Unveiling the Fascinating History of Halong Bay

Halong Bay Overview

Halong Bay is a mesmerizing place with a unique history. Known for its natural beauty and UNESCO World Heritage classification, Halong Bay has become a popular tourist destination. Human presence in Hạ Long Bay extends back thousands of years, as shown by archaeological sites. Merchants and seamen from many cultures have used the harbor as a commerce route and vital maritime position for ages. These things have created a history of Halong Bay with many mysterious and fascinating things. 

The formation of Halong Bay

Halong Bay was created by a geological process that lasted millions of years. This process began about 500 million years ago when seismic activity caused rocks in the Tonkin Sea to rise from the seabed.

Halong Bay has a special limestone system with thousands of islands and rugged alluvial grounds, formed over millions of years by the erosion of seawater and other natural factors. Factors such as salinity, wind, and waves have acted on limestone rocks, resulting in their unique and complex shapes.

The formation of Halong Bay

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Who discovered Halong Bay?

According to documents on the history of Halong Bay, in 1883, the French colonialists occupied Quang Ninh province of Vietnam. At that time, French geologists and archaeologists began to realize the breathtaking grandeur of Ha Long Bay. There are many small islands with French names, such as Surprise Cave - "la Grotte des Surprise". This site was discovered by the French in 1901 and given this name in 1938.

Local people have used the name Ha Long for a long time, but it was not until the end of the 19th century that the official name of the sea area "Ha Long" first appeared on the map of the French. The French version of "Hai Phong News" published an article about a mysterious dragon-like creature discovered three times in Ha Long Bay in 1898, 1900, and 1902 by the captain and crew of the Avance, Legderin.

Halong Bay is a land with the imprint of ancient people

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The Origin of the Name

Legend has it that from the beginning of the world, the ancient Vietnamese country always had to fight against foreign invaders massively attacking from the sea. Therefore, the Jade Emperor sent the Mother Dragon and her cubs down to earth to help the Vietnamese keep their land in peace.

Thanks to the help of the Divine Dragon, the Vietnamese people escaped the threat of foreign invasion. After helping, the Dragon was about to fly to the sky, suddenly seeing the peaceful scenery here, green trees, rich products, and industrious people. The mother dragon felt attached and did not want to leave, so she and her cubs decided to take the place where the battle took place as a shelter. Since then, the herd of Dragons has forever protected the people of Vietnam.

The place where the Mother Dragon landed today is Ha Long Bay. Where the baby dragons set foot is Bai Tu Long Bay. The place where the dragon's tail flutters in the white water is Bach Long Vi, today's Tra Co peninsula with its fine sand stretching for tens of kilometers. The name Ha Long originates from that legend: Ha Long - where the Dragon landed.

Halong Bay means the land where dragons landed

The Evolution of history Halong bay Vietnam

The process of forming Ha Long Bay is a process that took place millions of years and continues to this day. The rocky islands and unique landscape of the bay have attracted the attention of tourists from all over the world and become one of the most popular tourist destinations in Vietnam.

The Soi Nhu civilization (18,000–7000 BC)

The Soi Nhu culture, dating from 18,000 to 7,000 years ago, is the earliest recorded culture in Ha Long Bay. Archaeological records show that the Soi Nhu culture is responsible for the earliest human remains discovered in the Ha Long Bay area.

Soi Nhu civilization originates from the name of Soi Nhu archaeological site in Bai Tu Long Bay, a prehistoric human culture discovered in 1964 and excavated in 1967 by archaeologists. Soi Nhu culture can be compared with Hoa Binh and Bac Son cultures and possibly contemporaneous with Nguom culture in Thai Nguyen, 25,000 years ago. Their way of life includes foraging, harvesting, and exploiting freshwater mollusks using unstable stone tools, simple production techniques involving single-sided chisels, cutting methods, and minimal modification.

The Soi Nhu civilization is one of the oldest civilizations in Halong Bay

The Cai Beo civilization (7000–5000 BC)

The Cai Beo site in the Cat Hai district is associated with the Cai Beo culture, which flourished during the period from 7500 to 5000 BC. French archaeologist M. Colani discovered this site in 1938 and named it the site of the Bay of Fishing Village.

Archaeologists have discovered hundreds of chisels, complete and partial stone grinding tools, such as axes, scrapers, grinders, and more, as they continue their journey to learn more about the site. this ancient coastal settlement. Pointed, millet, shoulder ax, tetrahedral ax, ax with a discontinuity. In addition, about 15,000 pieces of untreated pottery, hand-shaped and turntable, have been discovered, along with many bones and molars of animals.

Cai Beo was the residence of a fisherman population in an ancient fishing village with the largest scale in our country thousands of years ago. Cai Beo is nestled in the middle of a limestone valley running along the coast, showing that the Ancient Vietnamese were very subtle in choosing a location to live, which was both convenient for marine exploitation and limited natural disasters thanks to the limestone mountains. windbreak, wave break.

The Cai Beo civilization has great significance for the history of Halong Bay

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The Halong Civilization (3000 – 1500 BC)

Ha Long existed 4,500 - 3,000 years ago and is widely distributed in coastal areas and island systems in two provinces of Hai Phong and Quang Ninh.

The most prominent of the Ha Long civilization is the technique of making axes and delivering bladed tools. Making pottery from a combination of mollusk shells reflects the marine nature of this culture. Patterns on ancient Vietnamese ceramics show that in this period they knew how to plant thread, weave yarn, weave nets, and cast fishing nets. Prehistoric people were also able to create decorations from rocks, fish bones, and mollusk shells to interact with the non-Halong inhabitants.

Ha Long civilization has bold features of marine civilization

The Feudal Era

According to the history of Halong Bay, this land is also called by many different names. The Northern colonial period of Vietnam, this region is called Luc Chau, Luc Hai. During the Ly, Tran, and Le dynasties, the sea estuaries were named Hoa Phong, Hai Dong, An Bang, Van Don, Ngoc Son, and Luc Thuy. The name Ha Long (meaning where the dragon lands) has recently appeared in several 19th-century French bibliographies and maritime maps.

The "Hai Phong News" at that time reported on the appearance of dragon-like creatures in today's Ha Long Bay area with the headline "Dragon Appears in Ha Long Bay" when the French lieutenant named Legderin and the captain of the Avalanche and his crew encountered two giant sea dragons. snake three times. With the appearance of a strange but real animal like a dragon, it became the idea of ​​the reason the French named Quang Ninh island waters Ha Long Bay from then on and continued to name it like that to this day.

History of Halong Bay in the feudal period

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Halong Bay in the present day: One of the seven Natural Wonders 

To gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of the history of Halong Bay and why it has become one of the 7 natural wonders of the world recognized by Unesco, you can choose to take an overnight cruise. Then you have the opportunity to see the breathtaking majesty of Ha Long Bay in the evening and early morning. You can observe beautiful sunsets and clear skies at night, along with mesmerizing sunrises over the ocean. All these experiences will help you visit and enjoy the beauty of this natural wonder of the world to the fullest.

Visit and learn about the history of Ha Long Bay with Paradise Elegance overnight cruise

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Overnight excursions of the Paradise Vietnam cruise system such as Paradise Grand, and Paradise Elegance,... will help your trip have more privacy while still being able to visit and explore this beautiful sea. Paradise Vietnam also offers interesting activities that you may not have the opportunity to experience such as fishing, scuba diving, exploring caves, and participating in regional cultural activities. On the cruise, you can participate in folk art performances, enjoy specialty dishes and participate in culinary courses.

Moreover, if you experience the Paradise Delight restaurant cruise, you will experience special and unique services. You will not only have the opportunity to visit Ha Long Bay with breathtaking landscapes, you will also experience activities that vividly recreate the history of Ha Long Bay. Through a mesmerizing multimedia art program, combining sound, laser light, and contemporary dance, visitors will be immersed in Ha Long's rich cultural heritage.

When choosing Paradise Vietnam's cruise to explore the beautiful Ha Long waters, you will have access to a luxurious restaurant serving a European set menu in the evening and an Asian-European buffet lunch. In the tranquil atmosphere of Halong Bay, you will also be able to enjoy the view, relax at Le Parfum spa with special treatments and soak in the modern Jacuzzi on the spacious sundeck with a view of soaring wonder. 

Enjoy delicious meals served on the Paradise Vietnam cruise

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Always remember that you must choose a reputable cruise to enjoy the trip to the fullest. Do not ignore learning about amenities, service quality, cuisine, etc. on board to avoid discomfort during the cruise while still being able to deeply feel the beauty and interesting history of Halong Bay!