Asia
Southeast Asia — Ha Long Bay to Bali
Two thousand limestone islands in a jade sea. Temples in the mist, lantern-lit river towns, and the best street food on Earth.
Ha Long Bay means "descending dragon," and sailing among its karsts at dawn — fishing junks sliding out of the mist, a fisherman's radio carrying across the water — you understand why the legend stuck. We overnight in the bay so you kayak the grottoes after the day boats leave.
South along the coast: the imperial citadel of Huế, Hoi An's lantern streets, the river-energy of Ho Chi Minh City, and a finale in Bali — temple gates, frangipani, and a farewell dinner on the sand at Jimbaran.
Ports & places
Where we call
Kayak through sea-grottoes into hidden lagoons; sunrise tai chi on the deck among the karsts.
The Perfume River, the Purple Forbidden City, and a lunch of imperial cuisine in a garden house.
A 15th-century trading port preserved whole — tailors, tea warehouses, and lanterns on the river at full moon.
Arrive by river as traders always have; colonial façades, coffee culture, and the hum of eight million people.
Pura Ulun Danu Bratan floating on its lake, rice terraces at Jatiluwih, gamelan at dusk.
In the frame
The light of the place
