Tung Sau Pearl Farm, Titop Island, Sunset over Halong Bay
(Day 1 of 2 onboard Paradise Elegance Cruise)
Today was an interesting arrangement. Over the next 2 days, my family will be going on a cruise along Halong Bay. So, we had the option to leave our luggage at the hotel since we were returning here (after a one-night stay on board the cruise), but my parents eventually felt it be best to bring it along, and so we did.
Our driver brought us to Tuan Chau Island where we checked in at Paradise Suites Hotel. We never stayed at that hotel. It was just a place for us to relax until it was time to board the ship. A cute little electric cart would later pick up passengers and transfer us (and our luggage) to the Paradise Elegance cruise.
Upon boarding the ship, we were led to the dining hall and given a welcome drink. To ensure the safety of all passengers, the captain (I forgot his name) gave a short briefing about the cruise itinerary and safety regulations.
Lunch soon followed at Le Marin Restaurant as the ship passed by the beautiful islets of Halong Bay. We would dine at this rather elegant-looking restaurant for our next few meals.
We checked into our rooms and I was shocked at how big they were. The last time I was on a Royal Caribbean cruise, the room was miserably small. And I was just a little boy back then! Funny story, my mum would share a room with my sister while my grandma, dad, and I shared the other room. Reason? Because the three loudest snorest were banished to the same room!
Our tour package (from thelighttravel) included complimentary kayaking activity. I paired up with Mom on a double-seater kayak while my dad, grandma, and sister took a small boat with other cruise passengers. We ended up going to the same nearby islet where we saw wild monkeys in their natural habitat. Being in a kayak allowed me to go even closer to the monkeys who were playing on the branches by the side of the cliff.
Watch me kayak here: http://tinyurl.com/mrxnf536
Sometime later, we were back on the cruise ship and had time to wash up and rest before the cruise reached its next destination, which was Titop Island. This island is named after the Russian cosmonaut Gherman Stepanovich Titov. My sis and grandma stayed at the beach while I joined my parents to climb the stairs that lead up to the summit of this mini-mountain.
A word of caution to those with bad knees or traveling with elderly or young children. The steps are very steep and narrow. Factor in the huge crowd, I was afraid an elderly might slip and fall. Fortunately, nothing happened while I was there. At the summit, I enjoyed a 360-degree overview of Halong Bay.
Around sunset, I headed to the top floor (L'Odyssée Sundeck) and enjoyed a beautiful sunset over Halong Bay. After that, I went to the Piano Lounge to enjoy a live music performance by a Philippines band. Some passengers sang along and swayed to the music. Dinner was back at Le Marin Restaurant. We had 2 choices of Western-style fine dining dishes, one was lobster, and the other was beef. As I was feeling particularly hungry that evening, I chose both!
After dinner, I noticed some passengers gathered at the back of the boat. I realized that they were squid fishing and joined in. However, after an hour, I caught nothing. Defeated, I returned to my cabin to watch some movies with my parents. Nonetheless, quite an eventful day onboard cruise.
Chia Howie
14 December 2023
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