Hanoi Day Trips: Admiring Breathtaking Scenery at Halong Bay

What comes first to mind when I say Vietnam? Chances are that it’s Halong Bay. Aggressively marketed as the top tourist attraction, Halong Bay has been recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its outstanding geological and scenic value. Certainly, the long journey from Hanoi has not daunted tourists who continue to swarm the area to enjoy picturesque natural landscapes all around. 

Halong Bay by day: Emerald seas and limestone karsts against the azure blue sky!

Taking into consideration that the journey is 3.5 hours for each leg, I would highly recommend taking a 2D1N trip out to Halong Bay from Hanoi. Even though the price is very much costlier than the day trip, you get to spend majority of the time at the bay rather than on the bus. You will have the opportunity to watch the sunrise and sunset out here as well and trust me – it’s gorgeous!

Halong Bay by night: Twilight hue during sunset

Once again, I booked our tour with Klook which signed us up with Halong Phoenix Cruiser for this trip. If you're interested, please feel free to check out the cruise package we took here.

Klook.com

Bus Journey

Like most other Halong Bay tour agencies, our guide picked us up from our accommodation in the Hanoi Old Quarter, making it extremely convenient for tourists. The minibus was very comfortable, making the long drive rather bearable. Nevertheless, you need not worry about the journey, as there will be a stop on each leg to stretch your legs and regroup. Even though both stops were at ceramic factories, I managed to admire the intricate carvings and impressive sculptures sold here. 

Beautiful sculptures of the Chinese deities - Fu (prosperity), Lu (status), Shou (longevity)

The eastward journey was certainly not as dreary as what many other reviews have indicated and the views were fine with the gradual transition from urban Hanoi to rural villages and towns along the way. Local children even waved at us enthusiastically as we drove past the countryside, which I found rather heart-warming and welcoming. Nevertheless, the star was the limestone mountains which drew “oohs” and “ahs” as we neared our destination.

Luon Cave

Here you'll be able to choose between the kayaks and the bamboo boats!

The first stop of our highly anticipated cruise was the Luon Cave which was by no means an ordinary cave. You may wish to either kayak through the cave or alternatively take the sturdy bamboo boat (and let the guy do all the work for you). The boaters here must be extremely strong as some of them were able to row boats with up to 20 passengers, which was really mind-blowing! 

Mind your head when passing through the cave into the lagoon!

After passing through the cave, you will immediately be transported into an otherworldly arena of magical beauty. 

Kayakers against the 'tofu' rock

Surrounding you from every side will be rocky cliffs towering above you, making this location an ideal one for kayaking or simply relaxing in the embrace of Mother Nature. Listening to the chirping of the birds, it is hard not to fall in love with this place. 

Limestone karsts towering above and surrounding us from all directions

You may even have the opportunity to see monkeys leaping skilfully around the cliffs or from branch to branch. We were thankful that our boater had a sharp eye and managed to catch multiple sightings of monkeys nearby, which we excitedly captured shots of with our cameras. I hope you will be able to see these cheeky fellows when you visit Luon Cave too!

A cheeky monkey enjoying all the 'media' exposure whilst climbing up a branch

Titop Island

Named after Soviet astronaut Gherman Titov (the second man to orbit around the Earth and the first to spend a night in outer space) and bearing his statue at the harbour, Titop Island is certainly one of my favourite places in Halong Bay. You will have several options as to how you can spend your time here. 

Statue of Gherman Titov at the harbour of Titop Island

At the Peak: Admiring the Bird's Eye View

Views from halfway up the stairs - don't stop! It only gets better from here!

I highly recommend climbing the 427 stairs all the way to the peak of the island to enjoy a bird’s eye view of the entire span of Halong Bay. I hope you are well-rested because the ascent is definitely exhausting and will not be easy, but the scenery makes the sweat all worthwhile. 

Breathtaking views from the peak of Titop Island

Once at the top, you will be mesmerised by the amazing bird’s eye view of the natural scenery of the limestone karsts in the turquoise waters coming together with the puffy clouds in the azure blue sky to create a breath-taking view. Remember to capture this moment with your fellow travellers as it essentially captures the essence and beauty of the bay.

Lovely view of the sunset from the peak of the island

At the Beach: Chilling and Catching the Sunset

After making your way back down, treat yourself to a rejuvenating swim in the clear waters with the other visitors. However, our tour guide had advised us that it was the jellyfish season and that it was better for us to stay on shore to avoid being stung by the creatures. Alternatively, you may indulge in the ball games on the lovely beach or just lie on the beach to get that nice, healthy tan you’ve always wanted to have while sipping on a chilled drink. 

Relax on the beach with a game of football or just chill around!

When it is about 5pm in the evening, head to the beach and grab the best seats to witness the spectacular moment as the sun slowly descends into the mountains. The sunset here is truly beautiful when captured against the numerous limestone karsts in the background. 

The sun peeking out amongst the mountains before disappearing behind them!

After the sun has set, most of the tourists would have left, thinking that there is nothing left to see. Nevertheless, if time permits, you should linger for a while more to see the bay in a whole new light which is equally stunning.

Last tinges of orange and red before darkness dominates the sky!

Sung Sot Cave

Sung Sot Cave started off our second day out here at Halong Bay. We start out with some slight exercise with yet another climb up flights of stairs, which is much less intense than the hike up Titop Island. The walking distance here is relatively mild although the paved route may be slightly slippery, so do be careful while exploring the cave.

It's so cool here - both in terms of temperature and magnificence!

Sung Sot Cave has numerous stalactites and stalagmites that have created numerous interesting structures which resemble animals like rabbits and even items like cannons. The key here is to let your imagination and creative juices run wild to explore the different possibilities of what the structures may look like. 

A cannon (on the left) shot a cannonball causing a hole in the ceiling - can you see it?

Illuminated by bright lights of varying colours, the cave is given a more vibrant and beautiful appearance that gradually becomes more impressive as you venture deeper in. When you reach the final chamber which is lit by the different coloured lights and the faint sunlight through the cracks, your surroundings will not to surprise you with its magical aura. After all, Sung Sot Cave is colloquially known as the Surprising Cave or Amazing Cave!

Sung Sot Cave brightly lit in all of its brilliance!

Cooking Lesson – Nem Ran

Our tour guide conducted a cooking lesson where we were taught how to cook nem ran, which is known as the Vietnamese spring rolls. The preparation method is relatively simple – just like how we roll popiah back in Singapore. After placing the ground meat, mushrooms and diced vegetables in the soft Vietnamese rice paper, we rolled it up and secured the ends with egg white. However, instead of steaming the rolls like in popiah, these spring rolls are deep fried to give it that golden appearance and crispy texture.

Nem ran is amazing after being deep fried to give it that golden brown colour!

They were ingeniously served as part of our lunch and I must say they were scrumptious and tasted similar to our ngoh hiang, just that it has more vegetables rather than the meatier ngoh hiang. Now that I have learnt how to make nem ran, I think I’m going to make more back home!

Review – Halong Phoenix Cruiser (4 stars)

Our cruise ship was a well-kept 3-storey vessel with nice bedrooms, a lovely dining area and a sundeck from which we admired the scenic views. 

Nice sundeck where travellers can sunbathe and enjoy the views!

Even though there were loud noises caused by the engine which was right next to our room, it did not cause any disturbance as the vessel was anchored in the middle of the sea and was not cruising at night. As a result, we were able to enjoy a good night’s rest.

Just checking out our clean, comfortable bedroom - to our pleasant surprise!

What really impressed me were the meals we had on board the ship. Every meal, we enjoyed a wide variety of dishes ranging from boiled vegetables to steamed chicken, from grilled fish to poached clams, from fried crab to boiled prawns. Even though we were all the way out at sea, fresh ingredients were used to prepare the dishes which were presented in an aesthetically appealing manner. We unanimously agreed that the chef really put a lot of effort into plating and creating quality dishes which never failed to satiate our appetites. 

Amazing presentation for steamed prawns, don't you think?

Refreshments like fresh fruit and coffee were available during teatime, while alcoholic beverages and soft drinks were available at the bar. Seeing as to how many reviews of other Halong Bay tours were criticising the quality of food they were served, I am pleased to share with you our positive experience here with Halong Phoenix Cruiser.

My personal favourite - fried squid! It was so tender and flavourful!

The size of the tour group was rather small as the ship could only accommodate 16 tourists, making it easy to move around. Even though the price was relatively steep, I found that it was similar to the prices of the other 2D1N Halong Bay cruise operators. Taking into consideration all the other factors, I highly recommend the Halong Phoenix Cruiser as it is really value for money.

Expect to Pay: About S$100 per person

Now that we have explored the Bay of the Descending Dragon, let's head back to the last itinerary on our mini-series on Hanoi - venturing to the southern region of the Hanoi city centre where we will be able to admire the last remnants of its French colonial past which has been preserved well in Vietnam's capital!

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