Halong Bay

The name Ha Long means ‘descending dragon’, and refers to a legend about a family of dragons sent by the gods to defend a developing Vietnam. The dragons spat out jewels and jade which turned into islands and islets dotting the bay, all linking together to form a great wall against invaders.

While most of the limestone islands are topped by jungle vegetation, others are hollow and feature enormous caves, including Hang Dau Go, a grotto which features a huge cave of three chambers.

While there are a number of islands that feature beautiful beaches, there are two islands that have permanent inhabitants, as well as hotels for tourists on a Vietnam vacation. Tuan Chau, located southwest of Halong City, is covered by pine forest and features two man-made beaches, as well as an octagonal vacationing house once used by Ho Chi Minh, which now serves as a memorial site to the late president. Cat Ba, part of the Cat Ba archipelago, is the largest island with half its area being covered by a national park. Commonly used as a stop for tours of Halong Bay from Hanoi, Cat Ba features inhabitants living in several communes as well as floating fishing villages off its coast.