Ha Long Bay

Ha Long Bay, the most wonderful bay of the world, covers an area of 1,500 sq. kilometers in the sea of Quang Ninh Province. Like a paradise, the bay consists of about 3,000 islands and islets glittering limestone cliffs and caves set in an emerald sea. In 1993, UNESCO recognized Ha Long Bay as a World's Natural Heritage. Different islands and islets of surprising shapes own different interesting names: Dragon Island resembling a dragon, Fighting-Cock Islet looking like a cock fighting, and so we have Monkey Island, Turtle Islet, Toad Islet, and so on. Some islets are rocky-headed; the others are covered with green trees. Inside the islands is a world of impressive caves, grottos and tunnels built by wind and tide. Local junks gently sailing among the many islets at sunset offer a romantic feeling. Ha Long Bay awaits your discovery.

The Dau Go Cave

This is one of the most beautiful grottos in Ha Long Bay, situated in a limestone island of 189 m above sea level. Its mouth is located half height of the island and is accessed after climbing 90 steps. Dau Go Grotto consists of 3 chambers, the outermost chamber, the largest one, can room three or four thousand people at the same time. Inside there are many magical stalactites and stalagmites that become colorfully sparkling with sunlight. In the final chamber there is a well of fresh water which is pure and cool all the time. Fascinated by its beauty, French tourists called Dau Go Grotto "Grotte des Merveilles".

Bo Nau Grotto

Bo Nau means pigeon in Vietnamese. This place, which was used by innumerable pigeons for shelter and nesting. Bo Nau grotto, one has a large view of the sea and remote island.

The Trinh Nu Cave

There are many stalactites and stalagmites of queer shapes or a young girl's face. The love story was that a local mandarin kidnapped a nice girl of a poor fishing family as his concubine. She tried to escape but could not go home because her return may endanger her parent' life. She decided to stay in this islet and committed suicide. Since then the Cave was named "Virgin Girl" Cave.

Cat Ba Island and Nation Park

The Cat Ba is an archipelago comprising about 366 islands of different sizes. The main island is the Cat Ba covering an area of 100 sq. km, located 30 nautical miles from Hai Phong City. A part of the island has been preserved as a national park which is 15,200 ha wide; 9,800 hectares of evergreen forests and 4,200 hectares of sea. More than 20 species of mammals, 69 species of birds, and 20 species of reptiles and amphibians are found in the Cat  Ba National Park.

Many of them are of the rare or endangered species. The topography of the park is varied, consisting mainly of forests and limestone mountains with many caves and grottos, dotted around are fine white-sand beaches and lakes. Cat Ba National Park has a large area of tropical virgin forests in Vietnam. Visiting Cat Ba, tourists can take different recreational activities; from trekking, exploring, and mountain climbing to swimming and boating.

HAI PHONG AND DO SON

Situated on the coast of the East Sea, Hai Phong is a beautiful seaport city of two million inhabitants. It has been an important port of the country for hundreds of years, where international ships can be anchored. The weather here is warm all year round. In summer the city becomes bright when the road-sided flamboyant trees are in full blossom, therefore it is also called " the City of Flamboyant Flowers."

Nowadays, Hai Phong is not only an industrial city but also a city of tourism of Vietnam. Hai Phong has been famous for its Do Son Peninsula with excellent beaches and sea resorts, ancient monuments, and Cat Ba National Park. Besides, Do Son Buffalo Fighting Festival held excitingly in autumn attracts many people every year.

Do Son Beach

Located 22 km southeast of Hai Phong, Do Son is a beautiful peninsula with a belt of mountains, hills and forests jutting out into the sea for 5 kilometers. Seawater here is always emerald transparent.

Immediately upon setting foot in Hai Phong, the French turned Do Son into a summer resort for their expatriate community and the Vietnamese upper class. This sea resort town is composed of three zones, each having nice beaches, hills, pine forests, and age-old constructions.

At the very tip of the peninsula is the Hotel de la Pionte, now known as Van Hoa Hotel, built on the top of a large hill. This is the finest building in Do Son, looking like an ancient castle rising out of the green landscape.

Du Hang Pagoda

This pagoda, constructed in the early Le dynasty in the 10th century, is renovated very often by followers. King Tran Nhan Tong, a devout Buddhist, used to preach at the pagoda. People can find a gate of 2 storeys, the statues of Bodhisattvas, guardians, the wooden goddesses and much ancient furniture for worshipping. In the front, there are Islamic-Khmer style bells of big curiosity.

Hang Kenh Communal House

Built in 1856 in the shape of a boat, Hang Kenh Communal House is famous for its valuable wooden sculptures: 156 pieces with the dragon as the main theme. There are  altogether 308 wooden dragons of different inspirations and sizes. Inside there is a statue of King Ngo Quyen and a palanquin.

Every year from the 16th to 18th of the second lunar month, the Hang Kenh Communal House Festival is held animatedly with ritual ceremonies, folk art performances, and traditional games, attracting a large crowd.

Nghe An - Cua Lo Beach

Nghe An province located in the north of central part, bordered by the Red River Delta and Quang Binh province is the birthplace of legendary Vietnamese heroes and great men such as Le Loi, Nguyen Du, Nguyen Trai, Ho Chi Minh and fascinated by the vestige of the bronze Age culture and ancient pagodas and temples. 

Cua Lo Beach is 20km from Vinh City. It stretches nearly 10km and has fine white sand, and green sea pine forests.

Cua Lo Beach has been discoverred sin 1907. Realizing the potential of Cua Lo Beach as an excellent seaside resort, the French built villas for the exclusive use of the French community. Unfortunately, the villas were destroyed during the first Indochina war.