Now, as previously mentioned, Denise & I have something of a magnetism when it comes to touts and this, coupled with an extremeley low sales resistance, has cost us a few quid while we’ve been away.

So, discarding the Lonely Planet advice (to make all arrangements for our trip to Halong Bay via an agency in Hanoi) we decided to bite the bullet and buy our travel, accomodation and boating piece by piece as we went along

Big mistake.

Because everyone takes the Lonely Planet advice what’s left in Halong Bay after you arrive are hideously over-priced but substandard hotels and equally expensive boat trips organised by operators whose hands are fair shiney from rubbing by the time you’ve stepped onto their boat.. In short, with no middle-man to organise group discounts, you’re at their mercy.

Having checked into a $50 hotel, we decided to cut our losses. Rather than take the typical 3 day boat journey, we opted for a four hour boat trip round the UNESCO caves the afternoon we arrived followed by a sharp exit on the bus back to Hanoi the following morning. This way, we at least salvaged something from the trip and managed to avoid breaking the bank in the process.

I have to say neither of us felt particularly short-changed as Halong Bay itself was like an out-of-season English seaside resort with weather to match, and three days on a boat surrounded by fog and night time temperatures of around 5 degrees was never high on my agenda. In fact, all things considered, I’d say we probably won this round. The caves were fantastic, there’s some nice piccies up on Flickr in the Halon Bay set.

So, back on the bus to Hanoi the next morning and straight to our previous, lovely and cheap hotel. Phew!