Published:  10:06 Thursday - March 22, 2012

Halong Bay which has been designated as a UNESCO world heritage site in 1994, is one of the most beautiful places on earth which abounds with natural beauty.

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Halong means Bay of the Descending Dragons. The proud Vietnamese are claiming this place as an eight wonder- such is its beauty. This bay is very calm and there are 3000 islands in all shapes and sizes in the bay. Halong Bay is one of the main tourist attractions in Vietnam. The islands in the bay contain grottos and caves which lead to fresh water lakes and amazing and spectacular formation of stalactites and stalagmites inside. Almost any traveler and tourist will make it a point to visit Halong Bay Vietnam at least once in their life!

To reach Halong Bay one has to drive along the Bai Chay beach or scorched beach as it is referred to due to the sands in the beach being dark colored. Once the tourists reach Halong Bay then they can do lots of things here. They would be simply amazed to see spectacular land and seascape around them once they venture out in to the bay on boats. The waters in the bay are so calm and crystal clear that you will want to jump in and go for a swim. You can hire boats both big and small - such as the Halong Junky or even the Halong Luxury Junky and go on tours to visit the grottos, caves freshwater swamps, and sandy beaches. If you take a tour that lasts you for more than 2 days you get to stay in one of the caves for the night which is really a thrilling experience. It is best that you go on tours in the bay for at least 3 days as this will give you the opportunity of experiencing a night out in the bay in a sail boat which is entirely unique to this region.

The white sandy beaches and calm water around the grottos make for a lovely swimming place. Because the waters are clear you will be able to see the coral reefs clearly too. Virgin Cave and Mid Gate caves are some of the great places to visit and explore as you will surprised to find tunnels deep inside the caves. The stone formations inside all the caves and grottos are very peculiar and resemble animals and plants. The mountains around these caves are great places to go hiking. You can even try your hand at kayaking and snorkeling here. May be you can even do some fishing as the area abounds in fish and sea food varieties.

A Halong cruise is another great thing that Halong Vietnam has to offer for its tourists and guests. Be sure to include a Luxury Halong Bay Cruise or a less heavy Halong Bay Cruise to your itinerary on your package to Halong Bay.

Remember to carry your camera along because you can get some amazing pictures of the natural scenery found abounding here. If you are prepared to paddle then there is no greater way to look around the islands. There are night excursions being arranged for tourists who want to experience the caves and grottos at night.

At Halong city there are plenty of shops which sell locally made handicrafts which can be bought and taken back as souvenirs for family and friends. You can even try out some local fare in any of the restaurants here and it will truly be an amazing culinary experience.