Vietnam - Hanoi & Halong Bay
Re: Vietnam - Hanoi & Halong Bay
Part 5 - Dao Soi Sim Beach & Cookery Demonstration
Dao Soi Sim Beach
We deliberately left our cabin too late to participate in the Tai Chi, only to find that we were the first ones up. The Tai Chi instructor was very keen to teach us, but we managed to persuade him otherwise. Nobody else surfaced until breakfast time.
As we enjoyed a really hearty breakfast, V Spirit set sail for Dao Soi Sim Beach. There are no natural beaches in Halong Bay, and this was one of several man made beaches. ETA at the beach was 08:30. Surely madness going to the beach at 08:30 when it’s warm, but when the temperature is in single figures………………..
The main attraction of this beach is that you can climb to the top of the hill behind to get a 360 degree view of the bay. However, there was a heavy mist, with very poor visibility. I climbed about two thirds of the way to the top before I decided that continuing would be pointless. I was so far ahead of the rest of the group that they didn’t realise I’d not been all of the way to the top as I passed them on the way down.
One strange thing about the climb was a cage with a dozen monkeys inside half way up the hill. I couldn’t understand the reasoning behind this.
After this activity, it was just the long cruise back to port, which included a Vietnamese cooking demonstration.
Vietnamese Cooking Demonstration
This started with V Spirit’s chef demonstrating fruit and vegetable carving. He was a bit of a devil with his knife.
Next was how to make Vietnamese Spring Rolls. Well, my wife could be a Spring Roll world champion, so when asked for a volunteer (expected to fail) she took 2 steps forward – she is truly the master.
This was followed by yet another monster lunch before the journey back to Hanoi.
Tomorrows installment: Back to Hanoi and Tran Quoc Pagoda
Dao Soi Sim Beach
We deliberately left our cabin too late to participate in the Tai Chi, only to find that we were the first ones up. The Tai Chi instructor was very keen to teach us, but we managed to persuade him otherwise. Nobody else surfaced until breakfast time.
As we enjoyed a really hearty breakfast, V Spirit set sail for Dao Soi Sim Beach. There are no natural beaches in Halong Bay, and this was one of several man made beaches. ETA at the beach was 08:30. Surely madness going to the beach at 08:30 when it’s warm, but when the temperature is in single figures………………..
The main attraction of this beach is that you can climb to the top of the hill behind to get a 360 degree view of the bay. However, there was a heavy mist, with very poor visibility. I climbed about two thirds of the way to the top before I decided that continuing would be pointless. I was so far ahead of the rest of the group that they didn’t realise I’d not been all of the way to the top as I passed them on the way down.
One strange thing about the climb was a cage with a dozen monkeys inside half way up the hill. I couldn’t understand the reasoning behind this.
After this activity, it was just the long cruise back to port, which included a Vietnamese cooking demonstration.
Vietnamese Cooking Demonstration
This started with V Spirit’s chef demonstrating fruit and vegetable carving. He was a bit of a devil with his knife.
Next was how to make Vietnamese Spring Rolls. Well, my wife could be a Spring Roll world champion, so when asked for a volunteer (expected to fail) she took 2 steps forward – she is truly the master.
This was followed by yet another monster lunch before the journey back to Hanoi.
Tomorrows installment: Back to Hanoi and Tran Quoc Pagoda
Championship Stoke City 3 - 0 Plymouth Argyle
Points 48; Position 20
Points 48; Position 20
Re: Vietnam - Hanoi & Halong Bay
The mist is a shame, that really is a stunning view from up there.
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
Re: Vietnam - Hanoi & Halong Bay
Yes, a 360 degree panoramic from the top. On a clear day, the best view in the bay.
Championship Stoke City 3 - 0 Plymouth Argyle
Points 48; Position 20
Points 48; Position 20
Re: Vietnam - Hanoi & Halong Bay
Too late Lomu! You're body is only running on pure muscle memory already.Must stop drinking so much Chang and maybe I'll retain some of those grey cells that are left.
My brain is like an Internet browser; 12 tabs are open and 5 of them are not responding, there's a GIF playing in an endless loop,... and where is that annoying music coming from?
Re: Vietnam - Hanoi & Halong Bay
Many opportunities to see less than industrialized nation quality combined with design giving low priority to the users in Vietnam. Seemed obvious to me this was because 'nam was once a poor communist country, then it evolved into a communist country with an economy that's part planned and part market driven.Big Boy wrote:Vietnamese roads are not the best, and obviously built in sections. For some reason, they don’t seem concerned with the way they join one section to another,
But I did get a kick out of finding the same waste can in EVERY place I stayed.
Re: Vietnam - Hanoi & Halong Bay
I think that's the location they use when making official photos of the bay. Bamboo Grove had/has an avatar photo that may have been taken from there I think? Petebuksida wrote:The mist is a shame, that really is a stunning view from up there.
Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Source
Re: Vietnam - Hanoi & Halong Bay
Here's what it looks like without the mist:
Full set shot in October: http://ontheroadasia.com/halong-bay.php
Sorry for the hijack BB, back to your TR ...
Full set shot in October: http://ontheroadasia.com/halong-bay.php
Sorry for the hijack BB, back to your TR ...
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
Re: Vietnam - Hanoi & Halong Bay
Quite OK. It just doesn't seem to have the same atmosphere without the mistbuksida wrote:Sorry for the hijack BB, back to your TR ...
Championship Stoke City 3 - 0 Plymouth Argyle
Points 48; Position 20
Points 48; Position 20
Re: Vietnam - Hanoi & Halong Bay
I've just compared my misty photo with your crystal clear photo. We seem to capture the same islands, but from a completely different angle (irrespective of the fact I only went 2/3 of the way up). Did you use the Dao Soi Sim Beach viewpoint or a similar one?
Championship Stoke City 3 - 0 Plymouth Argyle
Points 48; Position 20
Points 48; Position 20
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Re: Vietnam - Hanoi & Halong Bay
Thanks for the trip report BB. Makes for a good read.
Re: Vietnam - Hanoi & Halong Bay
There's another 4 days worth to go yet
Championship Stoke City 3 - 0 Plymouth Argyle
Points 48; Position 20
Points 48; Position 20
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- Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2007 2:00 pm
Re: Vietnam - Hanoi & Halong Bay
Keep it coming...!
Re: Vietnam - Hanoi & Halong Bay
I cant remember the name of the beach, but it was quite small with a cordoned off area for tourists, the view is from right at the top; here is another angle.
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
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Re: Vietnam - Hanoi & Halong Bay
My photo is from the cave.Bamboo Grove had/has an avatar photo that may have been taken from there I think? Pete
Back in Bamboo Grove
http://bamboogrovestories.blogspot.com/
http://bamboogrovestories.blogspot.com/
Re: Vietnam - Hanoi & Halong Bay
As a Yorkshireman, I wonder if you could include costs for the trip, particularly the boat trip? Loving the TR, it makes me feel I have got a bit lazy just enjoying HH and not having to go to work every day.
Enjoying 'Retirement'....So many jobs to do, I don't know how I ever had time to work!