..30.. halong bay

just got back from a great 3-day boat trip in halong bay, 4 hours outside of hanoi. halong bay is filled with karst formations, which are huge blocks of limestone worn away in unlikely shapes by water rushing by them. we sailed around the bay in this nice old wooden boat, looked at some caves inside the karst islands, went kayaking and swimming, had meals on and slept on the boat. next we went to cat ba island and national park, which is the only inhabited island in halong bay. here we did a strenuous hike to the top of a small mountain, followed by a leisurely walk (right on the side of a cliff!) to the beach.