Vietnam is always on the move, from speeding scooters in its crowded cities to the gently cruising junks in Halong Bay. Follow our adventure by boat, bus and plane - and, if you're feeling brave, hop on a scooter taxi, too.
From the island-studded seas of the north to the meandering waterways of the south, Vietnam is defined by the diversity of its land and the resilience and generosity of its people.
Halong Bay - Best for coast
Halong City is roughly a three-hour drive east of Hanoi by bus along Highway 18. From here, cruises for Halong Bay depart from Bai Chay.
Once, a friendly dragon lived in the heavens above Halong Bay. With invaders from the seas threatening Vietnam, the gods asked the dragon to create a natural barrier to protect its people.
The dragon kindly obliged, performing a spectacular crash-landing along the coast, digging up chunks of rock with its flailing tail and spitting out pearls before grinding to a halt.
This scene of devastation is now known as Halong Bay (Halong translates as "where the dragon descends into the sea"). Less exciting explanations of this landscape involve aeons of erosion by winds and waves but no one disputes the splendour of the end result.
Rising from the shallows of the Gulf of Tonkin are thousands of limestone islands - towering monoliths lined up like dominos, some teetering at worrying angles.
"In Vietnamese culture, dragons are the protectors of people," explains Vo Tan, a guide who has been bringing people to Halong Bay for two decades. "I once saw a picture of Halong Bay taken from above, and it even looked a bit like a dragon."Sailing into Halong Bay, it's easy to understand the hallucinatory effect these strange shapes can have. The islands' names are testament to the overactive imaginations of sailors who've spent too long at sea - Fighting Cock Island, Finger Island, Virgin Grotto (which is said to contain a rock in the shape of a beautiful woman).
Having largely resisted human settlement, the islands have become home to other creatures. From above, sea eagles swoop down to pluck fish from the waters, carrying their prey, still flapping, high into the air, squawking congratulations to each other.
Below, countless jellyfish drift in the hollows beneath the cliffs.
A local legend tells of another, more sinister creature lurking in the waters of Halong Bay. A gigantic sea snake and close cousin of the Loch Ness Monster, the Tarasque was seen on three occasions by 19th-century French sailors, with sightings sporadically reported in Vietnam's tabloids since.
I ask Tan who would win in a battle between the Tarasque and Halong Bay's famous dragon.
"Of course the dragon would win," he grins. "In Vietnamese stories, the good guys are never allowed to lose."
-- Where to stay and eat
Most visitors to Halong Bay arrive as part of an organised tour sailing from Halong City. Bien Ngoc offers a spectrum of day trips and overnight tours, with many itineraries including Titop, an island with outstanding views of the bay.
Having largely resisted human settlement, the islands have become home to other creatures. From above, sea eagles swoop down to pluck fish from the waters, carrying their prey, still flapping, high into the air, squawking congratulations to each other.
Below, countless jellyfish drift in the hollows beneath the cliffs.
A local legend tells of another, more sinister creature lurking in the waters of Halong Bay. A gigantic sea snake and close cousin of the Loch Ness Monster, the Tarasque was seen on three occasions by 19th-century French sailors, with sightings sporadically reported in Vietnam's tabloids since.
I ask Tan who would win in a battle between the Tarasque and Halong Bay's famous dragon.
"Of course the dragon would win," he grins. "In Vietnamese stories, the good guys are never allowed to lose."
-- Where to stay and eat
Most visitors to Halong Bay arrive as part of an organised tour sailing from Halong City. Bien Ngoc offers a spectrum of day trips and overnight tours, with many itineraries including Titop, an island with outstanding views of the bay.
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