Perched on the outer rim of Ha Long Bay is Cat Ba Island, home to the endangered Cat Ba langur. Intrepid traveller Praphul Kumar kayaks past the limestone karsts that punctuate the waters of this UNESCO World Heritage Site.
11 am: A legacy of the Vietnam War, the multi-storied, bomb-proof Hospital Cave was a safe house for Viet Cong leaders. Located inside a karst, it was abandoned in 1975
12 pm: Discover hidden lagoons, quiet caves and wind-hewn archways as you paddle through the waters of the bay
1 pm: A bird’s eye view of Monkey Island famed for its emerald waters, pristine sands and floating junks
4 pm: Floating markets are common across Indochina, but these on the bay, kept still by buoys, are undoubtedly beautiful
6.30 pm: Cannon Fort offers amazing views of the Gulf of Tonkin. Watch a perfect sunset, explore the fort used by Japanese, French and Vietnamese forces and sip a cup of tea or biahoi, a local beer
8 pm: Taste the croc platter or raise a toast to the beautiful island with a glass of snake wine