Ha Long Bay

Ha Long Bay, Vietnamese Vinh Ha Long (“Where the Dragon Descends to the Sea”), bay on the northwest coast of the Gulf of Tonkin, near the city of Ha Long (Hong Gai), Quang Ninh province, northern Vietnam. Situated 102 miles (164 km) southeast of Hanoi, the 580-square-mile (1,500-square-km) area contains some 3,000 rocky and earthen islands, typically in the form of jagged limestone pillars jutting out from the sea, and several caves and grottoes, all of which blend together to produce an exotic and picturesque seascape. A diverse population of marine and land mammals, reptiles, fish, and birds are found in the waters and tropical forests. With its aqua-green water and cluster of limestone rocky outcrops rising from the water like sea dragons, Ha Long Bay resembles a scene from a fantasy story. Located about 130 km (80 miles) east of Hanoi in northern Vietnam, this otherworldly bay features more than 2,000 jungle-covered islands pitted with intriguing caves, grottoes, sinkholes and lakes.