Rough Guide to Vietnam - Jan Dodd [292]
Ha Long Bay and the northern seaboard | Haiphong |
Listings
Airlines Vietnam Airlines, 166 Hoang Van Thu, near the theatre 031/381 0890.
Banks and exchange There are 24hr ATMs dotted about town, including one outside Vietcombank, one outside the Harbour View, and another in the foyer of the Huu Nghi.
Hospital Ben Vien Viet–Tiep (Vietnam–Czech Friendship Hospital), 1 Nha Thuong 031/385 4185.
Post office The GPO is at the junction of Nguyen Tri Phuong and Hoang Van Thu.
Taxi For metered taxis call Haiphong Taxi 031/384 1999; Mai Linh Taxi 031/383 3666; or VN Taxi 031/383 8383.
Ha Long Bay and the northern seaboard |
Ha Long Bay
From Guilin in China to Thailand’s Phang Nga Bay, the limestone towers that typify the scenery of Ha Long Bay are by no means unique, but nowhere else are they found on such an impressive scale: an estimated 1969 islands pepper the 1553 square kilometres of Ha Long Bay itself, with a further two thousand more punctuating the coast towards China. Local legend tells of a celestial dragon and her children, sent by the Jade Emperor to stop an invasion, which spat out great quantities of pearls to form islands and razor-sharp mountain chains in the path of the enemy fleet. After the victory the dragons, enchanted by their creation, decided to stay on, giving rise to the name Ha Long (“dragon descending”), and to the inevitable claimed sightings of sea monsters.
In 1469 King Le Thanh Tong paid a visit to Ha Long Bay and was so inspired by the scenery that he wrote a poem, likening the islands to pieces on a chessboard; ever since, visitors have struggled to capture the mystery of this fantasy world. Nineteenth-century Europeans compared the islands to Tuscan cathedrals, while a local tourist brochure opts for meditative “grey-haired fairies”, and the bay is frequently referred to as the eighth natural wonder of the world. With so much hyperbole, some find Ha Long disappointing, especially since this stretch of coast is also one of Vietnam’s more industrialized regions with a major shipping lane cutting right across the bay to Ha Long City’s Cai Lan port, earmarked to become the north’s major deepwater port. The huge influx of tourism has, of course, added to the problem, not least the litter and pollution from fume-spluttering boats. The winter weather is another factor to bear in mind; it’s coldest in February and March, but from November on there can be chilly days of drizzly weather when the splendour and romance of the bay are harder to appreciate.
Boat in Ha Long Bay
Ha Long Bay and the northern seaboard | Ha Long Bay |
Getting there and around
The vast majority of visitors come on organized tours from Hanoi, travelling by road to Ha Long City, on the bay’s northern shore, where they spend a day or two cruising the bay on replica wooden junks ((See "Organized tours of Ha Long Bay") for details). While an organized tour is without doubt the easiest option, it’s perfectly possible – though not necessarily any cheaper – to do it under your own steam. Cat Ba is just a boat-ride away from the jumping-off points of Ha Long City and Haiphong, both of which can easily be reached by public transport from Hanoi.
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Ha Long Bay and the northern seaboard | Ha Long Bay | Getting there and around |
Moving on from Haiphong
Moving on, there are two trains a day from Haiphong to Hanoi, and at least one flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Hanoi-bound buses leave every ten to fifteen minutes from Tam Bac bus station, but if you’re coming off a ferry it’s easier to get a minibus from the Lac Long bus station, which is within walking distance of Ben Binh ferry pier. For details of hydrofoils and ferries to Cat Ba Island, (See "Arrival and information").
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Ha Long Bay and the northern seaboard | Ha Long Bay |
The caves
Ha Long Bay is split in two by a wide channel running north–south: the larger, western portion contains the most dramatic scenery and best caves, while to