Ha Long

In ancient Vietnamese, Halong literally means “descending dragon” and it is originated from a legend of this ancient land. Local legend has it that The Jade Emperor sent the Mother Dragon and her children descending on earth to help ancient Vietnamese people defend the country. While the mighty enemies were attacking the main land, The Mother Dragon and her children suddenly appeared and incinerated the enemies with their divine fire and giant emeralds. The emeralds from the dragon’s mouth were scattered around the battlefield on the sea and formed an invincible defensive wall that left enemy battleship fleet sinking. Thanks to the dragons, the Northern invaders were finally swept away and the peace finally came back the South East Asian country once again. After thousands of years, the wall of emerald turned into island and islets of different sizes and shapes. After the battle, The Mother Dragon and her children didn’t come back to the heaven, but stayed in the mortal world and turned into human form and help people, giving rise to the name Ha Long (“dragon descending”). Now Ha Long bay is also attractive to visitors as a World Heritage Site.

Discover Islands and Caves

Halong Bay features a beautiful system of rocky islands and caves and a wide range of biodiversity.

The main islands are Cat Ba, Tuan Chau, Ti top, Bo Hon, Rang Dua, … which are famous for idyllic beaches and entertainment activities like Tuan Chau Park, climbing, or fishing. Cat Ba Island is the largest member of an archipelago. Start from a fishing village, Cat Ba Town – the main settlement of the island now redefines itself as a tourist centre. The rest of the island is largely unspoilt and mostly inaccessible, with some roads across a landscape of valleys and forested limestone peaks. One of the most rewarding ways to explore the area is by boat from Cat Ba Town, passing through Lan Ha Bay, a miniature version of Ha Long Bay but with fewer visitors. There are floating villages and oyster farms in the area. Other options are kayaking, rock-climbing and visits to isolated beaches.

Beautiful caves in Ha Long Bay are also must-go destinations for your perfect trip. There are some famous caves you should note to explore before traveling to Halong Bay:

• The Trinh Nu Cave or Virgin Grotto is considered the symbol of true love, a romantic place for taking oath of love. The legend tells that there was a beautiful fisherman’s daughter, whose family was very poor that it was in the service of the rich administrator of the fishing zone. He forced the father to give him the girl as a concubine. However, she refused as she already had a lover who was on the high seas catching fish to prepare for their wedding. The administrator, angered by her refusal, exiled her to a wild island until hunger and exhaustion. On one frightening night, amidst terrible rain and winds, she turned to stone. The image of the girl painfully waited in vain for her fiancé has become the attraction to visitors until now.
• Sung Sot Cave (Surprised Cave) is one of the most beautiful caves in Ha Long that tourists like to visit based on its interesting imagination of human and animals in varying poses and by its attractive name too.
• Thien Cung Cave (Paradise Cave) is one of the most magical caves as its name. Travelers are astonished by the very animated and splendid beauty which is made from stalactite. Especially, on the east wall of the grotto, there is a grandiose and imposing picture with characters of heroic tales. Once visiting Thien Cung Cave, you will have a sensation of just having seen a unique, meticulous, interesting fine-art museum which is created by nature; the pictures are beyond imagination, ability and intellect of the human beings.

Best time to visit Halong

April and May are perfect time to enjoy sunshine and a refreshing breeze, while September to October are favoured for their cooler temperatures and clear skies.

How to get to Halong

Beside daily boats, you can book your tour with the famous Cuise to experience extra acitivities like waking up to a serene sunrise and joining a Tai Chi class on the deck of a classic ship. For a luxury travel, you can also take the seaplane flight over Ha Long Bay.