Ha Long with its beautiful seascape is an ideal destination for tourists. — Photo Legend Travel

Over the past two decades, Ha Long Bay (literally means Bay of Descending Dragon) has become a popular tourist destination in the northern region of Viet Nam to explore wonderful limestone caves and take part in adventure activities.

The recent breakthroughs in infrastructure development, the influx of investment and the efforts of the local authorities have led to an increase in the number of tourists to the area.

Travel from the neighbouring provinces and the cities to Ha Long in northern Quang Ninh Province will become even easier and more convenient with a number of infrastructure projects nearing completion, including the Ha Long-Hai Phong Expressway, the upgraded highways to Van Don and the VND6.7 trillion airport in Van Don.

Vung Vieng fishing village in Ha Long Bay

In addition, many giant property developers, such as Vingroup, FLC, Sun Group and Bim Group, have poured billions of dollars into tourism and resort projects in Ha Long, which are expected to attract even more tourists to the city.

Recognised as a World Natural Heritage Site by UNESCO, Halong Bay Cruises offers unforgettable experiences for tourists who can admire the spectacular seascape of some 1969 limestone karsts and isles and understand the basics of geology and geomorphology.

“It is even more marvelous than what I have seen in pictures and videos,” Nguyen Nhu, a tourist from Ha Noi who recently enjoyed a two-day cruise on Ha Long Bay, said. “What I’ll remember the most is the moment when I went kayaking on the tranquil sea and saw the yellow hues at sunset. It was unforgettable, romantic and peaceful.”

According to the Indochina Legend Travel, a tour and travel agency with operations mainly in Southeast Asia, there are a lot of interesting things to do in Ha Long Bay and Tours in Vietnam, which is an ideal destination for family vacations, holiday trips, honeymoons and kayaking due to the pleasant weather.

Sung Sot Cave in Ha Long Bay.

Visitors can also explore the “magnificent masterpieces of the Creator” – the dazzling stalagmites in Trinh Nu Cave, Sung Sot Cave, Thien Cung Cave and Dau Go Cave.

A cruise trip will take you to the wonderful limestone isles, caves and floating villages where you can learn about local daily life and buy fresh seafood.

Diving, kayaking and other adventure activities also promise unique, wonderful and exotic experiences.

“My husband and children went squid fishing with the cruise crew members at night and they were so excited,” Nhu said.

Halong Cruises is one of the major tours that the Indochina Legend Travel operates. The group recently launched a website www.legendtravelgroup.com with faster, easier navigation and a user-friendly design and is offering a promotional 10 per cent discount for all tours till the end of July.

Green tourism

Tourists in Ha Long will enjoy unique experiences each time they visit, with the local authorities gearing to promote tourism as a green industry.

Early this month, Quang Ninh Province officials split the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism to set up a separate Department of Tourism.

Halong Bay

The aim is to turn the northern province into an international travel destination and the country’s leading tourism hub with developed infrastructure and diverse tourism products deeply imbued with the national identity and the traditions to be able to compete regionally and globally, Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Long said.

The province is expected to develop tourism into a leading economic sector and a driver for sustainable socio-economic growth.

The newly-established tourism department will focus on developing human resources and create a favourable environment for property developers to hasten their projects and for tour and travel companies to provide the best services.

Besides Ha Long Bay, Quang Ninh also has over 500 relic and tourism sites, such as Van Don and Mong Cai.

The number of tourist arrivals to Quang Ninh jumped from 3.1 million in 2006 to roughly 8 million in 2015. The province is expected to welcome 10.5 million visitors this year.

Last year, tourism contributed VND1.2 trillion (US$53.6 million) to the local budget, or six per cent of the total domestic collection in the province.

In the first quarter of this year, Quang Ninh welcomed nearly three million tourists, increasing by 2 per cent over the same period last year.

Indochina Legend Travel/VNS