We also stayed in Ha Long city during the lunar new year, Vietnamese people call this time of the year: Tet. It’s this week where the whole usually super busy country comes to a full stop. Restaurants and shops close, everybody is going home to celebrate with their families. Enjoying home made food and celebrate the year of the snake. Similar to our western Christmas and new year’s time end of December. Just that like China, Vietnam follows the lunar calendar, every first new moon in the new year the festivities take place. Mainly that being in January. Also it its winter time, off season and especially during Tet, Ha Long felt super empty. We saw all the touristy places and restaurant chains one after the other and Hotel villages spreading half of town. Only a fraction was open and it felt peaceful for us. At times we were the only guests in our Hotel, which felt a bit strange. Also breakfast wasn’t as lush as usual because they didn’t prepare the whole buffet. In order to not get stuck and be able to get around we rented a motorbike and were flexible.
Although most of the shops were closed we still found some things to do. The other day we went to Yoko Onsen a Japanese inspired Onsen with hot springs and sauna to relax properly. Maybe 20 people we saw during that day at the whole huge facility. We really calmed down. Although staying right at the beach and with temperature’s around 15 degrees celsius, the sun hiding behind clouds, not the perfect condition for a swim in the ocean. Water was around the same temperature, I still went in one day, but only for a few minutes.
We further explored the area by bike, went for beach strolls and enjoyed the quiet peace of the usually full blown tourist spot.
Happy new year!
sunset on Tuan Chao island
Ha Long beach during Tet holiday
peaceful beach life
sunset on Ha Long beach
family transportation, a bike is enough
easy riders
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