Located in the east of Cat Ba Island (Hai Phong), right next to the famous Ha Long Bay, Lan Ha is like a forgotten paradise. Due to being newly put into operation in tourism, Lan Ha Bay is peaceful and remains untouched, suitable for visitors looking for tranquility and serenity. Arriving in Lan Ha Bay, I chose to cruise on a yacht with Indochinese style.
Indochina in the middle of the sea
Vietnamese architecture has an interference between Western architecture, particularly French classical, with the sophistication of Eastern colors and materials. The peak of this combination creates Indochinese architectural style – French architecture in harmony with the climate, landscape and culture of Vietnam. The yacht named Indochine, meaning Indochina, clearly shows this style.
In general, the yacht has a superficial appearance, exuding European luxury, but each detail is bold traditional Vietnamese. The decorations, items and pictures on the yacht are all culturally historical. Most of them are handmade, originating from traditional Vietnamese villages. Photos and artifacts on the yacht modeled after the French Indochina period provided by the National Archives Institute are not for commercial purposes. Therefore, it is difficult for tourists to find these artifacts elsewhere.
Walking along the corridors, sitting at the classical dining tables, I feel like I’m going back in time to the past with the quiet smell of wood, the stillness in each architectural line. The yacht carrying us temporarily parted ways with reality coming with nostalgic, past imprints. The journey to live Indochina and enjoy the pristine atmosphere at the bay begins.
Day 1
Hanoi – Tuan Chau Port – Lan Ha Bay – Morning Cave
Tourists can move from Hanoi to Tuan Chau ship port in just over 2 hours. Departing by small boat from Tuan Chau, we were taken to a large yacht moored in the middle of the sea. We boarded the boat, had lunch and moved to Lan Ha Bay. Moving out in the middle of the bay, phone waves begin to weaken, visitors begin to get used to life without the Internet, with only people, seas, mountains, and yachts left. Putting on a thin shirt, holding a glass of wine and sitting on the balcony, I enjoy life slowly. Lan Ha Bay is romantic with islands and mountains lying close to each other in the sea, like giants sleeping.
In addition to sitting on a yacht and admiring the bay views, visitors can also participate in activities such as kayaking, visiting caves – one of which has an interesting landmark called Morning Cave. Sang Toi Cave is located in the area bordering Lan Ha Bay and Ha Long Bay with beautiful limestone mountains and rich natural ecosystems.
The entire area is divided into two parts: Hang Sang and Hang Dark. Dark Cave is quite long, flooded and has many bats, so visitors are not allowed to move here. Meanwhile, Morning Cave is short and is illuminated by the sun. Passing through the stone archway of Sang Cave on a kayak, I can admire the tranquil circular lake among limestone mountains with rich vegetation – where I really find myself returning to the pristine nature.
On the way back to the yacht, sunset began to fall, the sun began to set over the bay. A romantic scene with yachts anchored in the sea, surrounded by water. We both sat on the kayaks and was so dazed by the beauty of the afternoon that we forgot our duty to quickly paddle to get back in time before darkness swallowed everything.
At night, we take the time to enjoy the meal on the cruise, enjoy the wine. The night on the bay is very quiet, the wind blowing gently against the side of the boat. If you want a more immersive experience, you can try squid fishing with the help of the staff on the cruise.
Day 2
Trung Trang Cave – Tuan Chau Ship Port – Hanoi
Early in the morning, sunlight crept through the windows of each cabin. The sky was bright and fast, waking up the tourists who were still slightly intoxicated by alcohol. Visitors get on deck, practice tai chi to kick off the day. I took advantage of this atmosphere, which I think is rare to enjoy in the city.
After that, we moved to Trung Trang cave. In the past, this cave was called Hang Doi because inside the cave was home to many groups of bats. Trung Trang cave has undergone millions of years of geological tectonic, so the cave possesses countless natural stalactites, extremely sparkling. During the war against the US, this was the station of a unit under the Naval Command used to connect information, so the cave was also called the Navy.
At the end of the tour, we returned to the yacht to return to Tuan Chau and enjoy the warm sunshine. For the best experience when cruising in Lan Ha Bay, you should bring suitable clothes for overnight activities on the boat, kayaking, cave visits … In addition, sunglasses, ice cream are recommended. sun protection, hat, swimwear. In winter, you need to bring warm clothes. Do not forget personal documents such as identity card, citizenship identification or passport to check in and check out procedures.
| In order to stimulate demand and promote tourism recovery solutions in Lan Ha Bay in particular and Ha Long and Cat Ba areas in general, Indochina Sails Company launched a stimulus campaign with the price of only 2,790,000 VND / person per person. overnight on cruise with many interesting activities throughout the journey.In the future, to continue to stimulate demand for tourists to visit Lan Ha Bay, the company will launch an installment travel program for customers who own credit cards. |
vnexpress/Ảnh: Trung Nghĩa, Indochina Sails