A flight north, an overnight in Hanoi and a 3.5-hour drive, and we we're on the water again. This time in the Gulf of Tonkin. Halong Bay, near the border with China, is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and a bucket-list tourist draw. With limestone rock formations that rise tall out of the water, and clouds and mist that thread their way through, it has to be one of the most magical places on earth. All sorts of legend surround it, and it looks like a fantasy land. Colorful floating fishing villages dot the coves, and red Vietnamese flags with their single yellow star fly everywhere, contrasting with gray stone and skies. We kayaked, swam and hiked to caves before spending the night in a secluded inlet aboard a comfortable 12-cabin wooden boat of traditional oriental design. This is a very water-oriented country, and that makes it my kind of place!
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