The adventure of Alice in wonderland is certainly a tale, but for even more enjoyment and surprises you can take a cruise of island wonders in Ha Long Bay easily nowadays. Such an excursion is offered by several companies including Emeraude Classic Cruises and Huong Hai Junk.
Emeraude
Classic Cruises arranges adventures for lovers of nature, sea and
sunshine to immerse themselves in the amazing beauty of UNESCO-listed
Ha Long Bay in the northern province of Quang Ninh.
There, on the decks of the Emeraude, you fall into a fairy tale world of over 3,000 mountainous islands and rocky islets which have been shaped by nature into unique wonders and landscapes.
The emerald water of the bay slapping against the 56 meter long ship and gentle winds coming from different directions drive you into a world of relaxation and excitement.
The Emeraude’s 101st anniversary is drawing near, and tickets are now available for special anniversary cruises planned for July 2 to 8. Tickets are US$101 for two people sharing a superior cabin to view the beauty of the bay whose name means “Descending Dragon.”
The journey through the bay takes in the world-famous karst formations at a leisurely pace, and lets guests enjoy their beauty from the comfort of the ship’s decks.
Wonderful caves and pristine beaches await you off the classical cabins and decks of the ship, which is a convincing reproduction of a 19th-century paddle wheel steamer with polished wooden floors and brass fixtures recalling colonial grandeur and old-fashioned luxury.
Last month, the Emeraude ran the third annual wine cruise, sweeping guests off their feet with wine, dancing and the beauty of the bay. “People are sometimes surprised to find things like tai chi classes, mojitos, and DJs playing salsa tunes on a ship that looks a century old, but it’s the combination of the modern and the classic that bring people back to the Emeraude again and again,” Emeraude general manager Kurt Walter commented after the wine cruise.
Emeraude Classic Cruises is not the only organizer of bay cruises as the Huong Hai Company now has packages on a wooden junk that takes in one of Vietnam’s World Heritage Sites.
The Huong Hai junk usually casts off at 12.45pm from Ha Long Pier and a lunch of seafood specialties comes after guests have cooled down with a welcoming drink.
The junk sails through the islands looking like a fighting cock before stopping at Sung Sot (astonishing) Cave for guests to disembark and discover the amazingly beautiful limestone stalactites.
Titov Beach is the next stop as guests can indulge themselves with a swim and rest on the pristine beach in the late afternoon. There, a dinner party is served before all re-board the junk to relax and enjoy fishing.
The junk continues its journey at 7.30am the next morning to Man’s Head Island and Tortoise Island before guests are loaded into small bamboo boats to visit Luon Cave and then Bai Tu Long Bay.
Huong Hai also offers options for kayaking from Titov Beach to Luon Cave, or from Luon Cave toward islands in the shapes of a man’s head and a tortoise after breakfast on the second day.
The three-day package features more sites of Ha Long Bay and kayaking is also offered on request.
Source: vietnamtourism.com.vn
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