We knew we wanted to go to Halong Bay, but since the trip was so last minute, none of us had time to book a cruise or even do research, for that matter. When we got to our hotel, we sat down with the concierge and picked out a cruise. It ended up being harder then we thought, because we needed a room that fit 3 people and we wanted TiTop Island to be part of the cruise. After a few hours and a lot of phone calls and an extremely patient and persistent concierge, we were able to book with Silversea Cruise. We were picked up by a shuttle bus around 8:30 am and drove about 3-4 hours to the bay. The bus ride wasn't horrible, but it wasn't amazing either. The bus had working A/C and gave us water, so I can't complain. We had an amazing tour guide who did everything he could to keep everyone comfortable.
We got to the bay and loaded our cruise boat and were already excited about our next two days! The Bay is beautiful! It's amazing, breathtaking, gorgeous, stunning, and jaw dropping perfection. Everywhere you look was just as beautiful as the last! The rock formations that spouted out of the water at every turn were so mysterious and captivating.
I just couldn't get enough pictures. I wanted to get a picture of everything that we passed. It was so neat seeing the boats all along the bay and all the inlets.
One of the first things we did was check into our room. I loved how the room had a huge window to look out and enjoy the landscape. It was a nice clean and comfortable room.
Since we had been on the shuttle for so long, we were starving. We sat down to eat and were surprised to be fed a meal that included so many courses that it felt like it was never ending. Every time we would finish our plates, they would clear them off and bring something different. The food was amazing. I loved all the tastes and textures. I love how Vietnamese food has so much cilantro in all their dishes, it gives it such a fresh taste.
After eating until we were bursting at the seams, we went back on deck to see more of the bay. We chose such a perfect day to come, the sky was so clear and blue, and the temperature was hot, but not unbearable.
We spent the next few hours doing the cruise excursions! We had an amazing hike and then went kayaking at a pearl farm (More details on the post to follow). After a day of beauty and adventure, we enjoyed another full delicious meal.
Cristin went to bed early, and Corianne and I stayed up late just talking on the top deck. We found ourselves a chair to lounge in and spent the next few hours just enjoying the sights and sounds around us while talking as great friends do!
The bay was a perfect place to catch the sunset! I am a huge sucker for a good sunset. The breeze was perfect with the sounds of water splashing across the boat. It was a perfect end to a perfect day.
After getting a good nights sleep, I found myself wide awake at 5:00 in the morning. I couldn't get back to sleep, so I decided to use my time to watch the sunrise. I found a chair to relax in, brought a book and waited for the sun to peak over the mountains.
I was rewarded with a beautiful sunrise with peaking rays and all!
Day two on the bay was just as glorious and beautiful as day one. We went to the Surprise Cave first, then took the next few hours cruising back to the port. While we were cruising, we took more pictures of the majesty around us!
It was defiantly hotter today, so we found chairs in the shade and relaxed, napped, and had a great time talking. When we got close to the dock, we went down for one more amazing meal. This time it was more of a buffet! I was so glad because I was still stuffed from breakfast and dinner the night before. The food was outstanding again.
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