The Most Famous World
Heritage Site in Vietnam
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| UNESCO: Floating Village, Halong Bay |
Halong Bay crowded with tourists, even in early March. The sky overcast, cold, covered with mist and rain. It was right decision buying only 1-day tour. Around the gulf was poor visibility. I could not see the far and had to sit in the boat caused drizzle and wind.
It took almost 4hrs
between Hanoi-Halong City, then embarked to the Junk traversed the thousands of
limestone mountains in the sea. Visited fish farm at fisherman floating
village, took a small rowing boat to visit nearby islands among the drizzle.
Back to boat for lunch.
Tour guide brought us to
visit Thien Cung Dong (Heavenly Palace Cave) that we had to walk up the stone
stairs to enter this cave before being surprised about what we see. Chamber is
quite high, airy and free from odor and wetness. They do the walking path and
stair with non-slip floor tiles over the cave floor, adorned with man-made
fountain and waterfall. Cave is decorated with colorful lighting shining to
stalactites and stalagmites.
One visitor said to the
tour guide unhappily that "decorations change the nature of the
cave". So, I said jokingly "Heavenly Palace Cave is furnished by the
imagination about heaven of people of Vietnam, natural cave is like a general.
(In fact, their beautiful stalactites and stalagmites are not necessary to use
colorful illuminated lights to help).
Many World Heritage Sites
operations in Vietnam bring questions to some international visitors about the
value creation and their management skills.
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| In the Junk, Halong Bay |
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| Foggy Day, Halong Bay, March 2012 |
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| Thien Cung Dong (Heavenly Palace Cave), Halong Bay |
The beauty of Halong Bay and unpleasant
weather
Early March 2012 Halong
Bay was covered with fog and rain. No blue sky and emerald clear sea, it was
not suitable for sitting outdoor to enjoy the Limestone Mountains in the Gulf
of Tokin. We did not have opportunity to swim caused cold water. No chance for
BBQ party on the deck or kayak paddle. For overnight tours on board that pay
more, travelers might be stuck in the cabin or singing karaoke until they reach
the shore.
Data indicate that Feb and March are the
months where rainfall is lowest. Winter is low season for Halong Bay visit. Summers
is high season (May-August), but beware of storm and typhoon. The tour guide
told us that the most appropriate time is September to November.
However, even rain in Feb and March are
minimal. I had found drizzle every day in North of Vietnam for over a week.
Summer is a high chance to meet storm and typhoon. So the best time is not
much. It is difficult to guarantee that we will experience this World Heritage
Site, as we see from beautiful postcards.
Group tour is the easiest way to visit Halong
Bay.
My tour’s details.
1-day Tour
Hanoi-Halong Bay
8.00-21.30
39USD / person
Approx 30 person / group
APT Travel via hotel’s tour desk
Pick up and drop off at hotel
Excursion fee (80,000VND) and lunch included
Drinking water, beverages, and rowing boat
fare not included
Helpful?
A Sales staff may not care about the weather
at Halong Bay, my friend and I heard she talked to expecting customers
repeatedly “very nice”. Actually, 1 day after my visit with foggy, all day
drizzle and cold weather there.
My tour operator is not bad compared with
others that my friends paid for. Price is moderate 39USD each for 1-day tour.
Three of my friends spent 45USD each for 1 night stay on board, about 1 week
after my excursion. And it’s not the good memory for them. The guide was rude
and not professional.
Halong Bay trips from Hanoi are more expensive
and longer distant than Halong on Land trips (Ninh Binh). If you have limited
time and consider 3-4hrs drive each way to Halong city is intolerable. Please
go to Ninh Binh instead. It’s 2hrs drive each way.
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