Ha Long Bay
Hạ Long Bay, in northeast Vietnam, is known for its emerald waters and thousands of towering limestone islands topped by rainforests.
The name Hạ Long means “descending dragon”. Hạ Long Bay has an area of around 1,553 km2 (600 sq mi), including 1,969 islets, most of which are limestone. The core of the bay has an area of 334 km2 (129 sq mi) with a high density of 775 islets.
The Cruise along the Ha Long Bay starts on a sleek, modern vessel that fuses contemporary styling with Vietnamese design concepts. Paradise Elegance is a luxury cruising on Ha Long. Boasting a piano bar, day spa, butler service and the full range of dining options, cruise on the Elegance is an experience exquisite, the journey flawless.
The day (literally noon, after a long drive from Hanoi) starts with a briefing, a welcome song followed by Lunch. There were excellent Indian vegetarian options on board with an Indian Chef dishing out delicacies to our taste buds.
TiTop Island
After lunch and of course after a siesta in the comfortable cabin, we head to TiTop Island sits at the heart of Ha Long Bay. It is relatively small (a total area of 3.7 hectares); yet it’s regarded as one of the most picturesque islands in the bay and is a crowd favorite among Halong tourists.
Formerly called Cat Nang Island, it is now named after Russian cosmonaut Gherman Titov, who in 1961 boarded the spaceship Vostok 2 and became the second man to orbit the Earth (after fellow Russian Yuri Gagarin who beat him by just a few months).
A year later, he visited Halong Bay and toured the area with Vietnam’s revered leader – Ho Chi Minh. He consulted with the locals and, in a gesture of friendship between Vietnam and Russia, renamed the island ‘Titov’ in honor of the valiant cosmonaut.
Titop offers breathtaking landscapes that can be viewed from a vantage point high up in the center of the island. The climb up the hill is a test of the strength of your knees as the steps are steep, winding and very often without side supports with only ropes to hold on and people forming ant line for climbing up and coming down. This island has a crescent-shaped beach, Vang Trang beach – It is now known as TiTop Beach. The beach is known for its tranquility, powdery white sand, and azure blue waters.
Luon Cave
A trip to TiTop hills, ensures that the gourmet lunch you had is well digested. It is now time for a Cuppa at the Elegance. A lecture demonstration of making Spring Rolls is followed by Tea. After tea, we use a smaller boat to enter the Luon Cave. If you are an ardent kayaker, you can do that.
Luon Cave is a natural water tunnel in Vietnam’s Halong Bay that leads to an enclosed, scenic lagoon. Located on Bo Hon Island, it is only accessible by small boats or kayaks due to its low ceiling and is popular for kayaking and exploring its unique ecosystem, which includes monkeys and ancient fossils. The cave itself is about 60 meters long. After passing through the cave, you enter a peaceful, enclosed lagoon surrounded by towering limestone formations and filled with lush plant life like ferns and orchids. The area is home to playful monkeys that can often be seen on the cliffs. You can also see evidence of ancient marine life, like fossilized shells, on the cave’s walls.
The day’s activities come to an end with a retreat back to Elegance. Dinner is followed by Live Music from the Piano Bar.
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Prabhu's Ponder 