We woke as early as 6.00am. Subuh was around 5.20am Hanoi time. Breakfast at the hotel. I had bread with scrambled eggs and a cup of tea. Then we waited at the hotel lobby for bus to arrive to take us to Halong Bay. The bus arrived at sharp 8.30am in front of the hotel. The bus is fully pack about 40+ people. Its quite scary and uncomfortable especially for tall people. All mat salleh (foreigners from europe and America) need to adjust their legs because the legs room is too narrow.
The journey took about 4 hours. The bus will stop at a rest area for 10 minutes. At the rest area you can go to the restroom and buy some souvenir at the shop there. We arrived at the Halong City jetty around 12.30am. The tour guide will buy you the ticket, which costs VND120,000. You need to give the ticket back to the tour guide for marine police reference, just in case. We boarded the 2 storey white coloured junk with other few tourist. Our junk sail a bit delay, not sure what was the problem. But once it sailed, it stopped at the middle of the sea to serve us lunch. Since we are vegetarian tourist for 4 days, the foods we consumed were white rice with some vegetables, salted peanuts and ikan bilis (anchovies). We had some conversation with other tourist on board, next to me there was New Zealander, in front of me there were Russian girls, next to my friends there were Spanish couple.
After the lunch the junk sailing to our first destination, Thien Cung cave. The tour guide purchased the ticket for us, the cost is VND50,000. Again, the ticket need to be given back to them in case there is inspection by police. This one ticket can go to only one of the 5 destinations namely Thien Cung cave, Dau Go cave, Sung Sot cave, Ti Top beach and Me Cung cave. Inside of the cave there were a lot of colours.. They said the stalagmite and stalactite can resemble anything you could imagine like dragons, birds, etc.. Its up to your imagination.. Then we went to the fishing village in the middle of the sea, but the village actually moved to another place due to government's instruction. But the village is still there. They allow to hire the fisherman to drive tourist around the island for VND120,000 per boat (or person I can't remember this) but the fee is minimal. Around the village there is a big rock hill in the middle of the sea, it actually printed on VND200,00 note. We decided to just hang out at the fishing village because the water is not deep enough for fisherman to drive us into the nearby cave.
Then we boarded on the junk, sailing to the kayak and swimming area... In the middle of the sea I dont know where but all the junk will stop there. The British dudes and New Zealander decided to have a swim, by jumping from the junk. The weather was freaking cold at 10 degree Celsius and the water is deep I dont even dare to kayak-ing. The junk stop at the spot for 20 minutes, then head to Cat Ba Island jetty. Arrived there around 7.00pm. It was really dark at that time luckily I brought along my headlamp. Waited for few minutes for a bus to pick us up at the bus station. Boarded on the bus. We were dead tired. My friends asleep but I couldn't because there was a part where the road was in terrible condition but it was dark couldnt see anything so I was like tawakkal if anything happen, happen. But alhamdulillah we safely arrived at Sunflower Two Hotel in Cat Ba Island city.
We had our dinner as soon as arrived there. Again, white rice with vegetables and fish cakes. After the dinner, checked in our room. The room is soooo big for three of us. Guess what, we were still hungry, decided to eat maggi cup. Luckily I brought it here. Need to ask the hotel to provide hot water because there is NO water cattle inside of the room. The hotel will gladly provide you hot water so just ask them. After eating maggi, had shower and sleep..
....to be continued
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