Junks with orange sails, rocks overgrown with greenery, turquoise waters, and golden sand… Halong Bay in the north of the country looks so picturesque. Wind and water have worked over the landscape with its beautiful swimming bays for thousands of years. However, there is another version of the origin of the bay, a fabulous one.
According to legend, a mighty dragon, protecting its haven from uninvited guests, punched cracks in the ground with its tail, and water flowed from there and at one moment filled the valley with itself.
However, the bay did not become famous at all thanks to this unusual story. In the late 1990s, a thrilling chase scene was filmed here for another James Bond film, Tomorrow Never Dies. Since then, all tourists want to sail along Halong Bay exactly along the Bond route. A more detailed walk will take a couple of days (with an overnight stay onboard the boat) and will cost about $45.
From North to South
To the west of Halong (approx. 130 km) is the Vietnamese capital – Hanoi – with a charming old town, exquisite colonial mansions, and more than 600 temples and pagodas.
From Hanoi, you can go further north. Fantastic views of rice terraces and emerald valleys can be admired from the windows of the train during a seven-hour journey to the provincial town of Sapa. This is a real paradise for hikers.
No less impressive is the south of the country with the largest Vietnamese city – Ho Chi Minh City, the former Saigon. It is livelier and more modern than Hanoi. Popular discos operate here, fashionable restaurants are open, and open-air markets are noisy around the clock, where everyone will find something for themselves (for example, a piece of real silk).
The best end to a holiday in Vietnam is a beach holiday. Around Nha Trang, there are not only temples but also marvelous beaches with fine, like powdered sugar, sand, and magnificent coral reefs.