A vast expanse of wide open space of the open bay and the limestone pillars rising in solitude but strongly as if they are too powerful to be standing together and the tiny floating fishing villages where one can see the stirrings of human life makes this vision of Halong Bay one of nature’s grand portraits that has about it the traits of a half told story.
Indeed the limestones have formed through years of fierce combat with what strong work of nature only imagination can achieve. The cliffs, rising from their solitary islets scattered all over the bay evoke a sense of awe for their solitary pride, with their weather beaten but beautiful exterior and the tales they never tell of and the presence of life which has been denied to their company due to the unsustainable geography onshore.
The Halong Bay is indeed to be seen and cherished but not lived upon and human habitation is scarce except on the floating fishing villages. This is one of the new world’s seven wonders, in the Gulf of Tonkin in Vietnam, and forms a meeting point of historical and geographical importance with the richness of biodiversity seeping through both. It is a classical example of the effects of nature in an area of warm and tropical climate. Legend has it that this is the bay where a dragon descended with the traces of valleys and hills being the work of its swaying tail.
This ravishing bay spans an area of 43,000 hectares in the northeast of Vietnam and is studded with 1,600 islets where human habitation is scant but the biodiversity is rich with many inland lakes occupied by aquatic creatures and on its sandy shores many exquisite seashells that have become a huge attraction for the tourists who visit these cliffs while on their cruises. Indeed cruising as well as kayaking is a superb way to explore and experience these unique karst landscapes and World Heritage Site.
One way to reach the Halong Bay by road is by taking a taxi ride from Haiphong which is about 2 and half kms away. It is easier to find a residential option here as there are quite a number of Haiphong hotels that can ensure a comfortable stay for a traveller or better still offer much more luxurious living. Harbour View Hotel Haiphong Vietnam is indeed one of the best and offers the grandeur of a colonial era together with modern simplicity for a heavenly combination. This hotel in Haiphong offers international standards of service together with congenial hospitality of the local community as to make your stay a memorable and pleasant one in more ways than one.
Chandrishan Williams is a travel writer who writes under the pen name, Caleb Falcon. He specializes in writing content based on the many exciting world adventures that await intrepid travellers. Google+