A very private excursion

27 May 2011

I skipped the Tai-Chi at 0615 and went for breakfast at 0700 so that we would be ready for our excursion at 0800.

We transferred to a smaller boat, the Bhaya Spirit with only two other people.  The crew to customer ratio was  1:1 on this smaller boat, with the captain, the cook, attendant and an assistant in the background.

We cruised through to Cat Ba National Park where we cycled through padi fields, bush and villages … all on paved paths though.

After lunch on the Bhaya Spirit, we had some time for swimming and sea-kayaking before returning to the mothership.

Me being me, parts of Halong Bay aren’t really appealing for swimming … there’s a bit of litter and sometimes a visible film.  The currents tend to pull pollutants to specific areas and it’s quite easy to find a clean spot nearby.

We were so pleased to have done the 3d/2n cruise rather than the more common 2d/1n.  Considering the distance from Hanoi (3.5h each way), the shorter option is indeed a bit too short.

 

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