My pulse is reverberating in my ears and my heart feels lodged in my throat.
My stomach threatens to drop out from under me at any moment and scatter my guts on the deck below. The fear is full-bodied; visceral and raw.
Trembling, I step out onto the platform, my toes struggling to grip the wet surface. I close my eyes.
. . . and I jump.
It’s only a few seconds before I hit the glassy jade water of Lan Ha Bay in north-east Vietnam but the idea of being in free-fall — of surrendering control, even momentarily — is terrifying to me.
I am fine with heights, snakes, open-door helicopters, hiking remote trails and navigating a new city at night.
Jumping off something, though? That sends my nervous system into instant fight or flight.
And yet here I am, leaping from the side of a cruise ship in the Gulf of Tonkin.
All around, the famous limestone karsts synonymous with the greater Halong Bay archipelago rise up out of the emerald sea, their jungle-covered crags reaching for the hazy sky.
The effect is cinematic — far more breathtaking now I am level with the water, and not paralysed by panic.
As I float on my back, the world feels quiet. The only sounds are the soft echoes of laughter from paddlers navigating nearby caves and the distant hum of an engine.
Behind me, our cruise ship from luxury local operator Jade Sails sits anchored in a hidden lagoon called Ao Ech.
This secluded spot is tucked within the islets of Lan Ha Bay and is favoured by those in the know as a peaceful alternative to the crowded boat crush of Halong Bay.
It has all of the mythic scenery without the congestion, and the water is far cleaner.
We have just under an hour to explore Ao Ech as part of our day tour.
Some passengers set out on kayaks to see what they might find around the next bend, while others loll on floating mats close to the ship.
A few of us make the jump from the diving platform, though I seem to be the only one who is remotely scared. (Fair enough, it’s only a couple of metres high).
Hopefully I am now one step (or leap) closer to squashing that fear for good.
All aboard
Earlier in the day, we receive the warmest welcome as we step on board the Jade Sails vessel.
A red carpet has been rolled out over the back deck, staff are excitedly waving flags and a live guitarist, keyboard player and drummer are cranking funky tunes.
As we begin chugging from Tuan Chau Marina into the gulf, I am eager to check out this slick boat.
The bottom level has a buffet restaurant and, strangely, a gym. Though the idea of having a spin on a stationary bike with a full-frontal view of a UNESCO wonder is a pretty novel concept.
The middle level has an indoor lounge with cocktail bar and large outdoor shaded dining deck, while the top level is an open sun deck complete with day beds and umbrellas.
My favourite part, though, is at the ship’s bow.
Picture where Kate Winslet stands in Titanic but instead there is a bubbling jacuzzi pool with a shower fountain and plush sunken couch.
The panoramas from this spot are magnificent as the dramatic karst formations of Halong Bay come into view.
Formed over 500 million years, there are almost 2000 of these limestone towers studded in the seascape.
Competing with the scenery for my attention are boats of all shapes and sizes, including multi-deck vessels with rows of private cabins for overnight cruises and elite super yachts that make our craft feel tiny by comparison.
Into the grotto
We continue to track south through the rocky labyrinth towards Lan Ha Bay, coming to a stop near Hang Sang Toi — the Dark and Light Cave.
Local fisherfolk glide up to the ship in bamboo rowboats and we hop aboard to venture into the tidal grotto, a natural marvel that can only be accessed when conditions are just right.
Our rower, Thang, guides us through a small opening in the rock face and into a narrow, shadowy tunnel adorned with stalactites and other mysterious mineral sculptures.
Just as we have settled into the cool quiet of the cavern, it opens into a sun-drenched lagoon.
The contrast is startling in its splendour. Everything seems soaked in saturated colour — greens and blues in every conceivable shade, spilling from the sky to forested cliffs and into the water.
We idle in the mirage, listening to birdsong and scanning the karsts for macaques, though none reveal themselves.
Thang tells us he was born on the water and still lives on a floating fishing village nearby.
While he is used to life at sea, he is separated from his four children as they attend school on the mainland.
How often Thang sees his family is dependent on his income — if he does three boat trips for tourists each day, he can visit once every two or three months.
I can’t fathom the difficulty of the distance paired with the manual labour but Thang has found acceptance in the reality of his work.
He says it is all he has ever known, and glimpses of his kids’ smiles over FaceTime are small, treasured rewards.
Ending on a high note
Aside from the aquatic explorations, there’s plenty happening aboard the Jade Sails ship to keep passengers entertained for the seven-hour cruise.
A chef leads a cooking demonstration on the middle deck, deftly assembling traditional fresh Vietnamese rice paper rolls, but I choose to head up to the roof to catch some rays with 360-degree views of Lan Ha Bay as the backdrop.
It is a clear day, affording sweeping vistas of the verdant spires rising like sentinels from the ocean. The scene is both serene and spectacular.
My group’s ears prick up at the mention of a “sunset party” in the late afternoon.
As we chart a course back to the marina, we are delighted to find the festivities include happy hour cocktails and karaoke with a live band.
A pina colada and a Celine Dion cover — just about the best finish to a sublime voyage.
If you’d asked me before we set off, I might have admitted I wasn’t particularly fussed with seeing Halong Bay, put off by tales of crowding and pollution.
While I am still concerned about over-tourism in the archipelago, discovering a quieter corner was a pleasant surprise.
And I won’t forget the thrill of my jump any time soon.
+ Jessie Stoelwinder was a guest of BestPrice Travel which has not influenced this story, or read it before publication.
fact file
+ Halong Bay is around 2½ hours from Hanoi in north-east Vietnam.
+ The Jade Sails Luxury Full Day Cruise is available year-round from $125 per person.
+ The price includes return transfers from Hanoi (within a 5km radius of the Old Quarter), entrance fees, rowboat trip, buffet lunch and English-speaking guide. Beverages and tips are additional.
+ For further details and to book, contact BestPrice Travel bestpricetravel.com
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