Ha Long Bay, in the Gulf of Tonkin in Vietnam, is known for its free-standing pillars of limestone rock. These pillars are known as karst formations. The bay lies about 34 miles (55 kilometers) northeast of Haiphong. It features thousands of islands, caves, and karst formations. The bay is a popular tourist destination. The name is also spelled Halong.
Ha Long Bay is known in Vietnamese as Vinh Ha Long, which means Bay of Descending Dragons. According to Vietnamese legend, the ancient gods sent dragons to help defend the people who lived near the bay against foreign invaders. The dragons crashed to Earth, creating the karst formations. According to another story, a French sea captain sighted a huge sea snake in the area in the late 1800’s.
The karst formations took shape over thousands of years. Geologists have determined that the Ha Long Bay area initially formed the floor of a prehistoric ocean. As water levels rose and fell, the soft limestone gradually eroded into its present shape. Most of the islands are uninhabited, but the bay is home to a number of floating fishing villages.
