There are 1,969 islands in Halong Bay. The 500-million-year-old limestone has worn down into dramatic formations that rise from the sea in all manner of rugged peaks. They didn’t rise of course, 20 million years of weathering did the trick. When your cruise ship sets out you fear that it’s all going to be rather crowded, a kind of push-and-shove for boats. But to be fair, the area is so huge that any number of rival mini-liners don’t really impact on your experience, they just add detail to an already exotic view.

One caveat to the above: you will be rewarded if you stretch your budget in selecting your trip - a higher level package will also lead to a more exclusive setting. The outcome will be wonderful locations and tranquil seas making for a truly relaxed sojourn, as evidenced by these photos. Pausing for thought, it did occur to me that howling wind and rain would have made for a very different trip, putting in mind the dastardly pirate fleets that used to lurk there, rather than this new high-seas-luxury armada.

Above: Sunset. Below: Dawn.

Beautifully fitted out, there is even an art gallery on board. 

Above left: Bottle of wine, Sir? Above right: Time to fill up the tank.

Below: Options include cookery classes, kayaking and Vovinam (Vietnamese martial arts).