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A
fter an early breakfast in Ha-
noi’s Old Quarter, I set off east
by car to escape the bustling
capital. Halong Bay has been
recognised as a World Natural Heritage
Site by UNESCO and offers good climb-
ing, snorkeling, diving, kayaking and
various water sports, though most tour-
ists choose to simply cruise around on a
boat. The bay is now also an attractive
destination for meetings, incentives,
conferences and exhibitions.
We boarded a luxurious white Ha-
long junk which set off, meandering
through the beautiful islets with a cool
breeze and sunshine. After a lunch fit
for a Roman Emperor, all eyes settled
on the peaceful coves and limestone
islets, where blue waters wash upon
white-sand beaches.
The junk lowered anchor by Bo Hon
Island where Sung Sot (Surprise) cave
can be found. The surprise inside the
10,000sqm-cave is the innumerable
amount of stalactites and stalagmites;
the interior is as large and imposing as
a palace.
Our next stop was Ti Top Island
which was named after the Russian
astronaut, Ghermann Titov, who vis-
QUANG NINH IN FOCUS
Duc Hanh
seeks out the secluded
spots Halong Bay has to offer for swim-
ming, kayaking, climbing, partying and
even holding meetings
LUXURY
AND
combin