Halong Bay

View from top of one of caves at Halong Bay
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Even though the weather wasn't the best I decided I had to go to Halong Bay on one of the legendary organised boat trips from Hanoi having heard so much about it from fellow travellers. My group consisted of 4 other girls, 2 couples and a very grumpy tour guide and crew. After the 3 hour drive by mini bus to Halong City we boarded our boat and took off for a tour around the islands, stopping at a cave on the way, which I have to say was pretty impressive inside.

Back on the boat we eventually docked for the night and were literally surrounded by tonnes of other boats and if you looked closely enough you could still see Halong City - it wasn't really the get away I had in mind. The one man made beach we stopped at during the day was disgusting, the litter washed up on it was gross - we managed to spot a few syringes in there....not somewhere I was swimming!

and when we raised our voices to shout across at some guys on the other boat our captain came up to us and went crazy - it was like being in school again!!!

Posing at Halong Bay
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After dinner was served up the two couples retired to their cabin so it was up to us girls to party so we made our way to the roof and got stuck into the wine. We could hear and see a party going on across the way and it was torture being stuck on our boat with no way off...and when we raised our voices to shout across at some guys on the other boat our captain came up to us and went crazy - it was like being in school again!!! The guys across the way were in the same predicement as us though - equally stuck on their boat with no way over to us or the party! We walked around the boat a few times, seriously trying to figure out ways to get off but one of the group had her sensible hat on and stopped any of us jupming off (and yes I wasn't the one wearing the hat)!

Party on the roof - classy ladies!
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Even though I am sounding very negative about the Halong experience, I think the weather was just against us and the tour group. I am sure on the right day with the right crew it can be great fun. So it was back to Hanoi the next day to catch the night bus to Hue...!