Ho Chi Minh Museum

Ho Chi Minh Museum

Ho Chi Minh Museum is located at 3 Ngoc Ha Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi; near Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum. The museum is a four-story building covering a total area of 100ha and designed in the shape of a lotus flower as a symbol of President Ho’s noble character.

Ho Chi Minh Museum  in Hanoi

This museum was completed on 9 May 1990 for the 100th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh’s birthday.
Visiting hours:
From 8:00 to 11:00 and from 13:30 to 16:30 daily except Monday and Friday.

The main showroom displays 117,274 documents, articles, pictures and exhibits illustrating the historical events that took place during President Ho Chi Minh’s life, as well as important events that occurred in the rest of the world since the end of the 19th

The museum contains other rooms such as a library, a large hall, meeting rooms and research rooms.

Since its opening, the museum has welcomed millions of domestic and foreign visitors. It is open from 8 am to 11 am and 1.30pm to 4.30 pm daily except Monday and Friday. Photography is forbidden. Cameras and bags must be left at the reception

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The National Museum of Vietnamese History

National Museum of Vietnamese History

The National Museum of Vietnamese History (Vietnamese: Viện Bảo tàng Lịch sử Việt Nam) is located in the Hoan Kiem district of Hanoi, Vietnam.

Vietnam History Museum in Hanoi

National Museum of Vietnamese History building The museum used to be the museum of the Research Institute for Far-East history under French colonial rule (École française d'Extrême-Orient). 

Today, it is a museum showcasing Vietnam's history with a very large display of every period. It is housed in a colonial French building. The building, designed by the architect Ernest Hébrard is considered as a successful blend between the colonial French architecture and traditional Vietnamese architecture.

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Ba Ham Lake in Halong Bay

Ba Ham Lake in Halong Bay

Ba Ham Lake is found on Dau Be Island (Calf Head Island) on the south-west Side of Halong Bay. This island is part of the range of islands at the farthest end of Halong Bay, bordering the immense zone Long Chau Sea.

Ba Ham Lake of Halong Bay

Ba Ham Lake is situated in the middle of a narrow, rectangular area, with the all four sides enclosed by vertical cliffs. The lake is a system comprising three wide and round pits, linked together by a narrow and meandering tunnel. Although 25km from the shore, it has long been considered an ideal tourism zone.

Starting from the entrance, tourists enter the first tunnel, which boasts a forest of stalactites and stalagmites in different shapes and various colors. Stalactites hang from the ceiling in a myriad of strange, colored forms. The deeper one pushes into the tunnel, the darker it becomes. The river is deep and transparent. Some 100m from the entrance one finds a shaft of light coming from the roof of the tunnel, which reveals different kinds of orchids clinging to the cliff, cycads growing here and there, truc duoi ga (a kind of reed with cock's tail-liked yellow leaves) flourishing in clumps.

The second tunnel has the same form and its entrance like the first. In the southeast cliff of the second tunnel there grows an old carambola tree. This is home to yellow hair monkeys, birds, flying squirrels and bats. Lying one cliff away from the second one, the third tunnel is home to various species of bats and yellow butterflies. Here is home to bats and yellow butterflies. Though outside the grotto the waves and wind blow strongly, inside the cave, the water is transparent and calmly. The silence is disturbed only by the sounds of the boat's oars.

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Hanh Grotto in Halong Bay

Hanh Grotto in Halong Bay

Hanh Grotto is one of the longest grottoes in Ha long Bay, lying 9km west of Cam Pha Town. Hanh Grotto seems suitable for adventures. The mouth of the grotto is very low with 1,300m long.

Hanh Grotto of Halong Bay

The entrance of the grotto is at the foot of the stone mountain of Quang Hanh. That's why the French named it "Le Tunnel" or Tunnel Grotto.

One should visit the grotto at low tide and has to go by small boat to pass through, as this is the time the mouth of the grotto appears, and then must know the time when the tide rises up to get out of the grotto. In front of the present-day mouth stands Ba Co (Three Girls) shrine to dedicated three girls who according to the legend often went to the sea together. One day, they caught a pouring rain and took shelter in a grotto. They found the scenery so captivating that they forgot the time of rising tide. Locked up in the grotto, they passed away and became Water God.

Hanh Grotto is extremely beautiful. The small boat will take you through the stone passageway by lamp-light, casting magical colors on the hanging stalactites. To get there, tourists can hire canoes in Doan Wharf (Hon Gai, Ha long City) or take a coach to Cam Pha Town. At the Cam Pha Wharf, one can also hire boats or canoes to go to the grotto. The time for visiting the grotto is from 1 hour to 1 hour and 30 minutes.

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Kim Quy Grotto (Golden Tortoise) in Halong Bay

Kim Quy Grotto in Halong Bay

This grotto is situated on Dam Nam Island, with a peak 187m above sea level. The grotto is 100m long and 5 to 10m wide, running in a north-south direction.

Kim Quy Grotto of Halong Bay

It is linked to the ancient legend of the Golden Tortoise: after having helped Emperor Le Loi defeat his enemies, the Golden Tortoise took back the magic sword he had given him, and swam towards the sea. Arriving in Ha long Bay, it met with so many evil spirits and demons hindering its journey that it remained to do battle. After having defeated them all, the Golden Tortoise was so exhausted that it searched for a grotto to rest in, and once inside, turned to stone.

A narrow way leads to the interior of the grotto where a stream flows. The stalactites here are snow white and lightly hang from the ceiling. Today in the grotto, it can be found dozing, still with ancient wounds covering its body.

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Sung Sot Grotto (Surprise Grotto) in Halong Bay

Sung Sot Grotto in Halong Bay

Situated in the centre of the UNESCO declared World Heritage area, the Surprise Grotto is on Bo Hon Island, and is one of the finest and widest grottoes of Ha long Bay.

Sung Sot Grotto of Halong Bay

Ascending to the grotto, the way is covered by trees and foliage, and consists of great paved stone blocks. From the wharf tourists climb up some 50 stone steps to the mouth of the grotto, which lies 25m above the sea level, then go down some 10 stone steps to reach the mouth. Upon entering the cave, one can see a legendary world open before tourists' eyes. The grotto covers some 10,000m2; thousands of stalactites form exquisitely carved columns like those in ancient castles. The lively images of human beings, animals, and old trees make us surprise and mesmerize at the stunning beauty of nature.

Inside the grotto there is a paved road span over half a kilometer from the entrance to the exit of the cave. Light posts line the passage and serve as signposts and ornaments. The lighting system with elegant styles adds more charm to the beauty of the grotto. Sung Sot has two main chambers; the first one being similar to a wide theatre hall. Many stalactites hang from the high ceiling, with numerous possible forms and shapes.

A narrow passage leads to the second rooms, where a flow of light meets visitors. The chamber is so immense it could contain more than 1,000 people at one time. At the side of the entrance, the rock seems to form the shape of a horse with a long sword. Legend has it, that after having defeated the An aggressors, Thanh Dong (Dong the Saint) helped the population to chase away evil spirits and demons. After this feat, Dong flew to heaven, leaving a stone horse and sword to continue to keep the demons away. At the deepest point of the grotto, a "royal garden" appears with a clear pond and a seemingly fascinating landscape of mountains. Many birds and plants (Benjamin figs, cycads and centenary banyan trees) live here. On nice days groups of monkeys might arrive in search of fruit. Sung Sot is one of the largest and most magnificent caves in Ha long Bay. That's why the French called it Grotto of Surprise.

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Luon Cave in Halong Bay

Luon Cave in Halong Bay

Situated on Bo Hon Island, 14km south of Bai Chay Beach is the Luon Grotto. In front of the grotto is Con Rua Islet, and the Sky Gate is on the right. Here the cliffs stretch vertically out of the pure blue and smooth water.

Luon Cave of Halong Bay

At the water-level, an arched entrance leads to the grotto, just at the base of the island. Luon Cave is 60m long, its height varying between 205m to 4m according to the state of the tide. Only small boats or rubber boats which should be equipped with safety floats can enter. Passing through the pretty entrance, you come across a tranquil round lake, surrounded by luxuriant trees and high dangerous stone walls. Benjamin fig trees shade the landscape and many orchids hang their sweet-scented flowers. In the lake, many species abound: shrimp, fish, crab and cuttlefish.

Luon Cave is one of rare caves in Ha long bay. This cave is suitable for those who like to discover Ha long by kakyak, a new attractive kind of tour appear in Ha long in recently year. The beauty of the site is the mingling of a number of factors: the mountain's size and form, the color of the water and the clouds.

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Ba Trai Dao Beach (The Three Peaches Beach) in Halong Bay

Ba Trai Dao Beach in Halong Bay

To the Ba Trai Dao Beach, it costs 3.5 to 4 hours by cruise from Bai Chay Tourist Wharf. It has that name as Ba Trai Dao Beach (the three peaches), features three small sand beaches embracing small islands. These islands, seen from afar, resemble three peaches...

Ba Trai Dao Beach in Halong Bay

Legend has it, that fairies escaped from Heaven and came here for sight-seeing and swimming. The youngest fairy, which was very pretty and virtuous, fell in love with a young fisher- man. The young fairy stole three peaches from Heaven for him that if he ate, would give him eternal life, allowing them to live together forever. But while she waited for him on the island, the King of the Heavens discovered the robbery and turned the peaches into three stone islands. Chastised, the young fairy had to return. Tourists take bath in this beach only 2-3 hours in a day as in other time the beach is lapping by the tide.

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Titop Beach in Halong Bay

Titop Beach in Halong Bay

Some 14km east of Bai Chay is Titop Beach, which takes the shape of acres cent encamp passing the island. Small though it might be, it wins kudos for its quiet and airy atmosphere, its clean and clear waters, as well as its alluring landscape.

Titop Beach of Halong Bay

In 1962, President Ho Chi Minh and the Russian astronaut Germane Titop came to this beach.

Hence its name Titov. At present, there has a bar in the island, which also provides swimming costumes, floats, and lukewarm shower. Fresh water was carried to the island from inland. The Titop Beach has become a popular tourist destination.

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Bai Chay in Halong Bay

Bai Chay in Halong Bay

Bai Chay is a large, beautiful, artificial beach, closed to the coast of Halong Bay The 100m-wide-sandy beach spans over 500m. The asphalt road winds its way through the white sandy beach and luxuriant casuarinas.

Bai Chay Beach in Halong Bay

The Bai Chay Tourist Site is fast changing into one of the most captivating of this kind in Halong City. It comprises restaurants, water puppet and traditional music theatres, Hoang Gia Park, water-skiing, and sea motorcycling. The Hoang Gia Park lines along the Halong Road leading from the Bai Chay Tourist Wharf to the gate of the Halong Night Market.

According to one legend, when the fleet carrying food for the Yuan Mongolian Invaders led by Truong Van Ho came there, the Vietnamese troops and locals under the leadership of Tran Khanh Du set fire to it. The whole fleet was engulfed in fire. Meanwhile, the northeast wind blew hard and further added fuel to it. Fire was so fierce it burned down the forest in the western side of Cua Luc. Hence the name Bai Chay.

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