Chủ Nhật, 4 tháng 1, 2015
Halong Bay, Vietnam is one of world’s natural wonders and is one
of the top tourist attractions in Vietnam. The literal meaning of “Halong” is
“Bay of Descending Dragons”. A local legend says that a family of dragons was
sent to defend the land long ago when the Vietnamese were fighting the Chinese
invaders. These dragons had descended upon what is now Halong Bay. Halong Bay,
Vietnam, famous for its scenic rock formations, has been listed among the World
Heritage Sites by UNESCO.
Halong Bay, Vietnam is a spectacular location for sightseeing in
Vietnam. Located in the Gulf of Tonkin, it forms an amazing seascape of
limestone pillars along with more than 1,600 islands and islets. The visitors
seem to discover paradise in Halong Bay with the clear water of the Bay, with
some large islands and small alcoves with sandy beaches facilitating a relaxed
swimming in the calm bay water.
Halong Bay is one of the most visited and recognized of the
Vietnam tourist attractions. It houses a great diversity of ecosystems
including coral reefs, freshwater swamp forests, mangrove forest, small
freshwater lakes, and sandy beaches. The islands feature beautiful grottos and
caves with interesting stone formations and hidden ponds.
Some of the most visited Halong Bay, Vietnam tourist attractions
are:
Bai Chay (Scorched Beach)
The visitors have to drive along Bai Chay beach to reach Halong
Bay, Vietnam. Unlike its name, Bai Chay is a very pleasant black sand beach
significant for a historical event attached to it. Bai Chay was once a forest
until 1287 when the Mongols attacking Vietnam were driven back and many Mongol
ships were set on fire. High winds drifted these ships to the shore setting the
forest on fire creating a stretch of beach in this area which came to be known
as Bai Chay or scorched beach.
Caves and Grottos
The mystical caves and grottos in Halong Bay, Vietnam comes with
strange shapes and structures. One of the most prominent among them is Virgin
Cave (Hang Trinh Nu), also called the Mid Gate cave, which derives its name
from the statue of a woman lying atop a flat surface of the cave. Legend says
that beautiful woman committed suicide in the cave, unable to return home after
being forcefully married to an old mandarin. Here her body tuned into stone.
The tunnels in the Virgin Cave crisscross the island for around 2 kilometers
with many chambers along the tunnel.
The next cave attraction is Hung Sung Sot Cave located in the same
island as Virgin Cave and has a steep path lined with shady trees. There are
two chambers in the cave with a square shaped outer chamber and a ceiling of
about 30meters height. The inner chamber formations look like sentries
conversing with one another, animals and a formation resembling a general
surveying his troops in the middle of the chamber. The light reflected from the
water outside seems to bring these formations to life.
The other caves existing here are the historically significant
Hang Do Go (Flowers on Stone) and Pelican Cave (Hang Bo Nau). Besides these the
visitors can go kayaking, swimming and hiking in the mountains in the islands.
There are several cruises offering tours in and around Halong Bay.
Accommodation in Halong Bay is available with many hotels present
in the islands of Halong Bay, Vietnam. Halong Bay can be reached from Hanoi by
road which is a three and a half hour drive covering 165 kilometers.
