Good morning Hanoi! On our first full day, we hopped on a tour bus and headed over to Halong Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage site, for a boat cruise around the emerald waters of the Gulf of Tonkin. Halong Bay is often compared to similar sites like Krabi in Southern Thailand or Guilin in China. I haven't been to either, but after spending a day around these beauties, I can't imagine how it could get any more spectacular.

Just a word of warning: these photos may inspire awe.

Met the nicest guy from Switzerland on the cruise. He was travelling with his sister around Asia, and apparently is a bit of a star back where he's from. Some underground rapper, or so he says. Anybody from Switzerland heard of Liricas Analas?

Our first full day in Hanoi (or actually the Quang Ninh province) was truly the highlight of my trip to Vietnam. I left tired but completely awestruck. I definitely recommend it above everything else!