Exploring Bái Tử Long Bay
(VTR) Bái Tử Long Bay located in Vân Đồn district, the northern province of Quảng Ninh province, is some 200km from Hà Nội capital. This is a complex of special islands with biodiversity that is similar to Hạ Long Bay. Here is also home to Hạ Long culture, which existed thousands of years ago. With Hạ Long Bay, Bái Tử Long Bay has become a world natural heritage site for visitors.
Coming to Bái Tử Long, tourists will have a chance to visit white and flat sand banks and have wonderful baths in green water as well as enjoy fresh air of natural landscapes. Legend has it that when the Viet people were invaded, they were setting up their country, the Jade Emperor sent a mother dragon and her child to the lower world to help them. When the invaders’ ships neared the shore, the dragons created pearls and gems that were then turned into thousands of stone islands to form firm walls on the sea. The ships crashed into stone islands while they were moving quickly. When the invader failed, the dragons decided to stay in the lower world. The mother came to Hạ Long and the child went to Bái Tử Long. Located at Bái Tử Long Bay, Bái Tử Long National Park is a national biosphere reserves where still keeps many gene samples of rare animals and plants with many listed in the Red Book of Vie and the world. Currently, Bái Tử Long National Park has 72 kinds of animals and 30 kinds of plants named in the Vietnamese Red Book 2007. Covering a total area of 15,000ha, the park includes 6 big islands and 24 small ones. Here is not only home to green grass and blue water, but also boasts the bio-diversity with three basic ecosystems of forest, flooded soil and sea. Visiting Bái Tử Long, tourists should call at fishing village on Minh Châu Island and the Vietnamese old village of Cái Làng where is home to Nàng Tiên Well which is full of water all around the year; Thông Thiên Cave and Phất Cờ Island or sail boats to explore aegiceras forests and Bản Sen Island. Particularly, you will be attracted by a system of stone mountains with many caves and historical monuments such as Vân Đồn Port, the Vietnamese first port for foreign trade, Tĩnh Hải Post and Mạc Dynasty Citadel on Ngọc Vừng Island, Quan Lạn Mount on Quan Lạn Island, Trăm Gian Pagoda at Thắng Lợi commune and Vân Đồn district, one of the big architectural works on the land strip from Trà Cổ in Hải Ninh district to Hà Nam Island in Yên Hưng district. Travelers can also visit Cửa Ông Temple situated on a low mountain facing Bái Tử Long Bay; see Vạn Hoa Port or go through forests to villages of Tày, Dao Đỏ and Sán Dìu people.