Halong Bay

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  Halong Bay, Vietnam
Thursday, September 25, 2008

Crammed like an Econ 101 final, we squished shoulder to shoulder in a barely air conditioned van for four hours before finally arriving in Halong City. We had spent the previous night in the Old Quarter of Hanoi in what essentially amounted to an attic (read oven) of a cheap hotel. But at least the hotel was centrally located amongst the dozens of tour operators, which allowed us to shop around for our Halong cruise trip. Given our lackluster boat tour in Nha Trang and our Lonely Planet's warnings about deceitful operators, we exercised extra vigilance and opted for a more expensive tour after investigating several options. For about 75 dollars, we booked a three day, two night cruise of Halong Bay. We spent the extra money to give us peace of mind, to know that we would not spend the next three days in Halong's equivalent of a hot, hotel attic. But even still, a nervous energy slowly mounted as the van ride grew hotter and longer. Finally, we arrived and piled out of our transport. I instantly felt a merciful sea breeze evaporate both my sweat and my anxiety. This was going to be a good trip.
 
As a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a candidate to become one of the seven natural wonders of the world, Halong Bay rightly attracts tourists from around the world. About 1,500 square kilometers, Halong is a large but calm bay that features thousands of limestone karsts that jut out of the sea. All in all, Halong Bay hosts about 2,000 islands complete with hidden bays, mysterious caves, and secluded beaches to explore. The Vietnamese believe that dragons created Halong ('long' means dragon) when they began to spew jewels and jade to repel Chinese invaders. Certainly, the limestone islands do resemble precious gems glittering over a turquoise backdrop. So when Ho Chi Minh marveled at Halong's mythical beauty as a "wonder that one cannot impart to others," I can commiserate with his stupefaction. Nonetheless, here's my attempt to impart Halong Bay to you.
 
I was amused to learn the name of our ship: the Imperial Junk IV. I only later found out that the name did not imply the ship was junk, but a junk is a kind of Chinese vessel first developed during the Han Dynasty 2,000 years ago. Comfortably housing twenty guests plus crew, the vessel featured clean, air-conditioned cabins, a dining room with complete bar, and ample lounge chairs on the top deck for relaxation and viewing. At first, I spent most of my time at the captain's helm, watching half-fascinated and half-petrified as a crew member would lounge in bed and steer the ship with his feet. I soon opted for the bliss of ignorance and went up to the top-deck to take pictures. On all sides, limestone cliffs rose straight out of the aquamarine waters. To our aft, we left behind the heat and cacophony of the city. To the starboard side, I sighted several jellyfish floating with the waves, tentacles dangling like parachute lines. To the port side, a school of flying fish kept pace with the ship, gracefully gliding in and out of the water. And straight ahead, we approached our first destination.
 
I think the cave we visited was called 'Surprise Cave,' but its location was hardly shocking. In the distance, I spotted several already-docked junks with a snaking, single-file line of tourists trekking up stairs towards a cave entrance. Soon enough, it was our turn to enter the factory line. By itself, the cave was both beautiful and stunning with high vaulted ceilings, cool pools of water, and gigantic stalactites and stalagmites. At one point, a gaping chasm at the top allowed a piercing shaft of light to enter and illuminate the entire cave. Of course, such natural light was not enough for the Vietnamese, who much prefer garish greens, ostentatious oranges, and other equally unnatural colors radiating from fluorescent light bulbs. I felt like I was on a spelunking trip on the Las Vegas strip. At one point, the tour guide pointed out a dragon-shaped stalagmite, complete with two red LED eyes to ensure we could identify it. The Vietnamese - as well as the Chinese - need to learn that a tourist spot need not feel touristy in order to attract tourists. Could you imagine if we put Christmas lights in the Redwood Forest?
 
Luckily, our cruise left the beaten tourist track after the cave and we did not see a single fluorescent light bulb again. We ended the day with a motorboat excursion, kayaking and swimming into hidden bays that we accessed through small tunnels in the limestone walls. The next day we made our way to Cat Ba Island. We first took a fantastic bike ride through a mountain pass until we reached a traditional village in a mountain valley. At one farmhouse, we came across what must have been 50 dogs and puppies. The tour guide did not say what they for, but I think they were likely bred for food. The North Vietnamese in particular occasionally eat dog, so the idea is not outlandish. In any case, the farm also had a few pigs, lots of ducks, a family of chickens, and the obligatory satellite dish mounted to a thatched roof. Oh, and rice paddies.
 
After visiting the traditional village, we again boarded our ship and set off for Monkey Island. We were given the option of either swimming or taking a "moderately easy" hike to the top of the island. I soon found myself dangling by a rope over jagged sharp rocks wondering what the Vietnamese possibly could consider a difficult climb if this one "could be done in sandals." Luckily I was wearing hiking shoes, and along with two Spaniards, I carefully scrambled over the simmering rocks to reach the peak about 150 yards above the beach. The view was well worth the near-death experience of every step. Retracing my perilous steps, I eventually rejoined the rest of my group in the water to cool off.
 
Schools of fish swam around us, but we focused our attention on a little boy shouting "Monkey!" in Russian. He had spotted four of the island's namesakes. We had been told to steer clear of the monkeys as they often can bite and might carry rabies. But soon enough, a large crowd had circled around our simian friends. Underneath a palm tree, a mother with her baby sat uninterested by all the human commotion. Meanwhile, two adolescent monkeys battled for attention as they played a game of tag. But the elder male monkey proved to be the true ham. Stealing a beer and thereby stealing the show, he plopped down in the shade and sucked down the brew like a senior frat brother. He even threw the can violently against the ground in triumph when it was empty. Before things got too drunk, we again boarded our ship and sailed away from Monkey Island.
 
We spent the night in a sleepy town on Cat Ba Island. Entering one of the few bars, we were surprised to find a Canadian bartender named Dane. Like us, Dane embarked on a long tour of Asia from Beijing to Indochina. But the similarities stopped about there. Upon arriving in Beijing in January, Dane pledged to not spend a single dollar on transportation or sleeping arrangements. To date, he has not spent a cent. He has hitchhiked or walked the entire distance to reach North Vietnam. He usually sleeps outside, often with the local homeless. In Beijing, he came close to hypothermia several times, but has somehow made it so far otherwise unscathed. Now, he speaks proficient Mandarin and has begun the arduous process of learning Vietnamese. He arrived in Halong Bay only a week ago but has arranged the bartending job in exchange for room and board. He refused any monetary compensation. During the day, he takes a boat out to the limestone karsts to go climbing. In a seemingly appropriate metaphor for his life in general, he does not use ropes when he climbs but simply falls into the sea when he can no longer hold on. I couldn't help but think of Christopher McCandless from Into the Wild as I talked to Dane. But there is one significant difference between the two. McCandless tramped through America to escape society, but Dane travels to immerse himself within society. You could instantly tell Dane could walk into a room and instantly make friends with everyone. He certainly made friends with Rachael, Adam, and me.
 
The next morning we took one last cruise through the karsts before returning to port. Crammed once more into a poorly air-conditioned van and once again assaulted by the blaring of traffic, we made the bumpy trek back to Hanoi. As we neared the city, I could not help but feel increasingly constricted by cement, gasoline, and refuse. Dozing in and out of sleep, I wondered which overhanging cliff Dane would climb today.

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