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Rich & Elaine's Overseas AdventuresHa Long Bay Vietnam A Halong Bay visit is an amazing experience and not to be missed. It is a highlight of any Vietnam vacation; it is picture postcard, a photographer’s heaven. Ha Long Bay is exotic and extremely spectacular with over 1,600 limestone Islands rising out of the ocean like pinnacles reaching for the sky, several of these islands are hollow and harbour large caves ‘Wooden Stakes Cave’ is the largest and has a feast of stalactites and stalagmites.
165km by road from Hanoi, Halong Bay is literally translated as ‘Bay of Descending Dragons’ and listed as a world heritage site in 1994, and is currently listed for nomination for one of the worlds seven natural wonders of the world through UNESCO. Go here for a Great Selection Books on Vietnam All Halong Bay tours will pick you up from your accommodation or travel agent in Hanoi for transfer to Halong Bay and Vietnam Airlines operate helicopter day trips to Halong Bay.  Halong bay has a serene mystic flavour with hundreds of tourist arriving for their 1-2 or 3 day adventure. The diesel powered Halong Bay tourist Junks are lined up jostling for position, their cut through, thrust and crunch together as they drop off and pick up a new bunch of tourists and cargo mysteriously seems to work. It is definitely advisable to pre book your tour from Hanoi, prices vary depending on the quality, duration, type of boat, crew, and food, and English speaking guide, and will pick you up from your accommodation in Hanoi. The tours are adventure plus, the area is vast so you may only see one or two other Junks in the distance all day.  Kayaking from the Junks is great to explore stunning islands - kayak through caves and grottos, swim on desolate sandy beaches, visit the enormous eerie limestone caves lunch on the junk or and at one of the four floating fishing villages where you can enjoy the ocean fresh local fare prepared by the village people in an atmosphere you never imagined. Visas - Health - Travel Insurance Ha long bay is a treasure trove of flat warm marine filled ocean supporting over 200 species of fish and 450 different kinds of molluscs. The village people farm the fish in floating tanks adjacent to their floating homes, these fish are taken to market in Halong Bay every week, they also sell to passing luxury tourist boats which call in to buy produce for their clients. Often three generations live on these small floating home based businesses, the  children never go to school, although a floating school has now been set up with one child from each home being collected every morning for the floating school program.Visit or overnight at Cat Ba Island national park where cycling is an option, staying at a four star hotel with an amazing feast of Vietnamese food, visit the Cat Ba market or the thriving upbeat bars and restaurants. Cat Ba island is an escape for the busy people of Hanoi who visit in the weekends for some peace and quiet, but it makes the place very busy compared to weekdays. <--- Sapa North Vietnam
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