Physical  Geography  Field  Project       Tran       1   HALONG BAY: 3 DAYS – 2 NIGHTS @ $399.99 per person Halong Bay – Bai Tu Long Bay – Lan Ha Bay – Cat Ba Island – Surprise Grotto & Thien Canh Son Cave – Cong Do Island – Ba Ham Lake – Yen Tu Mountain Mother Nature has provided us with an abundance of beautiful landscapes carved by natural processes through millions of years. Let’s witness some of the most extravagant sceneries on Earth at Halong Bay, Gulf of Tonkin, Northern Vietnam, where an area of 993 square miles land is characterized by beautiful karst landscape, filled with over three thousands limestone peaks ostentatiously emerge from the emerald water, small yet beautiful beaches, and fantastic caves. Grab your backpack and get ready to view such recognized UNESCO World Heritage Site of the “descending dragons" in this three-day two-night trip. Enjoy the peculiar experience of being on a boat, kayaking, rock-climbing, as well as swimming activities. Ultimately, observe the beauty of nature and treasure the invaluable gem of Halong Bay. For an interactive GIS map visit: https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=zgLDxR8ww8LY.kuz1G38GSu0Y TOURS ARE LIMITED TO 10 LUCKY TRAVELERS! ACT NOW! Accommodation includes a 3 day 2 night traditional boat cruise on Halong Bay, which includes A/C bedrooms, fresh towels, hot and cold running and shower water in bathrooms, dining-rooms, sun-tanning areas, friendly crew to provide great customer service, bottled water, meals (breakfast buffets, lunches, and dinners), entrance and sightseeing fees, and life-jackets. Other basic necessities can also be provided, if requested. This tour excludes airfare, car transfers, visa agreements, personal expenses, and all other services not listed above. Travelers are responsible for their arrival and attendance at Hon Gai Harbour. Additional information can be found on our website: visithalongbaycruise.com or contact us at +84335556666 during business hours (Monday-Friday 8am-5pm).   Physical  Geography  Field  Project       Tran       2   Travel Considerations We are travelling to Halong Bay in August – one of the most beautiful times to conveniently view the charming grace of the bay. Northern Vietnam (Halong Bay’s geographical location specifically) has a temperate climate with the annual average temperature range from 22oC to 27oC (UNESCO 2014), followed by hot, humid summers and cold, dry winters. The land’s climate is determined largely by the activities of monsoons, or seasonal winds. Southeasterly winds hit Halong Bay from May to September, bringing rainy season with drizzle weather while northerly and northeasterly winds dominate from October to August. Cloudy days, light rain, and unfortunate fogs can occur during February to April and frequent tropical storms are expected from May to September (UNESCO 2014). For these reasons, the best time to visit Halong Bay is from April to May, or August to November. Travelers should bring comfortable lightweight cotton clothing (as well as warmer clothes if travelling in winter times), umbrellas or raincoats, swimming suits, sunglasses, sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher, insect repellent or any other allergyrelated medications to be able to fully participate in various exciting activities throughout our breathtaking journey. DAY 1: Hon Gai Harbour – Ha Long Bay – Bai Tu Long Bay All travelers are responsible for arrival at Hon Gai Harbour on time at 9 a.m. to start our enthusiastic trip to discover the beauty of Ha Long Bay – also our first stop on the journey. Tourists get to witness the landscape formation while listening to tour guides providing interesting facts about the land. We will then move to Bai Tu Long Bay, a smaller area of the main bay that is considered to be the hidden gem. The peaceful yet wild environment of Bai Tu Long Bay will give you a whole new experience of nature while pleasantly enjoying kayaking activities provided by our crews. To finish the day off, nutritious traditional Vietnamese cuisine will be served before overnight on board. DAILY ITINERARY 09.00 – 10.00 : Embark at Hon Gai Harbour. 10.00 – 11.00 : Check-in, enjoy welcome drink & cruise briefing. 11:00 – 12:00: Free time 12:00 – 14.00 : Have lunch while cruising to magnificent Ha Long Bay; admire the fascinating karst formations. 14.00 – 14.30 : Travel to Bai Tu Long Bay. 14.30 – 16.30 : Visit Bai Tu Long Bay and Bai Tu Long National Park. 16.30 – 18.00 : Enjoy outdoor activities on Bai Tu Long Bay such as kayaking. 19.00 – 21.00 : Have dinner and overnight on board. DAY 1 – ACTIVITIES   Physical  Geography  Field  Project       Tran       3   Halong Bay Located in the Gulf of Tonkin, Quang Ninh Province, Halong Bay is well-known as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1994, one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature in 2012, for its scenic and geological values. Halong Bay includes approximately 1,600 islands and islets, an abundance of lakes and cavernous features. The bay used to be a deep sea during previous historic eras yet through over 500 millions years of development, the Figure 1: Picture of Halong Bay accumulation of limestone, Photo: New7wonders.com marine hydrological process, and Karst erosion have formed such spectacular view which Ho Chi Minh proudly called “the wonder that one cannot impart to others” (Halongbay.info 2014). Visiting Halong Bay, travelers have a chance to discover its geomorphology – a drowned karst landscape accompanied by a complicated system of primitive caves, which can be divided into three types: old phreatic caves below water table, old karstic foot caves at base level and marine notch caves at sea level (HalongBay.info 2014). The biosystems of Halong is also very unique as there are both oceanic and seashore biosystem and a tropical evergreen biosystem. The Bay is located at the Tropic of Cancer areas (20o43’N – 21o09’N) with four distinct seasons, average temperature of 27oC in summer and an annual rainfall of 2,005.4mm (UNESCO 2014). Additionally, Halong Bay is also rich in biodiversity of various conserved floral species such as mangroves, corals and tung ang. Besides all these scientific data, tourists are attracted to Halong for its tranquil atmosphere and graceful charm as described in a Vietnamese tale to be the “descending dragon bay”, mostly untouched and unharmed by human activities and development. Bai Tu Long Bay Bai Tu Long Bay is known as a “hidden gem” located to the North of the renowed Ha Long Bay. Bai Tu Long is much quieter since there are not a lot of cruises offered to visit this untouched area, which in contrast is growing to be a promising tourist attraction in future times. The Bay also possesses breath-taking karst features with fascinating system of caves, islands and islets, formed by large deposit of limestone, hydrolysis, tropical climate and the slow tectonic uplift – similar to that of Halong. However, most of these lands are inhibited by humans, largely living on floating villages, fed on fishing and fish-farming – a unique practice to discover. Bai Tu Long Bay is better known for its National Park, set up by the federal government in 2001. The park is home to 494 different plant species, 37 animals, 96 bird species, 15 amphibian   Physical  Geography  Field  Project       Tran       4   species, 22 reptile species and 391 marine animals (VNS 2011). Among endangered species protected in the park such as chamois, deer, monkeys, dugong (also known as seacow) – a large whale-like sea mammal listed in Vietnam’s Red Book, is one of the most valuable (scientifically and economically) divisions in this ecosystem. Different projects have been carried out to help protect and preserve such diverse ecosystem of Bai Tu Long Bay. Figure 2: Bai Tu Long Bay Photo: baitulong-bay.com DAY 2: Lan Ha Bay – Cat Ba Island – Surprise Grotto – Thien Canh Son cave. The second morning of the trip will start with the cruise to Lan Ha Bay, a more isolated part of Halong Bay which people have not yet regularly ventured to. Enjoy fun activities on the beautiful bay and prepare to visit Cat Ba National Park in the afternoon – home to an abundance in diversity of species. Travelers will also have an opportunity to eyewitness the Surprise Grotto – one of the most famous sightseeing attractions of Halong (cave and cavernous structure are symbolic to karst landscape). Finally, a cozy, warm and romantic dinner in Thien Canh Son cave awaits you to experience. DAILY ITINERARY 08.00 – 09.00 : Enjoy the morning breeze with breakfast buffet served on boat while travelling to Lan Ha Bay – the isolated “Halong”. 09.00 – 11.00 : Enjoy the view of Lan Ha Bay while participating in sailing, kayaking or rockclimbing trips. Coral-reef viewing (diving) is also offered for participants who passed health exam on boat prior to activities. 11.00 – 12.00 : Travel to Cat Ba Island. 12.00 – 13.00 : Lunch time is served with Vietnamese soup-based traditional specialties. 13.30 – 15.30 : Visit Cat Ba National Park. 15.30 – 16.00 : Travel to the Surprise Grotto. 16.00 – 17.30 : Witness the beautiful formations of the Surprise Grotto.   Physical  Geography  Field  Project       Tran       5   17.30 – 18.00 : Travel back to Bai Tu Long Bay to visit Thien Canh Son cave; prepare for dinner. 19.00 – 21:00 : Dinner in Thien Canh Son Cave – one of the most spectacular experience of lifetime. Private tables (honeymoon, birthday parties, etc.) can be arranged for an extra fee. Overnight on board after dinner. DAY 2 – ACTIVITIES Lan Ha Bay Lan Ha Bay is an extension of Ha Long Bay located at the southeast of Cat Ba Island and lies in a different province of Vietnam – a fair distance from Halong City, which is one of the reasons for its preservation from tourism and protection of wilderness. Thus, travelers will be blown away because of the isolated and bewildered beauty of Lan Ha Bay, the deep blue ocean and unique limestone pinnacles – “rock wonder in the sky” (Nguyen Trai – Vietnamese Figure 3: Kayaking on Lan Ha Bay poet). Despite having similar Photo: vietnameasytravel.com geographical values and characteristics to Halong Bay, Lan Ha Bay is noted for its numerous amount (approximately 400) of small white sand beaches scattered throughout 7,000 hectares – a home for around 200 species of fish, 500 species of mollusk, 400 arthropods and other larger marine animals such as seals and dolphins (365Travel 2014). Lan Ha Bay also preserves a distinctive environment for soft coral reefs – such important indicator a healthy ecosystem, having significant niche in protecting coastlines from effects of tidal waves, tropical storms, provide shelter, food and nutrients source for marine organisms and so on yet are extremely vulnerable to environmental changes, making it one of the most concerned species to be preserved. Tourists can participate in various activities while touring the bay, such as sailing, guided kayaking, rock-climbing, swimming on private spot of sandy beaches or diving into the transparent azure sea to discover the colorful corals and study the important need to preserve such biological wonder. Cat Ba Island Cat Ba Island is located 30 miles to the east of Hai Phong City, southern part of Halong Bay, and is the largest out of 366 islands in the region of Cat Ba Archipelago. Its beauty is defined by the uniform charm of Karst landscape invaded by the sea, steep towering islands with vast relief. The island is known for its diversified natural habitats such as “tropical limestone forest […]   Physical  Geography  Field  Project       Tran       6   coral terraces, freshwater wetland areas, tidal flats, mangrove forests and willow swamp.” (Munster 2014). Cat Ba Island is also a wonderful area of endangered species preservation. Besides having the essentiality of coral reefs – the indicator of environmental health (since it is vulnerable to climate changes and have specific requirements to persist), the marine ecosystem here is also conserved and purified by the existence of mangroves – plants of equal importance to corals that help protect land from erosion, shorelines from ecological and natural disasters such as hurricanes, provide a nursing habitat for threatened species accompanied by various symbiotic relationships. The island’s national park is the first to be established in 1986 with both terrestrial and marine ecosystems, covering a vast field of important biodiversity recognized as a UNESCO Man and Biosphere Reserve in 2004. The Cat Ba National Park has recorded more than 1,500 unique plant species, 4 types of true cave snails; a divergent of crabs, reptiles as well as bats species are continually being found until present day (Ray 2009). One well-known preservation effort is the Cat Ba Langur conservation project to protect langurs – one of the most critically primate species listed in the World Conservation Union with only about 60 individuals living captive and in the wild. These langurs are believed to have migrated to the island of Cat Ba long before the period of glacial ice melting (approximately 10,000 years ago) that led to the creation of Ha Long Bay and can only be found nowadays within the island or at Cuc Phuong National Park, Vietnam. Figure 5: Cat Ba Island Photo: vietnamdiscovery.com Figure 4: Cat Ba Langur Photo: talkvietnam.com   Figure 5: Karst island with vast relief at Cat Ba Photo: asiaexplorers.com Figure 7: Exclusive Cat Ba leopard gecko Photo: surprisinghalong.com Physical  Geography  Field  Project       Tran       7   Surprise Grotto & Thien Canh Son Cave Karst topography is characterized by large accumulation of limestone caverns and extensive cave systems, which Halong Bay is the most vivid example of such geological formation, demonstrated lively through the Surprise Grotto and Thien Canh Son Cave. Surprise Grotto and Thien Canh Son Cave are two of many cave systems in Halong Bay that are formed trough the process of dissolving limestone bedrock during millennia. Such occurrence is known as hydrolysis and carbonation. When being exposed to water, faults and cracks in limestone soon widen and dissolve to gradually create caves and tunnels. This process is quickened by the accumulation of carbonic acid in natural rainwater, which concentration is higher in tropical areas due to vegetative abundance. Surprise Grotto, found and named (Grotte des surprises) by the French in 1901, is located on Bo Hon Island at the center of Halong Bay and covers an area of 12.200sq meters at the elevation of 82ft above sea level (about one-third in comparison to Cupertino, California). The cave is divided into two chambers: a narrow entrance and a spacious main chamber with up to 30-meter roof. Surprise Grotto is filled with various species of plants and birds accumulated in a region called a “royal garden” with a clear pond at the center of the main chamber; colorful and elegant lights also adds extra delicacy to the overall enchanted view.   Figure 8: Central pond in Surprise Grotto Photo: Manila Bulletin (mb.com) Secondly, Thien Canh Son Cave is a smaller formation located in Bai Tu Long Bay, covering an area of 2000sq meters. The name “Thien Canh Son” can be translated as Heavenly Mountain, as to explain the cave’s geographical location: below the forest canopy and a stone cliff (HolidaysVietnam 2014). Despite being inferior in size in comparison to Surprise Grotto, Thien Canh Son Cave is wellknown for its wild beauty of a charmed decoration of various stone statues picturing elephants, seals, lotus, shiny ceiling with sparking stalactites. The cave is also a popular spot for tourist visits to have romantic dinners – an experience that travelers enjoy upon vacationing in Halong.   Figure 9: Thien Canh Son cave is below a forest canopy and a stone cliff Photo: reddragoncruise.com Physical  Geography  Field  Project       Tran       8   DAY 3: Cong Do Island – Ba Ham Lake – Yen Tu Mountain – Hon Gai Harbour Have had enough of the bay? Our cruise will take you to the last stops on the bay at Cong Do Island, Ba Ham Lake. Enjoy our delectable breakfast and get ready for exciting outdoor activities. Get relaxed before you are challenged to hike the Yen Tu Mountain – one of the Buddhist capitals of Vietnam. Travelers should carefully examined health before hiking, cablecar transportation is also available for this afternoon adventure. The trip to Yen Tu Mountain takes up to 1-hour driving but this in-land experience of gentle mountainous atmosphere will satisfyingly complete your experience of tourism at Halong Bay and in Northern Vietnam. DAILY ITINERARY 08.00 – 09.00 : Enjoy the fresh air of the bay in morning. Have breakfast on board while travelling to Cong Do Island 09.00 – 10.00 : Visit Ba Ham Lake and observe its unique tranquil atmosphere. 10.00 – 11.30 : Outdoor activities in the morning includes sailing, kayaking or rock-climbing. Sunbathing is also available on boat. 12.00 – 13.00 : Enjoy our delicious seafood lunch. Other options are also available for people with allergies to seafood. 13.00 – 14.00 : Travel to Yen Tu Mountain. 14.00 – 16.00 : Visit West Yen Tu Mountain Natural Reserve Area. 16.00 – 18.00 : Visit Dong Pagoda at the peak of the mountain. Enjoy the majestic view of Halong from significant height. 18.00 – 20.00 : Summarize the total trip & travel back to Hon Gai Harbour. Light dinner is provided. 21:00: Arrive at Hon Gai Harbour. Trip ends. DAY 3 – ACTIVITIES Cong Do Island Being inferior in size in comparison to the Cat Ba Island and Cat Ba Archipelago, Cong Do Island yet conserves its own russet beauty with 23,363sq kilometers of island, mountains (occupying the highest peak of 172 meters) and a numerous amount of natural salt lakes, or lagoons, provide a site for a diverse quantity of marine animals as well as plants preserved in good condition. Cong Do Island is located at the southeast of Halong Bay, in the region of Bai Tu Long Bay – a core area of the bay that is also recognized as a World Natural Heritage Site. The formation of lagoons on Cong Do Island is the separation of the body of salt water by sandbank and coral reef barrier from the deeper sea that ventures the Halong Bay. These blue   Physical  Geography  Field  Project       Tran       9   mirror-like natural lakes are homes to lots of species such as shrimps, crabs, fishes, squids, seahorses, seaweeds and algae. The symbiotic relationship of mutualism between algae and the growth of corals are carefully studied as corals depend largely on the oxygen given off by algae through photosynthesis process while simultaneously providing algae with nutrients and a place to live. Thus, 700 meters long and 300 meters wide of pristine coral reef on the island is maintained in healthy condition exhibits a vast range of variety with rare species such as red corals coral reef horns. The biome of limestone mountains surrounding is evergreen tropical forest with an abundance of vegetation of tall hardwoods with broad leaves trees. Travelers to the island can enjoy the biological values it brings as well as participating in other activities such as trekking, kayaking and scuba-diving. Cong Do Island was also once found to be the most popular trade point, known as Van Don port, of ancient Vietnamese dynasties with other foreign countries, having important commercial means and values. As a result, plans are being measured to successfully build an international airport in this favorable condition of Vietnam to promote economics and tourism opportunities. Figure 10: Natural Salt Lake (Lagoon) in Cong Do Island Photo: cn.halongbuzz.com Figure 11: Abundance of coral reefs in Cong Do Island Photo: quangninh.gov.vn Ba Ham Lake Figure 12: Short entrance to Ba Ham Lake Photo: vietnamluxurytours.vn   Physical  Geography  Field  Project       Tran       10   Ba Ham Lake is located on the southwest side of Halong Bay, in the region of Lan Ha Bay and is famous for its unique structure, which can be described as an “enclosed world inside Halong Bay” (Ministry of Foreign Affair 2014). The lake comprises of three other smaller lakes, walled and connected through a system of tunnels, hence explains the name Ba Ham (three tunnels). In attribution to the pristine beauty of the World Natural Heritage Site, Ba Ham Lake also preserves its instinctive elegance, with the a transparent water body that can be seen through to observe the activities of marine life underneath, protected against human’s modernized effects. The entrance to the first lake is 150 meters long, 10 meters wide and 1.5-2 meters high. During the journey through the first tunnel, travelers can also tour the second lake, the largest one of the three wonders, covering about 1000sq meters, through an entrance on the right, or the third lake, the smallest one exhibiting an area of 600sq meters, on the left. Ba Ham lake can only be visited during low tides since the height of its entrance is relatively short compared to the majestic limestone structure above, and would be dangerous to sail through during high tides. Having such distinctive features, entrance to the lake is ornate with colorful and strangely shaped stalactites, formed by the process of carbonation, as dissolved carbon and water vapor in the atmosphere creates carbonic acid, comes in contact with the roof and gradually construct the structure. Being surrounded by mountains, Ba Ham Lake is silent, having a tranquil atmosphere that can be disturbed by any small sounds of human speculation. Travelers will be amazed to see such vast natural beauty after a cruise in the cave’s darkness – an experience that is unique to Ba Ham Lake. The lake has such a prosperous biodiversity with numerous tropical plants of various species (slipper orchids, Livistona halongensis, Halong Cycas, etc.) and an abundance of animals such as yellow-haired monkey (langurs), flying squirrels, silver-headed parrots, different breeds of bats, butterflies and so on. Ba Ham Lake is one of the most beautiful spots to be witness in Halong Bay and has great potential for attractive ecological tours. Yen Tu Mountain “Rambling along a path of pines, Lone village lost in the mists. The tide returns, the flute recedes o’er the river, The sky broadens, cloud tipped trees. Roosting birds flutter in the clear dew, Cold fish jump in the jade tarn. Where did the flute player go? Lone on the mountain west.” (Gino Pagliaccetti; translated from a poem written by Chu Van An about Yen Tu Mountain). Yen Tu Moutain is located between Bac Giang Figure 13: View from top of Yen Tu and Quang Ninh Province, about an hour driving Mountain on a clear day to the north of Halong City at the elevation of Photo: smiletravelvietnam.com 1,068m from sea level. The mountain is the highest one among the numerous mountain ranges in the area in which it is situated at, having important cultural and religious values to Vietnamese people as it is the biggest Buddhism center   Physical  Geography  Field  Project       Tran       11   of the country and listed as a national scenic site, includes series of pagodas leading towards the Dong Pagoda at the summit as representation of such great belief in Buddhism of society ever since Tran Dynasty. The mountain occupies a diverse plant and animal system that it is also recognized as a nature preservation region. At the peak of the mountain, travelers can have a view of the peaceful scene below, comprises of green plantation and Halong Bay in favorable condition, since precipitation increases largely in winter times causing water vapor to accumulate and form as denser clouds, blocking the view. Hikers to mountains have to travel the total length of 6000meters in decreasing air pressure condition that they believe to show the ultimate commitment and seek vindication for their sins, despite the new modern cable car technique installed in 2002. On the other hand, the landscape is also facing serious natural resource depletion as 12,000ha of primary forest area have been lost on the course of five years, 20052010 (Hoang 2012). These forest lost will take decades to recover and may not be in such exuberant condition as it was, thus increase risk of flood events and other natural disturbances such as landslides, runoff, clear-cutting. According to Asian Turtle Program published in 2012, the deforestation, or forest clearance, in Yen Tu Mountain can also lead the reduction of biodiversity that actions must be done to protect endangered species exist in the area. For all great cultural and scientific values, Yen Tu is requested by the countrymen of Vietnam to be identified as a World Heritage Recognition in near future Summary of Trip The Halong Bay trip has allowed us to see the incredible talent of Mother Nature in creating such wonder as Halong Bay for us to visit in just a short amount of time. We have come to witness the magnificent Karst landscape formed through millions of years, the caves, islands, islets and lakes scattering over the bay. Travelers’ are gasped to perceive such splendid structure of Cat Ba Island, Cong Do Island, the beauty of the bay in North Vietnam as well as the grad opulence of Yen Tu Mounain. Our trip’s goal is to help travelers understand more about nature, its location, biomes and biodiversity, consequently seek the best way to conserve our natural resources, especially those that are recognized by UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage Site, and preserve the well-being of the near-future generation. Figure 14: Overview of Halong Bay Photo: new7wonders.com   Physical  Geography  Field  Project       Tran       12   BIBLIOGRAPHY 365Travel. "Lan Ha Bay." . N.p., n.d. Web. 30 July 2014. . ExpertEyes. "Tropical Forests." Tropical Evergreen Forests; Tidal or mangrove forests. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 July 2014. . HalongBay.info, "The geological formation of Halong Bay." Halong in Depth - Halong Bay. HalongBay.info, n.d. Web. 27 July 2014. . Hoang Van, Ha. "Forest clearance for plantations a continuing problem in Northern Vietnam." Asian Turtle Program: 1-2. Print. HolidaysVietnam. "Sung Sot Cave - Halong Bay Attractions." Sung Sot Cave, Halong Bay Grotto & Cave System, Halong bay attractions, Things to see in Halong bay. Go Halong Bay, n.d. Web. 30 July 2014. . Münster, Allwetterzoo. "The Cat Ba Langur Conservation Project." Cat Ba Langur Conservation Project - Cat Ba Island. Allwetterzoo Münster and the Zoological Society for the Conservation of Species and Populations (ZGAP), n.d. Web. 27 July 2014. . Nguyen, Charm. "Yen Tu Mountain in Quang Ninh, Vietnam." VietnamCharm.net, n.d. Web. 4 Aug. 2014. Ministry of Foreign Affair. "Amazing Ba Ham Lake." . National Boundary Commission Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 17 Mar. 2014. Web. 30 July 2014. . Ray, Nick, and Yu Balasingamchow. "Cat Ba Island." Vietnam. 10th ed. Footscray, Vic.: Lonely Planet, 2009. . Print. Salamacha, Sandra, Philip Jones, and Aino Kay. "Geography." HSC Online. Ha Long Bay, Vietnam – a coastal ecosystem, n.d. Web. 27 July 2014. . UNESCO. "Ha Long Bay." - UNESCO World Heritage Centre. UNESCO, n.d. Web. 27 July 2014. . VNS. "Bai Tu Long National Park education centre opens." Vietnam News 11 Mar. 2004. 27 July 2014. Web. .  
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