The romantic story is that the limestone mountain islands in Ha Long Bay were created by dragons to deter invaders from the north. Whatever. We had a bottle of Sav Blanc and a long Vietnamese lunch of pumpkin soup, prawns in tamarind sauce and claypot fish as we cruised through the calm and misty waters. We've seen some views here in Asia - but this must be the best-ever spot for lunch. Or as they would say in Wales: 'it's nice to be out for an hour'. Jenks managed to resist the comparisons with St Davids, but was delighted that our Vietnamese guide was called Dai. 'There's lovely'.
We stayed overnight on the IndoChina Sails junk - one of an armada that sails these waters. Could easily have spent more time there, so beautiful and so peaceful after the constant din of motorbikes and horns that is Hanoi. Sailed up to a couple of the several floating fishing villages in the bay --- and saw the first floating bank of my experience. A spot of kayaking and some swimming. All too short our time there.
