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photographie-irie > Grottos and More Grottos, Halong Bay, Vietnam      Pop through a long underground tunnel onto the other side to find classic junks plying the waters of the bay. Certain areas get the most traffic and can become quite congested, especially for overnights on the junks in popular coves. Knowing this in advance should help you plan to avoid the common fare as much as possible. Unless you drive the process, the elaborate Halong Bay tour system tends to move you along as just another part of the lemming herd.
photographie-irie > River Scene, Vangvieng, Laos           Vangvieng is a small, beautiful, and restful river outpost about 150 km north of Vientiane. It's a big hit on the backpacker route, especially for adventure sports like beer tubing, rafting, kayaking, caving, hiking, climbing, hill-tribe trekking and mountain biking. Alternate, or perhaps more principal pastimes include sipping a Beer Lao and watching the world go by. Or perhaps trying one of those funny exotic milk shakes. Whatever you do, the karst scenery with rich, green backdrop everywhere is sublime, and there is absolutely no rush in anything.  A  n  y  t  h  i  n  g.  Leaving can be difficult as legs spout roots. One of the finest things to bring here is a nice hammock. The elevation and swinging motion may effectively inhibit extensive root development. Side effects may include complete distortion of the time space continuum.
photographie-irie > Junk Cove, Halong Bay, Vietnam       Certain attractions such as a hike to caves, or a visit to floating villages, or popular beaches attract quite a bit of traffic. Other than nighly generator noise, though, the boats are generally most attractive and add to the whole exotic experience. Most junks are actually diesel powered, with sails just up for show, many with none at all. Only a few boats authentically sail these waters.
photographie-irie > Grottos and More Grottos, Halong Bay, Vietnam      I had the good fortune of a single kayak and my own private junk with my own local guide for a day to explore Halong Bay, given that noone else on the three day trip chose the kayak option. In most cases they try to pair you up in double kayaks, but if you can be on your own, do so and extend the envelope from that of a normal limited tourist base experience. My guide was most amenable to venturing well away from standard stuff, and letting me off on my own as long as we knew where to rendezvous. The local guide is handy, though, for quickly taking you to hidden grottos accessbile only through isolated tunnels underneath the massive rock formations.
photographie-irie > Eroding Karst, Halong Bay, Vietnam       The eroding bases of the limstone karsts and coastline makes for intriguing places to explore nature's sculpture. From a kayak you can get intimate with towering rock formations literally overhead as you cruise along shore and close to offshore towers.
photographie-irie > Cruising the Junk, Halong Bay, Vietnam      I took a semi deluxe three day two night affair packaged from Hanoi so as to have the most time on the water kayaking (the second full day), and a deluxe overview cruise in the fancy junk with a bunch of fine partying people. The food and service were superb as you relax wandering among the maze of eroding limestone karsts.
photographie-irie > Vertical Karst, Halong Bay, Vietnam       Karst strewn Halong Bay is one of the consumate destinations for people visiting Vietnam, and for good reason. Dramatic scenery in a beautiful natural setting. Junks lined up to take your small fare for a few days on the bay, kayaking, beaching it, and generally lounging as the world goes by. A wide range of quality is available, as the huge number of operators keeps things cheap at the lower end. Upper end deluxe is there too, though. Only few hours from Hanoi, I strongly advise watching weather patterns from there and then striking when the weather is promising. Make your trip on short notice on that basis, as I've heard it can be dissapointing to be rained on for your two or three days there. Most trips are easily arranged in Hanoi, but if you have the time and inclination, heading toward the bay and arranging your own junk with a group of your own making can be the best. Better yet, the kayaking is sublime if you are expedition oriented. and decent kayaks are for hire.
photographie-irie > Karst Landscape, Ninh Binh, Vietnam      A short distance south of Hanoi lies Ninh Binh and Cuc Phuong National Park. One of the most popular natural destinations in Vietnam. It's attraction is the karst landscape familiar in Halong Bay but here in landlocked setting. Because of it's popularity it was one of our least favorite spots when exposed to the Disneyland ride atmosphere of boat trips everyone takes into the karst strewn park. But when we got away from the hubub, just minutes off the tourist paths, we discovered a local Vietnam that endeared us as much as any place visited. The town of Ninh Binh proper, however, is still less than our favorite place for a strange factory town feel.
photographie-irie > Tiger Cave Temple (Wat Tham Seua) 1, Thailand Atop the 1237 step climb at Tiger Cave Temple is a giant Buddha shrine with a series of smaller Buddhas like this. Just south of Krabi, beautiful sunsets highlight multiple shades of karst silhouettes receding into the horizon. Colorful monks share the area at the base of the climb with a troop of Macaques who also call this home. Wat Tham Seua is a peaceful retreat and good workout, with multiple waterfall and hot spring destinations a bit further down the road in this short ride out of Krabi. Great motorbike rides all.
Grottos and More Grottos, Halong Bay, Vietnam     

Pop through a long underground tunnel onto the other side to find classic junks plying the waters of the bay. Certain areas get the most traffic and can become quite congested, especially for overnights on the junks in popular coves. Knowing this in advance should help you plan to avoid the common fare as much as possible. Unless you drive the process, the elaborate Halong Bay tour system tends to move you along as just another part of the lemming herd.
photographie-irie > Grottos and More Grottos, Halong Bay, Vietnam      Pop through a long underground tunnel onto the other side to find classic junks plying the waters of the bay. Certain areas get the most traffic and can become quite congested, especially for overnights on the junks in popular coves. Knowing this in advance should help you plan to avoid the common fare as much as possible. Unless you drive the process, the elaborate Halong Bay tour system tends to move you along as just another part of the lemming herd.
Grottos and More Grottos, Halong Bay, Vietnam     

Pop through a long underground tunnel onto the other side to find classic junks plying the waters of the bay. Certain areas get the most traffic and can become quite congested, especially for overnights on the junks in popular coves. Knowing this in advance should help you plan to avoid the common fare as much as possible. Unless you drive the process, the elaborate Halong Bay tour system tends to move you along as just another part of the lemming herd.
See photo in original gallery.
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