Halong Bay, Vietnam

Halong-bay

One of the world’s natural wonders, (and a common backdrop for films set in Vietnam), Halong Bay features more than one thousand awesome limestone karsts and islands of various sizes and shapes along the 120-km coastline of Bai Chay Beach.

Its waters are host to a great diversity of ecosystems including offshore coral reefs, freshwater swamp forests, mangrove forests, small freshwater lakes, and sandy beaches. The folk tale has it that the dragons descended from heaven to help locals by spitting jewels and jade to the sea, forming a natural fortress against invaders; these precious stones are represented by the lush green outcrops. Several islands boast beautiful grottos and caves with contiguous chambers, hidden ponds and peculiar stone formations.
The bay is about 160 kilometers northeast of Hanoi and accessed by road. Several travel agents in Hanoi offer overnight packages that include a selection of boating excursions from Chinese junks to kayaks.

Baichay Beach
Baichay Beach may not be the nicest beach but it is certainly the busiest one in Halong Bay. This is mainly because it has a pier where travelers board a boat for a leisure cruise along the bay. Local hotels and shops spread along its beach road.

Caves and grottos in Halong Bay
In Vietnam and many parts in Asia, it is common that some natural wonders and attractions are attached with folk stories and fables. In Halong Bay, many grottos, caves, stalagmites and stalactites have their own stories that explain how they got eccentric shapes and structures.

Hang Trinh Nu (Virgin Cave)
Hang Trinh Nu is known as the Mid Gate cave. It is also known as the Virgin Cave. The name comes from a stone statue lying atop a flat surface of the cave. The story has it that a poor but beautiful young woman was forced to marry an old mandarin who captured her from her family. She managed to escape but did not want to go home because of the fear of retaliation. Finally, she went to the cave and committed suicide. Her body then turned into the stone statue in that cave.

The Virgin cave has tunnels that crisscross the island for approximately 2 kilometres. There are many chambers along the tunnels. All are unique in their beauty.

Hang Sung sot Cave
Located on the same island as the Virgin cave, Sung Sot cave is said to be the most beautiful - Sung Sot means astonishment or awe in Vietnamese. The path to Sung Sot is quite steep and flanked with trees. The cave is comprised of 2 chambers. The outer chamber, which is referred to as the waiting room, is square and approximately 30 metres high. The walls of the chamber are very smooth and generate a range of colors that blend with its surroundings.

The inner chamber is known as the serene castle. Inside the chamber are stalactites and stalagmites that come in a variety of forms from conversing sentries to animals in varying poses. It is up to your imagination. Many visitors are impressed by the reflection of the water that caused the formation of images inside the chamber.

Hang Dau Go (Flowers on Stone)
Dau Go Cave is not only known for its beauty but also famed for its historical tie to the Vietnamese history. The most famous of all grottoes in Ha Long Bay, Hang Dau Go Cave has been visited by many high rank local officials or even a Vietnamese king.

The history of the cave dates back to 1288 when a Vietnamese general Tran Hung Dao fought against the Mongolian troops. He dispatched a convoy to cut wood from this region to make wooden stakes and hid them in Dau Go cave. The stakes were then embedded in Bach Dang River to form a barrier. The Mongolian soldiers were then tricked into the river. They got stuck in these wooden stakes and drowned. The cave was also used as a base where the general hid his force during the war.

Indeed, Dau Go Cave is a part of a huge limestone islet 8 kilometres south of Baichay Beach. It has 90 rocky steps that lead to the entrance. The cave’s outer chamber is the largest one that can accommodate up to 400 people. It has the most impressive stalagmites and stalactites - some are as tall as 20 metres.

The cave’s middle chamber has a round crystal like structure on the path that, when struck by light, emits a kaleidoscope of light that is both remarkable and unique. The inner chamber- the smallest one - has colorful stalagmites, stalactites and water filled stone wells.

Read more information about Halong Bay.