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Bai Tu Long Bay is a long string of islands which was created when the entire limestone plateau sank below sea level. It lies up in the north of Vietnam, in Quang Ninh Province. The land where the mother dragon landed was then called Ha Long, and where the baby dragons landed called Bai Tu Long. The area where the dragon tails lashed was called Long Vi, nowadays Tra Co Peninsula, which consists of many long and smooth sand banks.

he Vietnam National Administration of Tourism has printed two million voting guides as part of efforts to promote Ha Long Bay's selection as one of the new seven natural wonders of the world this year.

The guides, which are in many languages including Vietnamese, English, French, Russian and Chinese, will be given to locals and foreigners through travel companies, embassies, foreign agencies in Vietnam, as well as several airlines, according to the administration.

The maritime route linking Ha Long (Vietnam) and Fangcheng (China) was officially reopened at Hon Gai Vinashin seaport in Ha Long city on April 11.

The route was opened earlier in December 2010 but has been suspended until now.

The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) and the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism launched a campaign on April 9 to promote tourism and voting for Ha Long Bay as a natural wonder of the world.

More than 120 travel agents and three-five star hotels in Ho Chi Minh City joined the campaign.

The Week of Ha Long Tourism 2011 will be the biggest ever, with a series of festivities in support of the superb bay’s bid for the New7Wonders title this year.

The event, scheduled to take place at the Ha Long tourist site in Quang Ninh province from April 28-May 1, will cover a large range of festivities, from culture and arts, including a poetry night, to sports such as an international beach volleyball final round, culinary arts and an international trade fair.

I'm feeling guilty. I'm relaxing on the flat-bottomed boat while a woman rows through water-lilies.

What's more, she seems old enough to be my mother (well, at least my much older sister).

The Ha Long-Quang Ninh Tourism Festival Week 2011 will be held from April 28th to May 2nd at the Bai Chay and Tuan Chau Tourist Areas and in the centre of Ha Long City.

The main activities will include the Ha Long Carnival to mark its 5th annual celebration, unveiling light art performance centre, seminars on voting campaign for Ha Long Bay to become one of the UNESCO world’s natural wonders, the best MC on Ha Long Bay contest, music and poetry night on Ha Long, cuisine festival, beach volleyball final, Open Quang Ninh tennis tournament and classical music concert in the Dau Go Cave.

Life Heritage Resort Ha Long is offering four-star standard cruises for tourists visiting Ha Long Bay.

Each boat can serve four passengers and, besides a cabin and dining and sunbathing areas, also has kayaks, wet suits, and fishing tools.

Today, you can explore Ha Long Bay from unprecedented heights by going on a helicopter tour.

Ha Long Bay is the jewel in Vietnam’s tourism crown, a stunning geological formation that captivates even the most travel weary and jaded of visitors.

 

Carrying babies on boats to chase tourist boats to beg for money has become a problem for tourists in Ha Long Bay (Quang Ninh province).