Attractions
Cruise the island-studded spectacle of Halong Bay
Hạ Long Bay, in northeast Vietnam, is known for its emerald waters and thousands of towering limestone islands topped by rainforests. Junk boat tours and sea kayak expeditions take visitors past islands named for their shapes, including Stone Dog and Teapot islets. The region is popular for scuba diving, rock climbing and hiking, particularly in mountainous Cát Bà National Park.
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Cruise the island-studded spectacle of Halong Bay
VIETNAM // Halong translates as 'where the dragon descends into the sea', and legend claims the islands of Halong Bay were created by a great dragon whose flailing tail gouged out valleys and crevasses. When it finally plunged into the sea, the area filled with water, leaving only the pinnacles visible - 2000 or more islands rising from the emerald waters of the Gulf of Tonkin. This landscape is often compared to Guilin in China or Krabi in Thailand, but Halong Bay is more spectacular. Its immense number of limestone islands are dotted with wind- and wave-eroded grottoes, and their sparsely forested slopes ring with birdsong. You won't have it all to yourself, but consider cruises focused on Lan Ha Bay, near Cat Ba Island, for less-crowded karst views.
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