Kamis, 11 Agustus 2016

[TRAVEL VIETNAM 4] HANOI- WHAT TO EXPECT FROM A 2D1N HALONG BAY CRUISE — DAY 2

Sunrise
On a SIDE NOTE: We had wanted to catch the sunrise but alas, despite waking up early like 5am plus and having our sights affixed on the big windows in front of us from our room, we didn't spot any amazing sunrise? 
It could be on the other side of the ship, but we did not step out from our room.
 Or was there none as the sun rays were blocked by the towering islets? 
Have you caught the sunset on Halong Bay before?

Taiji?
Most, if not all tour packages we saw has this very intriguing segment on the itinerary- Morning Taiji. 
We were a ship full of young people and if you think this is for the seniors, then nope. Surprisingly, many on board turned up for the morning 6.30am class. 
 We were all not masters, but heck, for the fun of it! 














 Cooking Demo
The Chef  tour guide showed us through a demo on the discovery of making our own Vietnamese traditional spring rolls.
Everyone had a chance at rolling the spring rolls for ourselves.




After which, our spring rolls were deep fried before served




We had these home cooked food (tasted great) for lunch.
There were more dishes but we were already tucking in by then, so no photos.



Our last stop for the day before returning to Hanoi City was the Sung Sot Cave, one of the most beautifully acclaimed caves in Halong Bay which saw us hiking up some  600 steps, enchanted by the limestone formations.


1. Sung Sot Cave
This most famous cave in Halong Bay is one of the most spectacular ones and is accessed by ascending up flights of stairs. With thousands of stalagmites and stalactites formations illuminated  by colorful spotlights along the way.
A vast difference: The Japanese guests in particular were given each a radio ear piece so they could heard clearly while the tour guide was explaining and they were moving S-L-O-W-L-Y.

Ours on the other hand, and many other tourists', were in fact not done this way. We had no guided tour and everyone was soon walking at their own pace ( as it was crowded), with the guide not really bothering to take a head count. 

We soon "lost" our guide among the sea of people, much less know anything significant above the beautiful cave. It was a pity really, being in the place but not knowing the facts and bits.
 I guess for the prices paid this was the best it could be?
We walked so fast trying to catch the guide :(  and didn't really take time to appreciate and sightsee — which we should have.



The 1st Portion.
Whereby the caves are illuminated by dazzling lights



This portion of the cave is presumably the centrepiece, being illuminated at its most colorful.




Photobombed. 
No choice however, since we need to grab a stranger to help us take photos.


On the way out to the exit from the cave...


The 2nd portion
This part of the Sung Sot cave sees natural light filtering from above and also serves as the exit.


Once you have reached the top, looking down, this is what you will see.


And we took a photo at the exit...

Before descending down again towards the docking area...






This marked the end of the Sung Sot journey as we headed back to our ship


Our ship 'Scorpion'

Conclusion
Laze on the deck admiring the scene of Halong Bay or simply enjoy the salty breeze. It was definitely a memorable experience and I would recommend you to try out for a night cruise on the bay.
Experience the beauty of Halong Bay!

As mentioned, we booked via a Groupon Deal in Singapore and it was not bad at all.
Of course there are tons of operators who go on tour to Halong and it will not be difficult to book one at all. 

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