Halong Bay is one of Vietnam’s most famous natural attractions, situated about 170 kilometres east of the capital, Hanoi. After a horrendous and uncomfortable four-hour bus ride from Hanoi, this beautiful place was just the therapy I needed.
Halong Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage site that covers some 150,000 hectares. It is located on the Gulf of Tonkin in the north eastern province of Quang Ninh. Its most impressive features are the 1,600 islands and islets – most of them uninhabited – that rise up out of the water.
All of the islands and surrounding cliffs are made of limestone, which has been steadily eroded over the centuries to create what’s left today – towering pillars topped with green shrubbery and sheer cliffs that encircle the bay – a typical karst landscape.
As well as the tall pillars that are so characteristic of Halong Bay, there are many arches and caves, all of which can be explored by taking an excursion from one of the many boat tours of the bay.
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