Halong Bay Vietnam

Categories: [Asia] [Caves] [Sea]
Links: http://www.vietscape.com; www.halongbay-vietnam.com
Last update: August 25, 2008
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About Halong Bay Vietnam

Ha Long Bay - means "Bay of the Descending Dragon" in the Vietnamese language.
The bay consists of a dense cluster of 3000 limestone monolithic islands, each topped with thick jungle vegetation, which rise spectacularly from the ocean. Several of the islands are hollow, with enormous caves. Hang Dau Go (Wooden stakes Cave) is the largest grotto in the Halong area. French tourists visited in the late 19th century, and named the cave Grotte des Merveilles. Its three large chambers contain large numerous stalactites and stalagmites (as well as 19th century French graffiti).
Some of the islands support floating villages of fishermen, who ply the shallow waters for 200 species of fish and 450 different kinds of mollusks. Many of the islands have acquired their names as a result of interpretation of their unusual shapes: such names include Voi Islet (elephant), Ga Choi Islet (fighting cock), and Mai Nha Islet (roof). 989 of the islands have been given names. Birds and animals including bantams, antelopes, monkeys, and iguanas also live on some of the islands.

The bay was World Heritage listed by UNESCO at the 18th meeting of the Committee of the World Heritages of UNESCO (in Thailand on December 17th, 1994). It is one of Vietnam's most popular tourist destinations.
Halong Bay has been the setting for local naval battles against Vietnam's coastal neighbours. On three occasions in the labyrinth of channels between the islands the Vietnamese army stopped the Chinese from landing. In 1288 General Tran Hung Dao stopped Mongol ships from sailing up the nearby Bach Dang River by placing steel-tipped wooden stakes at high tide, sinking the Mongol Dubhai Khan's fleet.
During the Vietnam War, many of the channels between the islands were heavily mined by the navy of the United States, some of which pose a threat to shipping to this day.
The surrounding land region of Halong City is rich with high grade coal deposits, and is operated by the Vietnamese government.

Halong Bay Location

Ha Long Bay is located in the Northeast of Vietnam, belonging to Quang Ninh Province. It is in the coastal area. To the west and northwest, Ha Long Bay stretches from Yen Hung District, and includes the large urban areas of Ha Long City and Cam Pha Town, as well as Van Don Island District. To the south and southeast, it is adjacent to the western Tonkin Gulf and to the west and southwest lies Cat Ba Island in the province of Hai Phong. On the world map, Ha Long Bay borders to China in the north and in the east it is adjacent to the East Sea.
Getting there and away
Bus: In Ha Long bay, you can catch Hanoi-bound buses from Mien Tay bus station in Bai Chay, close to the Bai Chay bridge, every 15 minutes.
Buses to Hai Phong take you 2 hours and leave every 20 minutes from a bus station across the road from Mien Tay. Buses to Northeasten destination leave from Hon Gai bus station.
Car and motorbike: Ha Long city is 170km from Hanoi, 55km from Hai Phong and 45 km from Cam Pha. The one way trip from Hanoi to Ha Long bay takes about 3 hours and a half by car.
Boat: There are daily slow boats connecting with Hai Phong (about three hours). There is also a daily boat connecting Hon Gai and Cat Hai Island but its departure times depend on the season and the number of visitors. There are occasional direct boats from Hon Gai to Cat Ba Island.
There are also services from Hon Gai and Bai Chay to Mong Cai (Chinese border) by hydrofoil.

Halong Bay Attractions

Pelican Cave (Hang Bo Nau)

Unlike Dau Go cave, Bo Nau cave is not as deep and large. Looking out from the cave the visitor can enjoy the scenic beauty of Ha Long. The clear blue water with rocky formations rising forms a picturesque setting. Bo Nau is a compound word derived from two words, bo cau meaning pigeon and nau meaning brown. Bo Nau literally means brown pigeon. For some reason, many foreign translations refer to this cave as Pelican cave.

According to the fishermen in this region, long ago, when there were still few visitors, Bo Nau cave was home to thousands of pigeons. Today as more visitors and people begin to inhabit the surrounding islands, the pigeons have left until only the name Bo Nau remains out of habit of the local fishermen.

Hang Trinh Nu (Virgin Cave)

Hang Trinh Nu or the Virgin is also known as Mid Gate cave. According to local lore, an old couple lived here long ago. The husband made a living fishing around the bay. They were very poor. They had only one daughter. She grew up to be a beautiful young woman, so beautiful that people from all around knew of her. There were many suitors and her reputation reached the local mandarin. The mandarin immediately sent his soldier to her home to capture her. She was forced to marry the old mandarin.

After much cajoling and threats the fair maiden still steadfastly refused. One day, she escaped from the mandarins home, however she was afraid to return home for fear of retaliation. After much thought, the maiden decided to go to Mid Gate cave to commit suicide. Her body turned into the stone statue lying atop a flat surface. Since then, Mid Gate cave became known as Virgin cave.

Virgin cave tunnels through the middle of an island approximately 2 km long. Along the tunnel, there are many chambers. Each is famous for a different reason. All are unique in their beauty. Many visitors to the cave are awed by its beauty and so the name Hang Sung Sot was given to the outer chamber of the Virgin cave. Sung Sot literally means astonishment or awe.

Cave of Awe (Hang Sung Sot)

Sung Sot cave is on the same island with Trinh Nu cave. The path to Sung Sot is quite steep and is lined with shady trees. The cave has 2 chambers. The outer chamber is square and is often referred to as the waiting room. The cave's ceiling is approximately 30 m high. The walls are almost perfectly smooth as if it was built by man. The walls generate a variety of colors that blend with the setting of the area.

The path to the inner chamber is approximately 3m wide. The inner chamber is known as the serene castle. The formations in the chamber take the form of sentries conversing with one another, animals in varying poses etc. In the middle of the chamber stands a formation which resembles a general surveying his troops.

There is a side entrance which is approximately 6m in height. The light reflected from the moving water outside causes the formations inside the chamber to seemingly come alive. According to the locals, this was the reason the cave was named Sung Sot, from the awe-stricken reaction of the visitors to the cave.

Other attractions in Ha Long Bay

Dong Hang Hanh

Dong Hang Hanh tunnels through mount Quang Hanh 9 km from the township of Cam Pha. The tunnel and cave is approximately 2 km in length.

To visit this cave the visitors must take a small row boat to access the entrance. On the way the rower must maneuver through a variety of rock formation often so narrow that only one boat can fit through at a time.

The air in the tunnel is several degrees cooler than the air outside. As one proceed deeper into the cave, the surroundings become more mystifying as the rocky walls take different shapes, sizes, and hues. Hang Hanh contains many formations. One formation takes the form of a drum (for water) called Ang gao. One looks like a temple with millions of diamond-like crystals as its outer layer. There are several columns of rocks that look like remnants of buildings from some ancient world. These monoliths are several stories high. Theres also a formation of a natural amphitheater in the middle of the water with smaller formations in place as the audience.

Ao Tien

Ao Tien or Pond of the Nymphs, was named by the locals because it was rumored this is where the nymphs gathered to take a bath. The limestone walls surrounds this part of the ocean creating a natural pond in the middle of the bay. Ao Tien is located in an island with a lagoon-like setting, surrounded by limestone walls, accessible only by small row boats and only in low tides. During high tide, the water rise to cover the opening and keep the water here clean. The water in Ao Tien is only chest deep and very warm. During low tide visitors can disembark from the bigger boat and use a row boat to enter Ao Tien. Some visitors even swim through the opening without using a boat. Many tourists use Ao Tien as a place to sunbathe and wade.

Hang Luon

Like Ao tien, Hang Luon is in the middle of rock formations the center of which is an open area where the water is clear and calm. There is also a sandy beach. However, Hang luon's opening is substantially bigger than the opening of Ao Tien. Depending on the tide, a large boat can go through the tunnel.

Tuan Chau

Tuan Chau island or Sentinel Chau Island is 3 km west of Dau Go cave. The island is approximately 3 km2. This island is inhabited by people. The nurturing hands of humans have turned this island into a fertile farm producing vegetables and fruits for the outlying mining and fishing villages of Ha Long Bay.

According to the inhabitants, Tuan Chau is a derivative of two words. Before the revolutionary war, each island was under the surveillance of an officer. Each was in charge of a group of sentinels assigned to keep security for one island in the bay. There were several of such officers assigned to Ha Long. The Vietnamese words, linh tuan means sentinel(s) and tri Chau means mandarin (officer) Chau, hence the combination of the two words means Tuan Chau or Sentinel Chau.

There is a bamboo hut on the island that has became a shrine, since it was rumored that this place was favored by Ho Chi Minh when he visited Ha Long. The hut is maintained and kept by the people of the island. Today visitors to the island can visit the hut as if it was a historical monument.

Poem Mountain

Poem Mountain stands over the city of Hon Gai. On his visit to Ha Long, King Le Thanh Tong (15th century) wrote a poem glorifying Ha Long's beauty. This poem is carved on a stele on Nui Truyen Dang which was later renamed Nui Bai Tho or Poem Mountain. The King was a poet and the person responsible for forming the group of intellectuals, Tao Dan Nhi Thap Bat Tu, or Tao Dan twenty-eight scholars.

Cua Ong Temple

Cua Ong Temple is located on a hill over looking Bai Tu Long Bay. The temple was built as a shrine to mandarin Tran Quoc Tang, the son of Vietnams most famous general Tran Hung Dao.