Halong bay and Cat Ba Island

Halong Bay wants to be one of the natural wonders in the world, and though we went in the cold of winter, it was very beautiful. A calm sea and the most improbable rocks protruding from it. It was a good choice to stay overnight at Cat Ba Island though, instead of on the boat. We met some people who had gone for that option, and it had been freezing.
Over all, we had a good trip: a good guide, nice hotel, and not many problems. Just a few waits for mini-busses that were to pick us up at various places. Some of the other groups had to change boats four times on the way to Cat Ba, change tour guides, one boat rammed the quay…

Cat Ba island is one of the few inhabital islands in the Halong archipelago. Cat Ba town is nothing special, but the drive there was quite nice, when you got to see village life. And also the many floating villages just outside the island, where people live in small houses on the water.

I might have caught a cold from the trip, though. My throat is sore. But it’s hard to know if it’s from the cold or from the exhaust fumes…