Our second day cruising in Halong Bay started early with a’tranquil’ Tai Chi session that Derik joined on the sundeck of the ship. To be honest, as I observed the session with taking pictures, I felt like the Tai Chi Master may have been making up more than half the moves. It was still fun enjoying the quiet, foggy morning with a cup of thick-as-tar coffee in hand. No joke about the coffee-that stuff was cruel.
After Tai Chi, the cruise continued with our next tour destination in the horizon:Surprise Cave. The sights along the way were as beautiful as ever. We even sailed by a floating village.
This guy was selling snack items and water to tourists and locals for the hike into the cave.
On the way out, we met a feisty little monkey who was stealing food from the locals.
We headed back to the harbor after 45 minutes of exploring the cave. We had a great time, but were ready to get to the warm and sunny Phu Quoc!
We finished the tour at 12:00pm, had a 4 hour bus ride to Hanoi, then hopped on a plane at 6:00pm bound for Ho Chi Minh.
<<Side note>> If you have ever thought about taking a tour of Halong Bay, I’d highly recommend Indochina Sails. It’s a 5 star luxury cruise, with great food, great staff, and a personal visit from Jack, the owner of the company.
We stayed at the same hotel as the first night we came to Ho Chi Minh on a layover. Cheap prices ($25 a night), a clean bed, and breakfast. They also have amazing room service. $15 dollars for two whole tables full of food? Heck yes. We had huge plates of chicken and beef, as well as plenty of side dishes.
We finished the night playing a few card games. With our bellies full and our hearts content, we looked forward to leaving for Phu Quoc in the AM.