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  • Ha Long Bay, an unreal world of towering limestone cliffs trapped in emerald water 

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    Saturday January 7, 10.55 local time, Sorrento Village, Vietnam.  The palm trees bend under the force of the gusts of wind, and the sea begins to flood, once again, the lagoon that we transform into a playground for kitesurfing. 

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    In search of clams, crayfish, snails

    A torrential rain of several minutes lifted the scent of vegetation awakened to life in the air. Although we are not in the rainy season, the sun stubbornly hides in the clouds.

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    www.funkytravel.ro

    I look at the 3 children happily playing on the beach with a school kite and realize that they will discover the true meaning of life much faster than we did

    The morning sounds of the "made in Romania" trio broke the oppressive silence in the car

    Last day of Hanoi was dedicated to a trip to Ha Long Bay. Hạ Long Bay, located in northeastern Vietnam, is known for its emerald waters and thousands of towering limestone islands covered in rainforest.

    Ha Long Bay
    Aerial view of Ha Long Bay, source- vietnam.com

    This time, I traveled aboard a business minibus ($96/person). A couple from New York and another from Germany were our travel partners. The morning sounds of the trio made in Romania, broke the oppressive silence in the car. 

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    Me, Loredana and Calin

    Initially, the lady from New York seemed unable to fit into the group. The truth that we were taken over by a business "carriage" from a hotel  terrible, and her from the Sofitel. When she noticed that we were not impressed by her outfit and sour grimaces, she relaxed and even ate with us with her hands and not with cutlery.

    "Go outside kid with messy hair and laugh in the sun, only the weather will straighten it"

    Said Nică's mother from Amintiri din Copilărie, by Ion Creangă. So do we! I don't know what beans we hit or what was written on our coffee grounds, but we managed to trick the rain on all the trips. Right when we reached the limestone rocks, raised, as if by a miracle, in the middle of the sea, the sun decided to make its presence. 

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    The emerald water reflected the sun's rays right onto the tropical vegetation covering the rocks. I understand now why the producers of the movie "Kong: Skull Island" chose this place to shoot the most spectacular moments.

    Halong translates as the place "where the dragon descends into the sea" and is a mystical destination rooted in Vietnamese folklore. Legend has it that the Jade Emperor summoned a family of dragons from the heavens to ward off an impending invasion. The mystical animals caused a shower of thousands of emerald gems right into the bay and over 1.900 majestic limestone cliffs were thus formed. 

    Ha Long Bay is also the former home of floating fishing villages.

    Ha Long Bay

    The guide explained to us that the Vietnamese who lived in these floating settlements were resettled on land. The decision came in the wake of devastating storms that left dozens dead in these communities. Nowadays, former fishermen have turned into boat drivers for tourists. 

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    www.funkytravel.ro

    The journey through Ha Long Bay continued through a natural cave in the heart of a cliff. 

    The end of the day caught us on board the boat that was our home for a few hours. Before entering the tourist port, the sun wanted  to perform again. The sky and the sea were flooded with an orange light that will make the experience of Ha Long Bay hard to forget. 

    apus
    Sunset at Ha Long Bay

    You can find our adventures in Vietnam HERE. 

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    Adrian Gorpin

    I have been working in the media for more than 20 years. I started at TV Neptun, and for 18 years I worked at Pro TV. Every year, I try to see what good things have been done on the coast, what needs to be corrected and if there are models that we can follow. Funkytravel.ro is a digital "book" where you will discover analyzes about tourism, interviews with people who work in this industry, accommodation tips, but also some of the adventures we have experienced