Cards from Vietnam

Legend of Ha Long Bay

The legend says that during the old time when the country was newly formed, Vietnamese had to fight against fierce invaders coming from the North through the sea. Feeling sorry for the country, The Jade Emperor sent the Mother Dragon and her children descending on earth to help ancient Vietnamese people defend the country.

While the mighty enemies were attacking the main land, The Mother Dragon and her children suddenly appeared and incinerated the enemies with their divine fire and giant emeralds. The emeralds from the dragon’s mouth were scattered around the battlefield on the sea and formed an invincible defensive wall that left enemy battleship fleet sinking. Thanks to the dragons, the Northern invaders were finally swept away and the peace finally came back the South East Asian country once again. After thousands of years, the wall of emerald turned into island and islets of different sizes and shapes.

After the battle, The Mother Dragon and her children didn’t come back to the heaven, but stayed in the mortal world and turned into human form and help people planting, cropping, raising cattle, reclaiming, and expanding the country.

To remember the help of Mother Dragon and her children, the people live there from generation to generation name the bay where the Mother Dragon descended “Ha Long or Halong” and the bay where her children descended “Bai Tu Long”, which means “Thanks to the Dragon’s children”. This legend is also a part of the general belief that Vietnamese people's has Dragon's origins. (source)

Trấn Quốc Pagoda is a Buddhist temple located on a small island near the southeastern shore of Hanoi's West Lake, Vietnam.

Hang Khoai street

Green island on Ha Long Bay

Hang Dao street

Fishmen of Ha Long Bay

Ha Long in the afternoon

Landscape of Ha Long Bay

Con Coc Islet (Toad Islet) is situated about 12 kilometers from Bai Chay tourist wharf to the Southeast of Halong Bay. It’s about 9 meters high above the sea level. Viewing from a far distance, the islet looks like a big toad which is waiting for the rain at the middle of the sea. (source)

Địch Lộng Grotto (also known as Co Am Pagoda), known to be the third most beautiful standing grottos in the entire Vietnam.

The gate of Bich Dong pagoda

On the Ha Long Bay

Paradise care

The Trong cave

Hang Quat street

Cards from Vietnam

Located in the southeast of Dau Go Island, about 800 meters away from Lu Huong Islet, are two small towers, 12m high, which emerge from the sea like two fighting cocks. It is an outstanding feature of Halong Bay and was used as a symbol of Vietnam Tourism in 2000. (source)

The Flagstaff-Mirador

The inauguration of the Hang Buom Food Street on September 19 aimed at introducing the cultural space of the Old Quarter to visitors and adding to the services at the site, one of the popular tourist attractions in Hanoi. (source)

Hoa Lo street and The Hỏa Lò Prison was a prison used by the French colonists in Vietnam for political prisoners, and later by North Vietnam for prisoners of war during the Vietnam War when it was sarcastically known to American prisoners of war as the "Hanoi Hilton". The prison was demolished during the 1990s, though the gatehouse remains as a museum. (source)

"Termite" grotto 

Dinh Liet Street, Hanoi

Cau Go street, Hanoi

Con Cho (dog) islet

Ha Long Bay, in the Gulf of Tonkin, includes some 1,600 islands and islets, forming a spectacular seascape of limestone pillars. Because of their precipitous nature, most of the islands are uninhabited and unaffected by a human presence. The site's outstanding scenic beauty is complemented by its great biological interest. (source)

Lu Huong Islet

Vietnam

Tam Coc means “Three caves”. These caves were made due to the transformation of geology, seawater and rainwater that have worn cliffs in a long period of millions of years. Ngo Dong River is surrounded by fields and limestone mountains stretching endlessly.