Ha Long Bay - THE JOURNEY CONNECTING HERITAGES

The First Interprovincial Heritage

More than a year has passed since UNESCO approved the nomination dossier for the Ha Long Bay – Cat Ba Archipelago (located in Quang Ninh Province and Hai Phong City) to be recognized as a World Natural Heritage site. This recognition has made Ha Long Bay – Cat Ba Archipelago the first interprovincial world heritage site in Vietnam, contributing to increasing the appeal of this heritage.

Ha Long Bay – Cat Ba Archipelago is known as the "pearl of the Gulf of Tonkin," a symphony of majestic mountains and vast seas and islands. It is considered a geological museum, containing outstanding global heritage with significant value. This area bears witness to characteristic changes in the history of Earth's development, as evidenced by the presence of primeval forests, Bays and islands.

The expansion of the World Natural Heritage site boundaries brings numerous values to both localities, as well as presenting Quang Ninh and Hai Phong with an opportunity to connect and cooperate in preserving and promoting the heritage's value. Speaking at the annual meeting between the two localities in early December 2024, Mr. Bui Tuan Manh, Deputy Secretary of the Cat Hai District Party Committee and Chairman of the Cat Hai District People's Committee (Hai Phong City), stated: "Both Quang Ninh Province and Hai Phong City have collaborated to issue many legal documents for coordinating heritage management. In line with the regional connectivity trend and joint development, the two sides have worked together to resolve the challenges related to tourism development between the two localities, from cooperation in state management, product development, promotion, and the development of human resources to the protection of the natural environment and business environment. The two localities have established a coordination mechanism for state management of passenger transport activities and tourists on Ha Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay; they are completing plans to unify the time for transporting guests, extend the sightseeing and stay duration, and ensure security, order, and marine environment protection between Ha Long and Cat Ba."

The economic development of the Ha Long Bay – Cat Ba Archipelago heritage site not only focuses on conservation efforts but also on creating new tours, routes, and travel itineraries based on the heritage's value to boost economic growth. The two localities work closely with relevant units to propose new tourism routes, including additional journeys to Ha Long Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay in Quang Ninh Province. Among these, two routes connect with the Cat Ba Archipelago of Hai Phong City, including: the route 5 from Ha Long to the Thien Cung Cave – Dau Go Cave – Dog Stone Islet – Ba Hang – Dinh Huong Islet – Trong Mai Islet – Gia Luan Wharf, Cat Ba; and the route 6 from Ha Long to the Elephant Foot – Vung Ba Cua – Tung Lam Island – Cap Bai Islet (the endpoint of this route connects with Gia Luan, Lan Ha Bay, Hai Phong City).

With the concerted efforts of the two localities, Ha Long Bay – Cat Ba Archipelago continues to be a popular tourist destination for many visitors. From the beginning of 2024 to October 31, 2024, Ha Long Bay welcomed over 2.6 million visitors (more than 1.5 million international tourists), and it is expected to receive around 3.1 million visitors by the end of 2024. Cat Ba Archipelago welcomed over 1 million visitors, including 650,000 international tourists.

Ha Long Bay - The Heart of Connection

Ha Long Bay, recognized three times as a World Natural Heritage site, continues to develop various tourism products and connect with nearby destinations and satellite sites to offer diverse experiences for visitors. Among them, the "Heritage Journey," launched in May 2024 by Viet Thuan Transport Company, is one of the 11 new tourism products in the Ha Long Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay area, and also one of the 62 new tourism products registered to operate in the province in 2024. This is also the first maritime route connecting tourism between Ha Long Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay.

The cruise ship taking visitors on the "Heritage Journey" connecting Ha Long Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay.

Mr. Luong Huu Tuyen, Deputy Director of Viet Thuan Group, shared: "With the 'Heritage Journey' connecting Ha Long Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay, we aim to provide visitors with the most complete experience of the geological and geomorphological features, biodiversity, and the precious cultural and historical values of Ha Long Bay, while strongly awakening the tourism potential of Bai Tu Long Bay. In particular, this journey is a product that meets the growing demand of tourists for high-end accommodation services on cruise ships in Ha Long Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay. It continues to offer new, attractive, luxurious, and sustainable tourism products and services, enhancing the competitiveness of the Ha Long and Van Don destinations. This, in turn, helps extend tourists' stay and spending; promotes innovation and creativity in the development of luxury overnight cruise products on the bay, linked to the protection of the sustainable values of the heritage and the sea and islands of Quang Ninh."

Accordingly, the "Heritage Journey" is a unique 3-day, 2-night maritime itinerary. Departing from the Tuan Chau International Passenger Port, the journey will take visitors to admire the distinctive landscapes and beauty of the World Natural Heritage site Ha Long Bay, including iconic heritage symbols such as the Trong Mai Islet, Dinh Huong Islet, and the Stone Park, and will continue to the Bai Tu Long National Park, as well as the islands of Ban Sen, Quan Lan, and Minh Chau in Van Don District.

Tourists experiencing the romantic atmosphere on Ha Long Bay.

Ms. Kim So Huyn (a tourist from South Korea) shared: "With its majestic natural beauty and rich marine ecosystem, the Ha Long Bay – Bai Tu Long Bay tour is the perfect destination for those who want to immerse themselves in nature and explore the unique and diverse culture of the sea and islands. Especially during the maritime journey, we also had the opportunity to watch a film about the history and development of Ha Long Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay, as well as an exhibition on poetry, history, and documents about Ha Long Bay. This not only allowed us to see Ha Long through images but also helped us gain a deeper understanding of the cultural and historical values of this world natural wonder."

Not only does the Ha Long Bay – Bai Tu Long Bay maritime journey connect these two iconic destinations, but the tourism industry has also actively researched, developed, and implemented a series of tours and routes linking the famous sea and island destinations in Quang Ninh. In 2020, the province approved the master plan for managing and developing the sea and island tourism products of Ha Long – Bai Tu Long – Van Don – Co To through Decision No. 4686/QD-UBND dated December 21, 2020. The connection of these attractive, high-potential destinations creates a large space that holds a treasure trove of values for tourism activities. This provides an excellent condition for organizing continuous tourism tours connecting Bai Tu Long, Van Don, Co To with Ha Long and nearby regions.

Quang Ninh Province continues to invest in the development of ecological, cultural, and community-based tourism products in Ha Long Bay – Bai Tu Long Bay – Van Don – Co To (Quang Ninh) and Cat Ba (Hai Phong) to connect the heritage tourism space, with Ha Long Bay as the center. This maximizes the advantages of connecting heritage spaces to develop ecological, cultural, and community-based tourism products.

Regional Connectivity

In the process of developing the heritage economy, linking destinations is always a solution to create strength, not only in conservation efforts but also in exchanging experiences and building the local brand image. This is also a solution that the Quang Ninh tourism industry places significant importance on. Quang Ninh does not only connect local heritage sites but also links with other heritage sites of Vietnam through the "World Heritage Road" of Vietnam: Ha Long Bay – Thang Long Imperial Citadel – Trang An – Ho Dynasty Citadel – Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng – Hue Imperial City – Hoi An Ancient Town – My Son Sanctuary, forming a unique tourism route. Ha Long Bay is also part of the Vietnam World Natural Heritage Club, established in 2013. Through the club's activities, the effectiveness of heritage management, conservation, and the promotion of local economic and social development is enhanced; it also boosts the promotion of Vietnam's world heritage sites both domestically and internationally. Moreover, it maintains cooperative relationships and experience exchanges between the Club and relevant agencies and organizations in Vietnam, as well as between Vietnam’s world heritage sites and other global heritage sites.

The inter-sectoral assessment team, including risk assessment and management experts from ICOMOS, representatives from the Department of Cultural Heritage, and the UNESCO Hanoi Office, conducted a survey on the extent of the impact and damage caused by Typhoon Yagi to Ha Long Bay. 

In the region, Ha Long Bay (Quang Ninh, Vietnam), along with the World Heritage city of Luang Prabang (Laos) and the cultural heritage site of the Ban Chiang archaeological site (Udonthani, Thailand), forms the "Heritage Triangle." Through the "Heritage Triangle" cooperation program, tourism routes between these locations have been established. Notably, road and air travel connections have made it easier for tourists to visit all three points of the heritage triangle.

According to Mr. Pham Dinh Huynh, Deputy Director of Ha Long Bay Management Department, the World Heritage Triangle project between the three provinces began in 2006. The parties have cooperated to promote tourism images, connect the heritage sites, and encourage and create favorable conditions for investors and businesses to bring visitors to invest in the partner locations. Additionally, efforts have been made to promote activities connecting the world heritage sites through high-level delegations participating in senior-level talks. Local tourism businesses are encouraged to explore collaboration opportunities and design tourism routes within the "Heritage Triangle." At the same time, efforts are being made to support the promotion of each other's tourism images and develop the tourism workforce.

In recent years, Ha Long Bay Management Department, in particular, and Quang Ninh province, in general, have continuously strived to connect with UNESCO organizations, effectively promote their roles in the organizations, clubs, and forums in which Ha Long Bay participates as a member, such as: the Network of Managers of Marine World Heritage Sites, the Most Beautiful Bays of the World Association, the G20 Network of countries with wonders recognized as one of the 7 New7Wonders of the World... At the same time, they have maintained and expanded close relationships with international organizations (World Heritage Centre, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Network of Managers of Marine World Heritage Sites, UNESCO Hanoi Office…) and international experts and scientists to exchange, propose support in terms of experience, finance, and techniques to serve heritage management, environmental protection, sustainable tourism development, and capacity building in heritage management.

Through international cooperation activities, Quang Ninh province has had many opportunities to exchange, propose support for experience, finance, and techniques to assist in heritage management, environmental protection, sustainable tourism development, and capacity building in heritage management, such as: building a resource recycling system in Ha Long Bay with local community participation; setting up a waste collection and transportation system from Ha Long Bay to the shore for treatment using biofuels; creating an environmental education model to raise awareness for the community in protecting the World Natural Heritage of Ha Long Bay. At the same time, they have developed the "Green Sail" criteria, established criteria for periodic monitoring of the conservation status of heritage values, installed additional wastewater treatment systems using Jokaso technology at Dau Go Island, organized mangrove planting campaigns, and launched operations to collect waste along the shore and at the foot of islands…

Linking and cooperating for development is an inevitable trend today. Ha Long Bay is facing both challenges and new opportunities to gain valuable experiences in heritage conservation and protection, as well as to access new resources across various sectors to exploit and promote the heritage’s value. Therefore, Quang Ninh will expand and enhance the effectiveness of communication cooperation between the province and domestic and international media agencies to regularly promote the image of the region, its people, and its unique culture, especially on digital platforms with diverse languages and influential media companies around the world.

At the same time, the province will strengthen cultural diplomacy through external activities with localities and international organizations with which it has cooperative relations, through organizing cultural, sports, and tourism events, as well as through publications, literary and artistic works to promote Quang Ninh’s value system, its people, potential and strengths, and its appeal as an attractive, friendly destination for investment and tourism. This is one of the solutions towards making heritage-based economy a new growth driver, creating breakthroughs for the economy, and enhancing the local and national position.

Translated by Thuy Ha