Ha Long Bay, also called Halong Bay, has long been known as an attractive tourist destination, famous for thousands of domestic and international guests. But this beautiful sea also contains exciting facts that wait for you to explore.
Therefore, let’s explore the secrets hidden in this magnificent bay in Halong!
1. Ha Long Bay accounts for two-third of the country’s islands
According to statistics, Quang Ninh Province has more than 2,000 islands, accounting for more than 2/3 of the total number of islands in Vietnam (the whole country has 2,779 islands).
In particular, Ha Long Bay has 1,969 islands, of which 989 islands have names and 980 islands have no names. Have you been surprised by the rich resources in this beautiful bay?
Among the different large and small islands of Ha Long Bay, there are the most splendid and worth visiting islands such as Bo Hon Island, Ngoc Vung Island, Ti Top Island, Tuan Chau Island, Co To Island, Quan Lan Island, and Soi Sim Island. Each island has its own charm that you definitely cannot ignore when traveling to Ha Long Bay.
>>> Please read more about the legends of Ha Long Bay.
2. Ha Long has twice been recognized as a World Natural Heritage site
UNESCO (short for United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) has awarded Ha Long Bay (in Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam) as a World Natural Heritage, not once but twice.
The first time was on December 17, 1994, at the 18th session in Phuket (Thailand), Ha Long Bay was recognized in the list of World Natural Heritage with outstanding global value in terms of aesthetics, according to criterion (VII) of the International Convention for the Protection of the World’s Natural and Cultural Heritage.
The second time was on December 2, 2000, at the 24th plenary session in Cairns City, Queensland, Australia, when the World Heritage Committee recognized Ha Long Bay as a World Natural Heritage for the second time. It is according to standard VIII on geological-geomorphological value. So it can be seen that Ha Long Bay is a very valuable and beautiful land.
3. Ha Long Bay owns a lot of awards
Not only has the honor of being recognized twice as a World Natural Heritage Site, but Ha Long Bay also has its own countless other proud awards.
In the country, Ha Long Bay has held three precious and prestigious titles. In 1962, Ha Long Bay was classified as a national scenic relic with an area of 1553 square kilometers by the Ministry of Culture and Information, now the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Then on August 12, 2009, Ha Long Bay was again listed as a Special National Monument.
Most recently, on July 8, 2017, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism awarded the title of Vietnam’s Top Tourist Area 2017 for Ha Long Bay, Quang Ninh Province.
Internationally, in addition to the title of World Natural Heritage, in July 2003, Ha Long Bay was ranked and recognized by the Club of the most beautiful bays in the world, recognized and admitted as a member. Then on April 27, 2012, at My Dinh Stadium (Hanoi, Vietnam), the New Open World organization awarded Ha Long Bay the new title of world natural wonder.
With such a long list of proud titles, these show more of the mesmerizing beauty and spiritual values that Ha Long Bay brings to Vietnam and the world.
4. The richest ecosystem in Vietnam covers the bay
According to scientists from the Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, at the ecosystem level, Ha Long Bay can be divided into two major ecosystems, namely the tropical moist evergreen forest ecosystem and the tropical moist evergreen forest ecosystem of marine and coastal ecology.
For the tropical moist evergreen forest ecosystem, scientists have counted nearly 500 species on the islands in Ha Long Bay, with a variety of species such as magnolia, ferns, and many species of mangrove plants.
As for animals, Ha Long Bay has recorded nearly 60 species of amphibians and reptiles and plenty of birds and mammals. In particular, French scientists and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) have discovered 17 species of endemic plants found only in Ha Long such as Ha Long jasmine, Ha Long fig, Dai Nhung…
Thus, the fact shows that Ha Long is a rich land, with not only splendid and sparkling scenery but also a diverse flora and fauna system, contributing to creating a beautiful natural landscape, and attracting thousands of tourists from all over the world.
5. KingKong 2 brought Halong to the world
In mid-March 2016, the producers of the movie Kong Skull 2 set out to find an attractive location for their film project, and Ha Long and Trang An were the chosen places, thanks to their magnificent and breathtaking beauty in the item of nature.
You can pack a backpack to travel to Ha Long City and immerse yourself in lovely islands, relax on beautiful Halong beaches with white sand, or unleash your imagination with giant limestone mountains with shapes related to current life.
Never forget taking the time to return to the set of King Kong Park – one of the famous tourist attractions in Halong to get a great moment in the lively land of the Bay City.
6. Not only tourism to explore the bay but Ha Long is also known as a modern and new entertainment place
In recent years, the city has received many huge investments for entertainment projects, especially the popular amusement park: Sun World Ha Long Park, the largest entertainment complex in Southeast Asia as of completion time.
Sun World Ha Long Park has been recorded in the Guinness Book of Records with the Queen’s cable car: the cable car with the largest cabin in the world, and the cable car with the highest cable pole above the ground.
In addition, you can participate in the Ha Long Sun Wheel, one of the highest in the world, or the games that require the bravery of players, such as the fast-flying dragon or the furious rhinoceros.
If the budget is not on your mind and you want the ultimate challenge, try flying with Hai Au seaplane to see the beautiful panoramic view of Ha Long Bay from above.
7. Ha Long comes with rich seafood to taste
With the large ocean, you can find a lot of seafood sources in Halong to taste. Take a moment to enjoy the gift of the sea of Ha Long!
Although the 2-day 1-night or 3-day 2-night cruises of most of the ships in the bay, always provide delicious seafood feasts for diners, you can find more seafood in the land of this city, both in quantity and in quality.
Some specialties in Ha Long can be mentioned, such as steamed squid, grilled oysters, horseshoe crab, and Sa Sung (peanut worms).
Walking along the streets of Ha Long Street, you will easily come across seafood restaurants with tanks containing live shrimps, crabs, and fish. Don’t miss the opportunity to enjoy fresh seafood when traveling to Ha Long!
8. A few islands are quite dangerous to approach
With a large number of islands on Ha Long Bay, all create a ravishing landscape for tourists to visit on the bay. Scheduled cruise ships can stop at several designated routes for you to enjoy the beauty of the sea, swimming, or kayaking.
However, some islands are quite dangerous, because of steep cliffs and hard limestone, which is quite harsh for creatures and plants to grow. Besides, some islands are affected by waves and seawater, so their foot is eroded and can fall at any time. Moreover, reefs are under some mountains, so it can be dangerous for ships to move.
Therefore, you do not take the boat by yourself or organize a tour to discover Ha Long Bay by yourself, but you follow the pre-built program that is allowed to be organized. It is essential for the safety of you and your loved ones.
9. Watching the panorama bay view, not in the bay, but on Poem Mountain
You can enjoy the beautiful panorama view of Halong Bay from Poem Mountain located in the city, not in the center of the bay.
This mountain has a height of 200m right on the shore, so it gives you a beautiful view of the scenery of both the city and the sea.
So, range your time to come to this lovely point to get a different scenery of Halong Bay.
Thanks to these remarkable achievements, the reputation of Ha Long Bay is increasingly expanding with international friends, making the sea of Quang Ninh province become the pride of the Vietnamese people.
Have you ever known the compelling and unexpected facts about this attractive tourist destination?
