On Vietnam's northern coast lies one of its biggest attractions, a UNESCO World Heritage site and a favourite backdrop for film producers. Halong Bay is famous for the thousands of limestone pillars and islands that jut from the sea, their sheer sides and cliffs rising 100’s of feet into the air, topped with lush vegetation that hangs down like a mop of hair.
The best way to explore is by boat, this time in the sea-going junks that base themselves in Halong City. Trips of either one, two or three nights are the most popular on offer, cruising round this unique landscape and stopping to visit hidden cave systems, floating villages of the indigenous fisherman and hidden temples. The junks, in a similar system to hotels, are categorised and vary from tourist class to luxury.