Even if people can’t find it in their hearts to fall in love with the traffic-clogged streets of Ho Chi Minh City or the cheap bowls of noodles found down the alleyways in Hanoi, most will concede that Halong Bay, Vietnam, really is quite beautiful.

Though the city of Halong Bay is rumored to be quite touristy, overgrown and unappealing, most people don’t visit the area for what’s on land. Rather, they flock to Halong Bay for the junket tours that float among the islands that dot the bay.

While traveling in Vietnam, I had the chance to tour the bay by junk. These pirate-looking ships generally hold anywhere from a single couple to half a dozen people, depending on the boat and tour operator. Some junks are known as party boats, taking visitors out for a quick, one-night visit into the bay waters. Others are designed for multi-day luxury cruises for honeymooning couples. I imagine the beds in the honeymoon suites are much more comfortable than the bunk-style sleeping quarters on party boats.

I sailed with Indochina Junk, which falls somewhere between the two. I was the seventh wheel, onboard with three other couples, a guide, half a dozen cooks / housekeepers / ship hands and a captain. We met in the dining room, greeted with a clearly outlined introduction that included details about our itinerary and information about meals.

Upon conclusion to our orientation, our guide, Ahn, clasped his hands in front of his waist and bowed several times, grinning. “Are you happy?” he asked. We all nodded. “Chris, are you happy?” A guy around my age nodded. “Jo, are you happy?” I nodded.

Finally, we were free to go our separate ways.

*****

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