Vietnam's Bay of Dragons

Magnificent Ha Long Bay, with its 3,000 plus islands, covers an area close to 1,500 square kilometers. Detailed maps of the bay are available only to the military, so makeshift sketches from local fishermen and the odd tourist map were all we had to go on. Wanting to travel freely without the military or police breathing down our necks, we decided to hire a boat and crew to take us out and drop us off. What we had in mind wasn’t exactly legal, so we did our best to keep a low profile while searching for a captain.

The romantic junks that inhabit the bay are the only means of travel in the area. On a calm day, they are so slow that they appear to be hardly moving. After a six-hour boat trip, we were dropped off about 30 kilometers from Ha Long city. Surrounded by huge limestone towers and sparse foliage, we inflated our kayaks and dropped them overboard. Packing our gear into the kayaks provided entertainment for the crew. They got a good laugh at our expense as we tried to explain with hand gestures and drawings that they should return for us in a few days. We wanted to do a trial run for five days and see how it went, then be picked up and return to town to stock up on supplies. Loaded down with gear, the four of us paddled off in two 14-foot inflatable kayaks. It felt strange and ludicrous to be floating in the middle of nowhere as we watched our escort motor out of sight. Months of preparation had brought us to this point, and it was worth every headache. Knowing that no one had ever paddled here before was overwhelming.

It became apparent immediately how important it was to keep our bearings. We had no navigational charts, only a compass and common sense. The bay is a maze of islands split by narrow passages that lead in every direction.

With Matt and Annie at our side, Janet and I paddled from one island to the next, searching for the perfect rock wall. We had just begun our expedition when we came upon a beautiful arch penetrating through a rock face. We had to climb it. Three-foot rollers crashed against the cliff face, the kayaks flowed with each wave, but getting onto the rock without being crushed against it was going to take some fancy paddling.