After a few days wait, the promised sunshine has arrived, along with reduced winds, and so off we go on our cruise around Lan Ha Bay.

Our tour guide picked us up in town at 8.30am and we were at the port with a group of 25 other tourists and locals for a day on the water.

After departing the harbour and making our way to the straits of Cat Dua Island, also known as Monkey Island, the waters started to become choppy. The captain then announced we would be taking an alternative route keeping within the bay and avoiding the open seas…..!!

As we motored along the bay, with the many smaller islands acting as a buffer to the open rougher seas, the waters remained flat and calm much to Michelle’s relief.

The views across the bay and islands are reminiscent of Ninh Binh and Ha Lan Bay, with steep small cliff islands jutting out of the water, appearing so other worldly.

After cruising for an hour or so, manoeuvring between inlets, we came to the largest section of Lan Ha Bay, where we stopped and prepared ourselves for some kayaking.

With ever improving skies and a host of stunning little beaches to explore, we were quickly into our swimmers and ready for some adventure.

We are so excited to be doing this cruise and kayaking, given how unsettled the weather in Cat Ba has been for the last few days.

We had a brief team chat about where we were heading in the kayaks, and then we were off into the bay.

This was the first time that we had been in a kayak together, however this didn’t hold us back and Michelle was soon proclaiming herself as a natural!

We paddled across one of the main bays to a small beach, where pre Covid there had been a small resort. It’s since been demolished and the authorities are restricting developments to preserve the areas beauty and the coral reefs that exist in the bays.

Post kayaking we were soon treated to a pleasant Vietnamese lunch of rice, chicken, potatoes and fish. It’s truly amazing what they are able to rustle up on these small boats and how healthy the food is.

Post lunch we stopped in a small inlet and it was soon time for a swim and a spot of diving off the boat’s upper deck.

Watching some of the younger and more daring guests on the boat, Andy started to work up the courage to follow and was soon jumping in, although with less aerodynamic dives!

The afternoon was a relaxing affair and we enjoyed a slow tour of the inlets and bays around Cat Bai Island, avoiding the more exposed and choppy waters around Bo Hon Island, in the lower reaches of Ha Long bay. It’s a shame we didn’t get to see this part, however after hearing the stories about the boat nearly sinking two days before we were pleased about the decision!

With more time to spare, we settled into some sun bathing on the top of the boat and chatted to some of the other guests on the boat, who were mainly Europeans from Spain, Italy and France.

Getting out on the cruise was a fitting way to spend our last full day in Cat Ba and as the day came to a close we made the most of the scenery and grabbed a few more pictures.

Towards the end of the cruise we passed a floating fishing village, one of the largest and dating back over 50yrs.

It’s incredible to witness how the people on these floating islands live and work in such constrained environments, but seem happy and contented.

The sea of floating houses stretched all the way along one section of the coast and almost back to the port where we set off from.

Once back on land, we were soon on a coach and returned to our hotel, where we relaxed on the beach and enjoyed the hotel pool on the final night of our stay.

Tomorrow we are getting picked up by coach and head back up the island to the car ferry, before a two hour drive to Hanoi.

We then have 5 days in the city, to explore the old French Quarter along with a day trip to Mai Chou. It’s then time to say goodbye to Vietnam and start the next part of our tour in Beijing, China on the 10th August.