Junk time worth is savouring in Vietnam

TAKE time to explore the limestone islands of Halong Bay with an overnight tour on a luxury junk.

Halong Bay

THE limestone islands of Halong Bay abruptly erupt from the warm water like stone skyscrapers, a petrified forest of towering pillars crowded so close in parts it is like sailing through a flooded valley rather than a bay.

Thousands of the islands thrust upwards in a startling seascape that is genuinely mesmerising.

There are complex geomorphologic explanations why this bay in Vietnam's northeast has such a spectacular abundance of soaring islands, but I prefer the fable that says a powerful dragon found out other creatures were conspiring against him so he blew magic fire on them and turned them to stone.

Indeed, while many of the limestone formations have sheer walls topped by greenery, others have weathered into forms that resemble animals. Look closely and you can see the shape of a lion here, a monkey there, a toad, horse, dog, rat, tortoise and more.

Junk tour
To get a true feeling for the bay, we booked in for one of the many junk tours on offer, sailing aboard the Halong Jasmine, an opulent reproduction of a 1930s-style Indochine sailing vessel complete with three tangerine sails.

It is one of three luxury junks in the Cruise Halong fleet, along with Halong Ginger and Halong Violet. Its 24 cabins are spread over two floors, there is a comfortable bar and restaurant area with polished dark wood decor, a terrace and an upper sundeck. It was only launched in 2007 and carries all mod-cons cabins are airconditioned, with mini-bar, safe, phone and 24-hour room service. The 55m-long vessel also has a spa and massage centre, and the ample meals include plenty of local seafood.

Pay a little extra and book a cabin with a private veranda to sit and watch this strange world go by. Our booking included return transfers to Hanoi, about four hours away, by private car.

There are many day trips or overnight tours, but a two-night cruise gives you time to really soak up the surreal surrounds. As you wind between the islands on protected waters it feels a little like cruising on clouds through alps, with the mountain peaks thrusting up from far below.

At other times it is like being in a tropical fjord rather than a bay with islands jammed so close it's like being on a river with mainland on both sides.

While varying widely in size, many islands are as large as a city CBD building. Most are too sheer for habitation and few have beaches or areas to land a boat. The result is a pristine area with few signs of people apart from the occasional small wooden fishing boat.

With little land for housing, deep in the bay, four fishing villages totalling about 1600 people live in floating houses. A sampan ride from Halong Jasmine to the village of Cua Van was an insight into both their skill as fisherfolk and the hard life they lead living on small houseboats.

Cocktails on the deck then dinner that evening made us appreciate more than ever the comfort of our junk.

Island trips
The next morning, after tai chi and breakfast, a smaller boat transferred us to Titop Island, one of the few with a sand beach. After a swim and a wander, the challenge was to climb 427 stone stairs to the pagoda on the peak for stunning views.

In the afternoon, a kayak trip exploring quiet caves and grottoes carved from the islands over time gave a sense of wonder. Paddling through one grotto, we emerged into the sunshine of a huge, silent lagoon on the other side, surrounded by an island covered in primeval forest.

An excellent largely seafood barbecue on board that evening rounded out the day.

Another kayak trip the following morning took us to the heart of large Bo Hon island where Sung Sot cave (Cave of Surprises) is home to stalagmites and stalactites.

The port town of Halong Bay has a mix of hotels and the largest island, Cat Ba - home of the endangered Cat Ba langur - has a small town with accommodation. However, the mix of majesty and magic of Halong Bay and its attendant islands seems to demand visitors float on its waters by night and day.

Take a cruise and be enchanted.

Travel tips: Vietnam destination guide

Cruisy idea: Best travel cruises

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