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Vietnam
> Ha Long Bay |
HA LONG BAY
Situated in
the North-East region of Vietnam, Halong Bay is a bay in the Gulf of Tonkin comprised of
regions of Halong City, the township of Cam Pha, and a part
of the island district of Van Don. Halong Bay borders Cat Ba Island in the southwest, the
East Sea in the east, and the mainland, creating a 120 km coastline. Halong 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 Halong Bay). This densely
concentrated zone of stone islands, world famous for its spectacular scenery of grottoes
and caves, forms the central zone of Halong Bay, which has been named a UNESCO World
Heritage Site.The bay itself 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, Halong 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. Dragon Island looks like a dragon hovering
above the turquoise water. La Vong Island resembles an old man fishing. There are also the
islands of the Sail, the Pair of Roosters, and the Incense Burner, which all astonishingly
resemble their namesakes. The forms of the islands change depending on the angle of the
light and from where the islands are viewed. At the core of the islands, there are
wonderful caves and grottoes, such as Thien Cung (Heavenly Residence Grotto), Dau Go
(Driftwood Grotto), Sung Sot (Surprise Grotto), and Tam Cung (Three Palace Grotto). Halong
Bay has many links to the history of Vietnam. For example, there are such famous
geographical sites as Van Don (site of an ancient commercial port), Poem Mountain (with
engravings of many poems about emperors and other famous historical figures), and Bach
Dang River (the location of two fierce naval battles fought against foreign aggressors).It
has been proven by scientists that Halong was one of the first cradles of human existence
in the area at such archeological sites as Dong Mang, Xich Tho, Soi Nhu, and Thoi Gieng.
It is also a region of highly-concentrated biological diversity with many ecosystems of
salt water-flooded forests, coral reefs, and tropical forests featuring thousands of
species of animal and plant life.With all this in mind, the 18th meeting of the Committee
of the World Heritages of UNESCO (in Thailand on December 17th, 1994), officially
recognized Halong Bay as a natural heritage site of worldwide importance.
 Dau Go Grotto
Dau
Go Grotto is found on Driftwood Island, formerly known as Canh Doc Island. The name
Driftwood Grotto comes from the popular story of the resistance war against the Nguyen Mong aggressors. In a decisive battle, Tran Hung Dao was given an order to prepare many
ironwood stakes to be planted on the riverbed of the Bach Dang River. The remaining wooden
pieces were found in the grotto and, as a result, the grotto was given its present name.
The entrance is reached via 90 steps up the island. The grotto is divided into three main
parts. In the first chamber, many forms can be seen in the rock, depending on the
imagination of the observer. In the middle of the chamber, on the top of the pillar, there
appears to be a monk draped in a long, dark cloak, with his right hand clasping a cane.
Moving into the second chamber, visitors pass through a narrow "door", naturally
formed through erosion. The light here is mysterious, and new images appear in the stone.
At the end of the grotto is a well of clear water surrounded by four ancient walls. In
this grotto, there remains an engraved stone stele singing the praises of Halong Bay
ordered by Emperor Khai Dinh when he came to visit the grotto in 1917. Dau Go is 40
minutes from Bai Chay.
Trinh Nu Grotto
The Virgin Grotto is situated in the island
range of Bo Hon, in the system comprised of the Surprise Grotto, Dong Tien
Lake, and Luon Grotto. The grotto is 15 km south of Bai Chay Beach. For some
fishermen, the Virgin Grotto is home, while for young lovers it is a popular
romantic rendezvous site. According to legend, there once was a beautiful
fisherman's daughter, whose family was so poor that they were in service of
the rich administrator of the fishing zone, who forced the family to give
him their daughter as a concubine. However, the fisherman’s daughter already
had a lover and refused to marry the administrator. The administrator got
angry and exiled her to a wild island where she suffered from hunger and
exhaustion. One frightful night she turned to stone. On this same night, her
lover, knowing of her danger, rowed his boat in search of her. However, a
tempest destroyed his boat, and he floated to a nearby island. In a flash of
lightening, he saw his lover in the distance, but his calls were driven away
by the wind. In his final exhaustion, he also turned to stone (today’s Male
Grotto). When visiting the Virgin Grotto, you can still see the petrified
girl with her long hair hanging down and eyes looking towards the mainland.
Opposite the Virgin Grotto, the Male Grotto is still home to the lover whose
his face is turned towards his mate. At times, his passionate calls and
blows against the walls of the grotto can still be heard. turned towards his
mate. At times, his passionate calls and blows against the walls of the
grotto can still be heard.
Thien Cung
Grotto
This
recently discovered grotto is one of the most beautiful in Halong Bay. Thien Cung is
situated on the southwest side of the bay, 4 km from the wharf outside of Halong City. It
is located in a small range of islands that resemble a throne embracing two superb
grottoes at its core. The way to Thien Cung is perilous, covered on both sides by thick
forest. After entering a narrow gate, the magnificent, 130 m long grotto opens up.
According to legend, a beautiful young lady named May (cloud) caught the eye of the Dragon
Prince and he fell in love with her. They were betrothed and got married in the very
center of the grotto. All of the scenes of their wedding, which lasted for seven days and
seven nights, have been seemingly fossilized in the grotto. In the center, there are four
large pillars supporting the "roof of heaven". From the base to the top, many
strange images seem to exist in the stone, including birds, fish, flowers and even scenes
of human life. On the north wall of the grotto, a group of fairies seems to be singing and
dancing in honor of the wedding. Under the immeasurably high roof, stalactites form a
natural stone curtain. There is also the sound of a beating drum made by the wind blowing
through the stone. In the last chamber of the grotto, a natural gushing stream of water
babbles throughout the year. Here there are three small ponds of clear water. One path
meanders out of the grotto.
Bai Tho Mountain
Bai
Tho Mountain is 106 m high. It runs along the coast, half on land and half in the sea.
Sailing in the bay, one or two hundred meters from the mountain, one can see a poem carved
on a flat stone cliff. In 1468, Emperor Le Thanh Tong, who was also a poet, made an
inspection tour of the North-East region. He stopped at the foot of the mountain, and
inspired by the magnificent beauty of his surroundings, he wrote a poem. Later, he had the
poem engraved on the wall of the mountain. It is very interesting to climb the mountain
and enjoy the panoramic view of the bay.
Tuan Chau Islet
Situated
3 km west of Dao Go Islet, Tuan Chau Islet has an area of 300 ha. On the islet, there is a
very simple bamboo house built by the inhabitants of Quang Ninh for Uncle Ho to rest after
visiting Halong Bay. The house is now carefully preserved by the locals.
Bai Chay Beach
Bai
Chay is a resort located along the coast of Halong Bay. This is a windward ocean resort
which has a year round average temperature of 20oC (68oF). Bai Chay
is a low gently sloping range of hills that runs along the sea for more than 2 km. Blended
in among the pine trees are large hotels and small villas with distinguished architectural
styles. Traveling down the asphalt road along the coast, visitors see long white stretches
of sand and green rows of Casuarina trees, tucked under which are small family-run
restaurants. After swimming at the beach, tourists can enjoy cold drinks and cool off in
the breeze that sweeps in from the sea.
Cat Ba island
Cat
Ba National Park is located on Cat Ba Island, 150 km east of Hanoi. The park covers
approximately 200 km, two thirds of which consists of a forested zone and one third, a marine zone.One should leave Halong Bay or Do Son without a visit to Cat Ba Island. The island is home to over 600 kinds of plants including Bang, Goi Nep, Sang Le, and Kim Giao trees. The fauna living on the island is also diverse; the island is home to rare wild white-headed langurs, deer, and
macaques, to name a few. Cat Ba marine reserves comprise sea turtles, lobster, coral,
oysters, and dolphins. The cool weather in Cat Ba is suitable for relaxation and
convalescence. From Hanoi, one can travel to Haiphong by train or by bus, and then by boat
to Cat Ba Island.
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