Vietnam By Train: Part 2

From Hanoi, we headed east to Halong Bay. More than 3,000 limestone islands jut out of the Gulf of Tonkin.
Like many UNESCO sites, the beauty of Halong Bay is constantly at odds with the ugliness of heavy tourism. Its adjacent city is the worst of rapid, unchecked development, with hideous high rises abutting massage parlors and slums. The bay itself is littered with “junk boats,” heavy wooden boats that ferry tourists through the maze of islands. The antique boats themselves look quite beautiful lumbering through the water, there is simply too many of them. Often, the iridescent glean of oil is visible on the water, and I floated past empty bottles and debris.

Tours through Halong usually cost between $32 and $56, and include three meals, transport from Hanoi, and an overnight junk boat stay. In our experience, there’s little difference between the cheaper and pricier rates. The only discernible distinction on our boat was that the first-class group was served a shrimp cocktail with their meal. Unless you’re willing to pay $30 for a shrimp cocktail, go cheap.

Tours also include stops at one of the bay’s many cliff-side caves and the use of kayaks. Paddling our small slab of buoyant plastic away from the crowds is probably the only time we could appreciate Halong’s beauty without throngs of fellow tourists. But the place is so freaking beautiful, it makes sense that so many people trek out to see it.

My travel companion is the kind of person who must always go the longest distance, paddle as far as we can, try and find the most beautiful, isolated spot, and really soak it all. He always challenges me to make the most of experiences, and although I sometimes complain in the process, I'm usually really grateful for it. This time, he paddled us both far from the crowd, where we enjoyed tasty bottles of Beer Hanoi and watched the sunset over the bay. It's a moment I'll remember for a long time.