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BYou only need to dedicate two weekend days to a climbing trip like this. However, practice indoor climbing and get your body fit before conquering the steep cliffs of this beautiful bay. Unlike the sweet, romantic view you see with your eyes, feel the sharp and rough texture of each rock formation that nature has sculpted into vivid shapes to enjoy the sea and sky of Ha Long Bay in a completely new and incredibly impressive way.
When first starting out in sea climbing, you may need a lot of equipment. Besides specialized climbing shoes with pointed toes for gripping the rocks, which you can buy at Vietclimb in Hanoi or Push Climb in Ho Chi Minh City, other necessary equipment includes a safety harness attached to a rope with a secure buckle. You'll also need a helmet, chalk for anti-slip grip on rocks, and hooks to secure the rope to existing hooks on the cliff face, if available. Experienced climbers will only need the shoes to begin.
Jean Verly, a seasoned mountaineer and director of Vietclimb, shared that you can be a complete novice and still participate in this sport, because in addition to mountain climbing, you can relax on a kayak, enjoy the scenery, and socialize with friends.
Having arrived in Vietnam in 2005 when rock climbing was a completely unknown sport, and having conquered many treacherous cliffs in Europe, Jean realized that Ha Long Bay was the ideal location for this sport: its sedimentary rock formations, cliffs, rocky outcrops, and majestic scenery. So, together with a few friends, Jean came up with the idea of organizing rock climbing trips on the sea in Ha Long Bay and Cat Ba Island every weekend.
Each explored climbing route is divided into several sections, categorized by difficulty. For professional climbers like Jean, each new route seems to only add to their excitement, rather than focusing on ease or difficulty. However, any fear or muscle aches quickly disappear when you stand atop the towering cliff, witnessing the peaceful and beautiful scenery of Ha Long Bay, taking in the wonders that nature has sculpted on this seascape as a trophy for conquering the peaks and overcoming yourself. The best part is letting yourself be carried away by the cool sea breeze embracing your body and falling freely into the ocean. All your energy and sensations burst forth at once. Certainly, each such experience not only reveals the beauty of Ha Long Bay and Cat Ba Island, but also opens up and broadens the depths of your soul.
A typical weekend mountain climbing tour follows this schedule: depart from Hanoi by car between 5-7 am, arrive in Hai Phong city around 7-9 am, and take a speedboat to Cat Ba Island to begin your exploration with many exciting activities: kayaking, swimming, mountain climbing, enjoying seafood, and having fun with friends. You will usually have to paddle by hand to the base of the cliffs and caves to begin climbing. The cost for each trip is approximately 1,250,000 VND, including transportation from Hanoi to Cat Ba, boat rental, and food and drinks.
In addition, at Vietclimb, you can explore street sports such as skateboarding, BMX, roller skating, wall climbing, artistic cycling, hip-hop, acrobatics, freestyle football, martial arts, and graffiti art. Especially, before conquering sea climbing, you can freely practice indoor climbing at Vietclimb and learn from experienced climbers.
Vietclimb
No. 40, Lane 76 An Duong, Tay Ho District, Hanoi.
Phone:0949342281 (Vietnamese, English)
E-mail:thanght@vietclimb.vn
