Halong Bay is located in the north of Vietnam, 170 km from the city of Hanoi, in the gulf of the South China Sea. There are more than 3 thousand islands, caves and rocks in the bay. Halong literally means "Where the dragon descended into the sea." There are many legends about the origin of the bay.
One of the legends tells that during the war with the Chinese the gods sent dragons to the aid of the Vietnamese. Dragons spewed precious stones and threw them into the sea. Suddenly appearing in front of the enemy ships, the stones turned into islands, breaking the enemy ships to pieces. So the Vietnamese were saved, and the dragon family has since remained to live in the bay.
In 1994, Halong Bay was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, and in 2011, the bay was recognized as one of the “7 New Wonders of the World”. The islands in the bay are all different and have a bizarre shape, which is why they got their names - Fighting Roosters, Bat, Bull, Dog, Dragon or more romantic ones, such as the Sleeping Princess. All of the islands of Halong Bay are rocky and many of them contain caves. The caves are varied and admire with their beauty - sometimes with lakes, sometimes with waterfalls, with an endless number of stalactites and stalagmites. The most unusual ones have long been adapted for tourists and are the pride of the local population.
The largest cave in the bay is Daugo or "The Cave of Wooden Pillars". Consists of three rooms, at the end of the grotto there is a lake with fresh water. The Cave of Surprise was discovered by French explorers only in 1901. Stalactites and stalagmites created marvelous drawings on the walls of the cave, and inside there is a Fragrant Lake, into which the aroma of plants growing over the cave gets into it with drops of water. All this caused genuine surprise among scientists - hence the name of the cave. No less delight is the Drum grotto, which got its name from its impressive sound effect. The longest cave is Quang Khan or "tunnel cave" - 1300 meters. The cave is very beautiful, but you can get inside only at low tide. The caves most visited by tourists have multi-level lighting, which makes the caves look like the fabulous dwellings of the underground kings.
The largest island in Halong Bay is considered to be Catba Island (translated as -), most of which is a national park. On Cat Ba you will find lakes, waterfalls and stunning nature, as well as stunning views of Halong Bay. The second most visited island is considered to be Tuanchau Island, which used to be the residence of Ho Chi Minh. Another famous island is Titov Island, named after the Russian cosmonaut who visited the bay in 1962.
Halong Bay is truly one of the wonders of the world. The incomparable beauty of the landscapes combined with the local flavor will remain in your memory forever!
