The end of the Vietnam war,
and the advent of "Doi moi", Vietnam's policy
of opening its economy to foreign trade, means that
Westerners and South Vietnamese now have a chance to
visit Ha long. Vinh Ha Long or Bay of the Descending
Dragon is often touted by proud Vietnamese as the
world's Eighth wonder. One of the main attractions of
Ha long is the bay's calm water and the thousands of
limestone mountains dotting the seascape. The Bay's
water is clear during the spring and early summer.
Some of the islands are quite large and there are
small alcoves with sandy beaches where swimming is
possible. Ha Long bay lies in the northeastern part of
Vietnam and is 165 Km from Hanoi.
Ha Long literally means descending dragon(s) and
according to local myth, the story goes as follows:
Long ago when their forefathers were fighting foreign
invaders from the north, the gods from heaven sent a
family of dragons to help defend their land. This
family of dragons descended upon what is now Ha Long
bay and began spitting out jewels and jade. Upon
hitting the sea, these jewels turned into the various
islands and islets dotting the seascape and formed a
formidable fortress against the invaders. The locals
were able to keep their land safe and formed what is
now the country of
Vietnam. The Dragon family
fell so much in love with this area for its calm water
and for the reverence of the people of Vietnam
that they decided to remain on earth. Mother dragon
lies on what is now Ha Long and where her
children lie is Bai Tu Long. The dragon tails
formed the area of Bach Long Vi known for the miles of
white sandy beaches of Tra Co peninsula
This myth is in line with the Vietnamese myth of their
origin Con Rong Chau Tien. This myth
describes the union between a king (representing the
dragon) and his bride (representing a goddess) giving
birth to 100 children which are the ancestors of the
Vietnamese people. The Ha Long myth illustrate the
Vietnamese belief of their origin and the fact that
throughout their history, they are aided by their
ancestors, the dragon and the gods, in the defense of
their land.
Scorched Beach (Bai Chay)
Upon arriving in Ha Long
city, the visitor will be driving along 'Bai Chay' or
scorched beach. The sand on this stretch of beach is
dark. And judging by the name the visitors may
mistakenly think that this is due to the dry climate
or lack of wind in this area. However, contrary to
this interpretation, the area is quite pleasant during
the summer and fall months and the temperature here is
around 70 deg F. According to the locals, Bai Chay got
its name long ago, based on another historical event.
Bai Chay was once a forest. In 1287, the Mongols led
by the great Truong Van Ho,(a Vietnamese name for this
Mongolian general) attacked Vietnam and was driven
back by general Tran Khanh Du. Many Mongolian ships
were set afire and drifted to shore aided by high wind
setting the forest on fire. Since then this stretch of
beach became known as Bai Chay or scorched beach.
From Bai Chay, visitors can hire a boat and go out to
the bay. It is here that visitors will be find some of
Southeast Asias most fascinating sites. Visitors to
the bay speak highly of its almost mystical qualities
and the surrealistic scenery that defines this bay.
The limestone formations are both bizarre and awesome.
Over thousands of years the base of many of the
formation have corroded to a point where many seem to
be balancing on thin air. The shapes and the
positioning of these formations often resemble people,
animals etc., hence, most are given a name by the
locals. Some of the more famous are: Hang Dau Go (
Wooden Stakes cave), Hang Bo Nau (Pelican cave), Hang
Trinh Nu (the Virgin), Hang Sung Sot (Cave of Awe),
Dong Hang Hanh, Dao Tuan Chau (Sentinel Chau Island),
Qua Chuong (the bell), Con Voi (the elephant) etc..
Now, about one thousand formations have names. One
can't possibly see all of Ha Long grandeur in one day
or even a month since depending on the time of the
year, the weather, or the condition of the bay the
visitor may see only one small aspect of Ha Long's
beauty
Hang Dau Go is one of the
most beautiful cave at Ha Long. The name, Dau Go or
Giau Go, has direct ties to the history of Vietnam.
According to the locals, while preparing for the
Mongolian attacks in 1288, general Tran Hung Dao, sent
a convoy to this area to cut wood from this region.
Wooden stakes were then fashioned from the wood and
hidden in Dau Go cave. The stakes were embedded in
Bach Dang river to form a barrier against the
attacking Mongols. According to legend, general Tran
Hung Dao dealt a great blow to the Kublai Khan when he
tricked the Mongolian army into chasing him deep up
Bach Dang's channel. When the tide were down the
enemies were stuck in these wooden stakes driven into
the river bed. Dau Go was also the site where general
Tran Khan Du hid his force while waiting for the
Mongols led by Truong Van Ho in 1287.
Dau Go is located on a limestone islet 8 km south of
Bai Chay. The islet itself stands 187 m above sea
level. Upon arriving visitors must hike the 90 rocky
steps that lead to the cave's entrance. There are
three chambers with the outer one having the most
spectacular stalagmites and stalactites. Some are as
tall as 20 m in height. The locals claim that these
giant formations resemble human forms and are the
keepers or guardians of Dau Go cave. The outer chamber
is also the largest with capacity for three to four
thousand people. The cave's floor is approximately 6 m
lower than the entrance and the distance from floor to
ceiling is approximately 25 m.
The middle chamber is accessible through a narrow
passage approximately 1.4 m wide. There is a round
crystal like structure on the path. When struck by
light, this structure emits a kaleidoscope of light
that is both breathtaking and unique. The inner
chamber is famous for the colorful stalagmites and
stalactites.
The inner chamber is much smaller by comparison. It is
here that visitors will find stone wells filled with
fresh water. According to the locals these wells are
filled year round.
Dau Go is probably the most famous of all
grottoes in Ha Long. Since its discovery, many
Vietnamese dignitaries have visited Dau Go cave. In
1929, King Khai Dinh (Nguyen dynasty) visited Dau Go
cave and was awed by its beauty. His praise in writing
is carved on a stone stele at the entrance of the
cave.
Pelican Cave (Hang Bo Nau)
Unlike Dau Go cave, Bo
Nau cave is not as deep and large. Looking out
from the cave the visitor can enjoy the scenic beauty
of Ha Long. The clear blue water with rocky formations
rising forms a picturesque setting. Bo Nau is a
compound word derived from two words, bo cau meaning
pigeon and nau meaning brown. Bo Nau literally means
brown pigeon. For some reason, many foreign
translations refer to this cave as Pelican cave.
According to the fishermen in this region, long ago,
when there were still few visitors, Bo Nau cave was
home to thousands of pigeons. Today as more visitors
and people begin to inhabit the surrounding islands,
the pigeons have left until only the name Bo Nau
remains out of habit of the local fishermen.
Hang Trinh Nu (Virgin Cave)
Hang Trinh Nu
or the Virgin is also known as Mid Gate cave.
According to local lore, an old couple lived here long
ago. The husband made a living fishing around the bay.
They were very poor. They had only one daughter. She
grew up to be a beautiful young woman, so beautiful
that people from all around knew of her. There were
many suitors and her reputation reached the local
mandarin. The mandarin immediately sent his soldier to
her home to capture her. She was forced to marry the
old mandarin.
After much cajoling and threats the fair maiden still
steadfastly refused. One day, she escaped from the
mandarins home, however she was afraid to return home
for fear of retaliation. After much thought, the
maiden decided to go to Mid Gate cave to commit
suicide. Her body turned into the stone statue lying
atop a flat surface. Since then, Mid Gate cave became
known as Virgin cave.
Virgin cave tunnels through the middle of an island
approximately 2 km long. Along the tunnel, there are
many chambers. Each is famous for a different reason.
All are unique in their beauty. Many visitors to the
cave are awed by its beauty and so the name Hang Sung
Sot was given to the outer chamber of the Virgin cave.
Sung Sot literally means astonishment or awe.
Cave of Awe (Hang Sung Sot)
Sung Sot
cave is on the same island with Trinh Nu cave. The
path to Sung Sot is quite steep and is lined with
shady trees. The cave has 2 chambers. The outer
chamber is square and is often referred to as the
waiting room. The cave's ceiling is approximately 30 m
high. The walls are almost perfectly smooth as if it
was built by man. The walls generate a variety of
colors that blend with the setting of the area.
The path to the inner chamber is approximately 3m
wide. The inner chamber is known as the serene castle.
The formations in the chamber take the form of
sentries conversing with one another, animals in
varying poses etc. In the middle of the chamber stands
a formation which resembles a general surveying his
troops.
There is a side entrance which is approximately 6m in
height. The light reflected from the moving water
outside causes the formations inside the chamber to
seemingly come alive. According to the locals, this
was the reason the cave was named Sung Sot, from the
awe-stricken reaction of the visitors to the cave
Other attractions in Ha
Long Bay
Dong Hang Hanh
tunnels through mount Quang Hanh 9 km from the
township of Cam Pha.
The tunnel and cave is approximately 2 km in length.
To visit this cave the visitors must take a small row
boat to access the entrance. On the way the rower must
maneuver through a variety of rock formation often so
narrow that only one boat can fit through at a time.
The air in the tunnel is several degrees cooler than
the air outside. As one proceed deeper into the cave,
the surroundings become more mystifying as the rocky
walls take different shapes, sizes, and hues. Hang
Hanh contains many formations. One formation takes the
form of a drum (for water)
called Ang gao. One
looks like a temple with millions of diamond-like
crystals as its outer layer. There are several columns
of rocks that look like remnants of buildings from
some ancient world. These monoliths are several
stories high. Theres also a formation of a natural
amphitheater in the middle of the water with smaller
formations in place as the audience.
Ao Tien or Pond of the Nymphs, was named by the
locals because it was rumored this is where the nymphs
gathered to take a bath. The limestone walls surrounds
this part of the ocean creating a natural pond in the
middle of the bay. Ao Tien is located in an island
with a lagoon-like setting, surrounded by limestone
walls, accessible only by small row boats and only in
low tides. During high tide, the water rise to cover
the opening and keep the water here clean. The water
in Ao Tien is only chest deep and very warm. During
low tide visitors can disembark from the bigger boat
and use a row boat to enter Ao Tien. Some visitors
even swim through the opening without using a boat.
Many tourists use Ao Tien as a place to sunbathe and
wade.
Like Ao tien, Hang Luon is in the middle of
rock formations the center of which is an open area
where the water is clear and calm. There is also a
sandy beach. However, Hang luon's opening is
substantially bigger than the opening of Ao Tien.
Depending on the tide, a large boat can go through the
tunnel.
Tuan Chau
island or Sentinel Chau Island is 3 km west of Dau Go
cave. The island is approximately 3 km2. This island
is inhabited by people. The nurturing hands of humans
have turned this island into a fertile farm producing
vegetables and fruits for the outlying mining and
fishing villages of Ha Long Bay.
According to the inhabitants, Tuan Chau is a
derivative of two words. Before the revolutionary war,
each island was under the surveillance of an officer.
Each was in charge of a group of sentinels assigned to
keep security for one island in the bay. There were
several of such officers assigned to Ha Long. The
Vietnamese words, linh tuan means sentinel(s) and tri
Chau means mandarin (officer) Chau, hence the
combination of the two words
means Tuan Chau or Sentinel
Chau.
There is a bamboo hut on the island that has became a
shrine, since it was rumored that this place was
favored by Ho Chi Minh when he visited Ha Long. The
hut is maintained and kept by the people of the
island. Today visitors to the island can visit the hut
as if it was a historical monument.
Poem Mountain
stands over the city of Hon Gai. On his visit to Ha
Long, King Le Thanh Tong (15th century) wrote a poem
glorifying Ha Long's beauty. This poem is carved on a
stele on Nui Truyen Dang which was later renamed Nui
Bai Tho or Poem Mountain. The King was a poet and the
person responsible for forming the group of
intellectuals, Tao Dan Nhi Thap Bat Tu, or Tao Dan
twenty-eight scholars.
Cua Ong Temple is located on a hill over
looking Bai Tu Long Bay. The temple was built as a
shrine to mandarin Tran Quoc Tang, the son of Vietnams
most famous general Tran Hung Dao.
In 1283, during the height of the war against
Mongolia, Tran Quoc Tang was sent here to build a fort
to defend this frontier. This area was known for its
rough and less than ideal conditions. Tran Quoc Tang
created a government here and turned the area into a
prosperous place. Tran Quoc Tang was made supreme
commander and became one of Vietnams most successful
general. During this period, there were many bands of
outlaws and pirates harassing the people in this
region. General Tang successfully wiped out many of
these bandits and brought peace to this area. He was
also successful in keeping the great Mongolian army at
bay during their numerous attempt to invade Vietnam.
The people revered him so much that he became a
demigod to them. So much reverence was given to
general Tang that he was dubbed King of the Sea while
he was still alive!
General Tang died in 1313 at the age of 61. The people
in the region mourned his passing and built a shrine
in his honor. Today, the words Great Eastern Sea King
are still imprinted on the placard at the entrance of
the temple. Den Cua Ong was built in the Le dynasty
(17th century), but was later remodeled in the Nguyen
dynasty (17th - 19th century). Every year during Tet,
Vietnamese new year, the people in this area have a
festival to celebrate and honor General Tang.
