DAY 01: HANOI - HALONG BAY (Lunch, Dinner)

08h00 - 08h30: Pick-up at hotel around Hanoi Old Quarter are

08h30: Depart Hanoi - Halong bay (we have 30 minutes stop at Hai Duong province for break)

12h00: Arrive Tuan Chau Harbor, get on boat for lunch

13h00: From now on, you will discover the mysterious beauty of Halong Bay. You are free to enjoy the natural scenery, taking pictures of thousands amazing islets or fishers catching fish....

15h00: Visit Thien cung & Dau Go caves - the most beautiful caves of Halong bay with a lot of hanging light made of stalactites shining brightly & sparkling

16h30: Do kayaking around some islets on Halong Bay

18h30: Have dinner with fresh seafood; enjoy a romantic night on the boat's restaurant or top of the boat

Overnight on the boat

DAY 02: HALONG BAY - HANOI (Breakfast, Lunch)

07h30: Have breakfast & enjoy sunrise on the top of the boat. Do morning exercises here

Back to Tuan Chau Harbor by an other way, visit some amazing islets, admire dramatic natural scenery, take pictures of Fighting Cock Islet, Dog Islet, Thumb Islet, Dinh Lu Huong Islet & Fishing village..

11h30: Arrive Tuan Chau Harbor & have lunch on the boat

13h00: Bus take you back to Hanoi

17h00: Arrive back Hanoi Old Quarter. End of service

PRICE - JOIN GROUP TOUR:

Inclusions:

* Bus/ English speaking tour guide/ sleeping boat/  entrance fees/ meals as indicated in the itinerary

Exclusions:

* Other meal with drinking/ VAT/ travel insurance/ private expenses...

Deluxe Asia Cruise Halong bay

HISTORY OF THE NAME "HALONG"

"Ha Long" is literally translated as "Bay of Descending Dragons." Prior to the 19th century, this name was not recorded in any document or archive. When mentioning the present-day Quang Ninh Sea or Ha Long Bay, old historical books often referred to them by the names of An Bang, Luc Thuy or Van Don. Not until the late 19th century did the name of Halong Bay appear on a French Marine Map. "The Hai Phong News", a French newspaper of the time, had an article, "Dragon appears on Ha Long Bay", reporting the following story: In 1898 a sub-lieutenant named Lagredin, captaining the 'Avalanse' reported seeing a huge sea snake on Ha Long Bay.

This was also witnessed by many of the crews. Thus emerged the European image of the Asian dragon. Whether this appearance of a strange animal looking like a dragon resulted the name of Ha Long Bay is not known (Reference "Quang Ninh: Art and Culture" published in 2002).

There is also a local legend, which has been handed down, relating to the name Ha Long Bay, which tells the following tale:
"Long ago, in the first founding days, the Viet people were attacked by foreign aggressors. The Jade Emperor sent the Mother Dragon and her band of Child Dragons to help the Viet people fight the invaders. While the enemy vessels were launching massive attacks against the mainland, the dragons descended in flocks from the sky. They spat out innumerable pearls which changed into jade stone islands the moment they touched the water. These islands linked together to form firm citadels that checked the enemy's advance and smashed their vessels to pieces.

After the invaders were driven out, Mother Dragon and her Child Dragons did not return to Heaven but stayed on earth, right at the place where the battle occurred. The spot where the Mother Dragon landed was Ha Long, and where the Child Dragons came down was Bai Tu Long. The place where their tails violently wagged was called Long Vi, the present-day Tra Co Peninsula with its soft sandy beach stretching many kilometers."

Halong bay -  Vietnam

Caves & Grottos
Halong Bay's limestone islands are dotted with caves of all sizes and shapes. Most of these are accessible only by chaerter boat, but some can easily be visited on tour.

Cave in Halong bay

Hang Dau Go (Grotto of Wooden Stakes): Know to French as the Grotto des Merveilles (Cave of Marvels), is a huge cave consisting of three chambers, which you reach via 90 steps. Among the stalactites of the first hall, scores of gnomes appear to be holding a meeting. The walls of the second chamber sparkle if bright light is shone on them. The cave derives its Vietnamese name from the third of the chamber. This chamber is said to have been used during the 13th century to store the sharp bamboo stakes that Vietnamese folk hero and war general, Tran Hung Dao, planted in the bed of the Bach Dang River to impale Mongolian general Kublai Khan's invasion fleet. Its the closest cave site to the mainland. Part of the same system, a nearby cave Hang Thien Cung has "cauliflower" limestone growths as well as stalactites and stalagmites.

Hang Thien Cung (Thien Cung Cave): is situated on the south-west side the bay, 4 km from the wharf outside of Halong City. The way to Thien Cung is a perilous one, covered on both sides by thick forest. After entering a narrow gate, the grotto’s 130-meter-long girth opens up. Getting in we are astonished by the very animated and splendid beauty which is made from stalactite. On the east wall of the grotto, there is a grandiose and imposing picture with characters of heroic tales.

Going out of the Thien Cung Grotto, we have a sensation of just having seen a unique, meticulous, interesting fine-art museum which is made by nature, but the pictures are made out of the imagination, ability and intellect of man.