Halong Bay Cruise Port Guide

Halong Bay, Vietnam

Magnificent Halong Bay, with its Tonkin, is one of the natural wonders of Vietnam. In 1994, the 1500-sq-km (580-sq-mi) expanse dotted with tiny islands punctuated by perfect beaches and deserted grottos, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site.

"Ha long" means, "Where the dragon descEnd into the sea." Legend has it that the islands of Halong Bay were created by a great dragon who lived in the mountains. As it ran toward the coast, its flailing tail gouged out valleys that filled with water and formed mountains that peek above the sea There have been sightings of a mysterious and very large marine creature, known as the Tarasque, in the area. It rarely strikes when tourists have their cameras ready; you should be much more afraid of the damage done by souvenir hunters (and souvenir buyers), who use bits of endangered coral and broken stalagmites and stalactites for their wares.