| When it comes to weekend getaways, you
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| | Vietnamese army stopped the Chinese from
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| just can't beat flopping around on the
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| | landing. Also in 1288 General Tran Hung
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| deck of a junk in Halong bay, says Duc
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| | Dao stopped Mongol ships from sailing up
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| Hanh
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| | the nearby Bach Dang River by placing
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| At 11.30 am, the sun is high in the sky
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| | steel-tipped wooden stakes at high tide,
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| and burning bright. At the pier countless
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| | sinking the Mongol Kublai Khan's fleet.
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| wooden junks, sailboats, speedboats and
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| | Of course, the legend is that a slew of
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| tiny bamboo boats bob around. While tour
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| | dragons spat out jewels and jade into the
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| guides try to organise how to get their
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| | sea. These jewels turned into the islands
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| groups on board, we sit with our bags in
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| | and islets that are dotted around the
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| hand, ready to test out our sea legs.
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| | bay, which could be linked together to
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| "Which one is ours?" says a fellow
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| | form barriers against would-be invaders.
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| traveler on my tour a tad impatiently.
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| | It's easy to see why residents of Halong
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| After a four-hour-stint in the van from
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| | would have conjured up such legends to
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| Hanoi, everybody is understandably
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| | explain the supreme scenery.
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| itching to kick back and feel the sea
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| | Understandably, after our mini-hike a
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| breeze on board.
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| | thirst is upon the travelling party! We
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| Just then a speedboat arrives with a
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| | clamber back on board for a few
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| flourish and we pile on board before
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| | sundowners with beers and cocktails all
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| zooming off to the Indochina Sail, a
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| | round. The sun drops behind the
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| large, handsome junk that the captain
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| | surrounding islands as we sit in the
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| proudly announces is 40 metres long and
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| | dwindling twilight.
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| 8.5 meters wide - and indeed it seems a
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| | Heading back to my cabin to shower and
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| fine, seaworthy vessel to me.
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| | change for dinner, I'm fairly surprised
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| In my time I've been on board a few of
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| | to discover a royal costume laid out for
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| the bay's shabbier junks. It is one point
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| | me. A card reads: "For tonight's Royal
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| worth making: when it comes to visiting
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| | banquet."
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| Halong Bay it's worth treating yourself.
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| | Slightly tipsy, I happily oblige. It's
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| Thankfully there's more than a few classy
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| | only when I arrive up on deck for the BBQ
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| junks to choose from these days.
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| | dinner I realise that the costume is a
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| Walking around on board the Indochina
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| | rather baggy and my hat fairly
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| Sail, I discover a restaurant, the
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| | cumbersome, still I manage to move around
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| Indochina Sail Bar, a gift shop and even
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| | and fill my plate. A Japanese tourist,
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| a library. Guests can also avail of
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| | Megumi Katsu is more taken by her new
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| binoculars, snorkeling equipment or
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| | look - "This is the most fun I have had
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| top-of-the-line Canadian made kayaks.
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| | on my holidays yet!"
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| With a grand view ahead, I tentatively
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| | At night in the bay is magical. A canopy
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| start with the binoculars. Most of my
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| | of glittering stars above us, a
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| fellow travellers are content to flop
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| | refreshing coolness in the air - it is
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| around the deck, sipping drinks,
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| | pure bliss just to sit around with the
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| surveying the scene or catching a bit of
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| | other travelers, your friends or partner.
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| sun. A trip to Halong is first and
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| | Conversation is optional.
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| foremost about relaxing!
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| | Chris Wedlake and his wife, both looking
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| Sun-shy, I stretch out on a lie-low on
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| | positively regal, are on their honeymoon.
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| the more shaded lower deck and listen to
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| | "It's an earthly paradise for a couple of
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| the buffeting breeze and the sound of the
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| | newly weds!" So smitten with Halong, he
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| boat chopping through the waves. Time
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| | and his wife says they'd come back for
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| passes and I happily doze a little in the
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| | their anniversary every year if they
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| salty air.
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| | could.
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| However, a call for lunch stirs me right
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| | Traditional Vietnamese melodies hang in
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| out of my light slumber. A five-course
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| | the air. The boat gently rocks. A few of
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| lunch is devoured by the hungry guests.
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| | the staff invite guests to fish for
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| We hadn't even worked up an appetite.
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| | cuttlefish. But my eyes are heavy and I
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| Afterwards, I fight the urge to have a
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| | slip away to my cabin promising myself
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| siesta and head out onto the deck as the
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| | I'll rise with the dawn - someone
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| boat floats into Bai Tu Long Bay. We drop
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| | mentions morning tai chi exercises on the
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| anchor at Soi Sim island, famed for its
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| | top deck and I nod in enthusiastic
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| rose myrtle brush.
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| | agreement.
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| The island sits in clear, blue waters and
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| | But when I wake the sun is already up. I
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| is also home to white sandy beaches. A
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| | hear the voices of vendors who have rowed
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| member of the crew asks if anyone wants
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| | up to our junk to sell snacks, seafood,
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| to swim but we're already in our trunks
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| | souvenirs and cigarettes. I stumble
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| and bathing suits ready to dive in.
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| | upstairs and discover guests still there
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| Afterwards, we head ashore and climb to
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| | from the night before - each one chose to
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| the summit of the island which offers yet
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| | sleep on deck in the open air rather than
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| another idyllic setting. Although Halong
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| | spending the night in their cabin.
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| is a large area with over 1,900 limestone
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| | A smell of fresh coffee is in the air as
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| islets and a 120-km coastline, when you
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| | the boat pulls away; the crew informs us
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| get in amongst the islets it seems more
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| | of our itinerary for the morning, but all
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| intimate than grand.
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| | of the passengers just reply with sleepy
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| The random scattering of islets meant the
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| | smiles. We are already under Halong Bay's
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| bay had its defensive advantages in the
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| | spell. No one really minds where we go
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| past. On three occasions in the labyrinth
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| | next, anyway, you can't take a wrong turn
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| of channels near the islands the
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| | while cruising in Halong Bay.
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