PANO - Located in northeastern Vietnam, Ha Long Bay is part of Tokin Gulf within Vietnam’s waters. It covers the seas of Ha Long City, Cam Pha Town and part of the island district of Van Don, Quang Ninh Province.

The superb feature of Ha Long Bay lies in nearly 2,000 limestone and schist islets of different forms. The islets, which were created by geological changes 250-280 million years ago, stretch from the coastline to the open sea. From the sky, Ha Long Bay looks like a vast spectacular and romantic picture. On the islets, there are many mysterious caves with many stalactites of various shapes and beautiful long white sand beaches. Ha Long Bay was recognized by UNESCO as a world natural heritage twice in 1994 and 2000.

Ha Long Bay also bears historical, archeological and ecological values. Indeed, it embraces a legend of a descending dragon. Recently, scientists found pieces of evidence of old human tribes. Stone tools and wooden boats found in islets of Ha Long Bay show that a civilization used to exist in Ha Long Bay in the post-stone age. In some Vietnamese historical documents, Van Don was known as a famous trade seaport. Rowing a boat around Ha Long Bay from islet to islet, visitors will feel not only its beauty and impressiveness but also see the ecological diversity that it embraces. Islets in Ha Long Bay are home to many rare plants and wildlife, while coral reefs in the sea are the habitat of various maritime species.    

Since 2007, when the New Open World first launched the vote for world’s new 7 wonders, Ha Long Bay has been voted for by Vietnamese people at home and abroad as well international friends who either have visited eye-witnessing its beauty or love it via mass media. Thanks to the votes, Ha Long Bay has now qualified for the third round.

All people can visit www.new7wonders.com and when you open this page, select Ha Long Bay to vote for it. If you are in Vietnam, you can simply vote for Ha Long Bay by sending the text message “HL” to phone number 147. One can send as many messages to vote for Ha Long Bay as he or her likes. There are only some days to go to November 11th, when the vote for the World New 7 Wonders will close, PANO hopes that all of its readers will vote for Ha Long Bay, one of the most beautiful landmarks, and then tell others to vote for Ha Long Bay as well. Thank you very much!