Halong bay Travel Guide

Halong Bay is one of the most beautiful places in Vietnam and is the top tourist destination in the Northern part of the country.

A United Nations World Heritage Site, Halong Bay is characterized by thousands of beautiful limestone mountains rising out of the water. Apart from the fact that this is an amazing natural wonder, Halong Bay also plays a main role in the legend of the origins of the Vietnamese.

Halong Bay is about 170 kilometers north east of Hanoi and is about a 3,5-hour bus ride from the capital. Most trips ( day trip or overnight cruises) which costs from $56 USD – $400 USD can be arranged in the travel agents in Hanoi:

http://www.halongbay-vietnam.com, the trips value also depending on the budget standard boat or on luxury facilities wooden junk.

Trips to Halong Bay can last from 1 to 3 days which are spent exploring the many islands on a traditional junk boat. If you prefer, you can also just be on the boat by day and then stay in a hotel in Halong city at night. Be aware though that this city does not really offer much night life.

At nearby Cat Ba National Park you can see monkeys explore caves and swim over coral reefs. The park also includes part of Cat Ba Island and adjacent waters. At nearby Yen Tu Mountain there is a Buddhist temple in a lovely setting.

The bay consists of a dense cluster of 1,969 limestone monolithic islands, each topped with thick jungle vegetation, which rise spectacularly from the ocean. Several of the islands are hollow, with enormous caves. Wooden stakes Cave is the largest grotto in the Halong area. French tourists visited in the late 19th century, and named the cave Grotte des Merveilles. Its three large chambers contain large numerous stalactites and stalagmites (as well as 19th century French graffiti). There are two bigger islands, Tuan Chau and Cat Ba, that have permanent inhabitants. Both of them have tourist facilities, including hotels and beaches. There is a number of wonderful beaches on the smaller islands.

Local legend says that long ago when the Vietnamese were fighting Chinese invaders, the gods sent a family of dragons to help defend the land. This family of dragons descended upon what is now Ha Long Bay (hence the name “Bay of Descending Dragons”) and began spitting out jewels and jade. These jewels turned into the islands and islets dotting the bay, linking together to form barriers against the invaders. The people kept their land safe and formed what later became the country of Vietnam.

This myth is in line with the Vietnamese myth of their origin Con Rong Chau Tien. This myth describes the union between a king (representing the dragon) and his bride (representing a goddess) giving birth to 100 children which are the ancestors of the Vietnamese people. The Ha Long myth illustrate the Vietnamese belief of their origin and the fact that throughout their history, they are aided by their ancestors, the dragon and the gods, in the defense of their land.

Now Halong have not enought Hotel in summer. Many luxury junk now arrange to stay on the bay at the junk cabin. You should booking three month before have travel.

Details at: http://www.halongbay-vietnam.com