Introduction

Halong Bay is perhaps the most spectacular of Vietnam's natural wonders. Located in the Gulf of Tonkin 170km from Hanoi, it is an impressive collection of nearly 2,000 islands covering an area in excess of 1,500km forming a spectacular seascape of limestone pillars and cliff faces. The breathtaking scenery and unusual geology of the bay led UNESCO to designate Halong Bay a World Heritage site in 1994.

Because of their precipitous nature, most of the islands are uninhabited and untouched by man. The ancient Vietnamese believed that Halong Bay was where a giant dragon "descended into the sea", as the rocky outcrops resemble the humps and scales of a dragon's back. Another legend says that the giant limestone rocks themselves are dragons, protecting Vietnam from hostile invaders. In fact the bay was formed as a result of millions of years of erosion on the limestone rocks. Then when the last ice age finished, the seas rose as the glaciers melted, flooding the entire area transforming hills into the islands we see today.

Many of the forested islands in the bay have hidden caves and grottoes which are easily explored by boat or kayak. Some of the island caves are filled with a colorful stalagmites and stalactites.

A full exploration of Halong Bay takes 2 to 3 days, though a day trip provides enough time to get a feel for the place. Halong Bay is 3-4 hours by car, or 2 hours by train, from Hanoi.