Vietnam

Ha Long Bay

Ha Long Bay

Meet Ha Long Bay! This dazzling seascape in northern Vietnam is dotted with thousands of limestone islands and islets, rising dramatically out of emerald-green water.

Why is it famous?

It's a UNESCO World Heritage site famous for nearly 2,000 limestone karst islands and islets.

Many of the islands are topped with lush green forest, rising straight out of the sea.

How was it formed?

Over hundreds of millions of years, wind and waves slowly carved limestone rock into towering islands, caves, and arches.

Rising sea levels later flooded the surrounding land, leaving only the tallest limestone peaks poking above the water.

Amazing facts

Ha Long Bay has almost 2,000 islands and islets, most of them uninhabited.

"Ha Long" means "descending dragon" in Vietnamese.

Quick facts

  • Ha Long Bay has almost 2,000 islands and islets, most of them uninhabited.
  • "Ha Long" means "descending dragon" in Vietnamese.
  • The bay is home to hidden caves, like Sung Sot Cave ("Surprise Cave"), full of dramatic stalactites.
  • Local fishing villages float right on the water inside the bay.