5 Reasons to Visit Halong Bay, Vietnam

Halong Bay, Vietnam is one of the more breathtaking places we have ever explored. Halong Bay is about 150 kms from Hanoi, and is one of nature’s most serene natural wonders. There are over 3,000 islands in the beautiful green/blue water, and over 1,000 have their own names. WHen you visit Halong Bay you’ll be amazing that many caves and grottos of all sizes and shapes are filled with small waterfalls, stalactites and stalagmites.

1. Halong Bay is famous for the scenic rock formations and was featured in the James Bond film ‘Tomorrow Never Dies‘. It has been a popular destination for travelers in Vietnam for years. This incredible UNESCO world heritage site was also named one of the New Seven Natural Wonders of the World  . Visiting these unique islands is a must for any visitor to Vietnam.

The whole area is surrounded by many small limestone islands and the water is typically calm.

2. Most of the islands and islets in Halong Bay are made of limestone that have spent  500 million years forming. The geological events over the last 1,000 years at Halong Bay include the advancing of the sea, strong erosion, and bay area is raising; these factors contribute to the pure blue/green heavily salted water.

As a result of this long process of geological evolution, there is a mystical and magical feeling when you visit Halong Bay.  Some islands are topped with thick green jungle growth, and some of the islands are hollow, creating stunning caves to explore.

Halong Bay has over 3,000 islands and islets in the bay. 

3.  Many islands have spectacular grottos to explore, and are home to thousands of stalactites, stalagmites and interesting rock formations.

4. Halong Bay is only approximately 33 feet deep, yet the marine life is plentiful. About 1,000 species of marine life live in Halong Bay, and there are many fishermen and fisherwomen selling the freshest fish you have ever tasted directly from their boats. Doesn’t get much fresher than that!

There’s a floating restaurant at the pier to select your fresh seafood, which is cooked to your preference and served immediately. Almost 2000 people live in fishing villages, or on boats and floating houses, and they are sustained through fishing and marine resources.

5.  According to legends, the Halong Bay was created when the gods sent dragons to protect the Vietnamese from invaders. These dragons dropped jewels from their mouths into the bay, creating the islands and a barrier between the invading ships. Instead of returning to the heavens, the dragons allegedly dove into the bay to rest in the waters.  Halong Bay means “where the dragon descends into the sea.”