Halong Bay

Arriving in Halong Bay, we board a "junk", really a cruise boat that we'll overnight on in very pleasant surroundings.  We're with a lot of other people as Halong Bay has become an important tourist destination with 10,000 people coming in every day. But there's lots of room for everyone out on the water.

Soon we're  looking at literally thousands of beautiful karst outcroppings pushing out of the sea.  Karst is landscape underlain by limestone that has been eroded by sea, producing ridges, towers, fissures, caves, and lagoons.  Things were helped along by the action of tectonic plates which show the sedimentary layers in a vertical position.  All this to say it's stunningly beautiful, framed by the ocean - a wonderful combination of rock and water.

Marilyn on board the junk

Karst outcroppings

More of the endless scenery of Halong Bay

A vendor plies her trade by boat

Some of the outcroppings are high

Boats everywhere - taking in the stunning views

 Our cruise boat has another craft that can ferry us to shore and the first trip is to visit a cavern with three "rooms" that get larger and larger.  Discovered by French sailors in the early 20th century when they were driven ashore by a typhoon, we are treated to some dazzling sights which the camera struggles to do justice to.

At night we enjoy a beautiful sunset on the top deck and take a lesson on making spring rolls.  The lesson was a great success and we might even be able to replicate things when we're back in Toronto.

The sun is going down on Halong Bay

The moon on Halong Bay

Marilyn learning new skills - the art of making spring rolls

Our final trip ashore is to visit a lagoon that we get to via boat, through a cave.  If we're lucky, we're told, we may get to see monkeys.

Into the cave

Watch your head!

On the way to the lagoon via the cave

O look!  A golden headed monkey.  Where are the bananas, he says

On the lagoon with our boat driver

 

 

 

 

A view in the lagoon

Our visit to Halong Bay is over but we now know why it's a designated UNESCO site, well worth the long bus ride from Hanoi to the Gulf of Tonkin area.