Our stay in Hanoi was short, only 2 nights, and the one common piece of advice we were given about this area was to see Ha Long Bay (a UNESCO World Heritage Site). So we booked a private tour through the hotel. It turns out we’re not the biggest fans of private tours because there’s a lot of pressure and awkward silences. It was made even more awkward when halfway through our 4 hour drive to the Bay our driver pulled off for the advertised bathroom break and coffee at a ceramics/pottery factory that employs local disabled people. They had a local tour guide meet us, walk us around the premises, and then follow us around a large souvenir shop, hanging onto our every word about their goods. We weren’t going to buy anything because this was an unexpected part of our private tour of Ha Long Bay (that and we can’t really fit any more souvenirs in our bags). I think our (very friendly) tour guide eventually got the point because the rest of the trip he was extremely transparent and personable. We learned his views on communism (he’s fed up with it), North vs. South Vietnam, and the pervasive problem of government corruption.

We passed many rice farms and a few coal towns and power plants. When we arrived at the Bay, we were surprised to board a large vessel made for maybe 50-75 people. But it was just the 2 of us, a cook, our tour guide, and 2 other shipmates along with their captain. Our dollar goes a lot further in this country!

We enjoyed a cruise across the bay to a cove where we walked through 2 natural caves with amazing stalactites and stalagmites.  Afterwards, we were treated to a 10-course meal of local seafood on the boat as we cruised around the amazing karst mountain scenery. Along the way, we passed a water town where a small group of fishermen live on their boats, with their families year round.  They even had a floating school (sorry, no pictures.  We were too busy stuffing our faces with food).

We had one of the best meals of our trip that night in our hotel: Meatballs and beef in a tasty broth, shredded beef and onions in bamboo stalk, and a veggie soup that reminded us peach fruit cups. Very tasty!