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Halong Bay,
or Vinh Ha Long, is a tourist destination
in the Gulf of Tonkin in northern Vietnam. It was recognised by Unesco as a World Heritage Site since 1994. Located 170 km east
of Hanoi, Halong Bay take over three hours
to reach.
Villages on stilt at Halong Bay.
Translated into English, Vinh Ha Long means Bay of
the Descending Dragon.The origin
of this name is linked to one of the many skirmishes the Vietnamese had with their
mighty neighbour up north, China. According to legend, during one of the invasions
mounted by the Chinese on Vietnam, the Vietnamese called upon the gods for assistance.
The gods sent a troop of dragons to help defend the land. The dragons descended
in Vietnam at Halong Bay. Out of their mouths
came - not fire - but jewels, and these jewels transformed into the many isles and
islets dotting the bay. These tiny islands became a
natural shield against sea invasion, and three times in Vietnamese history, the
labyrinthine passages through the islands prevented the Chinese from landing. Even
the Mongols were thwarted in their 13th century attempt to conquer Vietnam - the
Vietnamese led by General Tran Hung Dao planted steel-tipped wooden stakes into
the sea bed. When the Mongol fleet passed through them, the stakes punctured their
ships, sinking them.
Halong Bay covers an area of 1500 square kilometres.
Within this area is close to two thousand limestone islands (someone counted and
claimed there're 1969 islands) that jut out in spectacular fashion from the sea.
The islands are similar to those at Phangnga Bay in Thailand, and come in unusual
shapes. Some of these have their own names, such as Fighting Cock Island, a pair
of limestone outcrops that look more like a two chicks about to, not fight, but
kiss. There are so many islands, but the ones I can name include Yen Ngua Islet,
Ba Trai Dao Islet, Con Coc Islet, Cong Do Island, Soi Sim Islet. We stopped over
at Ti Top Island where we climbed up to the view point right up at the top.
The islands of Halong Bay are pockmarked with caves
and grottoes. The largest of these is Sung Sut Cave. The scenery from the mouth
of the cave is simply postcard perfect. The other significant caves in
Halong Bay include Ba Ham Cave, Bo Nau Cave, Dau Go Cave, Kim Quy Cave,
Luon Cave, Me Cung Cave, Tam Cung Cave, Thien Cung Cave and Trinh Nu Cave.
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Halong Bay
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Halong Bay Night
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Halong Bay Photo Gallery
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Halong Bay at Night
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Bo Hon Island
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Cat Ba National Park
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Fighting Cock Island
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Me Cung Cave
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Sung Sot Cave
This is the biggest and grandest grotto in
Halong Bay.
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Titov Island
This is the island with a scenic viewpoint pavillion at its highest
point.
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Places of Interest in Vietnam
Vietnam is a land of cultural and natural beauty.
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