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Halong Bay

Overview

Located in the Northeast of Vietnam in the Quang Ninh Province, Ha Long Bay in the Gulf of Tonkin is made up of over 1,600 islands and islets that form an often photographed seascape of limestone pillars jutting out of the sea.  Most of the lush, precipitous islands are uninhabited and are protected as a UNESCO World Heritage site.  Most of the islands in the Bay are formed of limestone and are thought to be over 500 million years old. As well as supporting a diverse range of unique flora and fauna, there are many caves which visitors can explore including Thien Cung, Dau Go, Sung Sot and Bo Nau.
The end of the Vietnam war, and the advent of "Doi moi", Vietnam's policy of opening its economy to foreign trade, means that Westerners and South Vietnamese now have a chance to visit Ha long.  Vinh Ha Long or Bay of the Descending Dragon is often touted by proud Vietnamese as the world's Eighth wonder.
Attractions

Hoi An is an ancient town in Vietnam, less than 30 km to the south of Danang.  It is located on the bank of the Thu Bon river, near the East Sea. It was untouched by the fighting during the Vietnam war and remains its centuries-old Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese and European architecture. In the 17 - 19 centuries, Hoi An was one of the most important port in Southeast Asia.  In 17 century the French Priest Alexandre de Rhodes arrived here and described Vietnamese language into Latin - based quoc ngu script. Hoi An was also the site of the first Chinese settlers in southern Vietnam.
Bai Chay Beach, Upon arriving in Ha Long city, the visitor will be driving along 'Bai Chay 'or scorched beach. The sand on this stretch of beach is dark. And judging by the name the visitors may mistakenly think that this is due to the dry climate or lack of wind in this area. However, contrary to this interpretation, the area is quite pleasant during the summer and fall months
Bo Nau Cave, Bo Nau Cave (Pelican 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.
Hang Dau Go, Halong Hang Dau Go (Wooden Stakes Cave) is one of the most beautiful cave at Ha Long. The name, Dau Go or Giau Go, has direct ties to the history of Vietnam. According to the locals, while preparing for the Mongolian attacks in 1288, general Tran Hung Dao, sent a convoy to this area to cut wood from this region.  Wooden stakes were then fashioned from the wood and hidden in Dau Go cave.
Hang Trinh Nu (Virgin Cave) 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.
Nui Bai Tho, 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.
Sung Sot Cave, 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.
Transportation


Taxis are available for nipping around town and are very cheap. Not surprisingly, the main way to get around the bay is via the water.
Boats of varying size and speeds can be chartered including the romantic junks. Also available for a reasonable sum are noisy speedboats - good for getting out to the remote outlying islands. Hotels can arrange this, but it's possible to either send your driver to the jetty or go down and haggle yourself. A brief passenger and car ferry services connect Hon Gai to Bai Chay. There's also the 3hr ferry to Cat Ba Island. There are also ferry and hydrofoil links between Hon Gai and the port city of Haiphong. The hydrofoil takes less than 2 hrs, half that of the ferry. There is no airport for Halong Bay, the closest domestic one is Haiphong. The nearest international airport is in Hanoi.
 

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