Therefore, we traveled to Hanoi from Singapore via Vietnam Airlines.
Please excuse my weird bangs - I did my own hair that time.
Xin chào 👋
On that same day we arrived, we walked around the area to find food and to simply stroll.
We didn’t really plan a lot for Hanoi.
The next following days were our focus. We booked our Ha Long Bay cruise from Imperial Legend Cruise. There are a lot of options to choose from – budget to luxury cruise. Imperial Legend was one of the mid-range options we found. There were many factors to consider. Others might choose between itineraries or activities – we did that too. But many companies offered the same thing at the same price, so our main deciding factor back then was its physical appearance. I know it’s not much of a help. They were one of the few that stand out because of the boat’s look, you know, for photo purposes. Hehe.
If you are looking for more detailed information, some blogs share how to choose wisely.
One thing was for sure – we didn’t make the wrong decision.
We were picked up by van from our AirBnB apartment. Going to Ha Long Bay was a 4-hour ride from Hanoi.
Ecstatic smiles!
Ha Long Bay is a majestic place made up of limestone pillars and tiny islets.
The first thing on the itinerary was kayaking! Lots of fun… lots of laughter… lots of panicking… lots of quality time with my Bbq ❤️ And lots of swollen arms!
When we went back to the boat, we had a little time to enjoy the sunset before dinner. We joined the sunset party on the sundeck in a warm and romantic atmosphere, drinking beer, enjoying the fresh local fruits, and listening soft and light music from the sundeck bar.
Dinner time!
I wasn’t expecting anything… why and what should I expect? We were on a boat!
But then something happened…
It started when the crew brought a cake for a couple who were celebrating their anniversary. I knew it was pre-arranged by the couple. How can they know if someone is celebrating an anniversary, right, unless a marriage contract is now a requirement? After everyone on board raised their glasses for them, another crew came out with a cake and they started singing ‘happy birthday…’
I was overwhelmed. It was a surprise for me!
Woop woop! 🥳
Apparently, my boyfriend arranged it with the crew when we boarded the boat. I didn’t anticipate something like this, especially we were in the middle of a bay!
Thank you, Love! You the best ❤️
Thank you, Imperial Legend Cruise! You truly are a legend 🙌
The day ended with singing karaoke, dancing, fishing, playing cards with everyone on board. We, being introverts, opted to head to our cabin to relax after a tiring paddle day.
The next day, the cruise took us further to discover the hidden charm of the bay. We quickly visited a pearl farm. We stopped in the middle of the bay to swim which was a great way to relax in the water. Others were playful – jumping off the boat! We didn’t have the chance to take photos while we were out for a swim. We also visited Ti Top Island.
Side story: We met a couple named Maria and Juan. (Like really, your names are Maria and Juan?) We introduced ourselves as Scottie (Abigail Spencer in Suits) and Pablo (as in Pablo Escobar). Since then, we’re using these fake names whenever we feel using them 🙃
Hạ Long Bay (literally means “descending dragon bay”) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and also one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature.
We also visited a cave. Sorry, it was dark there – I don’t want to share low-quality photos. Haha!
The next day, we were headed back to Hanoi. We had the same apartment waiting for us there. We spent our last day to enjoy Vietnamese food and beer!
We went early to the airport the next morning, so early that we were bumped to the earlier flight before our original flight since the plane was still there and the boarding gate was not yet closed.
Oh the joys of booking a regular airline (non-LCC) 😂
Until next time, Vietnam! 🇻🇳
See you again on our next travel stop 👋😎
Duplicate post on paulajogalix.wordpress.com.
Jo Alix
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