Cruise on the Halong Bay (translated by the Dragon) for many tourists - Cherry on a delicious cake, the highest experience of staying in Vietnam, pleasant adventures. At the same time, this is one of the most popular destinations in the country for tourists from different countries. It is worth noting that this bay is in UNESCO World Heritage Lists. Not surprisingly: a mystical, magnificent, incredible place, a gift of nature simply will not leave anyone indifferent.
Yes, this bay is really so good, without exaggeration. In total, the list of UNESCO for 2014 is 1007 facilities. By the way, by the way, of which 26 are in Russia, but in Vietnam - seven. Halong Bay is in lists since 1994.
These lists make objects that represent value from the point of view of culture and history, as well as naturally rare. Well, Halong Bay is a little bit from all three criteria. But natural, of course, for the most part.
Maybe even not the rocks themselves make Halong unique, and their huge amount. The incredible bay, the devoured almost 3000, mostly uninhabited limestone rocks-islands, is there a joke? This exciting spirit of the landscape is something similar to the Andaman coast of Thailand, Wangwihang in Laos and Guilin in China. In general, there are a lot of similar places in Asia, but it is concrete - very impressive.
Formed over millions of years, these rocks gradually climbed onto the surface of water in a variety of forms and at different angles. Strong waves licked stones for a long century and form unusual caves and other interesting education in the rocks from the point of view of the geology of education, such as tunnel caves and a unique form stone growths.
Local residents believed (may believe now) that dragons lived in these grumps, the truth is, good, because they created these rocks (and there are also evil dragons, but not here). Nowadays, tourists are quietly visible here, as, as already clearly, no dragons do not smell.
Vietnamese fishermen with a good imagination saw in these rocks figures, who reminded them something like that, and therefore they called the islands so that it was easier to navigate: Turtle Island (Turtle Island), Human Head Island (man's head island), Chicken Island (Chicken island) and so on. Although, of course, it is not so obvious: it's how to look at the clouds and see something your own, but maybe nothing to see anything.
In this place, which is one of the most fascinating cultural features of the area, live, mostly fishermen, right on the shore of the bay, in floating fishing villages, on the mainland and islands, are engaged in fishing and other related affairs. Although the fish here is unlikely to earn as much as you earn on tourism - therefore most work on the tourist sphere.
Cruises on this bay are mostly starting from Hanoi or the coastal city of Halong City. You will find hundreds of agencies on the shore of the bay, selling tours to the rocks, but it is easier to actually negotiate with a private fisherman and ask him to ride you between beautiful stone islands. Either sit on the cargo ship. To find the most profitable option, talk to other travelers and shoot around - it is likely that one who agrees to organize a two-day tour of the rocks for only $ 20-30 will fall on your head.
Try to include a visit to the island in this excursion. Cat Ba. - Part of its territory of which since 1986 is a natural reserve.
This is the inhabited island, and cool to come here to sunbathe on a small sandy beach, climb on the rocks, ride a bike. The road for pokatushek is a mountain, winding and very picturesque: along the bay, along the hills, through a banana grove and an impressive valley that surrounds the mountains covered with forests. Typically, tourists leave to spend the night on this island, however, in the southern part of the island, which is more denselylane - there are small hotels and cafes, well, fishing floating settlements. Here, of course, is not so picturesque as on the other side of the island.
Very many of these types of southern island are quite disappointed, but for the night you can suffer to the next day to continue the journey through the rocky forests.
You can ride this bay in different ways. You can three or four hours, you can two days. You can with the excursion, you can independently. Maybe the second is even better in order to avoid "mass tourism". By the way, he here is the truth of mass, boats and ships- like on the freeway!
The weather in the bay is always as if slightly misty - the dark green surface of the South China Sea, lead-gray clouds, giant figures. Clear weather is very difficult to catch - but even this will not spoil the impressions of the islands.
Halong City The same is a fairly large and extended city, which cuts into two parts a narrow strait, and both parts of the massive bridge are comprehensive.
In East Halong (Hon Guy), administrative buildings and industrial enterprises are concentrated, in West Halong (Bai Tea) there are hotels and restaurants for tourists. Despite the fact that the majority of tourists go to admire these cliffs in the bay, in Halong City itself, too, have something to see: Parks, Cultural Centers, Museum, Roman Catholic Church, Fish Market.
In the city you can move on a water taxi, which is interesting, women manage. Moreover, they manage standing, these fragile Vietnamese women!
It is not uncommon in Halong. Moreover, these taxis have even their own state number, as on cars. Why did women take for the oars? Profitful! And the husbands, most likely, fishermen or sailors on cargo ships, which in huge numbers go on Halong.
Here is such a beautiful bay and cities. By the way, the Government of Vietnam, it seems, how, decided to suspend the development of a network of small hotels in Halong Bay. It seems like, world heritage, and here such consumer goods were vacated! They were going to ban the motor boats and scooters that could pollute the sea with gasoline and make too much noise.
Moreover, they were going to ban fishing fish and shrimp in the bay, and consider the question of moving people from the islands to the mainland. Global work! By the way, these prohibitions have already begun to act. If once, floating on a boat on the boat, had to go bubbling dead rats and trash, today it is very clean here! Sea transparent - you can safely swim! And it pleases.
