halong bay and ninh binh!

So a few days ago, I spent a night on a boat in the middle of Halong Bay, notable for 3000+ limestone "islands." It was amazing! I think I've determined that I like Vietnam the most when I'm away from the big cities. The landscapes are beautiful and peaceful, while the cities are noisy and in your face. I went kayaking and swimming in Halong Bay (the water is really warm!).


So these last 4 pictures are actually from Ninh Binh, which is the inland version of Halong Bay, and I like it much more (probably because it is much less commercialized (for now). There are limestone islands shooting out of rice paddies rather than water. So on the left, was Tam Coc, where we sat on a little boat and got rowed around for 2 hrs - awesome. It was also the second time in Vietnam where a mother has offered to marry off her daughter (since I look Vietnamese enough, and presumably have money - yes, she was pretty!). For the day, i sat on a motorcycle (and it was really safe - i wore a helmet, the driver drove slowly, and there was very little traffic). It was great just looking around at the views!

After climbing a bunch of steps (~500 steps) here was the view at the top - breathtaking!

Now, i'm really excited about meeting up with my dad in Hanoi tomorrow. I'll take him to Halong Bay again, and we'll start working our way south! Then off to Cambodia where he grew up! Lots to be excited about!