you catch, stretch back with a cold drink and enjoy the sight of the massive rock formations passing you by. Most boats provide food and drinks at reasonable prices although annoyingly many also allow a "postcard girl" onto the boat who will proceed to harass you to buy beads, postcards and other useless trinkets throughout the entire trip.
Most boat operators will include a visit to Ha Long's fabulous caves - yes, some of those imposing rock formations are actually hollow - and if you are willing to brave some steep and somewhat dubious looking stairways and paths some awesome caverns and caves await you. Lit with multicoloured lighting the caves are both eerie and bizarre and are a photographers delight.
You will also likely visit Ha Long's floating village, which is a series of floating wooden homes and boats in the middle of nowhere. The village makes for a nice view as you pass by although there is little reason to visit. The large numbers of tourist boats cruising the bay ensures that attractions like this are little more than tourist traps. The real beauty of Ha Long Bay is in its natural splendour.
Visitors planning on staying on Cat Ba Island will find it offers some fabulous beaches for swimming and lazing about, as well as a reasonable selection of hotels and restaurants. If you are a beach lover try to squeeze in at least two or three nights on Cat Ba Island to truly appreciate its isolation.
Expect to pay around $15 for a day tour to Halong Bay from Hanoi, or $25 and up for 2 day, 1 night packages. Virtually every café and tour agency in Hanoi will be able to offer a variety of deals to suit any budget. You can get even better deals by booking accommodation in Hanoi, Ha Long City and Cat Ba island through Hotelz Asia's booking services.
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