As if cruising through the emerald waters of Halong Bay in a traditional wooden junk wasn’t special enough, now you can get a spectacular birds-eye-view of the UNESCO World Heritage Site from a seaplane. The archipelago is made up of almost 2,000 islands and jungle-clad limestone pillars that dot the bay, making the aerial view bucket list material.
It would have been close to 40° C the day we went up. In the hours leading up to our flight, the sky was grey and covered in a thick cloud. But as we boarded the tiny plane, the clouds cleared to reveal a beautiful blue sky.
While I love a good open-door helicopter flight, this was my first time in a seaplane and boy was it incredible. The entire plane was Topdeck crew and I couldn’t think of a better group of people to experience it with than with my new travel buddies. As our plane lifted off the water there was clapping and cheering all round.
If you’re keen to take photos on your seaplane flight, get your hands on the widest-angle lens you can find. I used the Canon 11-24mm f/4L USM for my shots and it was the perfect lens for capturing the magical emerald waters below.
Photography by myself and Emanuel Wetterqvist (photo below and photos featuring me).
To find out more about Topdeck trips in Asia or to book, visit topdeck.travel
TIL Tip:
If you’re pressed for time and don’t have the luxury of pairing your scenic flight with a night or two on a wooden junk in the bay, Hai Au Aviation offer round trips departing from Hanoi. Those with a little more time can make a day of it and incorporate a four-hour cruise on a wooden junk. Details here.
What we did:
We took the ‘Sightseeing Halong Bay’ tour with Hai Au Aviation. Taking off from the Tuan Chau Island Marina, this 25-minute sightseeing flight takes in all the highlights of Halong Bay. Details here.
