HaLong Bay Overview

Ha Long bay is an area of outstanding beauty in the Quang Ninh Province of north eastern Vietnam, about 100 miles from Hanoi.

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Halong bay Overview

Halong bay is an area of outstanding beauty in the Quang Ninh Province of north eastern Vietnam, about 100 miles from Hanoi. A UNESCO World Heritage Site it has also been included in the list of “The Seven Wonders of Nature”. Its name means descending dragon bay, and legend has it that as Vietnam had just started developing as a country, they had to fight off invaders. The gods sent a family of dragons to assist.The dragons spitting out gems stones and jade which turned into the thousands of islands or karsts that are numerous in the bay. After victory over the invaders, who were obstructed by the wall of islands, the dragon left the land and entered the sea, carving gaps between many of the rocks.

Halong bay covers an area of 600 square miles and has approximately 2,000 islands, mainly limestone karsts that soar majestically out of the water. Twenty million years in the making it has become a popular tourist destination with tour companies plying their trade of cruise holidays. 1,600 people live in the bay mainly in four floating villages, Cura Van, Ba Hang, Cong Tau and Vong Vieng. It has a coastline length of 75 miles.

Halong Bay People

Approximately 1,600 people live in Halong bay VietNam in four floating fishing villages: Cura Van, Ba Hang, Cong Tau and Vong Vieng. They live out an existence that is little changed in centuries. They fish and gather molluscs, which are traded and sold. Tourism has provided a steady boost to some of their income streams. But their’s remains a simple life.

Halong Bay Tours Vietnam