Hòn Bồng A

Today we bade farewell to Hanoi, as we finished packing up and had breakfast before being picked up for our 2 hour drive to Halong Bay. It’s a good thing we’re organised because the driver came before 8am as expected. After driving around and collecting two more couples, we left the craziness of Hanoi before reaching the outskirts, and then the open countryside of Vietnam.

The drive was mostly uneventful but just before reaching the port area, all the drivers made a stop at a pearl outlet (cleverly referenced to as a toilet stop). The toilet stop wasn’t even necessary considering we were only seven minutes from the port! We obviously didn’t buy any pearls, so we joined the tourists from the other 30+ buses in the organised chaos until we continued on.

Once at the port, we were dropped off at the Genesis cruise desk to check in and pay for the cruise. We needed to wait about half an hour before taking a boat out to our cruise, so I walked to a pop-up shop nearby which was selling drinks and snacks. Since there weren’t any great options, I bought some peanuts to tie us over until lunchtime.

The transfer boat was an experience, as we all donned life jackets for the half hour journey to our cruise. The ships director Sunny provided some commentary regarding Halong Bay (a UNESCO protected sight) as well as the cruise itself. Upon arrival we were each given a welcome juice before making our way to our cabins. The cruise has two levels of cabins, complete with a dining room and deck on top with a bar.

We like our cabin a lot, with a king size bed, huge bathtub and good sized bathroom. The balcony is also great, which can be seen through the panorama window while lying in bed. Whilst enjoying the view, we noticed a huge pole that seemed to be coming from the cabin next to us going down towards the water. We assumed they weren’t fishing from over their balcony, but got a surprise when we saw a Vietnamese couple in a speedboat selling snacks over the side of the boat! The long stick was so money and items could be transferred to the cruise passengers. They asked if we would like anything, but apart from being amused, we politely declined.

After settling in, we went upstairs to the dining room for lunch. Since this cruise only takes about 40 people, the dining room was small but elegant. We were seated next to a Dutch couple, Simone and Robin, who are similarly doing a tour throughout Vietnam. The lunch was amazing as there were so many different courses delivered. Since I’m pescatarian, they replaced the other meat options I had with calamari and fish. And with Vietnamese coffee too!

After lunch, we tried to have a nap in our room, but a PA, phone call and door knocking reminded us that there was going to be an excursion to see nearby caves via rowboat. We joined about half of the other passengers and were transferred to a nearby pier where we were separated into boats of 8. We loved the cruise - the guide was funny and we saw the limestone cliffs and even monkeys. The tour was even more complete by the Vietnamese hats we wore during the excursion.

Upon arrival back onto the cruise, we showered and changed before going to the top deck for happy hour. The weather has been a bit hazy but I think it’s a nice change from stifling heat anyway! I didn’t drink much at happy hour, but just being able to enjoy the scenery and company whilst cruising Halong Bay was wonderful.

Just like lunch, dinner did not disappoint as there were at least five courses of food. Some of the dishes I had included lobster and two types of fish, so I definitely got my fill of seafood. This cruise has definitely been a highlight so far, so I’m hoping we have many more like this.Read more