Halong Bay
Trip Start
Nov 17, 2007
1
21
29
Trip End
Feb 28, 2008
That overnight trip to the bay was both cool and cold, heading into the picturesque 3,000 islands area of the coast of the country. You take a junker to one island containing quite spectacular grottos, and get a short stint about on a sea kayak if you're game to brave the temperature at this time of year.
I got friendly with two Aussies, a German and a Swiss on board which filled in what would have otherwise been a rather boring night - a bottle or two of rice vodka around here isn't too bad. You can buy alcohol from the floating kwik-e-marts (aka old ladies about the bay in boats who won't budge on their nflated price) but it's much better value to get it before you leave Hanoi. Expect to pay a corkage on any alcohol if they see you with it.
I got friendly with two Aussies, a German and a Swiss on board which filled in what would have otherwise been a rather boring night - a bottle or two of rice vodka around here isn't too bad. You can buy alcohol from the floating kwik-e-marts (aka old ladies about the bay in boats who won't budge on their nflated price) but it's much better value to get it before you leave Hanoi. Expect to pay a corkage on any alcohol if they see you with it.

