Halong Bay
Halong Bay is located in the Gulf of Bac Bô (or Tonkin), located in Northeast Vietnam and about 160 km east of Hanoi (by RN 5).
The bays named after a legend, that of the dragon mother and her children fighting the enemies of the Vietnamese. Halong means “the descent of the dragon”. Halong Bay is dotted with islands and rocks, all composed of limestone and encircled by a sea of jade. This particular geological spectacle is thought to have originated from a limestone boulder that reached the primary era 280 million years ago and which consequently formed steep reefs.
Some of the rocks have interesting forms, such as the island of Rông (like a dragon dancing at sea), the Vong (an old man in the fishing rod) or Trông Mái (forming a hen and cock couple). In addition, some islands have caves that you can be visit.
Of the 1,969 islands and islets in the bay, 989 have officially been named. Cat Ba is the largest island in Halong Bay and is famous for its natural park, endowed with a well preserved ecosystem (corals, tropical forest, etc). But the highlight is to cruise around Halong Bay. There are several excursions and even boat rentals that you can choose from. The points of interests are many, so try to go on an overnight cruise in order to see the most of Halong Bay.