2 days in Halong Bay

This was one of the best things we did the whole trip.

The name of the cruise is Huong Hai Sealife Cruise and I couldn’t recommend it more! We had some friends who did it and told us it was amazing, but I did not expect this at all, it was the perfect way to end the trip.

The crew was amazing and I swear they make you feel like one of the group. I always thought that a cruise was something boring and for older people. It’s not! You have kayaking, movie night, squid fishing at night, cooking lessons, and the list goes on.

The crew was incredible. During our kayak tour I took some pictures of one of our guides, Mr. Viet and at dinner I told him that I had some pictures of him rowing on the sunset, nothing special, just some pictures I took with my phone while Pedro was rowing our boat hahah, and I though he might like to have them. He looked at me so surprised, so overwhelmed, that I was taken by surprised with his reaction. He said that during his 15 years of working there, no one ever took a picture of him, and that he was so happy that he had some pictures he could send to his family of him kayaking in Halong Bay. We were very happy to see him so happy, and after talking for a while we understood why his reaction was so intense. They work on the boat for 25 days in a row and only rest for five. So that’s the only time they have with their family.

Also, it’s very common for them to live with the whole family (parents, parents in law), so they don’t get to travel at all, because in Vietnam if you live with your family and you want to travel, the whole family has to go with you, and because you are inviting, you’re the one who has to pay for everyone. This was another reality check for us. Traveling with the whole family? Can you imagine? Can you? I can’t.

Many of them never been to any other places besides Halong Bay, maybe Hanoi, or maybe Sapa, where many are from. So, when we told them about our trip they were delighted listening to our stories and dreaming of the day they could do the same.

How extraordinary was to get to know these people, getting to know their stories, and dreaming with them that maybe one day we will meet again on another country, on another trip.

I just don’t know if you can handle the beauty of this place.