Halong Bay & Karst Landscapes

Vietnam's karst landscapes are among the most spectacular in the world. Over hundreds of millions of years, water and wind have sculpted the limestone formations into surreal shapes — both above and below ground.

Halong Bay (Vịnh Hạ Long)

Almost 2,000 limestone rocks and islands rise from the Gulf of Tonkin — covered with jungle, interspersed with caves and grottoes. UNESCO World Heritage since 1994. Legend has it that a dragon descended into the sea here, forming the islands with its tail.

Ninh Bình — Karst Rocks on Land

The "dry Halong Bay": Limestone rocks rise from rice fields and rivers. Tràng An (UNESCO) and Tam Cốc are the highlights — by boat through caves and past rocks.

Phong-Nha-Kẻ-Bàng

The largest caves in the world — including Sơn Đoòng, which is so large that a skyscraper could fit inside. Over 300 caves in the UNESCO-protected national park, of which only a fraction have been explored.