DAY 01: HANOI - HALONG BAY (Lunch, Dinner)

08h00 - 08h30: Pick-up at hotel around Hanoi Old Quarter are

08h30: Depart Hanoi - Halong bay (we have 30 minutes stop at Hai Duong province for break)

12h00: Arrive Tuan Chau Harbor, get on boat for lunch

13h00: From now on, you will discover the mysterious beauty of Halong Bay. You are free to enjoy the natural scenery, taking pictures of thousands amazing islets or fishers catching fish....

15h00: Visit Thien cung & Dau Go caves - the most beautiful caves of Halong bay with a lot of hanging light made of stalactites shining brightly & sparkling

16h30: Do kayaking around some islets on Halong Bay

18h30: Have dinner with fresh seafood; enjoy a romantic night on the boat's restaurant or top of the boat

Overnight on the boat

DAY 02: HALONG BAY - HANOI (Breakfast, Lunch)

07h30: Have breakfast & enjoy sunrise on the top of the boat. Do morning exercises here

Back to Tuan Chau Harbor by an other way, visit some amazing islets, admire dramatic natural scenery, take pictures of Fighting Cock Islet, Dog Islet, Thumb Islet, Dinh Lu Huong Islet & Fishing village..

11h30: Arrive Tuan Chau Harbor & have lunch on the boat

13h00: Bus take you back to Hanoi

17h00: Arrive back Hanoi Old Quarter. End of service

 Tour price (group tour)

Inclusions:

Bus/ English speaking tour guide/ sleeping boat/  entrance fees/ meals as indicated in the itinerary

Exclusions:

Other meal with drinking/ VAT/ travel insurance/ private expenses...

The process of recognition of Halong Bay as a World Natural Heritage Area

The first time:

On  21st December, 1991, The Government of Vietnam permitted the setting up a of file on Ha Long Bay to be submitted to UNESCO for recognition of Ha Long Bay as a World Heritage Site. During the two year period 1991 to 1993, UNESCO nominated many expert delegations to come to Quang Ninh to survey, research, guide and review the ongoing file. Ha Long Bay’s file was completed and sent to UNESCO, Paris, for consideration in 1993, to be addressed at the 18th session.
On  17th December, 1994, the World Heritage Committee officially recognized Ha Long Bay as a World Natural Heritage Area at its 18th session in Phu Ket, Thailand, because of its universal aesthetic value according to criteria (iii) of the Convention.

The second time:

At the request of Ha Long Bay Management Department and IUCN, in September 1998, Prof. Tony Waltham, the top expert on Geology of Trent University, Nottingham, conducted a survey of the limestone karst of Ha Long Bay. He submitted his report to UNESCO Paris and Switzerland, IUCN Offices (Ha Noi) and to the Ha Long Bay Management Department. As a result, on 25th February, 1999, the World Heritage Center requested Quang Ninh People’s Committee, Vietnam’s National Commission for UNESCO and the Ha Long Bay Management Department to prepare a file to submit to UNESCO for the inscription of Ha Long Bay’s outstanding values of geology and geomorphology.

In July 1999, the file was completed and sent to the World Heritage Center’s Office in Paris. In December 1999, at the 23rd Congress of UNESCO held in Marakesh,  Morocco, UNESCO officially considered the file. In March 2000 Professor Ellery Hamilton Smith, a member of IUCN was delegated to come to Ha Long to check the validity of the file and its geological value and to evaluate the management situation and make recommendations. In July 2000, at its mid-year meeting, the World Heritage Center, Paris, officially proposed that the World Heritage Committee recognize Ha Long Bay as a World Natural Heritage Site for its universal values of geology and geomorphology.

On 2nd December, 2000, at the 24th session of the World Heritage Committee held in Cairns, Queensland, Australia, the World Heritage Committee unanimously decided to recognize the universal geological value of Ha Long Bay for the second time according to criteria (i) of the International Convention on the Protection of the World National and Cultural Heritage.