I never thought I would wake up on a boat set in one of the worlds most beautiful backdrops but yesterday I did just that.

The trip started as we cruised out into Halong Bay, a UNESCO world heritage site on the coast in Northern Vietnam. It’s difficult to describe the beautiful nature of this area. The core of the bay is 334km2 and has over 775 rock islands and small isles. Each the result of over 20million years of the tropical climate carving and shaping them into the spectacular scene we know today. A Vietnamese legend talks of the Gods sending dragons to protect them against the Chinese, spewing jade and jewels into the sea to form a barrier. Areas of the bay were formed as the dragon’s tails swayed about, carving intricate patterns into the seascape.

I spent the day exploring the bay on a junk (Vietnamese wooden boat- see picture) before heading to Hang Dau Go, one of the largest caves in the area. It was huge inside and very unexpected after going through the small entrance which i reached through some if the upper rocks. One can only imagine the looks of awe which must have adorned the French explorers who first discovered it. We then took some kayaks to explore the surrounding isles before boarding our junk for supper and a chance to freshen up before the nights celebrations.

My alarm was set for 6am to witness the sunrise. Sitting on top of the boat, the sunrise never came, but the mist and perfect silence were majestic. As I sat and contemplated just how lucky I am I realised that Vietnam is pure magic.