Halong Bay

Halong Bay is a unique natural monument that has long been a major symbol of Vietnam. Millions of years ago, sea waves invaded the coastal plain teeming with limestone cliffs. It is estimated that 90% of visitors to Vietnam name Halong Bay as the main destination of their often short trip. This place is truly unique and inimitable. There are 1,969 islands scattered over a relatively small coastal area of 1,500 square kilometers, of which only 989 have names.

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General Information

There are actually two bays here: Halong and Baitilong (Vinh Bai Tu Long), which lies to the east of it. Both are literally studded with tower islands made of limestone and shale. By the way, the UNESCO protected territory occupies less than a third of the total area and counts “only” 775 islands. Only tourist and passenger vessels of small displacement can enter this fabulous area. The rest of the water area is actively navigated and fished.

Most of the cliffs in Halong are covered with curly caps of green, many of them are deep karst caves that hold ancient secrets. There are no twins among them – each has its own unique appearance, sometimes so bizarre that the locals associate such rocks with legends. Only half of the islands have names, and there is a permanent population on only two. The scenery of the bay can be admired forever – at different times of day, with different lighting and weather Halong appears in a new, but invariably beautiful appearance. For a long time, wars and political cataclysms made it inaccessible to travelers, but now it is the most popular natural monument of Vietnam.

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Halong Bay in the movies

Camille and Jean-Baptiste, the young protagonists of the movie “Indochina,” escape their pursuers on a junk gliding easily on the calm sea. The cloud-shrouded sky is reflected in the waves, giving them a metallic sheen. The boat goes farther and farther away, the fog begins to thin, and through it appear the outlines of countless rocks, topped with curly caps of vegetation and rising straight out of the water like towers…. The cameraman François Catonnet masterfully captures Halong Bay, the pride of Vietnam. Régis Varnier’s film is by no means the only movie to feature scenes shot against the backdrop of the bay’s famous scenery. In 1997, Halong appeared in the movie Tomorrow Never Dies, the 18th episode of the famous “Bond” series.

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History

For entire geologic eras, sea and land have disputed their rights to Halong, which has been going deep underwater and then “surfacing” again. About 500 million years ago, the struggle of the elements ended in a compromise, revealing to the world the Halong, which is now admired by visitors to Vietnam. About 16 thousand years ago, the islands of the bay were first inhabited by people – fishermen, who took refuge here from the dangers that awaited them on the “big land”. The primitive sites found on the islands of the bay are the oldest monuments of this kind in the whole of Vietnam.

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In historical times, Halong islands, which are full of karst caves, were used as a base by a variety of forces, from pirates who plundered to patriots who defended Vietnam’s shores from overseas enemies. This tradition was suddenly given new life in the 20th century. During World War II and the First Indochina War, local grottoes housed guerrilla hospitals and arsenals, and during the American War, the DRV “mosquito fleet” took refuge among the islands, waiting for the approach of ships under the Star-Spangled Banner. In response, U.S. aircraft pelted the gulf with floating mines. With the end of the war, the bay became a restricted zone for a long time, opening to mass tourism only in the early 1990s.

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Almost all of the islands are uninhabited. Only the largest islands, Katba and Tuantiau, have permanent populations in the bay. And there are people who have chosen to settle not on the islands, but right on the water. About 1,500 people live in several floating villages anchored at different ends of Halong.

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Climate

Halong Bay is characterized by two main seasons. The warm and humid summer season lasts from May to October. The average temperature during these months is 26.4 °C, but can rise to 35 °C. If your visit to Halong falls during the wet season, it does not mean that it will rain continuously. It falls once a day, and usually at night. A much more serious problem is typhoons, whose season in Halong lasts from August to October. In winter in Halong is cool and relatively dry weather with an average air temperature of about 20 ° C (can fall to 15 ° C).

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Bay cruises

Travel agencies, which are numerous in the Old Town of the Vietnamese capital, offer different programs to visit the bay and islands in groups. A 2-day program with one overnight stay on a boat will cost 16-18 USD. The cost of a 3-day cruise with two overnight stays – on the ship and in a hotel on Catba Island – starts from 45-55 USD. Trekking Travel (www.trekkingtravel.com.vn), South Pacific Travel (www.southpacifichp.com) and Vega Travel (www.vega-travel.com) have a reputation for being reliable and not too expensive Halong cruise operators. At the tourist harbor, you can join a group for a day trip to the nearby islands (including a visit to Dau Zo Cave), but it’s unlikely to cost less than $10 USD and lacks the charm of watching the sunset and sunrise among the islands.

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A standard 2-day trip to Halong starts around 8am with the group leaving Hanoi. The transfer takes approximately 3 hours (including one rest stop) and ends at the pier of Bai Chai Tourist Harbor, the western district of Halong. Tourists are placed on a double-decked motorized junk, over which buntings are hoisted with lath sails (usually red or brick-colored), and the vessel sails southward.

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The first stop for all cruise ships is a small group of islands 15 km from the harbor, where tourists take a stroll. Ships enter the bay framed by high rocks and, turning bow to shore, line up along the concrete pier. When there are no “parking spaces” left at the pier, captains moor to the stern of their faster counterparts and invite passengers to go ashore on someone else’s deck. Disembarkation on the islands includes a visit to Halong’s largest karst cave, Dau Go, or Bamboo Pillars. Before landing, a guide accompanying the group distributes tickets (VND30,000, included in the tour price) to the wards, which must be presented at the entrance to the grotto, located in the cliffs high above the harbor.

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The existence of the cave has been known since ancient times. In the late 13th century, the country’s independence fighter General Chan Hung Dao used it for ambushes and surprise attacks on invading Mongols. The French dubbed the cave Grotte des Merveilles, which means Grotte des Miracles. Today, cemented paths are laid in Dau Zo, and garlands of limestone stalactites are illuminated by multicolored lights. The bizarre lime formations resemble anything: depending on the nationality of the tourists, the guides show them the Olympic Bear or Donald Duck.

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After leaving the cave, the group returns to the ship little by little. During the visit to the cave the team has time to prepare lunch, which always comes in handy. Setting sail, the ship rounds the island from the western side and deepens into the maze of islets surrounding the large island of Katba. After passing the floating village 13, consisting of two dozen floating rafts bobbing on the water with colorful plywood houses, it approaches the Kissing Rocks of I. Long ago, winds and sea waves destroyed the middle part of the tiny islet. The debris left above the water is tilted toward each other and really resembles a couple in love, ready to merge in a kiss. The walk around the bay continues until the evening, after which the ship anchors under the cover of one of the picturesque rocks. Depending on the season and weather, evening entertainment includes swimming, kayaking, visiting a floating village or lounging in the liner’s lounge. Some companies organize for passengers cooking classes, movie screenings and similar events with a national flavor. The next morning, the ship leaves the anchor after breakfast and around 10 o’clock disembarks the tourists where they started their voyage the day before.

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Sometimes instead of Dauso, ships visit Sung Sot (Sung Sot, or Amazing) Cave.

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Halong City

All vehicles traveling from Hanoi enter the capital of Quang Ninh Province from the southwest on Highway No. 18. Tourist buses delivering cruise groups pull right up to the pier. If you come to Halong this way, you will have to drive about 1.5 kilometers from the pier to reach Vuon Dao Street, where most of the budget hotels in Baichai are located. The beginning of the street looks like an extensive intersection along the line of the main coastal thoroughfare, Halong Road. At the very beginning of Vuon Dao, you’ll see two fish restaurants with aquariums and outdoor tables. On the opposite side of the street is the post office. The street with a gentle rise going to the left of Halong Road is Viung Dao. Hotels start just past the restaurants mentioned. Buses arrive at the Mientai bus station on Ca Lan Street in Baichai. Viung Dao St. from here can be reached by motorcoach (VND10,000).

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Accommodation

Most tourists visit Halong as part of a tour purchased in advance in Hanoi. The lion’s share of this human multitude is made up of tourists who have paid for accommodation on a ship plying the waters of the bay. If you belong to the few who prefer to sleep on solid ground, you can find a shelter both in the western (Bai Chai) and eastern (Hongai) parts of the city divided by the “fjord”. The most convenient place to stay is Bai Chay, which is labeled Halong City West on some tourist maps. Most of the city’s hotels are located within a kilometer of the tourist harbor.

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Hotels in Bai Chay

Family-run mini-hotels on Viung Dao, Anh Dao and Hau Can streets cost between 5 USD and 8 USD. The price is mainly influenced by the location of the room (the higher the floor, the cheaper) and the presence of a window. If you want to save money, get a room on the fourth floor or higher, then a night’s stay can cost as little as 4 USD. Most hotels are either newly built or regularly renovated. A standard room includes a well-furnished room and a private bathroom with shower. The room has new furniture, color TV, air conditioning and a fan.

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Monsters of Halong Bay

There is not a person who has not heard of the mysterious inhabitant of Scotland’s Loch Ness. Available historical evidence suggests that some large animal unknown to science may also be lurking in the waters of Halong Bay.

On February 15, 1897, the crew of the French gunboat “Aqualanche” (“Avalanche”) had to endure a few unpleasant minutes when a creature that most resembled a snake suddenly surfaced at the side of a small vessel. Only the size of the “sea creeper” was too big: 20 meters from head to tail with a thickness of 2 meters! When moving, the body of the beast curved in a wave-like manner. The meeting took place in Halong Bay, which the gunboat was patrolling in search of smugglers. Noisily sucking in air, the unknown beast passed under the keel of the gunboat and, appearing for a second more on the surface, finally disappeared into the depths. What were the surprise and horror of the sailors, when on February 24 the gunboat met in the bay at once two giant “snakes”! This was not the end of the matter. The crew of the gunboat had the opportunity to observe the mysterious sea creatures two more times – in July 1897 in Halong and in February 1898 in the neighboring Bay of Baitilong. By the time of the last encounter, the sailors had become so bold that they tried to catch up with the “snake”, but the speed of the steam ship was not enough. Unwilling to admit defeat, the commander ordered the animal to be shelled with cannon. Several shells fired from a distance of 300-400 meters, did not reach the target, but, apparently, greatly frightened the animals: more “snakes” on the path of the “Avalanche” did not come across.

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In July of the same year, the battleship “Woban” entered Halong. On a clear afternoon on July 11, one of the officers was standing by the side enjoying the scenery. Suddenly, the sailor’s attention was drawn to some movement just off the side of the ship. Looking into the clear water, the sailor was stunned: a giant “snake” about 15 meters long, covered with large scales, was moving at a shallow depth. Its thin neck ended in a small head, on which large eyes were clearly visible.

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On February 12, 1904, Lieutenant Perron set out in a motor boat for Halong Bay. The officer was accompanied by several sailors and a Vietnamese fisherman. The lieutenant was far from thinking of an idle stroll: he was going to verify the coordinates of a number of dangerous underwater rocks. Perron was just discussing something with the fisherman when the forward lookout let out a loud shout. Looking in the direction the excited sailor was pointing, the lieutenant saw what he took to be a “monster eel”. First a mysterious mass of gray color appeared on the surface of the sea. Then, in the same spot, two rings of a long, writhing body about a meter thick rose above the water. The officer estimated the animal’s length at 20 meters. Sailors tried to get closer to the animal, but it submerged, leaving a strange oily trail on the surface.

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The last documented sighting of the “Halong Bay Monster” occurred in June 1908. The French steamer “Hanoi” was already approaching the bay when the captain standing on the bridge noticed a black object rising out of the water. The sailor grabbed binoculars and managed to see a glossy body with a crest along its back. Then a turtle-like head appeared above the water, but it was about a meter long. The creature looked at the approaching ship and immediately disappeared into the abyss…

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World wars and dramatic events of Vietnam’s recent history have made us forget about the mysterious “snakes” Halong, frightened sailors at the dawn of the XX century. Meanwhile, the bay with its secluded corners and mysterious grottos can still hide an animal of any size in its depths. Ironically, the name “Halong” means “diving dragon”. Who knows, perhaps the mysterious “dragon” may yet surface?

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From Halong to China

With a willingness and a Chinese entry visa, it is easy to enter PRC territory from Halong. The nearest border crossing is at Mongkai Township northeast of Halong. The journey by shuttle bus takes about 4 hours (40,000 VND). When leaving the hotel, you just have to say the words “Se bit Mongkai!” (“Bus to Mongkai”) to the motor coach driver. For 10-15 thousand VND, se om will take you to the suspension bridge connecting Bai Chai and Hongai, where you have to wait for the bus with the corresponding inscription on the windshield. The road generally looks decent, but in some places the roadbed is badly broken by coal trucks. To get from the Mong Cai bus station to the border crossing, you can once again take a se om (15,000 VND, less than 5 minutes). After paying the border fee of 15,000 VND, you complete the entry formalities and get to the “center lane” with a duty-free store where you can exchange your remaining VND for PRC yuan. Next, the way lies across the Friendship Bridge, at the opposite end of which the neighborhoods of Dongxing city begin. The shuttle bus stop (1 yuan) is just beyond the cordon. The route is close to the Dongxing bus station, from where an overnight sleeper bus (130-160 yuan) takes 12 hours to Guangzhou.

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Mongkai can also be reached by sea: halfway from Vion Dao to the bridge there is a pier of “Comets”, covering the distance to Mongkai in 3.5 hours (two flights a day, about 12 USD). Timetables and tickets can be found at the Mientai bus station.

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The Mongkai/Dongxing crossing is busier than the similar Lang Son/Pingxiang crossing. The latter is a well-trodden tourist trail: most Chinese tour groups visiting Halong follow it. Regular road transport (as well as trains) runs to Lang Son from Hanoi.

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