The Boats of Hạ Long Bay

The second day in Hạ Long Bay, our guide arranged for us to meet local fishermen (and women!) The fishermen of Hạ Long Bay are pretty unique. As the World Monuments Fund explains:

“The bay is a home of the ancient Viet people with occupation by various cultures dating back some 18,000 years, and many important cultural and historical relics from these peoples have been found. The fishing communities who live on the bay still retain their own special culture….

The fishermen live on boats and floating wooden houses in the core-zone of Ha Long Bay, which is dozens of kilometers away from the mainland. They have no home or land ownership and their main livelihood is fishing and aquaculture.”

The fisherman and his wife allowed us to watch as they fished for crabs, shrimp, and fish. What a treat!

Without a doubt, Ha Long Bay is one of the world’s most beautiful bays. Its gorgeous landscape distinguishes it as one of the world’s most precious geographies. Today, it’s recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site and as one of the New7Wonders of Nature. My photos barely capture the beauty of this gorgeous place…