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Ha Long Bay is in northern Vietnam, 170 km (105 mles) east of Hanoi. It is in the Gulf of Tonkin.
Ha Long Bay means Bay of Descending Dragons (Chinese: 下龙湾; Xiàlóngwān)
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Hạ Long Bay, in northeast Vietnam, is known for its emerald waters and thousands of towering limestone islands topped by rainforests. Junk boat tours and sea kayak expeditions take visitors past islands named for their shapes, including Stone Dog and Teapot islets. The region is popular for scuba diving, rock climbing and hiking, particularly in mountainous Cát Bà National Park.
Erosion has created enclosed lakes such as Ba Ham Lake on Đầu Bê Island. There are also hundreds of caves, some with stalactites and 19th-century French graffiti. These include Đầu Gỗ Cave, reported resting place of the bamboo stakes legendary military commander Tran Hung Dao used to repel 13th-century invaders. Most of the small islets are rocky and deserted but larger islands, such as Tuần Châu and Cát Bà, have settlements and beach resorts. Also typical of the bay are floating fishing villages such as Ba Hàng, where houses are built on wooden platforms.
Ha Long Bay – UNESCO World Heritage Centre
Ha Long Bay, in the Gulf of Tonkin, includes some 1,600 islands and islets, forming a spectacular seascape of limestone pillars. Because of their precipitous …
www.halongbay.gov.vn – Cached
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Halong Bay – Lonely Planet
Designated a World Heritage site in 1994, Halong Bay’s spectacular scatter of islands, dotted with wind- and wave-eroded grottoes, is a vision of ethereal beauty …
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We had a wonderful time at Ha Long Bay, Vietnam.This was in 2012.
One regret was that we stayed for two days and one night. One extra day and night would have been paradise on earth!
We were the four who went. From left: Blogger, Suzanne, Scott and Anne.
This was the view from the bus. The trip overland was long and tiring but worth it.
Our bus.
The drivers.
On the bus.
At last, our boat.
We sail off in our junk, leaving the jetty and other boats behind.
A junk stranded at low tide.
Approaching a fishing village.
The market comes to us.
Fish is reared in the floating cage.
It’s really misty before sunrise.
A junk emerges from the mist…
We can see it clearly. I’s a triple-decker. The cabins are more expensive, of course.
The box for tips.
Our cabin…
A place to rent kayaks from.: Scott and Anne rented one and paddled around.
An extended family having a meal together…
Suzanne puts a little fish as bait. Time to go fishing!
Fishing is done at night while our junk is anchored for the night. Suzanne caught a fish, a small one.
On the upper deck of our boat.
Lunch! The french fries were delicious.
A map of where we were.
Anne and Scott.
Some junks went by…
A foggy morning.
Suzanne with a new friend.
The four of us.
Meal time with new friends.
Every meal was delicious and adequate.
After the meal.
Suzanne was delighted to find a cat on board.
Scott and Anne in a kayak.
The climb up to the caves is steep…
Inside the caves: Beautiful views!
Notice the girl writing? Homework?
Fellow passengers.
That’s all, folks!
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weehingthong 