Ha Long Bay to Ha Noi

After our night in Lang Son, Ethnic travel had arranged for another private minivan to transport us to Hai Phong, where we’d take a speedboat towards the island of Cat Ba. After an uneventful drive, where we even made a detour to drop off our translator Maggie, we arrived in Hai Phong. First the driver tried to bring us to what we thought was the wrong ferry terminal, much closer to Cat Ba, but also only the slow one which would take much longer to reach Cat Ba Town. When we tried to point him in the right direction, there was a lot of confusion, telephone calls and even a just-avoided accident. In the end, he got us to Hai Phong proper though, and to what we thought was the right terminal. He dropped us off, due to roadworks not exactly at the ferry terminal itself, but rather around the corner. It was already a bit late, so I went ahead. To find the terminal deserted. Apparently, because it was low season, the last speedboat of 15 PM did not sail. We had missed the last one at 13 PM already. In the meantime, the others of our group had cached up, but also the driver had left already. A few more - now frantic - phone calls later, the driver came back, we loaded back up and went to the terminal the driver had brought us to initially. There we waited another 45 minutes before boarding a speedboat. Which, we were assured by two different persons, would bring us to Cat Bat Town with just a stop in between. But, as had been the case previously already, what was said to us and what was eventually happening were different things. So, we got in the speedboat for like five minutes before the unceremoniously dropped us off at a derelict jetty on Cat Ba Island. From there we had to board a bus which brought us to Cat Ba Town. In the end, we got where we wanted, but not in the way we had imagined it, even with input from the locals. Bit disappointing. However, fellow travellers, if you are reading this and we have passed into 2020, you might be lucky: the cable car connection between Hai Phong (not far from Ben Pha Got ferry terminal) and Cat Ba is in its last construction phase and should be delivered end of 2020. Ah, we arrived at our basic hostel, checked in and drowned the long travel day with lots of beers, pizza and burgers. Long live happy hours on tourist hotspots!

The next day we’d board a on a two-night cruise through Ha Long Bay around noontime. So that was time enough to enjoy a pretty surprising and filling breakfast at the guesthouse, after which we went in search of the first proper cup of coffee in the 3 weeks we’d been in Vietnam. We found it – god be praised – at Like Coffee, where they served a – for us westerns – proper cup of Americano coffee. It tasted heavenly together with a fresh fruit platter. In the meantime, Véro had received a phone call from the cruise company that they’d come to pick us up at 11 AM. Euhm, no. It was agreed before and even reconfirmed that we’d be picked up at 12 noon only… Once more bit frustrating to see that agreements were not passed through. So, without much problems though we were picked up at noon and brought to the jetty, where the vessel Moon Light came to pick us up. A nice brown seemingly in traditional style-built vessel, it was a tad too small to comfortably accommodate 12 people for sleeping. So, with just one phone call, the captain arranged a sister-vessel to be moored alongside to double the sleeping capacity… We all enjoyed the tranquillity and the stunning vistas of Ha Long Bay gliding by while we set sail to the first anchor spot, where we’d be swimming. Or no, kayaking. Wait. It was a bit confusing. For the guide on board, but also for our tour guide. Once more, communication errors seemed to be more of a rule than exception. In the end, we anchored, got paired into kayaks and set out for a secluded bay only reachable through caves. Our guide was knowledgeable enough to show us a deserted bay. Not an easy feat, considering the hordes of tourists and vessels cruising around. It also turned out that we were not sailing in actual Ha Long Bay, but rather in Cat Ba Bay. Brown vessels are not allowed to enter Ha Long. They have to depart from Cat Ba and stay in the namesake’s bay. On the other hand, the white ones depart from Hai Phong or Ha Long and are allowed to cruise there. It’s a matter of money. Brown ones are budget, white ones are luxurious. We have not been to Ha Long Bay, but we think that viewing-wise there’s no noticeable difference between the two. Views and sunsets can be just as stunning in Cat Ba Bay as they probably are in Ha Long Bay. After returning to the vessel, we were served dinner in the communal area in the form of hot pot, which made for an interesting and fun closure of the day.

The second full day aboard was spent swimming in a quiet bay and white sandy beach, sunbathing and relaxing. In the afternoon we’d normally go for a visit to Monkey Island, but because of late dinner, we instead set sail to a local floating fishing community, where we had the chance to see up close how the fishermen live and work here. Balancing between the fishing ponds was not always that easy though. Evident by the tour leader’s expression here below…

The last morning of our cruise, we spent anchored in front of Monkey Island. Some of our group took the invite to get up to the viewpoint, but luckily for them, the amount of (annoying) monkeys was rather limited. We arrived back in Cat Ba by lunch time and the cruise company arranged for our transport to Ha Noi. Once more they told us this would be a direct transfer, which was of course not true, since we had to ferry across to the mainland on a speedboat instead of with a ferry. However, the transport process was much smoother than a few days before, so we arrived late afternoon on time in Ha Noi. It was even so smooth that I forgot my cell phone on the bus. Praise for my beautiful tour leader Véro though, because due to her quick phone call to the bus operator, the driver found it and dropped it off at the bus company’s office in Ha Noi. After checking in and refreshing, Véro and I took a Grab and – mihihi – grabbed my phone at the bus office. Phieuwie! We had a lovely dinner at a vegan restaurant and an even more lovely cheap Hoegaarden beer in a night club before heading back to bed.

On our last full day in Ha Noi, a walking tour through the old (French) quarter was organized with Hanoi Free Walking Tour. We started with a traditional bahn mi in an hipster street stall before doing lots of walking, but also lots of sights and a bit of dramatic eye-opening ending by means of a tour through the former Hoa Lo prison, where, for the first time in Vietnam, it’s difficult and bloody past came across us. A bit downcast, we went in search of the famous Bun Cha our tour guides had mentioned to us as a good spot for lunch. We intended to have lunch on the third floor of this overcrowded restaurant, but a very rude waitress – an exception in Vietnam – whom did not want to listen nor cater to our questions, did us decide to get up and go across the street to Tung's Kitchen, where we also did have a nice view and the open dining room to ourselves and where the food was also very good. The afternoon we spent shopping for souvenirs before we headed for dinner in Chops, a true hamburger restaurant which most of us secretly craved for.

Our last day, Saturday, was spent in the morning time riding a bicycle, organised by Bike Tours Hanoi, to explore other parts of Ha Noi, yet unknown to us. The tour was guided by two very enthusiastic young local guides and we had loads of fun. We started pedaling over the old – still used though – railway bridge, before heading down on very worn stairs to an oasis of rest and quiet on a river island where it’s not yet allowed to build any permanent settling and traditional farming is still being done. After this, we headed to the Tran Quoc pagoda for a photo opp. We stopped at Lake B52 for an interesting encounter with the last survivor of the downing of a infamous B52 during the Christmas bombings over Ha Noi during the Vietnam war, which crashed into a lake, and from which the remnants are still visible in the rather dirty and neglected small pond. After this informative and special visit, we paddled via the Ba Dinh square and the insta-famous railway track to our last stop where we’d a delicious lunch, especially after all the cycling we had done. Our last afternoon was spent in search of those last unique souvenirs (at least for the group). I had a long-overdue haircut done in a local barber shop. We gathered back in the hotel and went out for the last cultural highlight of the tour: water puppet show in one of the most famous theatres in the city: Thang Long. It’s a nice presentation, mainly aimed at tourists, to give them an insight in the traditional folklore. Puppets (dragons, boats and men) are manipulated from behind the scene by actors standing in an actual pool. We, as spectators, see the puppets moving, accompanied by live traditional music and (Vietnamese) conversations. Nice to see and afterwards Véro shopped herself a souvenir present by buying one of the small puppets for sale. Dinner was enjoyed at a fancy-pancy restaurant, Nhà Hàng Dông Phú 1932, between the theatre and the hotel, which we had stumbled upon the previous day by accident. The last cocktails were served, the last recaps were told and then it was time to get into the minivan to go to the airport, where we said our goodbyes. The rest of the group was travelling back to Belgium, but we’d continue our journey further south, exploring some more of Vietnam. Next stop: Ninh Binh.