Halong most famous cuisines

Sea snalis – a half of Ha Long’s cuisine
It might be a little overstated to say that half of Ha Long cuisines are dishes made from sea snails, but this is to emphasize the significant contribution of this irresistible food stuff to Ha Long gastronomy.
There is no precise estimation on how many types of sea snails are edible in this beautiful bay. Huan, a local fisher said that he had seen about 20 kinds of see snails so far. The fisherman continued his story about sea snails by listing their name respectively, however, after three repeating times, this unprofessional tour-guide decided to try out directly that extraordinary creature would be the best way to “taste” Ha Long.

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Halong most famous cuisines

Halong Sea Snails - Try it and love it
Cao Xanh market and Bai Chay market are the most popular spots where sea snails are supposed to be sold with the best quality. Wandering around Bai Chay, which is crowded with people eating on the sidewalks, every one can see a panel with the title: “Ha Long snail super market” that excitingly catches visitors’ eyes. Having a look through the restaurants’ menus, visitors would surely be surprised at the diversity of sea snails here.
With only one bowl of sauce made from fish-sauce, ginger, peppers and lemongrass, each type of snails with different unique flavors and different ways to enjoy would make anyone's mouth water. Eaters enjoying snails are advised to drink hard beverages such as alcohol to avoid stomachache.
The other half of Halong’s cuisines: seafood derivatives. halong bay cruises
Visitors must be excited when served special liquor named “Ngán - Arca Wine” (“Ngán” is a species of Veneridae). This special drink is actually a mixture of typically Vietnamese rice wine and “Ngán” blood, which is supposed to benefit men’s sexual ability. After the mixture is completed, the wine transforms into a light red color with totally a different flavor. Spirit followers cannot wait to drink it, to feel an immediate absorbent into their bodies.
Halong Seafood
Ngan or Arca to make the wine
Another well-known alcohol named “Hoanh Bo” should definitely not be missed when visiting Ha Long. With low volume of alcoholic, the liquor is not tough to conquer, yet some people who consumes too much Hoanh Bo need 2-3 days to sober.
Ha Long is also famous for squid-sausages, which is told to be delicious and fragrant only when processed by restaurants here. The food is a fusion of hashed squid and mysterious spices that only the chefs know, molded into round pieces and then fried in boiling oil. This special dish can be found anywhere along the shore from Quang Ninh to Hai Phong, but nowhere has the same level of deliciousness like in Ha Long.
Squid sausage
Squid sausage - Halong's most famous dish
The diversity of shrimps, from the luxurious one like lobsters to the other common shrimps, is another outstanding feature of cuisine in Ha Long. To many local people, a dish of streamed shrimps, served with lemonadized salt and a dish of freshly spicy vegetables, is an ideal meal for a joyful friendly union.

Halong Bay Vietnam

Geographical position

Situated in the north-east region of Viet Nam, Halong Bay is a part of Bac Bo Gulf and comprises the sea area of Halong City, Cam Pha Town and a part of Van Don island district, Quang Ninh Province. It borders Cat Ba Island to the south-west, the mainland to the west with a 120km-long coastline.

Natural Beauty

Halong Bay covers a total area of 1,553km², including 1,969 islands of various sizes, 989 of which have been given names. There are two kinds, limestone and schist, which are concentrated in two main zones: the south-east (belonging to Bai Tu Long Bay) and the south-west (belonging to Halong Bay). The average geological age of the islands is between 250 and 280 million years old.  Halong bay tours

Halong Bay has been called by the great national poet Nguyen Trai: "a marvel of the earth erected towards the high skies". While exploring the bay, tourists will feel lost in a legendary world of stone islands which shapes change depending on the angle and the light. There are many names given to islands according to their shapes and forms such as Hon Dau Nguoi (Human Head Islet), Hon Rong (Dragon Islet), Hon Canh Buom (Sail Islet), Hon Trong Mai (Cock and Hen Islet)… But the beauty of Halong Bay does not consist only in the forms of its mountains, islands and the colour of its waters, but also in its infinitely rich system of grottoes and caves such as: Thien Cung (Heavenly Palace Grotto), Dau Go (Driftwood Grotto), Sung Sot (Surprise Grotto), Tam Cung (Three Palace Grotto), Trinh Nu (Virgin Grotto)…. Each is a grandiose and refined natural architectural creation.

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Halong Bay Vietnam

 

Geological value

The most remarkable geological events of Halong Bay’s history in the last 1,000 years include the advance of the sea, the raising of the bay area and the strong erosion that has formed coral and pure blue and heavily-salted water. This process of erosion by sea water has deeply engraved the stone, contributing to its fantastic beauty. Present-day Halong Bay is the result of this long process of geological evolution that has been influenced by so many factors. It is because of all these factors that the tourists now visiting Halong Bay are not only treated to one of the true wonders of the world, but also to a precious geological museum that has been naturally preserved in the open air for the last 300 million years.

Value of biological diversity

Results of scientific research show that Halong Bay features ecosystems of a tropical ocean region such as ecosystem of coral reefs with 232 species of coral distributed mainly in the areas of Cong Do and Bo Hung. It is also home to 81 species of gastropoda, 130 species of bivalvia, 55 species of polycheta and 57 species of crab. The ecosystem of salt water-flooded forests chiefly concentrated in the zones of Tuan Chau, Cua Luc and Ba Che has the most diversified collection of species of salt water-flooded plant in North Vietnam. Also living in this ecosystem are a great many species of animals: migrating birds (200 species), polycheta (169 species), seaweed (91 species), reptile (10 species). Halong Bay also has ecosystem of tropical rain forests with various rare and precious creatures: deer, weasels, squirrels and in particular, white-tabby and red-haired monkeys. In addition, there is a system of small caves along the sea, which are the living and development places for many animals and plants: seaweed, water plant, algae, fish and shrimp. Deeper into the water, there are also many species of shrimp, fish, abalone and other sea-specialities.

Historical and cultural value

Halong is a place closely linked to Vietnam’s history with such famous geographical names as: Van Don (site of an ancient commercial port); Poem Mountain (with engravings of many poems by emperors and other famous people of the past); and Bach Dang River (the location of two fierce naval battles fought against foreign aggressors). This is not all, Halong has been proven by scientists to be one of the first cradles of human existence in the area, with such archaeological sites as Dong Mang, Xich Tho, Soi Nhu and Thoi Gieng…

On December 17, 1994, Halong Bay was recognised as world natural heritage for its natural beauty at the 18th meeting of the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO in Thailand. On December 12, 2000, Halong Bay was recognised as world natural heritage for the second time based on its geological value at the 24th meeting of the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO in Cairns, Australia. The recognised site covers an area of 434km², comprises 775 islands and forms a triangle: with Dau Go Island (Driftwood Grotto) to the west; Ba Ham Lake (Three Shelter Lake) to the south and Cong Tay Island to the east.

Halong Bay Highlights

Halong Bay is made up of 1,969 islands of various sizes, 989 of which have been given names. There are two kinds of islands, limestone and schist, which are concentrated in two main zones: the southeast (belonging to Bai Tu Long Bay), and the southwest (belonging to Halong Bay ). This densely concentrated zone of stone islands, world famous for its spectacular scenery of grottoes and caves, forms the central zone of Halong Bay tours, which has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Viewed from above, Halong Bay looks like an extremely vivid huge drawing. This is a wonderful and skilful masterpiece of the Creation and of nature that turns thousands of dumb soulless stone islands into fantastic sculptural and artistic works of various graceful shapes, both familiar and strange to human beings. Thousands of islands emerging uneven in the fanciful waves look strong and magnificent but also mild and vivid. Amidst these islands we feel as if we were astray in a petrified legendary world. There are many names given to islands according to their shapes and forms. This one looks like somebody heading toward the shore: Hon Dau Nguoi (Human Head Island); that one looks like a dragon hovering above the sea surface: Hon Rong (Dragon Island); another looks like an old man sitting fishing: Hon La Vong; some look like big sails struggling amidst the wind to set off for the sea: Hon Canh Buom (Sail Island); then two islands look like a pair of chicken lovingly playing with each other above the sea: Hon Ga Troi (Fighting Cocks Island); and amid the vast sea stands an island like a big incense burner like a ritual offering to Heaven: Hon Lu Huong (Incense Burner Island). All are so real that people are taken aback by them. Those stone islands have experienced unpredictable changes over time and they take different shapes from different angles of view. Here, we come to realize that they are not dumb inanimate things but are vivid and soulful. Long ago, Halong Bay has been called by the great national poet Nguyen Trai: “a wonder of the earth erected towards the high sky”. Read more North Vietnam tours

Halong Bay Highlights

Halong Bay has many links to the history of . For example, there are such famous geographical sites as Van Don (site of an ancient commercial port), Poem Mountain (with engravings of many poems about emperors and other famous historical figures), and Bach Dang River (the location of two fierce naval battles fought against foreign aggressors).

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It has been proven by scientists that Halong was one of the first cradles of human existence in the area at such archeological sites as Dong Mang, Xich Tho, Soi Nhu, and Thoi Gieng. It is also a region of highly-concentrated biological diversity with many ecosystems of salt water-flooded forests, coral reefs, and tropical forests featuring thousands of species of animal and plant life.

With all this in mind, the 18th meeting of the Committee of the World Heritages of UNESCO (in on December 17th, 1994), officially recognized HalongBay as a natural heritage site of worldwide importance.