To escape from the summer heat of Hanoi, my friends and I decided to take a trip to Cat Ba Island in weekend days. After 3 hours in bus, we arrived in Tuan Chau of Ha Long Bay. The first thought when setting foot there was that nothing was better than the sea in summer. The gentle sea breeze bringing the salty flavor dispelled all the summer heat. We caught a ferry leaving Tuan Chau Island to our destination, Cat Ba Island. A ferry in afternoon gave us an opportunity to contemplate the beauty of Ha Long Bay in brilliant sunshine.
Arriving in Cat Ba, we chose Hung Long hotel because the hotel had a nice view of the sea. After some times for relaxing, we went on a boat to Lan Ha Bay. During time on the boat, a chef instructed us to make some simple desserts. It was so interesting that I was happy although I could not make any dish. Lan Ha was a breath-taking bay with blue water, spotless white sand, and superb mountain ranges surrounding. We excitedly sailed kayaks, a kind of narrow boat with a double bladed paddle, to visit some small islands nearby.
After having fun with sailing and swimming, we moved to Monkey Island Cat Ba. And it was the first time I had experienced contemplating the sunset on the sea. What a spectacular scene! The sun was like a ball of fire, which was swallowed slowly by the darkness. The light glimmered over the horizon, and then it limped off. We had dinner on the deck of the boat. Almost all dishes were seafood. The flavor of seafood there was different from that of restaurants in cities we had eaten before. It was saltier but fresher. There were many kinds of seafood as well, from shrimp, crab, and jellyfish, to many fishes species I did not know their names. Enjoying seafood and watching the sunset would be an unforgettable memory in my life. The night on Cat Ba was quite bustling but after 11 pm, the island returned to its original calm. The coastal city fell asleep deeply among whispering waves.
In the next morning, the tour guide took us to visit Cat Ba National Park. The atmosphere there in the morning was extremely cool and fresh. We energetically climbed “Ngu Lam” peak. Getting to the peak, enjoying brisk wind blowing in my face and contemplating mountainous scenery were memorable experiences. On the way back to our hotel, we visited Cat Hai Island, also cycled round the foothill.
After three days travelling on Cat Ba Island and visiting Ha Long Bay, we bade farewell to the island. Finishing the trip, I definitely miss a land of strange-shaped mountains, clean blue sea and funny naughty monkeys. I will have a come back this beautiful island in future. For sure!