Ha Long Bay (literally: Bay of Descending Dragons; Vietnamese: Vịnh Hạ Long) is the most well-known touristic destination in Viet Nam, and also this is for justified reason. It is really a UNESCO World Heritage site positioned in Quảng Ninh province. If you've focused your journey on the extraordinary cities and monuments of urban Vietnam, a trip to Ha Long Bay leaves without a doubt that Vietnam boasts some with the most beautiful natural sceneries worldwide.
The bay features 1000s of limestone karsts and isles in different sizes and shapes. The Ha Long bay, dotted with a few 2000 limestone islets rising from emerald waters, is the greatest known natural wonder of Viet Nam. The islands were formed from limestone sediments deposited in the bottom of an ancient ocean. As the seas rose and fell over millennia, the soft limestone was easily shaped in to the towering monoliths (geologists call them karst formations) as we see today. The forces of erosion also riddled the hawaiian islands with caves, over 20 that are ready to accept tourists. Because of their precipitous nature, most of the islands are uninhabited and unaffected by the human presence. The outstanding scenic beauty is complemented by its great biological interest. The islands feature endless amounts of beaches, grottoes, and caves. The bay is often a sea islands in tropical wet with 2 seasons: hot and moist summer, dry and cold winter. Average temperature is produced by 15°C- 25°C. Annual rainfall is around 2000mm.
In the shallow waters with the bay, there are greater than 200 species of fish and 450 different varieties of molluscs. Often the shape of the island determines its name, for example Voi Islet (elephant), Ga Choi Islet (fighting cock), and Mai Nha Islet (roof). Birds and animals, including antelopes, monkeys, and iguanas, also continue to exist some of the hawaiian islands. Cat Ba Island is often a UN Biosphere Reserve and where you can many rare species.
Archaeological evidence reveals that humans have settled near Ha Long Bay since no less than 3,000 B.C. The bay isn't stranger to conflict. In 1288 General Tran Hung Dao stopped Mongol ships from sailing the nearby Bach Dang River by placing steel-tipped wooden stakes at high tide, sinking the Mongol fleet. Today General Tran Hung Dao (Hung Dao Vuong) is revered throughout Vietnam. You can visit the Dau Go (Cave from the Wooden Sticks), where legend says the wooden sticks that sank the Mongol fleet was stored.
Ha Long Bay is really a major tourist destination, such as the be discouraged from the crowds. The area is large enough to have place for everyone, should your travel is well-planned. Peak season is May to October, when visibility are at its best, although it's also the hottest time in the year.
The bay is approximately four hours drive from Hanoi. Instead of taking slow and quite often unsafe local buses, rent an automobile, require a special tourist bus, or book a tour with pick-up from Ha Noi. Most visitors do an overnight stay with a floating junk within the bay or in the town of Cat Ba on Cat Ba Island, but day trips are also possible. The easiest – and also recommendable - strategy to visit Ha Long is to please take a tour from Ha Noi, which include pick-up from Ha Noi, cruising Ha Long and remain overnight on the boat, with full-board service and transfer back, to the city or towards the airport.
The itinerary of the so called two-days, one-night tour looks as follows:


Day 1: Ha Noi – Ha Long
8:00 pick-up in Ha Noi, drive to Ha Long, 12:30 embark the cruise boat, 13:00 start cruising all night . lunch, visit caves, visit fisherman floating village, go kayaking, go swimming, 19:00 dinner, 21:00 octopus fishing or relax, stay overnight for the cruise ship or junk.


Day 2: Ha Long – Ha Noi
Next day, 06:00 start the day by incorporating early sport, 07:00 breakfast, cruising back to pier, 12:30 returning to pier and disembark, lunch, 14:00 driving time for Ha Noi city or airport. The cost of different luxury levels of the cruise ship is 40 USD to 180 USD. The service and accommodations on boat tours ranges from bare bones (Huong Hai) to luxury (Emeraude, Emotion), but paying more provides you with a better experience.
A great way to explore and find out the bay is actually kayak. You can choose that you want to go, and also the bay's waters are smooth and suited to beginners. Ask locally for places to rent kayaks, in case your tour doesn't include kayaking.
Caves in Ha Long Bay
You can have a wonderful holiday in halong bay (My Web Site) to Ha Long Bay even if you never step foot off a cruise boat, however you won't desire to miss the extraordinary caves within hawaii. In most of the caves are stalactites .and stalagmites, which seem like subterranean icicles. Stalactites form from your top down and stalagmites form from your bottom up Here are some in the better known caves:


Sung Sot Cave holiday in halong bay (Surprise Cave):
One in the largest and a lot impressive from the caves, the Surprise Cave was given its name through the astonished French explorers who discovered it in 1901. Fifty steps lead up towards the cave entrance. From there you'll undergo three progressively larger grottoes, each festooned with stalactites and stalagmites that undertake different shapes, for example a dragon, tiger and penguin. Once you emerge from the caves you'll be rewarded with a spectacular view over the bay below.


Dau Go Cave (Cave of holiday in halong bay the Stakes): According to legend, the wooden stakes that General Tran Hung Dao accustomed to stop the Mongol fleet were stored here. The cave contains three chambers. The first features a massive pillar that appears to be a monk holding a cane. A second, narrow chamber leads to a huge third grotto, with spectacular animal-shaped rock formations. For good reason early French explorers named it "Grotte des merveilles"-the cave of marvels.


Trinh Nu Cave (Virgin Cave): A story is told that as opposed to marry a vintage king, a beautiful local girl fled to this cave and committed suicide by turning herself in to a rock formation inside cave. Virgin Cave tunnels over the island above for more than a mile, with plenty of beautiful chambers on either sides.Your tour boat will likely stop near Virgin Cave for that night.


Thien Cung Grotto (Heaven Palace Grotto): Climbing steep stairs through thick forest, visitors for the Thien Cung Grotto enter a huge chamber adorned with stalactites and stalagmites of all. This can be a popular cave for day trippers on their approach to Cat Ba Island.
Other caves you may wish to visit include: Trong Cave (Drum Cave), Tam Cung Cave (Three Palace Grotto), Bo Nong Cave (Pelican Cave).
Other places of interest


Floating fishing villages
A community of around 1,600 people thrives on Ha Long Bay in many floating fishing villages. You can see them from boat tours or yourself by kayak. The residents from the floating fishing communities are intimately connected towards the sea on their lives


Cat Ba Island
Cat Ba is, at 87 square miles, the largest island inside the bay as well as the main overnight hotel stop on inexpensive package tours.Approximately half with the island's area is covered by a national park-also a UN Biosphere Reserve, which is where you can the highly endangered Cat Ba langur. This golden-headed langur is rarely seen, as less than 100 specimens are believed to survive inside wild, although it is the subject of the well-organized conservation program. Other mammals within the park include civet cats and oriental giant squirrels. The park faces the challenge of protecting its biodiversity while encouraging tourism. Although there is much beauty to explore about the island, Cat Ba town itself (pop. 8,000) has less to offer visitors. Many with the tours of Ha Long Bay include Cat Ba, so getting towards the island is straightforward.
For more information about tour to Halong Bay, go to halong bay junk Bay Package

This second of the four-part series on Asian transportation covers overland and ferry transport between countries and cities. Also have a look at "Getting around locally" for recommendations on maneuvering in town.
Minivans
Privately-owned minivans or minibuses are common means of overland conveyance in Southeast Asia. They is frequently booked through hostels or tourist centers. Generally, minivans are cost-effective and much faster than lumbering coaches, but could be more dangerous.
If you're considering a minivan, ask a few pre-determined questions before booking a ticket. In many countries, four passengers per bench seat is usual (a bit uncomfortable in case you are 'plus-sized'), but you may be able to select your seat upfront. You'll want to find out when the van is air-con, and whether smoking is permitted.
Keep safety in your mind. Check whether the driver's seat is located on the left or right side, as some countries have permitted the importation of vehicles while using driver's seat on the incorrect side (the controls should be on the left in countries where they drive about the right, and the other way round). This does modify the driver's visibility and thus safety. And as with everything, use wise practice. Glance on the tires, make sure they have tread. Be wary if a minivan company claims an outing will take only 4 to 5 hours when everyone else says it will take seven or eight.
Also know about cultural differences about time when planning your journey. In Japan, 9:00 means 8:59:59 to 9:00:01. In Indonesia, it means 8:50 to 10:30 (even though you shouldn't count for the van leaving late). Additionally, if the operator isn't able to fill the van, he/she may drive about looking for fares before departing, delaying your departure and subsequent arrival time. You may well not want to plan a flight ticket out of your city the same day you're arriving by bus or minivan.
Buses
Buses vary up to minivans ' from plush air-conditioned coaches with music videos shown throughout the journey, to 1970's VW-style models with chain-smoking locals packed in, together with mail and anything else that needs to be delivered to the next town. Buses might not be the most comfortable strategy to travel, but they can get you to locations that trains, boats, and planes won't reach ' in the rice terraces of Southern China towards the volcanoes of Java.
They can be very economical. Several Vietnamese bus companies offer open-tour tickets that permit passengers to disembark and re-board many times for a set fee. And in countries with strong currencies, public transit can be a budget traveler's savior. A standard seat on the night bus from Tokyo to Osaka costs 5500 yen ($67), while the bullet train runs 14,000 yen ($170).
Night buses offer additional savings because travelers do not require hotels to the nights these are traveling. Some night buses have proper reclining seats, and premium class may offer small privacy curtains to bar out light. However, others offer no special provisions for sleeping ' they're simply regular buses that run during the night. Night buses aren't a fix for everyone ' saving a couple of bucks on accommodations might not exactly be worth it when your neck's so wrenched you simply can't enjoy the sights the following day ' nevertheless they can help a backpacker stretch his/her dollar.
Trains
Trains are a great way to see the countryside and offer more dependability than other modes of overland transport. Laos and Cambodia still lack rail service, although which could change in the near future if the Kunming-Singapore Railway project (linking China and also the ASEAN nations) is fully gone.
Trains would be the easiest way to get around in Japan. The high-speed bullet train (shinkansen, ''') may be somewhat pricey for budget travelers, but 7 to 21 day rail passes can offer an economical option. Note that rail passes should be purchased before arriving in Japan, and they are only available to those entering under 'Temporary Visitor' status. See japanrailpass.net for more information, limitations, and a list of vendors.
Those ineligible to get a Japan rail pass with more time than funds on their hands may consider the seishun juhachi kippu (''18''') ' a ticket for unlimited travel on local trains for a specified number of days. This can be purchased at most JR train stations after arriving in Japan. Despite the name (roughly 'adolescent eighteen-year-old's ticket'), you halong bay junk can use it by anyone no matter age. However, it is only available during school breaks (March to early April; late July to early September; mid December to early January), and a lot visitors get the monetary savings of the seishun juhachi kippu inadequate when compared to the additional hours they will have to spend on local trains.
Train lines abound in China, however the government website is Chinese only and requires a China-based credit card. To book a ticket while in China, you are able to go to a stop, or for the small fee book by way of a travel agency. Tickets typically embark on sale with regards to a week prior for the departure date. Note that you need to present your passport to buy a ticket. Therefore you can not use the self-serve vending machines accessible to Chinese citizens. As the lines at stop service counters could be very long, it might be worth a couple of yuan to pass through an agency.
Here are a handful of useful websites for train journeys in Southeast Asia, Japan, and Taiwan.
Ferries
Many resorts and snorkeling/scuba areas in Southeast Asia is only able to be reached by ferry. High-end resorts will often include transportation in their package fees, but even budget establishments will usually offer assistance in getting to the island, especially when an understanding of the local language should be used.
As while using case of buses and privately-owned minivans, travelers have to take some responsibility for own safety when deciding if they should board a ferry. A tourist boat sunk inside the popular World Heritage Site of halong bay junk halong bay vacations, Vietnam next year, leaving twelve dead, and numerous ferries have sunk off of the coast of Thailand lately.
However, many safe, well-established ferry routes offer the opportunity to break up the tedium of buses and trains. The routes are too numerous to mention, but a fantastic map will show you one of the most commonly traveled.
Enjoy the Ride
As you create your way around, it doesn't matter what the mode of transportation, remember to enjoy the journey. A train in Japan is going to take you through the rice fields and possibly give you a glimpse of Mt. Fuji. Take a tuk-tuk at sunrise in Cambodia and you should see monks giving blessings to residents in substitution for alms. A xe om ride in Saigon will probably be as adventurous just like any amusement park ride.
Rough, local transport is rarely comfortable, but it does offer you something a cushy seat over a plane cannot: a chance to see the rambutans and smell the fish sauce. Of course, you are going to eventually have to board an airplane. Stay tuned for another part of this four-part series: Flying Asia.