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Huong Hai Junk - Discover Ha Long Bay

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Refreshed by the swim, I climb 300 stairs to a lookout point, which offers stunning views of the bay and the setting sun. Half of the sky burns a vibrant orange, while the water has turned a shimmering turquoise, cut by currents, which shine with all the colors of the rainbow. When the sky has faded to deep violet I return to the junk, enticed by the lights and the smell of dinner.

The captain now turns the Huong Hai towards Bai Tu Long Bay and hoists the sails. After a day of swimming and exploring, everyone is hungry. We feast on fresh seafood, trying to restrain ourselves, as the captain tells us that another late night meal will be prepared from what we catch later tonight.

After dinner, the junk anchors somewhere near Cat Ba Hai Phong. At about nine p.m., we don life jackets and board small bamboo rowboats. It is very dark. Leaning back I can see stars scattered across the sky, and the dim outlines of islands. The rowers work quietly and smoothly, moving the boats as if along a path cleared for them by the men holding the flashlights.

The water is so clear that the beam of the flashlights seem to reach the seabed. We hold small nets, poised and waiting. A school of small fish appears. "They are too small to catch,� says the guide. Now some larger fish and eels appear, attracted by the bright lights. With a flick of the net, I catch a squirming fish. We all cheer.

Soon after, we glide towards Doi (Bat) Cave. Keeping our heads low to avoid the stalactites, we are so dazzled by the flashlights that it takes some moments for someone to see the small red patches on the rocks below. "Sea crabs!" someone yells. "Grab them!" I target a clever crab, which scurries into a crevice and escapes. Other crabs aren't so lucky, and find themselves tangled in our nets.

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