The gushing and murmurs of fellow travellers on our minibus interrupted my sleep.

Late night revelry and a rather early morning start from Vietnam’s capital, Hanoi, had got the better of me: I had slept my way through the threehour drive to Ha Long City, located in the country&’s northeastern Gulf of Tonkin.

Feeling slightly left out, I peeped out the window to partake of the excitement. As we descended the slope to the jetty, a different world seemed to unravel.

Thousands of rock formations clad in dense carpet of green shot up into the sky from mesmerising emerald waters: Ha Long Bay had extended to us an impressive welcome, indeed. Ha Long  eaning "descending dragon"  is a name inspired by the Vietnamese legend of The Jade Emperor, who sent Mother Dragon and her children to protect the country from invaders.

These dragons spewed fire and emerald to form a barricade during ancient wars.

Over a period spanning thousands of years, this wall transformed itself into the bay’s current topography, comprising 1,600 limestone karsts. Being amid the karsts  as I was to find out during my visit  is just as surreal as the story of their origin.

MAGICAL LAND

I’d signed up for a two-day trip aboard one of the many cruises  that have replaced almost all the traditional wooden junk boats  operating in the bay. There&’s a cruise for every kind of budget along with options for one-, two- and three-day excursions. Our affable guide, Tom, welcomed us and listed the itinerary that focuses on providing guests with a peek into the bay’s culture and way of life. After a delectable lunch comprising freshly-caught clams, fish and squid, I settled on a reclining chair on the upper deck and soaked in the view. As we navigated the waters, I repeatedly asked myself, "Am I really here? Does this place really exist?" It’s a question repeatedly asked by visitors, and rightly so. The air was nippy and adding to the mysticism of the place was fog from the previous day’s rain, which had enveloped the karsts’ peaks, giving them a celestial aura. My mind had wandered off into the land of fantastical dragons and warriors battling atop peaks smothered in fluffy clouds when Tom came to say that we were heading to our first stop: the amazing cave. Now, to say that this is a large cave would be undermining its actual size. Further, to say that this visit was amusing would be an understatement. Here&’s why: Tom spent an hour in the cave pointing out formations of Lady Gaga, Mother Mary and baby Jesus, Mufasa and Tom Cruise in its various limestone stalactites and stalagmites! My eyes only saw Mufasa, though. Perhaps I’m too much of a Lion King fan!

MUNDANE LIFE

On our way back to the cruise, I spotted what seemed to be a conical Vietnamese hat bobbing in the distance. In a few minutes, I realised that it was actually a fisherwoman who was rowing in our direction. My mind meandered toward her  what must her life be like? Do her daily chores seem special in this extraordinary setting? Has she ever encountered a dragon deftly swimming through the jade waters of the bay? How does she deal with so much natural beauty, all at once? Where was she going on her little boat, all by herself ? How mundane must our existence be compared to hers in this glorious backdrop! Back on board, we learnt the nuances of Vietnamese cooking from the cruise’s head chef. The menu included prawn spring rolls, which we washed down with the local brew, Bia Ha Noi. This was followed by a delightful dinner with fellow travellers from Australia and Germany. Among the wonders of travel are the amazing people you meet, and this trip was no different! We had docked in the Cong Do area for the night, where we indulged in night squid fishing. How easy it is to eat a squid but so tough to catch one! After 45 minutes of trying every rule in the fishing book, I called it a night.

HERITAGE SITE

The next morning, after a spectacular sunrise and refreshing Tai Chi class, we grabbed our oars and headed out to kayak through lagoons and caves. Up close and personal with these looming structures, it becomes obvious why the bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There is an unfathomable feeling of oneness with its natural ecosystem, an unspeakable feeling when under the shade of its lagoons. For a couple of minutes, we lost our group and the idea of being stranded on a kayak amid gigantic karsts did seem a little eerie! Fortunately, the everfaithful Tom came back to find us!

FLOATING VILLAGE

Also on our agenda was the Vung Vieng fishing village replete with floating homes, a school and community centre! Tourist influx and other commercial influences have depleted fish species considerably, forcing fishermen to harvest pearl and work in the tourism industry instead. En route to the harbour, I decided that I wasn’t going to waste another second. I returned to my favourite spot on the cruise, the upper deck, and simply stared at the magnificence around me. The weather was colder and the mist had thickened, further adding to a romantic environment. That&’s when I thought again about the lone fisherwoman what pressing call of duty would make her brave the choppy waters and fierce winds on a chilly morning such as this? Whatever it is  I could only hope she found her destination  armed with her conical hat for company.

FAST FACTS:

An overload of tourist companies in the bay lead to confusion, here are a few recommendations to avoid the clutter:

Cruises: Oriental Sails (budget), Calypso Cruiser (mid), Starlight cruiser (luxury), Pelican Cruiser (luxury)

Places to see: Cat Ba National Park, located on Cat Ba island in the bay is good for treks, Thien Cung Cave, Bai Dai Beach and Ngoc Vung island for great seafood and biking trails.

If you do decide to explore Halong City, visit its casinos and karaoke bars.

Hotel options: The Novotel Ha Long Bay and Royal Lotus Hotel Ha Long for great service.