Ha Long Bay, located in the northeast of Vietnam, a part of the gulf of Tonkin, consists of the seaside of Ha Long city, Cam Pha city and a partial of Van Dao district island. On the Southwest of Cat Ba, the bay has an area of 1.553 square kilometers, consists of 1969 islands and islets, among those, 980 are unnamed. The first part of the property deemed World Heritage has an area of 434 square kilometers and consists of 775 islands, takes the shape of a triangle with 3 corners Dau Go Island (West), Ba Ham Lake (South) and Cong Tay Island (East).
Ha Long Bay is a unique relic because the land embodies important landmarks of the forming and growing process of Earth’s history, the cradle of ancient Vietnamese, a masterpiece of nature with thousands of rock islands and mysterious caves. Besides that, Ha Long Bay is also the center of diverse biological life forms and attached to rich culture and history values.
Ha Long Bay is a unique relic because the land embodies important landmarks of the forming and growing process of Earth’s history, the cradle of ancient Vietnamese, a masterpiece of nature with thousands of rock islands and mysterious caves. Besides that, Ha Long Bay is also the center of diverse biological life forms and attached to rich culture and history values.
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| Photo by EYEKLIK |
Ha Long Bay stands out with the system of rock islands and majestic caves. Islands in Ha Long come in 2 forms: limestone and rosin, reside mainly in the southeast of Bai Tu Long Bay and the southwest of Ha Long Bay. This is the oldest form of natural creation with has been taking place for 250-280 million years. This is the result of rising and lowering from land to ocean.
Hundreds of rock islands, each takes a different shape and named after it. Hon Dau Nguoi looks like a somebody’s head, Hon Rong looks like a dragon, Hon Canh Buom looks like a sail boat, Hon Trong Mai looks like a cock (an animal), etc. Among these monoliths are beautiful caves attached to magical stories like Thien Cung Cave (Celestial Palace), Dau Go Cave (Wood head), Sung Sot Cave (Shocking), Trinh Nu Cave (Virgin), etc. They truly are castles of gods among mortals. Since the beginning, Nguyen Trai has deemed Ha Long to be the heritage monumented in heaven.
Geological Value
For the past thousand years, the sea has been corroding over the land, allowing the bay to expand, making the water saltier and the corals more developed. Ha Long Bay is the result of a long geological evolution. Travelers come to Ha Long not just to see one of the seven wonders of the world, but also to observe a geologic museum that has been preserved outdoor for over three hundred million years. The caves are evidence of the corrosion throughout the geological ages. The atmosphere of the bay also serves as the foundation for other values such as biology, archeology, and culture.
Historical Value
Ha Long Bay also carries the heroic history of the Vietnamese people with famous locations. Van Don was a busy trading harbor in the 12th century. Mount Bai Tho has the iconic poem. Bach Dang river is the evidence of the valor victory of our ancestors. Not only that, Ha Long also serves as one of the cradles of Human Birth. The glorious Ha Long Culture can be studied further in popular archeology sites like Dong Mang, Xich Tho, Soi Nhu, Thoi Gieng, etc.
For the past thousand years, the sea has been corroding over the land, allowing the bay to expand, making the water saltier and the corals more developed. Ha Long Bay is the result of a long geological evolution. Travelers come to Ha Long not just to see one of the seven wonders of the world, but also to observe a geologic museum that has been preserved outdoor for over three hundred million years. The caves are evidence of the corrosion throughout the geological ages. The atmosphere of the bay also serves as the foundation for other values such as biology, archeology, and culture.
Historical Value
Ha Long Bay also carries the heroic history of the Vietnamese people with famous locations. Van Don was a busy trading harbor in the 12th century. Mount Bai Tho has the iconic poem. Bach Dang river is the evidence of the valor victory of our ancestors. Not only that, Ha Long also serves as one of the cradles of Human Birth. The glorious Ha Long Culture can be studied further in popular archeology sites like Dong Mang, Xich Tho, Soi Nhu, Thoi Gieng, etc.
Biological Value
Ha Long bay attracts a high density of diverse ecosystems like mangroves, corals, seagrass, tropical forests, etc. Basically, there are 347 different biological plants in Ha Long Bay, 16 of them are endangered, 95 of them come with medical use, 37 are decors, 13 grow fruit, 10 are for multiple purposes.
The islands of Ha Long Bay serve as shelter for numerous animals, many of them live in caves, 60 species can only be found in the bay. Ha Long seafood is caught and farmed. They are abalones, sea ginsengs, shrimps, fish, squids, octopuses, pearls, etc.
On December 17th, 1994, Ha Long bay, with incredible aesthetic value was officially declared a World Heritage by UNESCO in its 18th summit which took place in Thailand. On December 2nd, in Cairns, Australia, UNESCO claimed Ha Long to be a World Heritage for the second time based on its geological value. Then what are you waiting? Let's take a tour to enjoy its stunning beauty.
