Cruise Through Life

Three days and two nights floating on Halong Bay can bring you the unforgettable moment in your life. Duc Hanh explores.nnI come to Halong at noon; the sun is high in the sky and burning bright. At the pier countless wooden junks, sailboats, speedboats and tiny bamboo boats bob around. After a four hour stint in the van from Hanoi, everybody is understandably itching to kick back and feel the sea breeze on board.nanh indo by you.nnIndochinasailsnnJust then a speed-boat arrives with a flourish and we pile on board before zooming off to the Indochina Sail, a large, handsome junk that the captain proudly announces is 44 meters long and 8.5 meters wide – and indeed it seems a fine, seaworthy vessel to me.nnOn board the Indochina Sail, we have a restaurant, the Indochina Sail Bar, a gift shop and even a library. Guests can also avail of binoculars, snorkeling equipment or top-of-the-line Canadian made kayaks. As we set off into the bay, I tentatively start with the binoculars.nnMost of my fellow travelers are content to flop around the deck, sipping drinks, surveying the impressive view or catching a bit of sun. A trip to Halong is first and foremost about relaxing! Sun-shy, I stretch out on a lie-low on the more shaded lower deck and listen to the buffeting breeze and the sound of the boat chopping through the waves. Time passes and I happily doze off in the salty air.nnA call for lunch stirs me out of my light slumber. A five-course lunch is devoured by the hungry guests. We hadn’t even worked up an appetite.nnAfterwards, we drop anchor at Ti Top Island.nnHeading back to my cabin to shower and change for dinner, I discover a card reads: “Wine Tasting is waiting for you now.” We clamber up the deck for a special feast with Chile, South African and American wine all round. The sun drops behind the surrounding islands as we sit in the dwindling twilight.nnSlightly tipsy, I step down the restaurant for dinner in the sweet melodies of traditional Vietnamese Dan Bau (Monochord music instrument). At night the bay is magical.nnThe voices of vendors who have rowed up to our junk to sell snacks, seafood, souvenirs and cigarettes make me wake up. “Today is a hard but very interesting day for us. We are coming to Ngoc Vung Island and kayaking around Cong Do fishing-village,” the crew informs us of our itinerary for the second day.nnAfter disembarking the Indochina Sails Junk onto a smaller wooden boat, we sail towards the shore of Ngoc Vung Island along with my fellow travelers and a bunch of mountain bikes. We are off for a cycling tip across this mysterious island which sits amongst the awe inspiring Halong archipelago.nnFrom the wharf, we cycle along a coastal road that skirts the island’s hilly terrain. The road is spectacular. There is never a chance to get bored with stunning views of land and sea.nnOff the shoreline fishermen are caulking their bamboo boat with tar or scrapping worms off the panels of their wooden boats. Along the road several women are mending fishing nets or drying peanuts. Up the hilly slopes, children blithely tend to oxen or geese. On the verdant paddy fields farmers pull up weeds or busy themselves with fresh water ponds of fish and shrimp.nnFor those worried about cycling on country roads on remote islands, Ngoc Vung boasts fairly smooth infrastructure all round. There is very little traffic. Just the odd three-wheeled vehicle or motorbike passes by. Life on the island is simple. If you’re after tranquility, you will find it in spades.nnThe road from the wharf to beach is rather short, just 5km, so even if you’re not a keen cyclist you should find it easy enough. There is no need to rush, no need to stress out. We stop frequently and bask in the island’s natural beauty. Away from the sea, you can find luxuriant fields of rice and pine trees.nnWhen we finally arrive at the white sandy beach, it sparkles and glistens under the sunshine. There is not a soul bathing on the beach. For tourists looking for a remote hidden getaway spot this fits the bill.nnThe island is 12square kilometers in area with over 1,000 inhabitants living mainly off fishing, farming, aquaculture and afforesting. But there are no bars or restaurants, no showers or toilets. But that’s why we’re here: To escape the crowds and bask in our own little private paradise.nnAfter swimming, sun-bathing and walking along the beach, with heavy hearts we cycle back towards the boat. But just when we think the fun is over our tour guide introduces us to the kayaks.nnSailing way from Ngoc Vung Island, we clamber into the kayaks and paddle off to Cong Do, a floating fishing village in Bai Tu Long bay, 25km southeast of Halong wharf.nnYou can find shrimp, crab, fish, squid and aquatic plants. We paddle around soaking up the atmosphere and dreaming of a seafood dinner that we will have back in Indochina Sails again tonight. Our second day passes with adventurous and passionate activities and we think of the last day with more unforgettable moments.