We departed Hanoi for Ha Long Bay in another luxe deluxe minivan. We are really starting to enjoy these. We booked a two day one night cruise inclusive of all meals which included an extensive and delicious selection of seafood. On our boat we cruised around the limestone karsts, amazed by how unique the bay was. We kayaked, swam, visited a pearl farm, fished for squid and visited the Sung Sot cave. I even got up at 6am to do a Tai chi class run by the captain of the boat. The 1553km2 area of Halong Bay is protected by UNESCO to ensure it is preserved.