Cat Ba

Bus, Bus, Ferry, Bus. That was the route to the island of Cat Ba. Looking out into the brown dingy water lapping up against a ferry which we were to walk a narrow gangplank onto, I had some doubt about this National Park of an island. After travelling from the pollution drenched city of Hanoi with several students coughing nonstop as a result of the dismal air I boarded the ship with some trepidation. However my view was changed as we pulled up to the island. A group of climber aboard our ferry lauded me with tales of Karbi, a climbing destination I am headed to eventually. As we talked I looked up at rolling hills cover with thick dense Jungle. I've never been somewhere that I would say the FOLIAGE is thick. I can now. The greenery was occasionally broken up by limestone cliffs rising up and the coastline jutting in and out. The air was humid and cool and as our bus dropped us off we were bombarded with hotel offers. Luckily we were there in the off season and managed to find rooms in a nice place for a mere nine dollars a night.
The morning routine was accented by the bad, bad trance music our hotel owner played. We weren't sure if they liked it our thought that americans must love it. Our dancing during breakfast may have reiforced the latter thought. Our view was of a floating village, streets lined with trees and limestone islands and cliffs as far as the haziness allowed you to see. A morning run revealed more of the same as we dashed across deserted beaches along roads cut into the sides of cliffs. We played on the beach in comfortabel temps but not warm. The next day a Jungle trek began. A local guide wearing flip flops and cotton was juxapozed by large fit american sporting the latest in hiking shoes, quick dry tops and high performance gear. He took us up and down the rolling hills. Once you walked into the trees there was no sunlight until we would get to the tops of the paths and were gifted with tremedous views. Now usually pride myself on staying oriented while hiking and I can comfortably say after two hours of hiking I had no idea where we were or how to get out!
After the thick green sites the next day unfolded to bring us a boat tour unlike any I've been on before. Not one of the lakes in Michigan could get me ready for the scenery of Halong bay and the island of rock and jungle. The boat had a three man crew and bean bags on the top deck to lounge on as we passed floating houses where the locals kept fish they kept in mesh tanks and there houses floated on little more than big blue barrels strapped to four by fours. Dogs barked as we floated past bobbing suburbs with million dollar views and bare feet aboard. Sea Kayaks were picked up and we were soon able to drift along on our own power free to explore caves and glide under natural arches. We ate some guiy duck that was freshly caught and cooked aboard and that was only a start to the seafood we ate. Fried squid, fish grilled and brought out whole, and so much more filled us up nightly. A first class experience all for pennies compared to the rest of the world. Top notch climbing is on this island as well and it seems to be blowing up as word gets out. I'll be back someday on my own to experience more.