When we knew that we were going to Vietnam we decided that one of the absolute musts was a cruise in Halong Bay. The pictures and reviews online had us hooked. So we booked a cruise with Indochina Junk for their Dragon Legend Cruise. Halong bay is in northeast Vietnam about 165 km from Hanoi where we were staying. It is in the Gulf of Tonkin, and includes some 1,600 islands and islets, forming a spectacular seascape of limestone pillars. There is a reason that it is a UNESCO World Heritage site–it is breathtaking. Because of their precipitous nature, most of the islands are uninhabited and unaffected by a human presence. Once you get out of the busy port it soon becomes a very quiet and peaceful landscape. We chose our particular cruise because the company chooses to head to BaiTu Long Bay rather than the normal routes of other cruise lines. There was literally no one out there except some local fisherman (out for a pleasure cruise, at night, in eel-infested waters–just kidding–seemed like a perfect place to quote Princess Bride). It was lovely though. The crew was fantastic and very entertaining either with songs, spontaneous back massages or intrically carved food art. The meals featured several courses of Vietnamese specialties mostly made with seafood and there was lots of fresh fruit.

The cruise had the perfect cominbation of exertion and relaxation. We also had the pleasure of meeting 5 other very interesting people on our ride from Hanoi to Halong Bay. It was one of those times where the world seems very small because you find so much in common with random strangers. It’s also nice that you like the people in your shuttle just in case it’s the last one you ever take. In case, for instance, your driver seems to feel that traffic rules and lane markers are just a “suggestion” and that beeping your horn in warning excuses all illegal and aggressive maneuvers. Not to worry, all is well that ends well and luckily that shuttle ride did end well;) And, it gave us the opportunity to enjoy long meals with interesting conversations.  It’s these crazy connections that keep the world going, you know? They keep our hearts open to different perspectives and worldviews.  Maybe it was just that out in the quiet sea, away from all the hustle and bustle of life, we could focus and hear more clearly. I think we all need more cruises…