Why is Halong Bay your Next Great Cruising Destination?

After the Mediterranean and the Caribbean, what’s next? The answer is not complete if it does not include Halong Bay, one of the seven new natural wonders of the world recognized by UNESCO in 1994.

Ha Long Bay, Vietnam has been cited as one of the top eight most beautiful landscapes in the world by mymodernmet.com. Previously, the US magazine Business Insider released a list of “100 trips you must take in your lifetime” and Vietnam’s beautiful Ha Long Bay was included in the list. The bay has also been cited as a vision of outstanding beauty and one of the world’s top ten Valentine’s Day getaways by US-based National Geographic magazine.

Located in the north of Vietnam where there are four seasons a year : spring, summer, autumn and winter, Halong Bay brings its own distinctive beauty in different dimensions. Here you will see why you should choose Halong Bay as a destination in spring.

After a long-lasting chilly weather, spring gradually grows with starkly contrastive appearance in all sides. This season starts to bring cosy atmosphere to Halong Bay, replacing the coldness of winter months.While previous winter is chiefly covered by subtle form and freezing air which rarely enable all trees and flowers develop strongly, the spring facilitates the proliferation of the whole of species living on Ha Long Bay, looking like wearing a new and colorful dress in a new year.

It could be said that this season is ideal to travel to Ha Long bay due to warm weather, a lot of sunny days and calm water. Sometimes it can be foggy or cloudy, which gives to Ha Long bay its hidden and mysterious beauty like if the cruise gets lost in the fairy land. Last but not least, in this season, you will easily capture the best moments on Ha Long Bay: the sunrise and sunset from the boat’s sundeck. Do not miss it.

Halong Bay is 170 kilometers away from Hanoi, approximately 3 to 4 hours driving. Wake up in the bustling capital city of Hanoi, and hit the streets with city’s worker drones. Sit down next to the gray-haired men, sporting a shield of flannel, you will see the daily life of Hanoi citizens.

A luxury van will pick you up for the four-hour drive to Halong. Stay awake for the first few minutes as you cross the Red River Delta via the famous cantilevered Long Bien Bridge, built by the French in 1899.

Book a stay on a boat like Halong Paloma Cruise, a nest of teak wood styled after traditional Chinese junks that once roamed the waters of Halong and the South China Sea. The world becomes multi-dimensional: a colorful painting punctuated  by stone giants or living boats rocking back and forth. The optical illusion makes the world feel endless and dreamlike at the same time.

Settle into your cabin, with dark wood and Northern Vietnamese designs. It will make you feel like you’re living in the days of feudal lords.

While soaking in a steamy tub, dangle your feet out the window in the brisk air, with views of limestone karsts on the horizon.

Kayaking in Halong Bay will take you up close to fishing boats that feel like remnants of a watery ghost town.

You’ll feel as if you are on a hunt for glimpses of color; flapping red Vietnam flags standing out against the hulls of wood boats from a bygone era.

Run a hand along the limestone karsts, true relics close to 20 million years old.

Head to the private beach accessible only to Halong Paloma Cruise guests. The little island is a single karst with just enough room for a white sand beach. Ask for a wool blanket and lie down for some karst-gazing. The stone behemoths, not unlike clouds in the sky, may look like a Chinese junk, a baby whale, or sly nymphs.

There’s a sandy path that leads up into the canopy of trees at the top of the karst. Follow the route through an unremarkable crevice and discover the icicle-shaped drip of stalactites and stalagmites. On the floor of the cave, a table is set for a candlelit dinner party—a spread of Vietnamese dishes, clams and giant shrimp—beneath the high ceilings.

Following dinner in the cave, return to the boat and step out onto the top deck for a nightcap under the canopy of the night sky.

At 6 a.m., wake up for a tai chi session and watch the sunrise on the top deck. The chi-balanced positions will help you settle your spirit as the trip comes to an end.

Grab a cup of coffee, wrap up in a blanket, and say goodbye to Halong’s waters from the deck. Halong Bay, often visited by bikini-clad youth in warm weather, becomes infinitely more romantic, quiet, and introspective as temperatures drop.