South East Asian Trips

Halong Bay, Vietnam is one of world's natural wonders and is one of the top tourist attractions inHalong Vacation Vietnam. The literal meaning of "Halong" is "Bay of Descending Dragons". A local legend says that a family of dragons was sent to defend the land long ago when the Vietnamese were fighting the Chinese invaders. These dragons had descended upon what is now Halong Bay. Halong Bay, Vietnam, famous for its scenic rock formations, has been listed among the World Heritage Sites by UNESCO.

Situated in the North-East region of Viet Nam, Ha Long Bay is a bay in the Gulf of Tonkin comprised of regions of Ha Long City, the township of Cam Pha, and a part of the island district of VanHa Long Vacation Don. Ha Long Bay borders Cat Ba Island in the southwest, the East Sea in the' east, and the mainland, creating a 120 km coastline. Ha Long Bay is made up of 1,969 islands of various sizes, 989 of which have been given names.

There are two kinds of islands, limestone and schist, which are concentrated in two main zones: the southeast (belonging to Bai Tu Long Bay), and the southwest (belonging to Ha Long Bay). The average geological age of the islands is between 250 and 280 million years old.

This densely concentrated zone of stone islands, world famous for its spectacular scenery of grottoes andHa Long caves, forms the central zone of Ha Long Bay, which has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Bay it self has an area of 43,400 ha, consists of 775 islands, and forms a triangle with the island of Dau Go (Driftwood Grotto) to the west, the lake of Ba Ham (Three Shelter Lake) to the south, and the island of Cong Tay to the east. Viewed from above, Ha Long Bay resembles a geographic work of art. While exploring the bay, you feel lost in a legendary world of stone islands. There is Man's Head Island, which resembles a man standing and looking towards the mainland. The regions immediately surrounding the area were classified as a national site by the Ministry of Culture and Information in 1962.

Halong Bay, Vietnam is a spectacular location for sightseeing in Vietnam. Located in the Gulf of Tonkin, it forms an amazing seascape of limestone pillars along with more than 1,600 islands and islets. The visitors seem to discover paradise in Halong Bay with the clear water of the Bay, with some large islands and small alcoves with sandy beaches facilitating a relaxed swimming in the calm bay water,

What To Expect

Ha Long Bay is northern Vietnam's biggest attraction and one of the most magnificent natural splendors of the Far East. Few of the millions who visit each year ever set foot in a hotel. Instead nearly all sleep aboard a junk! Of the nearly 500 water craft licensed to carry passengers in the bay, nearly 100 are live-aboards. While the vast majority of cruise operators shave corners to compete on price, a handful differentiate their cruises by offering upscale amenities or activites such as kayaking. Because the price you pay generally includes everything except beverages, this is one of those instances when you truly get what you pay for! (Click here for our recommendations.) "Ha Long" means "Where the Dragon Descends into the Sea." From the emerald-green waters of Ha Long Bay some 3000 limestone and dolomite islands (or "grottos") rise jaggedly from the Gulf of Tonkin like medieval stone cathedral spires, or the scales on a dragon's back. Local lore has it that an enormous dragon created the bay, grottos and outcroppings as it thrashed its way toward the open sea to prevent the intrusion of enemy navies. Today, local fishermen still report encountering a giant sea beast called Tarasque, sort of the Nessie of the South China Sea.

Halong Bay's Limestone FormationsHa Long Bay affords some of Vietnam's most spectacular scenery, including beautiful limestone formations, rock arches, gin-clear water, virtually inaccessible lagoons, sheer cliffs, peaceful coves, eerie caves, secluded strips of white, powdery sand, and thousands of limestone islets. Like sculpted cartoon characters, these islets are fancifully named: Frog Island, Face Island, the Isle of Wonders and the Isle of Surprise. Chinese junks glide over the teal-hued bay between the grottos, which are densely carpeted in neon-green ficas, mangrove and spiky cacti. Pearl oyster farms are tucked into tight channels between the towering, limestone cliffs. Primitive floating fish hatcheries are spun across the waters between the grottos like neglected spider webs.

Two major battles were fought in Ha Long Bay during the 10th and 13th centuries. In 1882, French Captain Henri Rivière was beheaded here after trying to capture the region's enormous coal deposits. The locals paraded his head from village to village. The French weren't amused, and decided that Vietnam should be permanently annexed as a French colony.

Coal remained the mainstay of local industry until recent years, when hydroelectric projects in both Vietnam and China (where much of the coal was destined) largely relegated it to the proverbial back burner. Locals have diverted their attention from the coal mines to the gold mine of tourism. Nevertheless, coal mining remains an eyesore to the more adventurous travelers who decide to head to Mong Cai in Vietnam's far northeast.

Most folks will get their fill in 24 hours, but there's a whole lot of bay out there waiting to be "discovered"! This maritime mountain range covers an area of some 1500 square kilometers, about 400 of which are protected as a World Heritage sight. The typical overnight cruise covers a mere 80 square kilometers. So if you want to get off the tourist trail and really see the bay, try a multi-day trip or charter your own boat!

Ha Long's only natural drawback is the weather: It can be horrible. It is often damp, rainy and cold, particularly during the winter months. Visitors during the winter tend to spend most of their time in the bay itself, as Ha Long's waters remain bathtub-warm year-round. If Ha Long were, say, a thousand kilometers closer to the equator, this would be paradise on Earth. As it is, it's still darn close. Catch the area on a nice day, particularly during the spring and fall months, and you're in for one of the biggest treats of your Vietnam visit,

How to Reach

Halong Bay's sister cities of Bai Chay and Hong Gai are about 165 kilometers northeast of Hanoi. It's about a 4 hour drive from Hanoi. A few folks attempt to visit the bay as a day trip, which is fine so long as you really enjoy dull car rides! You'll spend twice as much time on the road than on the bay. If you're really in a rush, skip the road and go by Russian-built MI-8 helicopter!

Car/Minibus

Most folks arrive via minibus as part of an overnight cruise package. The minibus picks you up at your hotel around 8:00am and drops you dockside in Halong around 12:00 Noon. Alternatively you can hire a car for around US$100 round trip.

Helicopter

If you have more money than time, or prefer a double shot of adventure, go by helicopter. Helicopter service aboard Russian-built MI-8 or MI-17 helicopters is offered on Saturday only. You depart at 8 a.m. from Gialam heliport, about 15 km from center of Hanoi. Free transportation to Gialam heliport from the Metropole Hotel departs at 7:15 a.m. The return flight is at 3 p.m. the same day. A ticket will set you back US$175 round trip/US$90 one way. Children under 6 pay half. There must be a minimum of 10 passengers to make the trip. Flights are canceled (often at the last minute!) if weather is bad.

A day cruise of Halong Bay is available for an additional US$20 per person. Package includes round-trip car transfer from Halong heliport to the boat, boat trip (4-5 hours), lunch, and guide.

Contact Hanoi-based Buffalo Tours for information and reservations, 1-866-488-1840 (toll free in USA).

Train/Ferry

AKA The Hard Way to Halong Bay, Train buffs can get to Haiphong by train in the morning, and then take the afternoon ferry to Hong Gai, or the ferry or hydrofoil to Cat Ba Island. Ferries depart for Hong Gai about three times a day. Schedules change constantly. The fare is about 15,000 dong one-way. Figure an entire day each way,

Attractions

Halong Bay is one of the most visited and recognized of the Vietnam tourist attractions. It houses a greatHalong Vacation diversity of ecosystems including coral reefs, freshwater swamp forests, mangrove forest, small freshwater lakes, and sandy beaches. The islands feature beautiful grottos and caves with interesting stone formations and hidden ponds. Some of the most visited Halong Bay, Vietnam tourist attractions are

Bai Chay (Scorched Beach)

The visitors have to drive along Bai Chay beach to reach Halong Bay, Vietnam. Unlike its name, Bai Chay is a very pleasant black sand beach significant for a historical event attached to it. Bai Chay was once a forest until 1287 when the Mongols attacking Vietnam were driven back and many Mongol ships were set on fire. High winds drifted these ships to the shore setting the forest on fire creating a stretch of beach in this area which came to be known as Bai Chay or scorched beach,

Caves and Grottos

The mystical caves and grottos in Halong Bay, Vietnam comes with strange shapes and structures. One of the most prominent among them is Virgin Cave (Hang Trinh Nu), also called the Mid Gate cave, which derives its name from the statue of a woman lying atop a flat surface of the cave. Legend says that beautiful woman committed suicide in the cave, unable to return home after being forcefully married to an old mandarin. Here her body tuned into stone. The tunnels in the Virgin Cave crisscross the island for around 2 kilometers with many chambers along the tunnel.

The next cave attraction is Hung Sung Sot Cave, Thien Cung located in the same island as Virgin Cave and has a steep path lined with shady trees. There are two chambers in the cave with a square shaped outer chamber and a ceiling of about 30meters height. The inner chamber formations look like sentries conversing with one another, animals and a formation resembling a general surveying his troops in the middle of the chamber. The light reflected from the water outside seems to bring these formations to life. Halong Vacation The other caves existing here are the historically significant Hang Dau Go (Flowers on Stone) and Pelican Cave (Hang Bo Nau). Besides these the visitors can go kayaking, swimming and hiking in the mountains in the islands. There are several cruises offering tours in and around Halong Bay.

Accommodation in Halong Bay is available with many hotels present in the islands of Halong Bay, Vietnam. Halong Bay can be reached from Hanoi by road which is a three and a half hour drive covering 165 kilometers.