|
|
WORLD
HERITAGE SITES IN VIETNAM |
Vietnam is renowned for its
breathtaking natural beauty. There have been 5 sites
recognized by UNESCO as worthy of natural and cultural
World Heritage designation:
Halong Bay,
Phong Nha - Ke Bang,
Hue,
Hoi An and
My Son. Travel in Vietnam you will have a
chance to discover all of these destinations within just
ten days: from Hanoi or Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) to
central areas with Hue - the ancient capital of Vietnam,
Hoi An - a living museum of a seaport town from hundreds
of years ago, and My Son - the holy land of the Cham
people, combined with relaxing with a amazing boat trip
on Halong Bay, and a cruise to see the mystical timeless
beauty of Phong Nha Cave where the longest underground
river in the world starts.
See
National Park and Nature Reserve in Vietnam |
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, 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 of various sizes,
989 of which have been given names. There are two kinds
of islands, limestone and schist, which are concentrated
in two main zones: the southeast (belonging to Bai Tu
Long Bay), and the southwest (belonging 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 named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The bay itself has 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 the sky, Halong Bay resembles a geographic
work of art. While exploring the bay, you feel lost in a
legendary world of stone islands. There is 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
Residence 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 aggressors).
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.
Bai Chay is a resort located along the coast of Halong
Bay. This is a windward ocean resort which has a year
round average temperature of 20oC (68oF).
Bai Chay is a low gently sloping range of hills that
runs along the sea for more than 2 km. Blended in among
the pine trees are large hotels and small villas with
distinguished architectural styles. Traveling down the
asphalt road along the coast, visitors see long white
stretches of sand and green rows of Casuarina trees,
tucked under which are small family-run restaurants.
After swimming at the beach, tourists can enjoy cold
drinks and cool off in the breeze that sweeps in from
the sea.
Situated 3 km west of Dao Go Islet, Tuan Chau Islet has
an area of 300 ha. On the islet, there is a very simple
bamboo house built by the inhabitants of Quang Ninh for
Uncle Ho to rest after visiting Halong Bay. The house is
now carefully preserved by the locals.
Dau Go Grotto is found on Driftwood Island, formerly
known as Canh Doc Island. The name Driftwood Grotto
comes from the popular story of the resistance war
against the Nguyen Mong aggressors. In a decisive
battle, Tran Hung Dao was given an order to prepare many
ironwood stakes to be planted on the riverbed of the
Bach Dang River. The remaining wooden pieces were found
in the grotto and, as a result, the grotto was given its
present name. The entrance is reached via 90 steps up
the island. The grotto is divided into three main parts.
In the first chamber, many forms can be seen in the
rock, depending on the imagination of the observer. In
the middle of the chamber, on the top of the pillar,
there appears to be a monk draped in a long, dark cloak,
with his right hand clasping a cane. Moving into the
second chamber, visitors pass through a narrow "door",
naturally formed through erosion. The light here is
mysterious, and new images appear in the stone. At the
end of the grotto is a well of clear water surrounded by
four ancient walls.
In this grotto, there remains an engraved stone stele
singing the praises of Halong Bay ordered by Emperor
Khai Dinh when he came to visit the grotto in 1917. Dau
Go is 40 minutes from Bai Chay. See
The Virgin Grotto is situated in the island range of Bo
Hon, in the system comprised of the Surprise Grotto,
Dong Tien Lake, and Luon Grotto. The grotto is 15 km
south of Bai Chay Beach. For some fishermen, the Virgin
Grotto is home, while for young lovers it is a popular
romantic rendezvous site.
According to legend, there once was a beautiful
fisherman's daughter, whose family was so poor that they
were in service of the rich administrator of the fishing
zone, who forced the family to give him their daughter
as a concubine. However, the fisherman’s daughter
already had a lover and refused to marry the
administrator. The administrator got angry and exiled
her to a wild island where she suffered from hunger and
exhaustion. One frightful night she turned to stone. On
this same night, her lover, knowing of her danger, rowed
his boat in search of her. However, a tempest destroyed
his boat, and he floated to a nearby island. In a flash
of lightening, he saw his lover in the distance, but his
calls were driven away by the wind. In his final
exhaustion, he also turned to stone (today’s Male
Grotto).
When visiting the Virgin Grotto, you can still see the
petrified girl with her long hair hanging down and eyes
looking towards the mainland. Opposite the Virgin
Grotto, the Male Grotto is still home to the lover whose
his face is turned towards his mate. At times, his
passionate calls and blows against the walls of the
grotto can still be heard.
This recently discovered grotto is one of the most
beautiful in Halong Bay. Thien Cung is situated on the
southwest side of the bay, 4 km from the wharf outside
of Halong City. It is located in a small range of
islands that resemble a throne embracing two superb
grottoes at its core. The way to Thien Cung is perilous,
covered on both sides by thick forest. After entering a
narrow gate, the magnificent, 130 m long grotto opens
up.
According to legend, a beautiful young lady named May
(cloud) caught the eye of the Dragon Prince and he fell
in love with her. They were betrothed and got married in
the very center of the grotto. All of the scenes of
their wedding, which lasted for seven days and seven
nights, have been seemingly fossilized in the grotto.
In the center, there are four large pillars supporting
the "roof of heaven". From the base to the top, many
strange images seem to exist in the stone, including
birds, fish, flowers and even scenes of human life. On
the north wall of the grotto, a group of fairies seems
to be singing and dancing in honor of the wedding. Under
the immeasurably high roof, stalactites form a natural
stone curtain. There is also the sound of a beating drum
made by the wind blowing through the stone.
In the last chamber of the grotto, a natural gushing
stream of water babbles throughout the year. Here there
are three small ponds of clear water. One path meanders
out of the grotto.
Located 9 km west of Cam Pha, Quang Hanh Grotto is the
longest grotto in Halong Bay. It is 1,300 m long, and
stretches throughout the stone mountain of Quang Hanh.
The French named it "Le Tunnel," or Tunnel Grotto.
Quang Hanh Grotto is accessible by either boat or car,
but the entrance only appears when the tide is out. Ba
Co Shrine (shrine of three girls) is in the grotto
beside a smooth stone block. Legend tells that three
girls, who were once journeying on the sea, came to the
grotto to take shelter from the rain. They were so
engrossed with the beauty of the grotto, that they did
not notice the rising tide. They drowned, only to become
water goddesses.
Quang Hanh Grotto is extremely beautiful. A small boat
will take you through the stone passageway by
flashlight, casting magical colors on the hanging
stalactites.
Bai Tho Mountain is 106 m high. It runs along the coast,
half on land and half in the sea. Sailing in the bay,
one or two hundred meters from the mountain, one can see
a poem carved on a flat stone cliff.
In 1468, Emperor Le Thanh Tong, who was also a poet,
made an inspection tour of the North-East region. He
stopped at the foot of the mountain, and inspired by the
magnificent beauty of his surroundings, he wrote a poem.
Later, he had the poem engraved on the wall of the
mountain. It is very interesting to climb the mountain
and enjoy the panoramic view of the bay.
See
|
Source: Vietnam Nation Administration of Tourism |
|
