The ferry cruises leisurely on the turquoise waters of the Eastern Sea from Gia Luan Ferry to Tuan Chau Island about 50 minutes away, but a lot of things are on offer along the way for passengers aboard to watch and immerse themselves in a world of beautiful landscapes.
The ferry is a new option for travelers who want to approach the UNESCO-listed bay in the northern province of Quang Ninh after they have swum in the sea and toured Cat Ba National Park and other attractions on Cat Ba Island in northern Vietnam.
Tuan Chau Group launched the ferry route earlier this year to cater to the increasing demand of people frequenting the two destinations and especially travelers interested in sightseeing.
The landscapes along the way are karst limestone rock formations that have been carved by sea winds, sunshine and time into eye-catching shapes. All nature lovers must appreciate these natural formations and open their eyes wide to enjoy one of the best sights they have ever seen in Vietnam.
We did the same when I was on the ferry as part of my recent trip to northern Vietnam, where breezes blowing through the karst rocks soothed our eyes and the beauty of nature inspired our senses during the ferry trip of more than 7.5km.
Amazingly, a lot of bonsai-shape trees dot the karst limestone rock mountains and hills, creating a beautiful water-color painting in which evergreen trees on mountains and hills highlight and breathe life into the space of blue water and azure sky.
The landscape is so marvelous that many passengers on the ferry can’t help asking other people to take pictures of them and the karst formations when the ferry is cruising by the surroundings.
For those who have cruised around the karst limestone rock formations in Halong Bay, the hills and mountains seen from the ferry are the last pieces of a jigsaw and an interesting addition to a trip to the World Heritage Site, as the ferry takes them to Halong Bay via a new entrance so they have an opportunity to view more mountains and hills in the bay.
To reach Gia Luan Ferry, get on a bus at the main wharf of Cat Ba Island that leaves the station every half hour and costs VND10,000 per person. It takes about 45 minutes to get to the ferry.
You can buy a ferry ticket for VND30,000 upon arrival. Then you will wait for at least half an hour, more depending on the number of passengers, the availability of ferries, the tide and the time you arrive. It’s good if you come just as a ferry is approaching as you will wait long to begin the trip to a world of karst limestone rock formations.
You do not need advance bookings. The ferry runs frequently between Gia Luan and Tuan Chau from 6 a.m. till 6 p.m.