Informations about Halong Bay geographical position, legend and history, natural features, outstanding values, tourism destinations and food specialty that you should know about.

 

Halong Bay is in Northeastern Vietnam on the shores of the Gulf of Tonkin. It belongs to Quang Ninh Province which is 165 km far from Hanoi. Ha Long Bay has an area of ​​1,553 km 2 including 1,969 limestone karsts and islets, of which 980 are named. 

The UNESCO recognized Ha Long bay as World Heritage Site with an area of ​​434 km 2, including 775 islets, of which 411 are named.

 

 

The most widely circulated story is to that when Vietnamese people established the country, they were invaded by foreign invaders, The Jade Emperor appointed Mother Dragon and her Child Dragons down to help the Vietnam to fight. Dragons ejected a lot of pearls and turned into thousands of rocky islands on the sea creating a solid wall to block the enemy warships.

Many studies have found from 18,000 years ago humans were living on Halong Bay. Some vestiges of Soi Nhu culture (Middle Stone Age) and Ha Long culture (New Stone Age) are also found here.          

In the modern period, Ha Long Bay witnessed many important milestones of Vietnamese history such as: the battle of King Ngo Quyen defeated the Southern Han army in 938, Tran Quoc Tuan general won the Mongolian Nguyen army for the third time in 1288. Today, traces of wars are still in Dau Go cave, one of the most famous attractions of Ha Long Bay.

 

The islands in Ha Long Bay are mainly limestone and schist islands most lying in the two main areas: the southeastern part of Bai Tu Long Bay and southwestern part of Halong Bay. The islands are mainly limestone islands (over 90%) with different elevations (from 50 to 200 m). They are the result of many times of rising and lowering processes of the continent to form a karst.

Halong bay climate is wet tropical which is influenced by the monsoon’s operation. The temperature varies from 15ºC to 25ºC, the rainfall annually is between about 2000mm and 2200mm. There are four seasons in this well-known bay: warm spring, hot and moist summer, cool autumn and dry and cold winter.

 

 

Most of the islands in Ha Long Bay are the Fenglin karst, one of the rarest landforms in limestone. They display spectacular pillars with a variety of coastal erosional features such as arches and caves which form a majestic natural scenery. The repeated regression and transgression of the sea on the limestone karst over geological time has produced a mature landscape of clusters of conical peaks and isolated towers which were modified by sea invasion, adding an extra elemant to the process of lateral undercutting of the limstone towers and islands.

The beauty of Ha Long Bay is not only the harmony between sky and sea but also the diversity in natural artworks of hundred caves. Some popular caves are Thien Cung cave, Dau Go cave, Sung Sot cave, Bo Nong cave and Trinh Nu cave.

The underwater landscapes of Ha Long Bay are equally as fascinating as those above sea level with areas of tropical ocean, salt water flooded forests, coral reefs and mangrove forests. 

The coral reef system is made up of 163 different species of coral which create a fascinating and colourful underground world whilst also proving a home for hundreds of species of marine wildlife including fish, shellfish, squid and cuttlefish. In addition to the colourful rainbows of fish, the bays are also home to larger animals such as seals and dolphins.

 

• Sung Sot Cave: Sung Sot Cave is one of the largest and most beautiful caves in Halong Bay. Located in Bo Hon Island, Sung Sot Cave is a place where many rocky islands concentrated having distinct and strange shapes, which cannot find in other ones.
• Thien Cung: Thanks to the hands of the Creator, Thien Cung Cave is one of Halong attractions having the impressive natural beauty. Along with Sung Sot Cave, Thien Cung Cave is one of the largest and most beautiful caves in Halong Bay.
• Drum cave and Trinh Nữ cave: Ha Long Bay is known for its exotic rock formations, and the stalactites shimmering inside the caves. But Ha Long tourists also know the nature here with the legend handed down in folk. Trong cave and Trinh Nu cave are two names have become very familiar with the domestic and foreign tourists when choosing Ha Long is the destination. Not only are they attracted by the wonderful beauty that the Creator has bestowed on these two caves, but the legendary story about the two caves is also curious.

6. Food specialty

• Grilled Choppes Squid: Also known as squid sausage or squid cake, Cha Muc is the most popular food of Quang Ninh province and also included in the list of the top 50 Vietnamese specialty dishes. It was even voted by Asian Record as one of the country’s top 10 most delicious dishes. Obviously the main ingredient is squid, but local fishermen argue that for Cha Muc to be as tasty as it is known for, the squid must exclusively come from Halong Bay.
• Baked Half Lobster with cheese: Luxurious seafood dish that showcases the exquisite flavors of lobster combined with the creamy of cheese. The dish typically involves splitting a lobster in half, topping it with a generous layer of cheese (often a blend of Parmesan, mozzarella, or cheddar), and then baking it until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
• Grilled Lobster Soup: The lobster is grilled to perfection, imparting a unique depth of flavor, and then incorporated into a velvety soup made with ingredients like cream, butter, and aromatic herbs. This elegant dish offers a delightful blend of textures and tastes, making it a sophisticated choice for seafood lovers.
• Vietnamese Steamed Rice Roll: Banh cuon is made from steamed fermented rice batter stuffed with a combination of seasoned ground pork, jicama, minced shallots, and minced wood ear mushroom. It gets a sprinkle of crispy fried shallots and a glaze of scallion oil before being served on a bed of thinly sliced cucumbers, blanched bean sprouts, chopped lettuce, Vietnamese herbs, and cha lua (Vietnamese pork sausage). The rolls are often dipped in a local fish sauce called nuoc cham. For added flavor, a drop of ca cuong, which is the essence of a giant water bug, is mixed to the fish sauce, although this particular ingredient is rare and quite expensive.