Exactly 30 years ago, on December 17, 1994, at its 18th session in Phuket, Thailand, the World Heritage Committee recognized Ha Long Bay as a World Natural Heritage site for its exceptional global aesthetic value, according to the criteria of the International Convention for the Protection of the World's Natural and Cultural Heritage. Ha Long Bay became the first Vietnamese heritage site to be recognized by UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage site.
Subsequently, on December 2, 2000, at its 24th Plenary Session in Cairns, Queensland, Australia, the World Heritage Committee further recognized Ha Long Bay as a World Natural Heritage Site for the second time, based on its geological and geomorphological value.
On September 16, 2023, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the boundary of the Ha Long Bay World Natural Heritage Site in Quang Ninh province was approved by the World Heritage Committee to be extended to include the Cat Ba Archipelago in Hai Phong city. This event made Ha Long Bay and the Cat Ba Archipelago the first World Natural Heritage Site in Vietnam with a boundary spanning two provinces. This also marks the third time Ha Long Bay has been recognized as a World Natural Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Regarding national titles, in 1962, Ha Long Bay was classified as a National Scenic Monument by the Ministry of Culture and Information (now the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism). On August 12, 2009, Ha Long Bay was classified as a Special National Monument by the Vietnamese Government. On July 8, 2017, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism awarded Ha Long Bay the title of Leading Tourist Area in Vietnam.
With an area of 1,553 km² , Ha Long Bay is home to nearly 2,000 islands of varying sizes, creating a stunning, majestic, and captivating landscape. Ha Long Bay contains many strangely shaped rocky islands, such as Rooster Island, Incense Peak, and Toad Island, along with hundreds of caves with exceptionally unique and mystical scenery created by nature, such as Sung Sot Cave, Thien Cung Cave, Dau Go Cave, Bo Nau Cave, Me Cung Cave, and Luon Cave.
With its unique aesthetic value blending sea and rocky mountains, along with its distinctive geological features—typical evidence of geological evolution and natural tectonic movements—Ha Long Bay, with its system of rocky islands, caves, saltwater lakes, ancient underground caves, and more, is one of the most popular destinations for both domestic and international tourists. Proof of this is that in the 30 years since becoming a World Natural Heritage Site, Ha Long Bay has welcomed nearly 60 million domestic and international visitors.
Notably, the heritage bay has been honored by numerous major newspapers, renowned travel magazines, television channels, and organizations worldwide. For example: On April 27, 2012, the New Open World organization awarded Ha Long Bay the title of New World Natural Wonder; in March 1997, it was recognized as the most beautiful bay in the world; the famous travel platform Tripadvisor selected it as the most trending destination in the world; the famous American travel website The Travel honored it as the most visited natural wonder in the world; Forbes magazine ranked Ha Long Bay among the best destinations; and the renowned international magazine Condé Nast Traveler also included Ha Long Bay in its list of the world's most beautiful destinations…
Throughout the three decades since Ha Long Bay became a World Natural Heritage Site, Quang Ninh province has recognized the heritage bay as a treasure bestowed by nature. The province has consistently strived and responsibly implemented a comprehensive range of pioneering and groundbreaking solutions, prioritizing the management, preservation, and sustainable development of the heritage. In particular, the province places heritage preservation and safeguarding at the forefront, closely linked to the selective, sustainable, and holistic development of the heritage economy; focusing on green and sustainable tourism development, effectively exploiting and promoting the values and potential of Ha Long Bay, thereby preserving the heritage for generations to come.
Source: https://baobinhphuoc.com.vn/news/20/167492/vinh-di-san-tuoi-ba-muoi
![[Photo] General Secretary To Lam presides over a meeting with the Editorial Teams to summarize 100 years of the Party's leadership of the Vietnamese revolution and 40 years of implementing the National Construction Program.](https://vphoto.vietnam.vn/thumb/1200x675/vietnam/resource/IMAGE/2026/03/04/1772601288977_a1-bnd-8134-7576-jpg.webp)
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