Halong Bay is a very popular holiday vacation spot. Its specific location is within the Quang Ninh region of Vietnam which is also recognized as as a UNESCO World Heritage site. It’s a body of water of approximately 1500 square kilometres in North Vietnam. It incorporates a 120 kilometres of coastline around the Gulf of Tonkin Gulf close to the border of China. The bay is largely clustered with 3000 limestone islands. The captivating splendor of them soaring out of the sea is impressive. The development of the limestone karst has taken place over millions of years. Literally one will look at absolutely nothing like this any where on earth, it’s a collection of absolute beauty and natural wonder.
In respect to historical analysis there’s evidence of prehistoric people there thousands of years ago. Praise and recognition have been honored over many years, documented dating back 500 years. It was then lauded “the rock wonder in the sky”, in a verse by Nguyen Trai. In 1962 Halong Bay was also listed in the National Relics and Landscapes publication, plus 1994 UNESCO listing as a World Heritage site.
Regional legend will explain that ancient gods sent dragons to Vietnam to help them battle the Chinese. As ammunition the dragons began spitting out jade and jewels. This formed into the islets and the islands that are scattered across the bay. All of these joined together creating a wall of sorts for protection.
Halong Bay is also a place of quite biological diversity. With tropical jungles, coral reefs and literally hundreds of species of wildlife and flora. There is a population of close to 1600 the majority of them residing in floating homes and fishing being the mainstay here. Yet with in excess of two hundred types of fish and over four hundred and fifty varieties of mollusks there is fishing a plenty.
If you are considering on going to Halong Bay, there are quite a few ways to do this. Once arriving at Noi Bai International airport you then want to go to Hanoi. From Hanoi you actually have a several different options to get to Halong Bay. Helicopter is one way to go and absolutely the most stunning way to get there. Other methods to get there would be by public bus, which often can be quite an adventure as it usually takes 5 to 6 hours based on traffic. By private car is the very best way to go. Normally takes around 3.5 hours and you have a car driver that understands where to go, well worth the expense.
Now when in Halong Bay there are many options for one to go on the many Halong bay tours. Some tourists choose to come from Hanoi for the day to tour and others plan to take a bit longer. Regardless of the duration it’s a trip you will undoubtedly need to do. You will discover no better beauty then cruising down the emerald green waters and seeing the spectacular islands, mountain ranges and islets, it is truly exceptional and a once in a life time encounter.
There are numerous Halong Bay tours, cruises and junk boats. You can choose to go as a group or opt to do it independently. This way you can have more flexibility and your tour guide is all yours. The length of your own trip is up to you, yet to do it justice at least 3 days and nights or more is recommended. Be prepared for the Halong Bay tours of your life, you will discover you have never quite witnessed anything so remarkable.