Even after 20 years, this Vietnamese drawcard’s beauty hasn’t faded

As our squid-fishing lines plop from the deck into the inky silent waters of Ha Long Bay, trails of light sparkle, bubble and dart ahead of us. Bioluminescence, that other-worldly visitor, has arrived early in the season, providing a dazzling finale to a sunset over the movie-star limestone outcrops that lunge like giants out of the still water.

Around 1600 limestone karsts soar from Ha Long Bay.Credit: iStock

It has been 20 years between my visits to this drawcard in northern Vietnam, and, just like other tourism hotspots, Ha Long Bay has had its fair share of challenges, including a pandemic downturn (starkly illustrated by half-built high-rises dotted around Tuan Chau Port) and environmental problems. But happily, as with tourist icons like the Taj Mahal, the Statue of Liberty and Uluru, its dreamlike beauty still delivers a double dose of awe and recognition.

Those 1600 or so limestone karsts soaring out of the 1500-square-kilometre bay are remnants of mountains worn away over millennia. But Ha Long Bay’s magic rests on the sum of all of its parts – the stark outcrops in all different shapes and sizes, some bare, others home to thick vegetation, rich birdlife and monkeys; its hidden grottos and elaborate caves, best explored by rowboat; and that shrug of misty haze that hovers over emerald waters sprinkled with traditional sampans and junks and modern cruisers.

After a 35-minute ride by tender, Capella Cruise, our 30-berth floating home for a night as part of a north-to-south Asia Vacation Group journey, appears. Capella, built in 2020, offers all the mod-cons and the smooth sailing that they make possible with a surprise interior: more “art deco meets the Orient” than Succession sleekness thanks to an authentic Indochine fit-out. Our Oasis suite has floor-to-ceiling views; a lounge; king bed; large private deck with sunbeds and a separate bathroom with bath and rainshower – all harking back to eras past thanks to Vietnamese lamps, elegant tiling, wooden floors and furniture and attentive friendly crew.

And there’s another addition: metal water bottles that can be refilled at bubbler stations in a bid to reduce plastic, a problem that has long dogged Ha Long Bay. While the situation has noticeably improved thanks to stricter controls, it’s something Capella Cruise doesn’t shy away from. When we anchor for a chill-out afternoon by the on-deck pool and small waterslide into the bay, those taking out kayaks are urged to pick up any plastic they spot (most of such debris is tidal and flows into the bay from the Dien Vong, Man and Troi rivers) and return it to the vessel where it’s sorted, wrapped and sent to the mainland.

Suites have floor to ceiling views and a large private deck with sunbeds.

We spend an hour on a kayak gliding up to rocky inlets and tiny caves as sea hawks dip and dive overhead. Sailing right up to one of the “bald”, jungle-free karsts reveals that going “ashore” is not an option. Turns out their ethereal beauty is something best captured from a distance: the limestone is jagged, sharp and a haven for insects, and we realise why most of these heritage-listed giants are uninhabited. There’ll be no Robinson Crusoe stories from us.

Instead, we attend a cooking class on deck. Rice paper, vegetables, noodles, sesame oil, prawns and, it turns out, lots of humour, are the ingredients for Vietnamese spring rolls. The secret of making the paper behave is revealed after first attempts produce odd sausages rather than neat parcels. But then the white tablecloth turns dusky pink and the edges of the karsts start to blur. Sundowner time.

If Capella Cruise’s interior hints of yesteryear, meals, too, evoke images of slow travel. The elegance of our surroundings seems to rub off on passengers. Dinner is an intimate affair, with à la carte menus, table service, and a low satisfied hum, punctuated by lapping water and the tinkling of glasses. And earlier at a buffet lunch, there’s no manic scramble as piled dishes of seafood, traditional Vietnamese dishes, cold meats, salads and pastries are revealed. Guests linger over coffees and dessert in the spacious dining room.

This same hushed ambience carries through to a sunrise tai chi session the next day where it’s revealed that chatty “Dylan” from reception is also a master of this exercise in grace and concentration. As I try to match his deliberate movements to traditional music, the sun bursts overhead, causing everyone but Dylan to pause, making me reflect on the jarring nature of other morning “health” pursuits like jogging or going to the gym.

The staterooms include a separate bathroom with bath and rainshower.

Before we leave Capella, we have one more return visit to make. Years ago, we travelled by kayak to adjacent Lan Ha Bay to visit the Dark and Bright Caves, part of Cat Ba National Park, a jungle-reserve home to white-headed langurs and the fittingly wild setting for King Kong.

We head there again, this time rowed in a traditional bamboo boat, pausing to buy biscuits from an elderly woman who heads for us with surprising speed in her well-worn vessel. The calm waters surrounded by walls of stone and thick jungle beyond seem little changed, bar one big difference: the tethered fishing villages where generations of families once lived and eked out a basic living are now empty.

One of the traditional fishing villages that are now empty.Credit: iStock

In 2012 the Government rehomed the villagers to the mainland so they could better access health and education, and also to help the river environment. Initially the move was resisted but we’re told many now see the benefits, particularly when they can still access the waters to fish or sell goods.

As we head back to Capella for a final time, we see the old woman again. She looks up, waves, then drops a line from her rickety boat, just as her ancestors have done for centuries.

The writer travelled courtesy of Asia Vacation Group asiavacationgroup.com and Vietnam Airlines (vietnamairlines.com

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Asia Vacation Group offers a range of tailored package deals to Vietnam and many other destinations. A 13-night tour from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, including a two-night Ha Long Bay luxury cruise, from $4599, including Vietnam Airlines flights. See asiavacationgroup.com