Ha Long Bay Vietnam. - Sunday 28th September, to Monday, 30th September,2014.
SUNDAY 28th September.
Our driver/pick up, arrived at our hotel in Hanoi at 8.00am to take us to Halong Bay to go aboard the Paloma cruise ship for our two night three day cruise.
It was a two and half hour car ride to the bay and we were checked in and on board by 12.30pm.
Saying goodbye to the staff, at the Oriental Central Hanoi before we left this morning. Above the kitchen staff and below the reception staff.
The staff were fantastic always looking out for your needs. Lovely people.
We had a very good driver got us to the docks safely after a few close calls, there are some mad mad drivers out there. We checked in to the office of the ship company then taken aboard by their tender boat photo above to take us out to the ship.
Approaching our replica junk boat. Unfortunately they didn't have the old sails up. Never got a photo of our ship with her sails up. When they do put them up it's only for a short time as they are only for decoration.
Had a briefing, then they issued our keys and sent us to our cabin where our bags were waiting for us. Straight up for lunch, and what a great meal it was. The lunches have been as big as the dinners, huge and all a-la-carte. Nice to always have fresh cooked meals rather than buffets. The food is superb, great flavours and we prefer it way better than chinese. Lots of fresh seafood. Yum..
During the lunch we started cruising out to the bays.
This is our cabin on the Paloma ship. We had the junior family suite as it is a larger room with a large deck out the front. There were only two rooms like this with their own deck across the bow of the ship, so nice sitting back in our loungers as we cruise along. So therefore a lot of the photos will have the railing in the foreground while I am sitting back.
This is the deck outside our cabin, far side is the next cabins very comfortable.
Sailing along
The dining room for breakfast and some lunches. Dinners were always on the top open deck.
The above photos taken while we are sailing along, they tell their own story.
In the afternoon we went ashore to visit a floating village. This heading into the bay on our tender. You can just see the floating houses in the distance. At first we thought this was just going to be like a floating market more souvenirs etc. but no it was a true floating village where the people live out their in thier house all joined up in a quiet bay away from everything. We went in here to either kayak or go for a ride on a bamboo boat sort of a sanpan where the women row you round their bay. The women do all the day work and the men go out at night to catch the fish. I think they have the better job. It was so quiet and peaceful out there .
These are the bamboo boats we were rowed on, houses in back ground. We opted to be rowed in these boats. But the next day we came back to do the kayaking. Got soaked.
This is an american young couple we spent a lot of time with. Anthony and Anika,
Just a nice picture of an old boat up on the rocks.
Floating houses
Rowing around the bay.
Rowed out to this cave, as far as we were allowed to go.
One of the Bamboo boats ahead of us. So peacefull, beautiful day,
Our lady rowing us.
Some other boats in the bay where we moored.
Getting ready for the cocktail party on the top deck.
Serving the drinks
Sunset from the top deck
A great atmosphere as the sun goes down.
A young couple from America but presently working in China, Anthony and Anika.
Sun nearly down.
Another group of boats in the bay for the night.
Chefs steam cooking some big prawns for dinner. On the top open deck. Great evening.
Waitress serving the prawns. All the food on board was freshly cooked no buffets at all. Excellent food, great flavours.
When they bring them to your table they peel them for you, no messy hands.
As the evening went on the lights on the other boats looked nice reflecting on the water.
Above and below the evening went on
The first day and evening were great really enjoyable. meet some nice people Aussies,Canadians, Americans Malaysians.
MONDAY 29th September.
Had a really good nights sleep on board. They keep you very busy. Woke up to another great sunny day, although you have to try and keep out of the sun because of the heat and humidity.
First thing in the morning before the sun came up the other boats with their sails up. There would have been no less than 30 boats in this bay all the similar size to ours. Great sight.
This is what they looked like with their sails up.
One of their fishing boats dragging a huge net behind them.
This is our tender boat.
This and below photos can tell their own story as we are sailing to the next bay.
Today we went ashore and did some kayaking great spot for it.
Another great day, cocktails from five fifteen for an hour then another fabulous meal on the top open deck and fantastic time all round. We leave the ship tomorrow at 11.30pm.
TUESDAY, 30th September.
Our last morning on board but they still kept us busy. Breakfast at seven, on the tender boat at 7.45am to be taken to shore for one and half hours to explore a cave before we leave.
When we got there we climbed this hill to get to the entrance of the cave The above is the view from the top. It was so hot in this weather everyone was really struggling getting up the ninety stairs. Very high humidity and no air. Phew......
Thought that it was just going to be an ordinary cave, but no it was huge, heaps better than we thought.
Inside the cave top and below
Another view coming down the hill.
These are like the bamboo sanpans we were rowed on the first day at the floating village.
The young American couple, Anthony and Anika. working in China at the moment teaching.
All on board to be returned to the land office, the end of a very enjoyable and adventurous three days. We would recommend it to anyone. The Paloma ship was very good especially if you shout yourselves one of the two family suites with their own private decks facing forward on the ship. You can just sit there and relax as we sailed along. All great fun.
When we went ashore at 11.30am our driver was waiting for us to take us to the airport to catch our flight to Hue at 7.00pm Another three hours travelling in the car.
We finally boarded our plane started down the runway and stopped thinking that we were in a queue, but no the captain came on saying that there was going to be a delay to take off due to the military fighter planes doing their practising. We sat in the plane ready to take off for 35 mins while they did their thing. Amazing that they could do this and interrupt domestic flights for such a long time. We did eventually get our turn for take off and we were on our way. Only one hour ten mins flying time but by the time we were over Hue the plane circled three times before he got permission to land. It was the worst landing we had ever experience, fair chucked it down. We were now very late for our pick up from airport and I said to PT I have a feeling our pick up won't be here. Guess what, they weren't. To cut another long story short,we finally made it to the hotel about 10.00pm to be told the driver had had an accident. Not surprised here the drivers are shocking we have had a few close shaves. We just sit in the back seat and hope for the best.
Finally caught up the last three days all in one posting so sorry its so long.
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