Views from the train

We caught a 2 1/2 train from Hue to Da Nang. The train hugged the coastline and these were some of our views. Vietnam has repeatedly surprised us with just how beautiful it is.  

Halong Bay - Most stunning landscape yet?

We spent 2 days and 1 night upon a beautiful indochinese junk. It was a tour organised by Handspan and was highly recommended by lots of travel sites and books. We were not disappointed. We travelled in style and comfort with better facilities then the Hostels we have been staying in. The staff were very helpful and keen to make sure we had the best possible time aboard. But the luxury of the boat was less then half as impressive as Halong Bay itself. 

The Bay is peppered with literally thousands of these forest clad limestone out crop that are shaped into beautiful objects that are named. (this one above is meant to look like a turtle)

Travelling out on a bamboo raft we went through a small cave that links the main waterway to a secret cove. This secret cove was amazingly peaceful and we saw some of the local monkey who live on the islands circling this secluded cove.

We were taken to another island where we got a chance to swim in the very warm salt water. Very relaxing after we had climbed up a large island to get views from the top. We had plenty of time to relax on deck in these beautiful surroundings before settling down for the awesome sunset over the bay. I apologise for the many pictures below but it was so beautiful and no one image did a good job of catching how it looked. 

 

     

    

The Food on the boat was amazing at every meal with us getting lots of chances to try new stuff and preparing extra dishes if we couldn't eat anything. Dinned with this level of service made a nice change from the normal back packer grub. 

After dinner we got a chance to do some late night squid fishing. A curious activity requiring a powerful lamp. Simple rod and line with a fluorescent hook/float but no real bait. The simple enough method was to drop the line so the hook fell down 1 or 2 meters and then in a jerking movement move the hook up and to the side. I was a little sceptical about if this would trick a real squid into impaling itself onto a hook. But after watching the staff catch 3 in a row I gave it a shot and after 30-45min of effort i was rewarded with a suicidal squid jumping onto my hook and letting me lift it up onto deck (ink squirting everywhere as he came up. Mine is the 2nd biggest in the bucket. After this success I went back up to the main deck to watch the night sky and chat with a delightful couple from Australia that me and Michelle had made friends with earlier in the day.

The next morning we sailed past a floating fishing village and on to visit the largest (discovered) limestone cave in Halong Bay. After climbing up the side of one of the larger island we went under the rock to explore. Can you see a the shape of a monkey climbing up the rock outcrop in the picture on the right?

  

Can you see the face in this outcrop?

The cave system was amazing and pictures in the low light don't do it justice.But I can promise you that like the rest of Halong Bay the sights are stunning and should be a must see item on any trip to South East Asia.

Halong Bay was awesome.

Just got back from Halong Bay and doing quick transfer to overnight train. Pictures will follow. Truly a beautiful place.

Indochinese Junk on Halong bay

This morning (its only 6.15am here) we are heading off to Halong bay to cruise round the bay on a traditional IndoChinese Junk. Which is a fantastic looking ship. Whilst lots of Vietnam has WiFi I doubt we can get online for a couple of days. We are going with a company called Handspan who are highly recommended. Looks like a fun time should be our first bit of sea swimming.

Goodbye China and Good Morning Vietnam

Well we have left China after 3 1/2 fantastic weeks, getting a taste of the country from North to South. Even in our 24 days in the country we only got a small taste of this huge and remarkable place. We had a fantastic time in Guilin visiting some spectacular countryside.

Local Mountain Village

Gareth was "volunteered" to help with a cultural show detailing a traditional marriage ceremony. Yes that is a local women on his back after he had sung to her and danced. (Michelle lovingly filmed the whole thing!) Plus they have a custom of women pinching the males bum. It hurt!

Then we climbed up a huge hill/mountain to see how they grow rice on terraces they have made over hundreds of years

Whole hillsides are stepped to grow rice

It is amazing how they have transformed the valley

Great to climb it but we felt it the next day

After we went to a tea plantation where Michelle picked some for herself.

Again they use steps to grow it but not on the same scale as the rice

We then got treated to a traditional tea drinking ceremony and tried some lovely green, black and herbal teas. 

The second day in Guilin - The River Li.

We thought this was the most beautiful place we have been in China. The pictures don't do it justice

Standing on the top deck we got a great view and a lovely breeze

The Limestone hill formations jumped up to create amazing shapes (apparently this one is a dolphin)

We had enjoyed heavy rain so the river was running high (and brown) with lots of small waterfalls

The River cruise gave us the best views and the bluest sky we have found in China

After the cruise we went through a local village (bamboo scaffolding)

Just chilling with some tunes

We went to a smaller gentler river

Stunning green water with bamboo rafts that we got on

The views from the raft where amazing and the smooth water reflected the sky and hills. Very peacful

Michelle made friends with a young water buffullo

And we got a demonstration of traditional cormorant fishing

Beautiful bird

Clever bird

All in all we had a fantastic time in Guilin! We then took trains from Guilin into Vietnam, one was 6 hours and the night train was 11 hours. This morning we arrived at 5am in Hanoi . Good Morning Vietnam (always wanted a reason to say that). Even at 5am it was hot and humid (it was already 28C!). We doubt temperatures will get under 30 degree during our stay. We are at a gorgeous hotel in Hanoi and are resting. We are so tired because crossing the border at night meant getting up twice, once at 11pm  for Chinese customs and once after midnight to get through Vietnam customs. We where exhausted from all the travelling so are having a chilled day with the air con today.