Mountain Climbing, Tunnel Crawing Kayaking.... On Halong, Vietnam

I'm writing this waiting to get the night train to Hue. We just came back from Halong Bay which was an overnight on a boat on the bay. It is a world heritage site and so beautiful. It was misty and a bit rainy but apparently that makes it more atmospheric although I'd say they just tell you that to shut people up moaning. It was a long trip in a mini bus to the bay and of course as usual with organised tours we had to stop at a souvenir shop for twenty minutes more like forty. When we got to the bay our boat was nice and the crew were lovely. It was the four of us and a Canadian couple and a German couple. We sailed off into the bay anyway which is amazing I'll put up some pictures. they told us we were going to see the caves so I went down to the cabin to get my camera and when I came out the girls were all up on the dock I was wondering what all the shouting was about, the boat was pulling out of the harbour, I was morto, they had to go back in again to drop me off.

The first cave we stopped at is a really big one, it was really crowded with tourists, but it was great, look at the picture of the fertility symbol (hahahaha). Then back to the boat to a smaller cave. Much smaller. We had to crawl in. Our guide Nga, told us it was a maze cave so she had the girls climbing up into holes to find the way out. She was in hysterics laughing, so was I, I wasn't climbing into any holes (so I thought!) Sure enough we had to crawl out through a tiny tunnel. I was a bit freaked. It got worse. Nga, told us there was a lovely garden further up, so we climbed up this rock face on a little trail, guided by a rope, with a sheer cliff drop down to the sea. Seriously. At the top everyone is looking at the view "wow' 'amazing'. Then it was time to go down but of course I was expected to move at this stage and I was rooted to the spot my legs wouldn't stop shaking! I managed to hold it together and climbed back down, the bravery was very impressive - no crying and not much freaking out! Cait wasn't much better than me so I didn't feel so bad.

Back on the boat after dinner the crew wanted us to do Karaoke. They all obviously loved karaoke and thought we should too....we were up for a laugh but the German couple were not impressed. The girls got up to do a song and the microphone kept getting awful feedback and between the girls belting out the song and the squealing feedback I was in hysterics, there were tears rolling down my face and I swear the German girl did not crack a smile she had a face like a smacked arse, which just made me worse. At one stage she put her fingers in her ears. Not a smile out of her all evening. I don't think she approved of us. They went to bed eventually TG and everyone relaxed and had a bit of fun finally!

Had to get up at 7am for breakfast because of the Sea Kayaking. I thought this was optional as in I was going to opt out. Not so. we told Nga about fifty times that we didn't know how to Kayak and Cait eventually managed to get out of it. I went in the canoe with Nga, shaking like a leaf of course. It was ok in the end we paddled around the sheltered part of the bay, I was happy out thinking this is not too bad.......and then the Germans with their big serious heads in their big serious raingear start going when are we going to the caves? Poor Nga is in a bit of a bind at this stage because I obviously don't have a notion what I'm doing and neither to Caroline and Solenn and you have to go out in the open sea to get to the cave. So I said to her why don't you tell the girls to go back (thinking she could drop me off at the boat too). Yes, the girls got sent back but oh no I had to go out in the South China Sea in a canoe to look in a cave. It was actually great but seriously hard work and poor Nga got tired halfway there and I kept soaking her with my amateur paddling but we got back alive and that's the main thing!

Every muscle in my body hurts - hopefully I will sleep on this night train..

Sourse: Dee2000x - TravelPod

Recommended vessels for Halong cruises

The Indochina Sails Email: info@indochinasails.com, http://www.indochinasails.com

More cruises on Halong Bay - Active Travel Shop, #31, Alley 4, Dang Van Ngu street, Hanoi, Vietnam. Phone 84-4-35738569

Adventure tours on Vietnam -Active Travel Vietnam