Cruising the bay
Halong Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is located in the Gulf of Tonkin in the north-east region of Vietnam. Bordering the main land, with fertile Cat Ba Island to the southwest and the East Sea in the east, Halong Bay is endowed with a 120km coastline.
Ha Long is known as a legendary and historic land. Legend has it that soon after the Viet people established their country, invaders came. A mother dragon and her children were sent to help Vietnamese fight the invaders. Descending form the skies, the dragons opened their mouths and released a cascade of pearls. The pearls then turned into thousands of stone islands, raising from the bay like great walls, trapping invaders’ boats. In no time at all, the invading boats crashed into the islands, shattering into a thousand pieces. After the victory, these bendfic dragons fell in love with the bay, refusing to return to the heavens, choosing rather to take their rest in nearby Bai Tu Long Bay.
Famous for its natural beautiful landscapes, Halong was also one of the first cradles of human existence in the area, as revealed at multiple archeological sites including Soi Nhu, Thoi Gieng, Dong Mang, and Xich Tho. The tropical forests here are home to thousands of species of animals and plants. The peaceful bay is a highly concentrated crucible of biological diversity, with many ecosystems of salt water-flooded forests, 163 different spices of corals reefs. Thousands of species of fish, shrimp and cuttle-fish generously feed the local floating villages.
If you stay in Halong Bay more than 3 days, you should not miss the opportunity to take a trip to famous geographical sites including Van Don, an ancient commercial port in 12th century; Poem Mountain with its engravings of many poems in honour of Vietnam's emperors; and Bach Dang River, the location with the victory of Vietnamese naval battles in the fighting against foreign invasion
Amazing islands and cavesHalong Bay, is a densely concentrated zone of some 2,000 stone islands. There are two main types of island -limestone and schist -concentrated in principal zones: Bai Tu Long Bay to the southeast, and Halong Bay to the southwest. Halong Bay is most famous for its spectacular scenery of grottoes and caves
From the top of the mountain, Halong Bay looks like an imposing natural painting of graceful stone islands with fantastic and various shapes. There are many names given to islands based on their shapes and forms, such as Human Head, Dragon, Sail, Fighting Cocks, and Incense Burner.
The most beautiful caves in Halong Bay are Thien Cung (Heavenly Residence ), Dau Go (Driftwood), Sung Sot (Surprise), Trinh Nu (Virgin) and Tam Cung (Three Palaces).
Boat on bayWhen you visit Halong, cruising the bay aboard a wooden boat and sleeping up on deck is a must. There are many options for cruising Halong and something to suit all budgets. Some of the better known boats include the Emauraude, Huong Hai Junk, Bai Tho and Hai Au. If you are on honeymoon, do not forget that private boat services are available. Most of these tours include delicious seafood meals on deck. Some, like the Emeraude, offer Tai Chi and Vietnamese traditional cuisine cooking classes while others offer a kayak service
If you are a sports lover, swimming on the peaceful bay near the anchored boat or kayaking around the island are not be missed. Visiting the floating villages of Halong while sailing through the bay will give you an insight of the daily life of local community. For those who prefer a more relaxing holiday, there is always the option of reclining on the sunny deck, feeling the cool sea breeze and watching the ever-changing display of imposing stone islands as you drift by.
(Source: VNP)
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