Towering rock karsts, beautifully lush island landmasses, and waters teeming with a bounty of marine life, Ha Long Bay is one of Vietnam’s most beautiful attractions, and an essential experience.
Mythology
Ha Long means ‘descending dragon’, because according to the legend, several dragons descended from the heavens to aid the people in fending off invaders. The dragons placed many of the karsts to damage enemy vessels, and eventually decided to settle in Ha Long Bay because of the area’s beauty.
Background
The bay consists of more than 1600 islands that are monolithic in nature, and covered in a thick layer of jungle. Amazingly, many of these islands are in fact hollow, and feature many caves which can be explored. Hang Dau Go is the biggest to be found here, and features three large chambers within it.
Procuring a Cruise
Due to the popularity of the bay among travellers, there are countless vessels that provide tours around the bay. A considerable amount of these are poorly maintained, to the point of being dangerous. If you’re staying at Hoi An accommodation along the likes of Anantara Hoi An Resort be sure to check with concierge for a recommendation, some resorts would even arrange it for you.
Ethics
Many are raising questions about the ethical nature of travelling around this beautiful and historically significant landscape. Be mindful to not discard or dispose of anything in a manner that will harm the environment of Ha Long Bay.
Roland Lefevre is a travel writer who specializes in creating features on leisure as well as business travel destinations across the globe. Google+