Hanoi Tours - Vietnam Travel Services

Halong Bay
Situated in the North-East region of Vietnam, Halong Bay is a bay in the Gulf of Tonkin comprised of regions of Halong City, Quang Ninh Province, the township of Cam Pha, and a part of the island district of Van Don. Halong Bay borders Cat Ba Island in the southwest, the East Sea in the east, and the mainland, creating a 120 km coastline.

Halong Bay is made up of 1,969 islands and islets of various sizes, 989 of which have been named. There are two kinds of islands, limestone and schist, which are concentrated in two main zones: the southeast (belongs to Bai Tu Long Bay), and the southwest (belongs to Halong Bay). This densely concentrated zone of stone islands, world famous for its spectacular scenery of grottoes and caves, forms the central zone of Halong Bay, which has been recorded as  a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The bay itself covers an area of 43,400 ha, consists of 775 islands, and forms a triangle with the island of Dau Go (Driftwood Grotto) to the west, the lake of Ba Ham (Three Shelter Lake) to the south, and the island of Cong Tay to the east.

Viewed from above, Halong Bay resembles a geographic work of art. While exploring the bay, you feel lost in a legendary world of stone islands. There is an island named Man's Head Island, which resembles a man standing and looking towards the mainland. Dragon Island looks like a dragon hovering above the turquoise water. La Vong Island resembles an old man fishing. There are also the islands of the Sail, the Pair of Roosters, and the Incense Burner, which all astonishingly resemble their namesakes. The forms of the islands change depending on the angle of the light and from where the islands are viewed. At the core of the islands, there are wonderful caves and grottoes, such as Thien Cung (Heavenly Palace Grotto), Dau Go (Driftwood Grotto), Sung Sot (Surprise Grotto), and Tam Cung (Three Palace Grotto).

Halong Bay has many links to the history of Vietnam. For example, there are such famous geographical sites as Van Don (site of an ancient commercial port), Poem Mountain (with engravings of many poems about emperors and other famous historical figures), and Bach Dang River (the location of two fierce naval battles fought against foreign invaders).

It has been proven by scientists that Halong was one of the first cradles of human existence in the area at such archeological sites as Dong Mang, Xich Tho, Soi Nhu, and Thoi Gieng. It is also a region of highly- concentrated biological diversity with many ecosystems of salt water-flooded forests, coral reefs, and tropical forests featuring thousands of species of animal and plant life.

With all this in mind, the 18th meeting of the Committee of the World Heritages of UNESCO (in Thailand on December 17th, 1994), officially recognized Halong Bay as a natural heritage site of worldwide importance. Halong bay has also been recorded as a natural world heritage site for its archeology in the year 2000.

Phong Nha – Ke Bang
By far the largest and most spectacular cave in Vietnam, Phong Nha dates back at least 20 million years and well deserves its destination as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Its name translates somewhat alarmingly as Wind’s Fangs, but this is only an allusion to its stalagmites. Packed with underground grottos, stalactites, stalagmites, and river systems, it extends back into the hills for many miles. The main cavern is some 5 miles (8 km) deep, with several smaller yet stunning caves clustered near it. Although speleologists have penetrated 22 miles (35 km) into the cave system, there are further mysteries of Phong Nha still to be revealed.
Not surprisingly, this is a very popular destination, and fleets of sampans wait at the visitors’ center to ferry passengers upstream for about 3 miles (5 km), and then into the hugh cavern. About a mile (1.6 km) into the cave is an area once held sacred by the Cham. The cave wall still bears an inscription carved by them many centuries ago.

Outside the cave, steep steps lead up 410 ft (125 m) to Tien Son cave, another mighty cavern filled with fantastic stone formations. Water collected in its deep recesses is said to make men strong and women beautiful. Both caves are illuminated in places with bright, even garish, colors to enhance the effect for visitors.

Hue Citadel
Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993, the Citadel was established by Emperor Gia Long (r. 1802 - 20) in 1805. The huge fortress comprises three concentric enclosures – the Civic, Imperial, and Forbidden Purple Cities. The Citadel was designed using the rules of Chinese geomancy, along with the military principles favored by French architect Sebastien de Vauban. The result is an unusual yet elegant complex, where beautiful palaces and temples coexist with massive ramparts, bastions, and moats. Despite the horirific damage caused by the Indochina Wars, recent restoration work has revealed some of the Citadel’s lost architectural grandeur.

Hoi An Ancient Town
Located on the north bank of Thu Bon River, the historic town of Hoi An was an important trading port from the 16th century to the 18th century. Attracting traders from China, Japan, and even Europe, the town acquired a rich cultural heritage, rivaled by few other cities in Vietnam. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1999, Hoi An features long, narrow tube houses, Chinese pagodas and ornate community halls, family shrines, and the Japanese Covered Bridge. There is also a recently restored small French-colonial quarter southeast of Hoi An.

My Son Holy Land
Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the temple complex of My Son is set in a dense, vegetated valley beneath Hon Cat or Cat’s Tooth Mountain. Although centuries of pillage and more recent bombings have taken their toll, the ruins provide a glimpse into a fascinating Indianized culture. Evocative as the complex is, the groups of monuments are rather unimaginatively named after letters of the alphabet. The most important edifices at Group B are reached first, while Group C is less well preserved. To the east, the halls of Group D house displays of Cham sculpture, while Group E, F, G, and H require some imagination to truly appreciate.