Dragon teeth
Traditional damsels and orange-sailed cruise ships sail through the enchanting water labyrinth of Ha Long Bay. A fairy tale, so beautiful! According to tradition, the islands of ha long bay are the teeth of a huge dragon, who assisted the population in the fight against a powerful enemy.
Thousands of karst formations
Geologists tell a different story about the creation of the ancient landscape, not only of Ha Long, but of a much more vast area in the Gulf of Tonkin. Hundreds of millions of years of geological violence were needed to create a capricious and heavily eroded limestone landscape, which is largely submerged. You can only see the peaks: conical lime formations and monoliths protrude above the emerald surface. The vegetation on the inaccessible peaks is untouched, an ecological treasure trove.
Day trips and cruises
Ha Long Bay lies peacefully, the dragon and the primal violence have calmed down. The water invites you to explore the beautiful area. Small Chinese and Vietnamese youngsters sail off and on from the port of Ha Long City, usually for a day trip.
Larger, sometimes very luxurious cruisers have a longer range. That's your chance to escape the crowds, and continue to Lan Ha Bay or Bai Tu Long Bay. You regularly step into a sea kayak, to be able to approach the most beautiful places: a mangrove forest, small beaches, and many caves that can be explored on foot. Colored light reflects off the walls, or you walk into a dark cave until the languishing daylight calls you back. In a traditional bamboo boat, cruise through a floating fishing village, and there are wonderful locations for swimming and snorkeling. On the island of Cat Ba you can go ashore, it is one of the few inhabited islands. But even if you stayed on board, the view from the deck never gets bored.
