"We Just Shouldn't Go" - Ha Long Bay

Pictured above: Traveling in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam before attempting to go to Ha Long Bay in July 2019

Have you ever had a trip go so disastrously wrong that you just bailed on it all together? I have...Ha Long Bay.

What is Ha Long Bay?

Ha Long Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and popular travel destination located near Hanoi, Vietnam. The bay features thousands of limestone karsts and isles in various shapes and sizes. The turquoise-queen water contributes to its breathtaking appearance, and it’s a frequented spot for tourists.

The Origins of My Ha Long Bay Trip

Our two-week trip to Vietnam was packed full. We planned to visit the following cities: Ho Chi Minh (Saigon), Hue, Hoi An, Hanoi, Sapa, and Ha Long Bay. The last week or so of our trip was based out of Hanoi where we could travel to do overnight trips in Sapa and Ha Long Bay. We visited Sapa first, and it was (no exaggeration) the most beautiful place I’ve ever visited in my entire life.

A shot from my gorgeous trip to Sapa in late July 2019

When we returned to Ha Long Bay, however, the weather turned ugly. As we traipsed across the city to our new, nicer hotel called the Dragon Pearl, we were uncertain about how the weather would impact our next few days. Then, as we sat in the lobby to check-in, we saw a soaked couple come in. They looked incredibly unhappy and were talking to the front desk about how their Ha Long Bay trip was canceled because of a typhoon. They said it was absolutely miserable, and everyone was getting seasick on the boat.

As we listened to this unfortunate saga, Caroline and I exchanged looks. Right before we had gone to Sapa, we had booked a trip to leave the next day on a trip to Halong Bay. The rain and wind were currently whipping against the windows of the lobby, and it didn’t sound like the weather was any better in Ha Long Bay. Although we hadn’t heard of anything getting canceled, it didn’t sound like any future trips to Ha Long Bay should be setting out.

That afternoon, we returned to the hostel we had previously stayed at and talked to the employee, Jenny, who we had booked our trip with. She was enthusiastic about the trip and encouraged us to go. She said that the weather was looking better and that trips were canceled with bad weather, so if it was going out, then it would be fine. She also said we didn’t have to pay until the morning of the trip, we could store our bags there, and we could come to eat breakfast for free. Quite the deal.

A bit hesitant but convinced, we left the hostel. We figured we had nothing to lose.

Abandoning Ha Long Bay

The next morning at 6:30 AM, we woke up to pounding rain. Although our hotel room didn’t have any windows (that’s a whole other story), we could hear the rain thundering down on the roof. It wasn’t an encouraging sign.

Nonetheless, we were supposed to get to the hostel at 7:15 for breakfast, and then we would be picked up shortly after. Caroline and I exchanged a few words. We were both thinking the same thing. “Really? The trip is still going out in this weather?”

Jenny had given me her WhatsApp number, and I sent her a message asking if the trip was still going in these conditions. She responded back quickly that the trip was still on. Caroline was slowly packing in the corner, still trying to wake up.

I stood there, not moving for several seconds.

“Caroline,” I said slowly. “Maybe we should just not.”

“What?” She replied. “Not what?”

“We just shouldn’t go,” I stated blankly. “There’s no way this trip is any fun. It’s apparently typhooning. It’s not like we’re even going to see the Ha Long Bay that everyone talks about. And it’s not like we’ve even paid for it.”

She looked back at me in the near darkness, “But what do we do instead?”

“I don’t know. Get back in bed and watch a movie? We have this hotel room for the next 6 hours. We might as well use it.”

Without any further discussion, Caroline stepped out of the pants she had been fumbling with in the darkness and put her pajamas back on.

The discussion was over. Ha Long Bay was off.

The Aftermath of Ha Long Bay

We sent Jenny a courtesy text letting her know we wouldn’t make it. We both felt a little bad about canceling last minute, but at the same time, we couldn’t believe that companies would take advantage of people. There shouldn’t even be tours going out in such bad weather.

It proceeded to rain for the rest of the day and the next several days after that. In fact, the typhoon followed me on my trip to The Philippines without Caroline, so I believe calling off Ha Long Bay was absolutely the right decision.

Always go with your gut! And if you’re going to Southeast Asia, go to Sapa.

See some of my better moments in Southeast Asia in My 20 Favorite Photos from Southeast Asia blog. 

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