See one of Vietnam’s most famous tourist destinations and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Halong Bay is a place of outstanding scenic beauty, made even more mysterious by a fascinating history of folklore stories.

Out of the 1,969 islands, 90% are limestone karsts that rise dramatically out of the emerald water. A cruise by traditional junk boat around this spectacular bay is also a great opportunity to see the fishing village communities that live on floating houses.

The name “Halong” means “Descending Dragons” and one local legend has it that back in time, when foreign attackers invaded the Vietnamese people, the Jade Emperor dispatched the Mother Dragon and her Child Dragons to fight off the intruders. While the enemy ships attacked the mainland, the dragons flew down from the sky, spitting out pearls which transformed into islands. These linked together in a chain, demolishing the enemy’s ships. Once the intruders had left, it is said that the dragons stayed at the battle site, and many of Halong Bay’s striking limestone karsts are named after this legendary tale, with islands called Dragon Head, Dragon Eyes and White Dragon Tail.

 

CAT BA ISLAND

 

In the southeast corner of spectacular Halong Bay, Cat Ba is the biggest of 366 islands that make up the Cat Ba Archipelago. Half of this beautiful island is a protected national park, home to rare, exotic plants and a fantastic diversity of wildlife, including endangered animals like the Cat Ba langur, civet cat and leopard cat. The island’s rugged limestone, rocky cliffs, jungle, lakes and waterfalls, along with coastal mangroves, lagoons, sandy beaches, small coves and coral reefs, make Cat Ba Island a great place for exploring the great outdoors and getting active. Visitors can sign up for a wide choice of leisure and adventure sports, ranging from sailing and kayaking, to forest treks, island bike tours and rock climbing. Adding to the appeals, Cat Ba is one of Halong Bay’s few inhabited islands, home to floating fishing village communities.