Halong Bay is a beautiful area made up of thousands of towering limestone islands topped with rainforest. Many choose a Junk boat to tour the area for either 1 or 2 nights. After much research, I went with Indochina because of various personal and internet recommendations and also because it is one of the only companies that goes to Bai Tu Long bay which is off the touristy path and more secluded. Indochina Junk is a popular company that has various junk boats. We chose the Dragon Pearl which is mid size with 11 rooms for 22 people. There is also the Dragon’s legend that has 24 rooms; the Prince I which is more private with only 2 cabins; the Prince II with 4 cabins and the Treasure Junk which is the same as the Dragon Pearl;however, it does not have a cave dinner.
*The cost: The trip for 2 adults and 2 children (2 cabins) and all meals for 2 1/2 days and transport to and from Hanoi (3-4 hours) was $1,195 usd.
*The Itinerary: Pick up from Hanoi (they will pick up from airport or hotel) was at 8 a.m. and we embarked at noon from Halong Bay. That afternoon you have a splendid lunch while cruising to Cap La. Once there you can kayak around Cap La and Tra San. Dinner is also on the deck under the stars. The second day you have breakfast on the deck and cruise to Cong Dam. Once there you can kayak through hidden lagoons and caves while enjoying the amazing scenery. It is stunning and we were the only boat there. After lunch on the boat, many of us went swimming and the kids enjoyed jumping off the boat. That afternoon you cruise to Hon Co Island where you can kayak to the beach and explore the island and the cave where you will have dinner that night. The cave dinner is such a unique experience!!! It’s lit with candles and you follow the lights through tunnels to a long table, with amazing fruit carvings and a show. It was beautiful. The third day you have breakfast on board followed by a visit to Vung Vieng, which is a rustic fishing village. You reach the village by a typical woven bamboo basket boat where you meet the local people, visit a school and fish farms. After your visit, you enjoy your last delicious meal al fresco on the deck, while cruising back home. Reaching the dock at noon, the transport back includes a stop at the Yen Duc village to enjoy a water puppet show, reaching Hanoi around 5 p.m.. We made some good friends on the boat that we stay in touch with to this day.
*The Food: I can’t say enough about the food on the boat. All of your meals are included and they are 6/7/8 course meals including fresh caught fish and shrimp, fresh veggies, delicious sweets, amazing sauces, etc.. My son has a tree nut allergy and they were extremely mindful when serving our meals, always preparing a separate dish for him without any nuts. The alcohol is extra; however, the prices are reasonable and you are able to buy a bottle and save it for another meal.
