Ha Long Bay

Halong bay view

On December 14th 1994, at the 18th session of the World Heritage Commission in Phuket-Thailand, Ha Long Bay was inscribed in the World Heritage List by UNESCO. The decision to recognize Ha Long Bay as a World Heritage area confirmed the exceptional and universal value of its landscape.

For Vietnamese people Ha Long Bay is not only a great landscape but it is also a sacred and long-standing symbol of the country. In the Vietnamese people’s consciousness the stone islands in Ha Long Bay are not only limestone but biotic. When the Nation was in danger a Mother Dragon and her children descended from the sky to create Ha Long Bay and stayed forever to defend the country.

In Vietnamese the bay is called Vinh Ha Long (Where the Dragon Descended to the Sea). The Bay is situated on the northwest coast of the Gulf of Tonkin, near the city of Hong Gai, in Quang Ninh province, in northern Vietnam. It is 102 miles (164 km) southeast of Hanoi. The 580-square-mile (1,500-square-kilometre) area contains some 3,000 rocky and earthen islands, typically in the form of jagged limestone pillars jutting out from the sea, and several caves and grottoes. The system of grottos in the islands of Ha Long Bay are considered heavenly palaces in the world. The most impressive of the grottoes is Hang Dau Go, a huge cave of three chambers, while the Thien Cung Caves are also very impressive.

Visiting travelers can see the impact left by primitive people from the last 20,000 years. Three famous prehistoric cultures continuously developed in this landscape from the late Paleolithic age to the early Metal age. They are the Soi Nhu culture, Cai Beo culture and Ha Long culture.

Taking a tour of the bay is the main activity here; most book a tour at a cafe or hotel in Hanoi. If you want to arrange things independently, be ready for lots of hard sell from touts in Ha Long City. To see a lot, choose a fast boat. If you want a romantic experience but with the risk of getting hardly anywhere, look for one of the old junks. You have to charter the whole boat, but there are usually enough travelers around to make up a party and keep costs down.

The main town in the region is Ha Long City, which is split in two halves, bisected by a very modern bridge over the bay. Bai Chay (the western part) is the more scenic and has the most hotels, restaurants and persistent touts. Hon Gai (the eastern part) is connected to Haiphong by a ferry. Masochists might try seeing the bay on a day-trip from Hanoi. Another option is to travel to Cat Ba Island, where you can arrange a tour of the bay with less hassles.

The name Ha Long Bay is literally translated as “Bay of Descending Dragons.” Prior to the 19th century, this name was not recorded in any document or archive. When mentioning the present-day Quang Ninh Sea or Ha Long Bay, old historical books often referred to them as the seas of Giao Chau, Luc Chau, Luc Thuy, Van Don, Hai Dong or An Bang. Not until in the late 19th century did the name of Ha Long Bay appear on the Bac Bo (Tonkin) Gulf chart or in press articles in French and in Vietnamese.

A legend has been handed down in the local area relating to the name Ha Long Bay, which says: Long ago, in the first founding days, the Viet people were attacked by foreign aggressors. The Jade Emperor sent the Mother Dragon and a herd of Child Dragons to help the Viet fight the invaders. While the enemy vessels were launching massive attacks against the mainland, the dragons descended in flocks from the sky. They spat out innumerable pearls which, in a moment, were changed into innumerable jade stone islands linked together into firm citadels that checked the enemy’s advance and smashed their vessels into pieces. The Viet won at last.

After the invaders were driven out, the Mother Dragon and her Child Dragons did not return to Heaven but stayed on earth, right at the place where the battle occurred. The spot where the Mother Dragon landed was Ha Long, and where the Child Dragons came down was Bai Tu Long. The place where their tails violently wagged was called Long Vi, the present-day Tra Co Peninsula with its soft sandy beach stretching dozens of kilometers.

source by halongbay