Cruise the Monoliths
Duration: 3 hours
Tour Code: HNG-006
Halong Bay, set in the clear, emerald green Gulf of Tonkin, is where there are found some 2,000 magnificent and imposing islands rising out of the sea. These limestone and dolomite formations cloaked in tropical foilage rise majestically from the ocean. These wonderful shapes, each with a name, like islands of the 'marionettes,' 'monkeys,' or 'toads,'- the names firing the imagination as does the legend which gave Halong Bay its name. 'Ha Long' means 'dragon descending into the sea,' and there is said to be a huge sea monster still residing in these waters!
During the gentle cruise through the greener than green water and around some of the islands, you will see caves worn into the rock by the waves and the wind, little grottoes, and golden sandy beaches. The islands actually stretch for some 80 miles and cover 1,000 square miles.
A variety of craft sail these waters - everything from big sailed Chinese junks to little flat-bottomed boats selling all kinds of wares. Your cruise around Halong Bay will give you the opportunity to view Vietnam's greatest natural wonders.