HALONG BAY, Vietnam — Carefully stepping past the carved wooden dragon onto the polished deck, you are welcomed by the captain and crew. This is your home for the next couple days: a junk-style boat. A smiling crew member ushers you into your cozy cabin for a quick wash-up after your bus journey from Hanoi. When you emerge, the boat is already on its way.

Although the junk is only a couple of kilometers from Halong Port, all you can see are tiny limestone islets jutting out of the sea, piercing the skyline. You retreat to the lounge chairs to watch the panorama of Halong Bay unfold. Cruising through narrow channels between towering islands covered in vegetation, the concentration in such a compact area gives the islands a layered look, making them seem to stretch into infinity. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is made up of about 3,000 limestone islands in the emerald waters of the Gulf of Tonkin. Groups of colorful houseboats huddle under craggy hills at some of these islands, home to fisherfolk who prefer to live on the water, as most of the islands are uninhabited except for rare birds and the occasional monkey.

Legend has it that Halong Bay was created by a giant dragon's tail thrashing on the ocean floor. As the dragon flailed its way out to sea, it gouged out valleys and crevasses, forming the bay and leaving only the islands visible. The more fanciful maintain that the dragon, or tarasque, is still sighted from time to time and tour operators are happy to oblige aficionados of dragon hunting. However, the beauty of the bay is such that most people quickly forget about the Halong's own Loch Ness monster and are happy to muse on the bay itself.

CAVERN CREATURES

As if the stunning bay and its islands were not enough of an attraction, a few of the islets are home to huge caverns such as Sung Sot Caves, where giant stalagmites and stalactites have been lit up in various colors to amuse visitors. Vietnamese like to assign likenesses to these formations, such as the "turtle rock" or "giraffe stalagmite." But whether these natural curio-sities resemble their given names is really just a matter for your own imagination. Whether you like exploring caves or not, they serve as ideal spots for viewing the bay in the unlikely event that you were tired of the view from the deck of your boat.

The Vietnamese like to say "you haven't really seen Vietnam unless you've been to Halong Bay." If you combine that with all the good cheer of the boat's crew, seafood pulled right up out of the bay, phosphorescent night swimming, kayaking or just relaxing on deck, this visit sums up what a good trip is all about: the enjoyment of the journey as much as the destination itself.

FROLIC WITH ISLAND MONKEYS, FEAST, GLOW IN DARK SEAS IN HALONG BAY

Appropriately, your Halong Bay journey begins with lunch. You dine on board throughout the short voyage, but that is no hardship.

Hearing the sizzle in the galley, you easily find the dining room outfitted with bamboo furniture and lacy curtains. Piled high, dish after dish, is a seafood extravaganza: steaming mountains of crab, sauteed king prawns. Other passengers arrive and everyone tucks in without hesitation.

As unpredictable as Vietnam can sometimes be, there is one thing that is certain: The food is always a delight. It would seem that long lunches are back in vogue on Halong Bay.

As is sightseeing.

COME WITH ME TO CAT BA

Sanctuary for monkeys, deer and other wildlife, Cat Ba Island is not only the hub of Halong Bay but is the location of Cat Ba National Park. The island lies on a major migration route for birds, of which more than 70 species feed and roost on the island. Though a guide is not required to visit the park, it is a good idea to hire one at the park entrance, simply to help you spot the birds and wildlife.

Plant life is also abundant with more than 700 species, including 150 rare plants with medicinal uses. The full hiking course that takes you through the national park is not an easy one: 18 kilometers (about 11.2 miles) altogether and much of it uphill, so it is really only for the fit or energetic. However, shorter courses are also possible.

Many visitors prefer to stick to the shoreline. After all, this is the real purpose for visiting Halong Bay in the first place. The waters around Cat Ba are home to more than 200 species of fish, 500 species of mollusk and three types of dolphins. Considering that most of the islands are uninhabited, except for a few floating villages, Cat Ba Town is the local "metropolis" of 7,000 citizens.

Once a tiny fishing village, it has become a popular getaway for the young at heart from Hanoi. Cat Ba Town is hopping during summer weekends, and quiet other times of the year. Most tours spend either one or two nights at sea with only a stopover on Cat Ba for those who wish to hike the national park. However, overnight stays on Cat Ba can easily be arranged as an add-on to many boat tours.

Considering the excellent beaches, abundant nature and ocean life in the vicinity, for nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts Cat Ba Island is an attractive destination in itself.

GLOWING IN THE DARK

As dusk falls, the captain anchors up for the night in a secluded cove by your very own unnamed, unexplored island. Splash! Some of the passengers are already in the bay for a dip though it is dark. But that is the attraction: phosphorescent plankton reflects on the swimmers, causing them to glow. Back home that Australian visitor is a nurse; glowing in the waters of Halong Bay, she is a shimmering mermaid.

On deck, tureens of crab soup are ladled into bowls next to vast trays of miniature spring rolls, seafood curries, whole crab, prawn salad, freshly hauled-in fish in a subtle ginger sauce and chilled beer or wine. Just when you think the meal is over, another plate of steaming prawns arrives at your table. Now you know why some visitors come to Vietnam for the food alone.

MONKEY BUSINESS

In warmer weather, boats take a side trip to one of the beaches that dot the bay, such as Monkey Island, where monkeys play on the beach with the beachgoers. Because the animals are known to be mischievous, Vietnamese authorities have begun to fence off the monkeys. But the primates can still be seen beside the National Park headquarters, where they routinely gorge themselves on bananas and stare at the humans.

Monkeys or no, the beach is cheerful with multicolored seashells decorating the shoreline, not to mention the squeaky-clean white sand. With thousands of islands in the bay, you might imagine that there would be at least hundreds of nice beaches. The fact is that many of the islands are even now unexplored, or are simply too steep to use. Some excellent beaches exist, however, such as Monkey Island and several beaches on Cat Ba Island, all popular stops.

OUT TO SEA

One of the best things about travel is doing new things that you never thought you'd like. Even people who are not particularly physical get a kick out of kayaking around the tiny islands. In recent years, kayaking the bay has become a popular activity. Almost all boat tours organize this as an add-on to the tour of the bay, while other tour boats make kayaking the main event.

Apart from the beauty and tranquility of the bay, abundant nature, colorful floating villages and sumptuous seafood dinners, it is simply fun to let the gentle waves rock you to sleep at night on the junk. Although called "junks," there is nothing junk-like about the food, service or views that are served up on the boats that ply Halong Bay. Day-trip excursions to Halong Bay from Hanoi are available, including a short boat ride and a quick cave visit. However, there is nothing to compare with a sunset over the bay, an event that day-trippers miss out on.

John Lander is a Tokyo-based freelance writer who specializes in Asia travel.