15. Kayaking in fabulous Halong Bay, Vietnam

By Filipe Morato Gomes	Where is Halong Bay?
After arriving in Hanoi, capital of Vietnam, I immediately headed for Halong Bay, where I kayaked in one of the most stunning natural sceneries I've ever seen. Located in the north of Vietnam, Halong Bay is undoubtedly a charming place, and kayaking is a great way of getting to know it. Welcome aboard.

I had decided to leave the south of China and head for Vietnam and I realised the train was the most practical way to make the connection between Guilin, in the Chinese province of Guangxi, and Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. Yet it was also the most expensive choice and therefore I looked for alternatives. Four buses, two taxis, one motorbike and countless hours afterwards I arrived in Hanoi.

The base camp for the kayak expedition, Halong Bay, Vietnam

After having got there, my first goal was to know Halong bay, three hours far from Hanoi. Halong Bay might well be the most tourist place in the whole Vietnam and the truth is that there is no lack of reasons for such popularity. Nature by itself created in Halong Bay one of the most fabulous landscapes I'd been able to stare at so far. I found out its beauty aboard a kayak, rowing, rowing for hours among hundreds of huge limestone pinnacle arising from the water in steep verticality, rowing till the arms almost gave in. It wasn't easy but worth the effort.

I went on a small boat towards the expedition base camp at dawn, on a somehow cloudy day. If I could set apart those dawn greyish touches, I would get a bit less that a countless number of different colours. Superb. A whole palette of grey, from nearly-black to nearly-white, mixed by the brush of an invisible artist.

In the base camp - just a set of small wooden houses built on a tiny and completely isolated beach - the kayaks were waiting for anyone who would take them into the quiet waters of Tonkin gulf. They were double kayaks, perhaps too big for experienced kayakers but the ideal ones for beginners as most of the group members were. Ten men and women, ranging from twenty-six to sixty-five years old, looking forward to kayaking in the waters of Halong Bay.

A lunchtime stop on a desert beach in Halong Bay

We rowed across the bay going around small islands made of vertical rocks and aiming to get to a small beach where we were supposed to have lunch. A small fishing-boat was expected to bring fresh fish as well as other delicacies. The brave sixty-something years old Canadian couple started facing the first difficulties, as the result of an imperfect synchronization of movements. They felt a relief when they got to that beach some minutes after; at that time I was already swimming in the warm water of Halong Bay. Then a small fishing-boat got nearer with our expected lunch. We swam towards the barge, got into it and had lunch cradled by the soft waving. Just grilled fish, as fresh as if it had been alive some minutes before; delicious squids, rice - of course - and spinaches with garlic. I could hardly think about something better to start the afternoon.

My friend Jeanne enjoying the beauty of Halong Bay scenery

The hard part of the journey was reserved for the late afternoon; some islands as well as rocky formations ahead, when we were heading to a less sheltered sea rowing back to the base camp. The strong and frontal winds made moving the kayak much more difficult. And the last target was still at a considerable distance. I shared the double kayak with Jeanne, a very sweet Canadian girl, fit as a fiddle despite her lanky and feminine silhouette. We fought together against the waves, the wing and the muscle tiredness, trying to make the kayak move forwards in the direction of the aimed base camp. A brief stop from time to time, just time enough to let the muscles relax, otherwise the stream would made us move many metres backwards.

When we got to the beach we were really worn out. I dragged the kayak to the sand, almost without feeling my arms. “Well-done, mate”, Jeanne screamed, smiling, showing the happiness we both felt at that moment. We had gone through a demanding yet unforgettable day. Sitting on the sand, drinking a cold bear and looking at the orange-like sun which was about to vanish ahead of us, being tired was the least important thing.

(originally written in Portuguese)

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