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 Halong
Bay, A Wonder of the World
Halong Bay is a body of water of approximately 1,500 square
kilometres in north Vietnam with a 120 kilometre coastline, in the
Gulf of Tonkin Gulf of Tonkin near the border with China, and 170
kilometres east of Hanoi. 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.
Click here to see Halong Bay Maps
Caves & Grottos
Halong Bay's limestone islands are dotted with caves of all sizes
and shapes. Most of these are accessible only by chaerter boat, but
some can easily be visited on tour.
Hang Dau Go (Grotto of Wooden Stakes): Know to French as the
Grotto des Merveilles (Cave of Marvels), is a huge cave consisting
of three chambers, which you reach via 90 steps. Among the
stalactites of the first hall, scores of gnomes appear to be holding
a meeting. The walls of the second chamber sparkle if bright light
is shone on them. The cave derives its Vietnamese name from the
third of the chamber. This chamber is said to have been used during
the 13th century to store the sharp bamboo stakes that Vietnamese
folk hero and war general, Tran Hung Dao, planted in the bed of the
Bach Dang River to impale Mongolian general Kublai Khan's invasion
fleet. Its the closest cave site to the mainland. Part of the same
system, a nearby cave Hang Thien Cung has "cauliflower" limestone
growths as well as stalactites and stalagmites.
Hang Sung Sot (Surprising Cave): is a popular cave to visit.
It too has three vastand beautiful chambers, in the second of which
there is an astonishing pink-lit "penis rock" (realy, its the only
way to discribe it), which is regarded as a fertility symbol. It too
requires a hike up steps to reach it, and a loop walk through the
cool interior takes you back to the bay. Hang Bo Nau, another
impressive cave can be visited nearby.
Hang Trong (Drum Grotto): is so named because when the wind
blows through its many stalactites and stalagmites, visitors think
they can hear the sound of distant drumbeats.
Bai Tu Long Bay
There's more to northeastern Vietnam than Halong Bay. The sinking
limestone plateau, which gave birth to the bay's spectacular
islands, continue some 100 km to the Chinese border. The area
immediately northeast of Halong Bay is know as Bai Tu Long Bay.
Bai Tu Long Bay is every bit as beautiful as its famous neighbour.
Indeed, you could say it's more beautiful, since it has scarcely
seen any tourist development. This has its positives and negatives.
The bay is unpolluted and undeveloped; however, as yet there's no
tourism infrastructure. It's pretty hard travelling around and
staying here, and unless you speak Vietnamese, it's difficult to get
information.
Bai Tu Long Bay's islands
Van Don Island (Dao Cai Bau): Van Don is largest and most
populated and developed island in the archipelago. However, there is
no tourism development here yet. Cai Rong is the main town on the
island, which is about 30km in length and 15km across at the widest
poit. Bai Dai (Long Beach) runs along much of the southern side of
the island and is hard-packed sand with some mangroves. Just
offshore, almost touching distance away, there are stunning rock
formations similar to those in Halong Bay.
Quan Lan Island (Dao Canh Cuoc): The main attraction here is
beautiful, 1km-long white-sand beach shaped like a crescent moon.
The water is clear blue and the waves are suitable for surfing. The
best time to play in water is from about May to October - winter is
too chilly. However, at the present there are no tourist facilities.
The nothern part of the island has some battered ruins of the old
Van Don Trading Port. There is little to show that this was once
part of the major trading route between Vietnam and China.
Deep-water ports, such as Hai Phong and Hon Gai, long ago superseded
these islands in importance. Boats or Junks cruise take about 6~7
hours to get from Halong City to Quan Lan Island via Bai Tu Long
Bay.
Van Hai Island (Cu Lao Mang): Ancient Chinese graves have
been found here, indicating that this region has seen considerable
maritime trade. There are many good beaches, but a sand-mining pit
(used to make glass) is destroying the place.
Ban Sen Island (Dao Tra Ban): Also know as Tra Ban Island, this is
closest major island to Van Don Island, making it easy to visit.
However, there are no tourist facilities and as a visit will mean an
overnight stay, be prepared to be ufficient.
Co To Island (Dao Co To): In the northeast, Co To Island is
the farthest inhabited island from the mainland. Its highest peak
reaches a respectable 170m. There are numerous other hills, and a
large lighthouse atop one of them. The coastline is mostly cliffs or
large rocks, but there's at least one fine sandy beach. Fishing
boats usualy anchor just off here, and you can walk to some of them
during low tide. There is a small and very basic guesthouse on the
island. Ferries bound for Co To Island depart Van Don island on
Monday, Wednesday and Friday at unspecified time-check the schedule
in Cai Rong. The return from Co To to island on Tuesday, Thursday
and Friday. There are no boats on sunday. The journey takes about 5
hours. About Halong Bay
Cat Ba Island
Cat Ba Island is situated in Ha Long Bay, 50 km to the east of Hai
Phong City, in Northern Vietnam. It is the largest of 366 islands in
the Cat Ba Archipelago, and has a surface area of about 140 square
km. In November 2004, the Cat Ba Archipelago was approved as UNESCO
Biosphere Reserve.
The Cat Ba Archipelago shares the distinctive rugged appearance and
scenic beauty of the Ha Long Bay Area, that was declared a UNESCO
World Natural Heritage Site, in 1994. The area is one of the best
examples in the world of a Karst landscape invaded by the sea. Some
1500-2000 large and small islands and cliffs rise steeply from the
shallow marine waters. Many of these islands reach towering heights
of 50 to 100m with sheer vertical cliffs on all sides.
Spectacular rock relief and bizarre rock formations provide evidence
of a long history of erosion and landscape evolution through the
sculpturing power of water.
The greatest part of the islands’ mountain range like most of the
smaller offshore islands of the Archipelago, are covered by tropical
moist limestone forest.
Cat Ba Island also has coral terraces, sandy beaches, freshwater
wetland areas, tidal flats, mangrove forests and willow swamp.
Spectacular scenery and a high diversity of landscapes make Cat Ba a
special place and it has become a main destination for national and
international tourists.
The People
Cat Ba Island is currently inhabited by almost 12000 people, living
in 6 communes - of which Cat Ba Town with 7820 people is the
largest. Photos of people and floating villages
The area has two ethnic groups, namely the Kinh and the Chinese-born
Vietnamese that are intermingled and not separated into different
areas or communities. Based on archaeological remains, it seems that
people have inhabited the Cat Ba area for at least 6000 years.
Local livelihoods in the villages are built on subsistence
agriculture and fishing. Comparatively new sources of employment and
income at the local level are shrimp and fish-farming, and tourism.
The National Park
Cat Ba National Park was established in 1986. At 85 square km the
park covers more than half of the main island. Including some
smaller islands the park currently comprises 98 square km of total
land area. An additional 54 square km of inshore waters also belong
to the national park.
Cat Ba National Park was Vietnam’s first national park to include
both terrestrial and marine ecosystems.
It is recognized nationally and internationally for its importance
to biodiversity conservation. This is not only because the island
has a high number of different ecosystem and habitat types, but also
because it possesses a great variety of plant and animal species,
many of which, like the Golden-headed Langur, are now rare and
endangered.
In Vietnam’s Biodiversity Action Plan, Cat Ba National Park is
listed in the highest category regarding its value for biodiversity
conservation.
High terrestrial biodiversity
+ About 800 vascular plants, including 25 species in the Red Data
Book of Vietnam, 265 taxa for timber, 357 taxa for medicinal plants
and 65 taxa for economically important food plants have so far been
recorded.
+ Large and partly rare mammals include the Golden-headed Langur,
the Southern Serow (Capricornis sumatraensis), Rhesus macaques
(Macaca mulatta), Leopard Cat (Prionailurus bengalensis), black
giant squirrel (Ratufa bicolor), and civet cats (Viverricula indica,
Paradoxurus hermaphroditus) .
+ The cave, land snail and butterfly fauna is rich including the
most northerly cave-adapted crab species, plus four species of true
cave snails.
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Gallery
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