Halong Bay in Vietnam: description, photos, reviews

Halong Bay in Vietnam is one of the wonders of the world. It attracts tourists with its picturesque landscapes and interesting legends. Admiring the numerous islands, rocks, a slight fear and an overwhelming sense of curiosity rushes inside a person.

Yes, you can go crazy from such beauty, forget everything around you, but it is impossible not to feel the rush of adrenaline inside. That's why you need to go on a cruise on Halong Bay.

A little bit of history

The origin of the bay is associated with beautiful legends. One of them says that in ancient times, the gods decided to save the Vietnamese people from their enemies and sent down to them a family of dragons. Protecting the people, the amazing creatures spat gems, creating beautiful islands. Enemy ships collided with these islands and crashed.

Но на этом легенда не заканчивается. После крушения обломки судов превращались в скалы, а драконы остались в бухте, даруя ей уникальное название «Халонг» – место, где спустился на землю дракон.

Description

Halong Bay surprises tourists with its mesmerizing scenery. It is rich in rocks, islands, cliffs, of which there are about three thousand.

Silvery waterfalls and deep tunnel-like caves lurk in the rocks.

The Vietnamese gave the caves a wonderful look: they equipped the dungeons with colorful lamps, turning the natural creation into a real underground kingdom.

The islands of the bay have no logical order and differ from each other in size and shape. Numerous islands have interesting names, such as Antelope, Fighting Cock, Wooden Spear Cave, Drum Cave, Pillar Cave, and Quang Han. Their names originated from their respective shapes or in honor of the animals that inhabit them.

Natural attractions

The islands and cliffs of Halong stretch over 1,500 square kilometers. Various natural phenomena have turned them into real attractions in Vietnam. You can admire rocks with tower-like karst, resembling towers or tall pillars.

Many vacationers like grottoes - small caves with a large entrance, having a caving origin.

Here are some of them:

1. Acoustic Grotto. Here you can hear unusual sounds that occur because of the strong winds. You get the impression that the real Mother of Dragons lives inside the grotto;
   
2. Grotto of stone pillars has stone giants, which made it a popular place to visit. Inside it is a reservoir of fresh water. Judging by the inscription on the wall, Khai Dinem visited here in 1917;
3. Quang Han Grotto is the largest cave in the Gulf of Tonkin. This is proved by its endless length of 1,300 m.

Halong weather. When to book a ticket

В климате Халонга выделяется два сезона: лето и зима. Сухая холодная зима начинается с декабря и заканчивается в феврале. Дождливые летние месяца – июнь, июль, август, сентябрь. Когда отправляться в круиз дело каждого туриста, но преодолев долгий путь, хочется насладиться самыми благоприятными моментами путешествия.

Therefore, the optimal months for recreation are April-May, September-October. In November, the beach season closes. In early August, the typhoon season begins and lasts until October.

How to get to a unique place

Tourists prefer to get to the bay with a guide. It is possible to go to Halong on your own, spending a small amount of money.

By bus.

It is necessary to buy a ticket for a tourist minibus. They are sold at any travel company, which is easy to find on the streets of Hanoi. They pick up passengers from hotels and take them to the big bus. But you should be patient, the route on this transport will last more than 5 hours because of the frequent stops.

Or you can buy a ticket for an intercity bus. It departs from the station every half hour. When you get to Halong, the buses end at Bai Chay Bus Station.

All buses reach their terminus in Halong. Here you can also buy a tour and take a trip around the bay.

All tourists should know that the last boat to leave is at 1 p.m. If they are late, travelers will have to spend the night or head back.

By train

Surprisingly, with a good railroad, there is no train to Halong, so the departure point is Hai Phong City, Hanoi Long Bien Station.

Four trains depart from it every day for passengers. This way you can get to Halong in 2 hours.

By car in 3 hours

If you can't travel around the bay for more than one day, you can get to Halong from Nha Trang by car.

Upon arrival, it is required to choose an excursion on the bay of the same name for 4 hours. After the excursion, the driver of the rented car takes the client to the hotel.

Halong Bay Entertainment

The nature of the islands and the proudly standing cliffs are almost untouched by man. Only on some pieces of land have the local people mastered life. They have made excellent "friends" with the pesky wild monkeys, who welcome any treat from people. Here you can find a decent entertainment for the period of rest.

Sea cruise

Cruises on Halong have different prices and are available to every wallet. If vacationers have a desire to stand on land on the island, the Vietnamese do not mind to "park" the boat.

They closely monitor the behavior of tourists and adhere to the rules so as not to harm the nature. Riding on the bay can last several days, so the guides provide tourists with food.

Fishing

Vacationers are allowed to catch squid, fish. It is better to do this at night. In the dark, the water of the bay acquires an irresistible beauty and even glows.

Kayaking

It is possible to arrange their own rowing boat. There are no obstacles and restrictions in front of the tourist, you can sail to any island to view its wildlife.

You can take a commemorative photo next to a rock that looms menacingly over your head, giving you the feeling that it is about to collapse.

Beach vacation

In Halong all the beaches are artificial, and if you want to get to a wild beach, you have to move to a kayak. The Vietnamese and many tourists assure that each island has its own peculiarity, which confirms the diversity and splendor of Halong Bay.

Halong nature fascinates at a glance, you want to come back here, leaving your work behind. The wonderful world has a hypnotic effect on people, helping them to forget their problems, sorrows, gain strength and rest from the hectic civilized life. After a day tour a traveler feels lightness and sinks into a sweet sleep.