Le Crapaud

Well we think it’s fair to say Ha Long Bay will always have a special place in our hearts. We've spent the last three days on a cruise exploring the area and wow, this is a breathtakingly beautiful place.

Cruising around Ha Long Bay was just stunning. A great way to relax and enjoy some time together without having to really think about our next plan or destination. The 3 day trip included a range of excursions and activities, all of which we thoroughly enjoyed. Nevertheless, the highlight for us was simply cruising around enjoying the mesmorising, phenomenal views with one another.

On the first day we took a trip to the caves. We were given the option to kayak or be rowed in a bamboo boat, so we thought we'd take the lazy option. Bamboo boat it was! We were rowed through a cave, surrounded by beautiful scenery. While bamboo boating we saw a family of langur monkeys climbing across vertical rock faces with babies clinging on to the mothers for dear life.

Back on the cruise boat, we had some time to relax on the upper deck and in the room. While cruising, we'd frequently see large jellyfish the size of an exercise ball go past or smaller ones with long tentacles. Enjoying some peace on our balcony, we'd be greeted by people in small dinghies approaching the side of the boat waving items such as fizzy drinks, snacks and alcohol for us to purchase. Not a bad idea considering these were cheaper than purchasing them from the bar.

On the second day of the cruise, we visited Cat Ba Island. Here we saw a small village and learnt about traditional farming techniques used many years ago. Later we kayaked from the boat to a small beach and had an hour to swim and chill. On the way to Cat Ba island Dan took a few photos of the scenery and out of nowhere we all heard a loud splash as everyone rushed to look overboard, seeing nothing but a large ripple in the water. Fortunately and by complete coincidence, Dan happened to take a photo at the perfect moment, capturing a sting ray jumping out of the water just before it landed. This was the only ray we saw.

On both days we enjoyed stunning sunsets and of course cocktails to match. For Dan's birthday, he was surprised with music and a cake and wasn’t embarrassed in the slightest...!

The food was amazing albeit a little too much with yesterday’s lunch consisting of 10 different plates followed by 6 courses for dinner; on both nights we were served two mains yet neither main was particularly small. Put it this way, we never went hungry! No surprise we also took advantage of the permanent ‘happy hour’ cocktails.

The cruise has been simply amazing. It's been wonderful to have some time to relax and not have to worry about how to get to the next place or where or what to eat! On top of that we've been so lucky with the weather - sunshine and blue skies throughout the entire trip. Ha Long Bay is one of the most stunning places we've ever seen. Everywhere we looked we'd see towering islands covered with vegetation, each different to the next. Words and pictures really don’t do Ha Long Bay justice, you have to be here to really appreciate its natural beauty. It was such a perfect way to celebrate (well planned Dan!) and a place that will never be forgotten!

Next stop.. Da Nang, central Vietnam!Read more