Halong bay – a concentration of stone islands
In the bay of Ha Long and Bai Tu long, there are nearly 2000 small islands. The highest is just over 200 m while the lowest about 5-6 m. They rise out of the sea surface, exposing rough vertical cliffs in strange and impressive shapes. Over the years, the local fisherman have named these mountain-islands after their shapes: Incense Burner, Fighting Cocks, human Head, Child-Caring mother, Tortoise, Teapot, Stone Dog, ect.
Among these, some are immediately recognizable from a distance because they closely resemble the real things and are more beautiful than any sculptures. The following are the most important:
- Lu Huong (Incense Burner) looks like an incense burner, located in the east of Dau GO Island, near Thien Cung and Dau Go Grottos. In all religious or festival rituals of the Vietnamese people, the incense burner is an indispensable votive object, usually arranged in the centre of altars. It also appears in small shrines or tombs. It symbolizes the spiritual link between Nature and Human beings.
- Ga Choi (Fighting Cocks) consists of two small peaks, about 12m hight, located 3 km south from Dau GO Island. They resemble a pair of cocks facing each other across a narrow ravine. They are the familiar symbol of Ha Long bay that is printed in the logo of Ha Long Tourism Year 2003.
- Cho Da (Stone Dog), about 8m hih, looks like a huge stone dog lying west of Dau Go Grotto. For Vietnamese, stone dogs are very familiar. In the past, they were always situated at the two sides of the gates or all temples, shrines and even some ancient houses. Their tacks ate to inform the arrival of visitors and prevent bad ghosts and devils.
- Hon Coc (Frog) resembles a frog, 9m high and 112km southeast of the Cai Dam tourist wharf. The frog is an ugly but useful animal. In the drought season, farmers usually listen to its sound to guess when it will rain. The Vietnamese have a folk tale about the hard trek of thirsty animals to Heaven to plead for rain. A tiny courageous frog led this struggle. Eventually, the Jade Emperor adopted the frog as his uncle and willingly aerates rain whenever it grinds its teeth.
- Dau Nguoi (Human Head): From a distance, this islet looks like a 25m head of a Greek man with a large nose. His chin points down to the water surface. Some people compare it to the head the Sphinx. Stunted plants grow on the top, much like a mane blowing in the wind. The isle is situated north of the Bo Hon Islets, 1 km away from Luon Cave and Titop Island and over 2 km from Sung Sot cave. To have the best view of this isle, you should approach from a southwest direction.
- Bai Tho (Poem) Mountain, in the heart of Hon Gai, the western part of ha long City, is a famous local landmark. This 191 m three-peak mountain is on the coast, with vertical cliffs reaching up from the sea. At its foot on the inland side sits Long Tien, the largest pagoda in the city. From Hang Noi street at the base of the mountain, stone steps pass six caves on the route to the top. The view from the peak presents a panorama of Ha Long bay, Ha Long city and in the distance, even some coalmines. In the past, a grrison of troops was stationed there and lit fires on the summit to guide ships and boats at night. In those days the mountain was known as Truyen Dang (Signal light).
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