Halong Bay Visiting Floating Villages, Halong Bay Vietnam

Floating villages are unique feature about culture and seascape on Halong Bay that draw the attraction of visitors. Visiting floating villages, tourists will have time interacting with friendly fishermen and visiting floating pearl farms. The local villagers are the original inhabitants of Halong Bay who have lived on the sea for several generations. They were created a diverse culture of fishing and living. In the peaceful atmosphere of fishing village, tourists will be welcomed with fresh seafood and folksong performance (in Vietnamese: “hat gheo” or “hat cheo duong”).

Quan Lan Travel Guide

Quan Lan Island belongs to Bai Tu Long Bay; part of an island range on the outside of the gulf of Tomkin. It has an area of 11 sq. km, and features eight populated hamlets. Quan Lan Island stretch toward East - West from the foot of Van Đon Range to the Got Mount with many high mountains to the east barring waves and winds, protect the villages. The island is situated on an important navigation route that connects China, Japan, Thailand and Philippines to Vietnam.

Quan Lan is an islands in the Bai Tu Long Bay and the outermost one in the island system of Halong Bay. The area of Quan Lan Island is 11 sq km, with 2 communes (Quan Lan & Minh Chau). Quan Lan Island spread from east to west, from Van Don Mountain to Got Mountain.

Along the two sides of the islands are many long sandy beaches covered by forests. More, in Quan Lan, the visitors will have great chances to experience the delicious seafood, from crabs, lobsters to various types of fishes.

There are many ways for you to explore Quan Lan Island as well as Quan Lan Commune. Motorbike and bicycle are the common means that you can hire with acceptable cost (about 6$ for motorbike and 1$ for bicycle per hours). But tuk-tuk is the most unique and interesting means which is very suitable for a group of visitors. With slow speed, you can experience the life, people and scenes in Quan Lan or even stop at any restaurants and food stall for eating.

About the way to Quan Lan, there are two routes for you. The first is Hanoi – Halong – Quan Lan and the second one is Hanoi – Cai Rong – Quan Lan. The transports are also optional, from motorbike, wooden vessels to high-speed rail.

About accommodation, you can live in the local houses and the host will serve you with hospitability or check in the motel and Minh Chau Resort in Quan Lan.

Halong Bay Scuba Diving, Halong Bay Vietnam

For tourists who love discovery, scuba-diving will be a favorite activity on Halong Bay. By scuba-diving, tourists will have chance to see the wonderful underwater world of Halong by their all eyes. It must be an amazing experience when you can explore various kinds of fish as well as pristine coral reefs at the bottom of Halong Bay; and even touch them. All facilities are regularly checked and match safety standard. Therefore, it’s unnecessary to worry about your safety.

Halong Bay Squid Fishing, Halong Bay Vietnam

Squid fishing on Halong Bay at night is an interesting activity at which tourists can experience the feeling of being a fisherman. Tourists will have the instruction from local fishermen about how to fish a squid in the sea. The squids caught will be used to make dishes for tourists. This is also an ideal time to gaze Halong Bay by night. The sea water surface is sparkling with reflected light from cruises anchored on the bay.

Halong Bay Kayak, Halong Bay Vietnam

Halong Bay is considered as one of the most ideal place for kayaking in the world. Kayaking service is available with many imported kayaks. Joining guided kayaking on Halong Bay; tourists will reach pristine islands and discover untouched lagoons when the tide rises in the late afternoon. Tourists will have a closer insight into the bay’s diverse nature with wild animals and mangroves.

Discover Halong Bay Caves, Halong Bay Vietnam

Halong was honored twice with the title “World Natural Heritage Site” by the UNESCO as its value of geology, geomorphology. Therefore, visitors once coming to Halong Bay shouldn’t miss the chance to explore grotto system there (including Sung Sot Cave - Surprise Cave, Dau Go Cave - Wooden Stakes Cave, Thien Cung Cave, etc.). Magnificent masterpieces of the Creator will definitely dazzle all visitors by the magical world of stalactites and stalagmites in various sizes and shapes. Tourists are also have chance to dine in a cave and experience an exotic feeling of dining in spacious and romantic ambiance inside.

Halong Fried Sea Snails with Chili Sauce, Halong Bay Vietnam

Halong is famous because of many kinds of seafood like not only lobster, squid but also snails. Halong has many kinds of sea snails; each kind has its own processing and its own taste. But fried sea snail with chili sauce is the most attractive dish. To cook this dish, people wash snails, then put them in pot, add chili sauce and cook without adding water. Without adding cooking oil, they just sprinkle more shredded lime leaves on this dish. When completed, snails fried has passionate fragrant and fuming. Snails turn pink with red dots, yellow dots and look nice. This dish tastes greasy, spicy hot, usually added withherbs. When drinking beer, it would be great if snails are served with.

Halong Bay Lobsters, Halong Bay Vietnam

Lobster is available in many places but if you go to Halong to enjoy it, you will have an unforgettable impression. Lobsters have a variety of different weight, depending on the number of customers that the restaurant can serve.

Halong Bay Vietnam – Lobsters

Lobsters can be processed into many dishes such as steamed lobster, fried lobster with salt, lobster salad, etc. Steamed lobster is the most popular dish because it keeps the full flavor of the sea. Lobsters are green when alive, turn to pink when steamed. Steamed lobster is decorated with onions and herbs, served with soy sauce or fish sauce. This dish is delicious and nutritious so it is commended as one of the best specialty in Halong.

History of the name Halong

“Ha Long” is literally translated as “Bay of Descending Dragons.” Prior to the 19th century, this name was not recorded in any document or archive. When mentioning the present-day Quang Ninh Sea or Ha Long Bay, old historical books often referred to them by the names of An Bang, Luc Thuy or Van Don. Not until the late 19th century did the name of Halong Bay appear on a French Marine Map. “The Hai Phong News”, a French newspaper of the time, had an article, “Dragon appears on Ha Long Bay”, reporting the following story: In 1898 a sub-lieutenant named Lagredin, captaining the ‘Avalanse’ reported seeing a huge sea snake on Ha Long Bay. This was also witnessed by many of the crews. Thus emerged the European image of the Asian dragon. Whether this appearance of a strange animal looking like a dragon resulted the name of Ha Long Bay is not known (Reference “Quang Ninh: Art and Culture” published in 2002)

There is also a local legend, which has been handed down, relating to the name Ha Long Bay, which tells the following tale:
“Long ago, in the first founding days, the Viet people were attacked by foreign aggressors. The Jade Emperor sent the Mother Dragon and her band of Child Dragons to help the Viet people fight the invaders. While the enemy vessels were launching massive attacks against the mainland, the dragons descended in flocks from the sky. They spat out innumerable pearls which changed into jade stone islands the moment they touched the water. These islands linked together to form firm citadels that checked the enemy’s advance and smashed their vessels to pieces.

After the invaders were driven out, Mother Dragon and her Child Dragons did not return to Heaven but stayed on earth, right at the place where the battle occurred. The spot where the Mother Dragon landed was Ha Long, and where the Child Dragons came down was Bai Tu Long. The place where their tails violently wagged was called Long Vi, the present-day Tra Co Peninsula with its soft sandy beach stretching many kilometers.”

Quan Lan Island in Halong Bay Vietnam

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Location: Quan Lan Island belongs to Halong Bay, it has an area of 11km², and features eight populated hamlets.

Characteristics: Quan Lan Island stretch toward East – West from the foot of Van Don Range to the Got Mount with many high mountains to the east barring waves and winds, protect the villages.

Quan Lan Island

Quan Lan Island Beach  - Halong Bay Vietnam

The island is situated on an important navigation route that connects China, Japan, Thailand and Philippines to Vietnam. Along two sides of the island are tens kilometres of sand beaches. This is the endless resource for glass making which the sea gives to man and it is also the extremely interesting tourism.

Since the 11th century, Quan Lan had been one of the centres of the ancient commercial port of Van Don, which was animated and prosperous at the time. Today, there are still many vestiges linked to the ancient commercial port. This also explains why the island, lying deep in the sea, has the large pagodas and archaeological sites seen today.

On the island there is the Quan Lan Communal House built in the 18th century; exceedingly beautiful and almost entirely preserved. Next to it is Quan Lan Pagoda (Linh Quang Tu), which is dedicated to Buddha and Saint Lieu Hanh. The pagoda also worships the statue of old Hau, a local person who made lots of contributions to the construction of the pagoda. The statue features a gentle and cheerful old woman, which adds an original character to the pagoda. Beside Quan Lan Pagoda lies Nghe Quan Lan (Duc Ong) Shrine, which is dedicated to Pham Cong Chinh, a local person who participated in the historical Van Don battle against the Yuan invaders. He was later honored as a god. Quan Lan has many valuable sea products such as octopuses, butterfish, mackerel, holothurians, shrimp and sai sung.

Nam Cat Island And Beach

Nam Cat Island is a small one of Lan Ha Bay of the world biosphere reserve of Cat Ba Island. It is endowed with amazing seascapes and surrounded by a range of limestone mounts, in which is five white sandy beaches of cool crystal clean water and various floras.

It takes you about 30 minutes from Cai Beo pier by junk boat to Nam Cat Island’s white sandy beach. Upon landing on the island,deeply breathing the very fresh air and the real natural smell of sea breeze, stepping your bared foot on sand to feel the exclusive experience in this beautiful island.

Halong Bay Travel - Sandy Beach Resort

Cat Ba Sandy Beach Resort - Escaping from the busy work to go to Cat Ba Sandy Beach Resort to experience new unique feeling and very sweet moment once lying on the smooth sandy beach, tipping a cup of cocktail, the shining sun.Sailing to discover Lan Ha Bay, surfing or diving to see the world of colorful coral.And raise your voice with songs and dancing around the camp fire to celebrate beach party with your love one and friends

History of Cat Ba Island in Halong Bay Vietnam

Halong Bay Vietnam

Archeological evidence suggests that people have lived on Cat Ba Island for almost 6,000 years, with the earliest settlements being found on the southeastern tip of the Island close to the area where Ban Beo harbor sits today. In 1938, a group of French archeologists discovered human remains belonging “to the Cai Beo people of the Ha Long culture, which lived between 4,000 and 6,500 years ago… considered to be perhaps the first population group occupying the North-Eastern territorial waters of Vietnam… the Cai Beo people may be an intermediary link between the population strata at the end of the Neolithic Age, some 4,000 years ago”.

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In more recent history, Cat Ba Island was inhabited mostly by Viet-Chinese fisherman and was largely influenced by both the French and American wars. The Island was a strategic look-out point and bombing during the wars often forced local residents to hide among the Island’s many caves. Today, the best reminders of the two wars have been turned into tourist attractions. Hospital Cave, which was a secret, bomb-proof hospital during the American War and as a safe house for VC leaders. This three-story feat of engineering was in use until 1975 is only 10 km north of Cat Ba Town. The second attraction, the newly built Cannon Fort, sits on a peak 177 meters high, offering visitors a chance to see old bunkers and helicopter landing stations as well stunning views Cat Ba Island, its coast, and the limestone karsts in Lan Ha Bay offshore.

Co To island and beaches

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Co To Island is about 3 hours by boat from Cai Rong Town , Van Don Island District, 150km from Halong City . The Quang Ninh province’s tourism sector has surveyed potential to develop tourism on the island, especially eco-tourism. Co To Island includes 40 large and small islands, of which the three largest are large Co To, Thanh Lam and Tran.

Co To island in Halong Bay Tours

Co To Sea is beautiful both day and night, sunrise and sunset, bright moon and dim moon. Beaches in the large Co To Island are deserted and not polluted by modern industrial society. Trinh Sat Beach is typical with white sands and blue water as clear as crystal.

The forest is also appropriate for ecotourism tours. You can walk or catch “xe om” (motorbike taxi) to visit a lighthouse o­n a high hill. It’s about 10 minutes by “xe om” from centre of island to the foot of hill, and then you’d better walk along a path to the lighthouse. This path is about 1km and lies among pine tree forest together with thousands of violet wild flowers. The light house is o­n the highest peak of the CoTo island, 70 metres above sea level.

Large Co To Island has an abundance of seafood such as shrimp, cuttle fish…, price is very cheap. You can bring gas cooker and cook your own meal or hire a native to cook.

From large Co To Island, hiring a boat to the islands around, you will discover things such as kinds of water sports: snorkeling, fish stabbing… on Thanh Lan Island, oranges are a special harvested fruit. During harvest time, the island turns a splendid orange-yellow colour.

Charming landscape with fresh air make Co To become an attractive place for visitors who are keen on exploring.

Soi Sim Islet in Halong Bay Vietnam

Soi Sim is an soil island 400 m away from Ti Tốp Island, and 7-8 km from the Bãi Cháy Tourist Wharf. In the island there are many ancient trees. The Hạ Long Bay Management Board is going to build a system of guesthouses equipped with modern facilities.

Soi Sim islet in paradise cruises

Soi Sim Island located in the southwest area of World Heritage Halong Bay by Bai Chay tourist pier about 11km.With an area of ​​8.7 ha, the island has special geological structure with two-thirds covered by soil and soilweathering feralit quiz. Island has two beautiful beaches and scenic points covering the World Heritage area inthe southeast and northwest.
Formerly the local people found a lot of forest trees growing on the island of Sim - a shrub with purple fruit, sothe island was called Soi Sim. With a rich ecosystem and in the heart of the heritage area, at present, Soi SimIsland is the place to attract tourists to sightseeing, swimming, tourism on Ha Long Bay.

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In the future Soi Sim island will be developed into one of the eco-tourism center with a system of small wooden houses, garden plant and animal conservation, scenic floor system and resort attractions in the areaheritage center.
Especially the island is home to beautiful beaches where blue water is great for visitors boating and swimming

Monkey island Beach 1

Come to Monkey Island Resort, you will have a wonderful time staying in bungalows, enjoy the fresh air of the ocean, enjoy swimming at the private beach, do kayaking in the bay, swimming, playing football, volleyball or billiard….or you can climb up the mountain for the spectacular view of Lan Ha bay.

Monkey at Monkey Island mountain – Halong Bay Tours

Monkey Island Resort has 15 rooms which are equiped very comfortable for your stay with quality beddings, air conditioner, and private bath room – hot shower. Especialy, your room has view to the sea and you can enjoy some drinks seating at the coridor infront.
Monkey Restaurant stays next to the beach and infront of the beautiful garden where you can enjoy Vietnamese food or Western food. You can seat here for drinking, waiting for the sunset in the afternoon or watch thousands of stars in the evening.

Monkey island Beach 1

Monkey Island must be one of the best place for travellers those want to enjoy many activities, love the private beach…on the tour to Halong bay – Cat Ba island.

Monkey Island in Halong Bay

Paradise cruises in Halong Bay Vietnam

Monkey Island stay in the area of Nam Cat, Lan Ha bay. There are 5 sandy beach here and Monkey Island beach is the most beautiful and the biggest one. From Cat Ba town, you have to take a taxi or motobike to Beo harbour where you go by boat to Monkey Island. It takes you about 15 minutes, throught the floating village and many beautiful islets with sea birds flying in group up and down.

Monkey Island in Halong Bay Travel

In the past, this island was called Cat Dua island ( Pine Apple Sand Beach island) because there is a lot of pine apple trees on the sandy beach. In recent years, there are many tourists come and they found many monkeys on the island then this is called Monkey Island beside the name Cat Dua.

Monkey island is about 5 km round with the front side are 2 sandy beaches and the back side is like rocky mountain. The beaches here are very beautiful with pine apple trees on the beach and many kind of green trees on the mountain.

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There are about 20 monkeys on the island. They live on the mountain, in the garden and some time go to the beach for foods given by the tourist. Coming here, you also can enjoy the song of the birds in the garden or see many fishes swimming in the clean water.

Monkey Island is an ideal place for tourist holiday with many activities like play football, volley ball on beach, swimming, snockeling or go fishing. Especially, you can do kayaking around as the water here is calm like in a lake with hundreds of islets around.

Oan islet in paradise cruises

Situated 300 m away from Bài Thơ Mountain and 5 km from the Bãi Cháy Tourist Wharf, a 22-meter islet stands out in Bái Tử Long Bay.

Oan islet in Halong Bay Vietnam

It has the shape of truncated sticky rice, which serves as an offering to Buddha. French tourists pay special attention to this rock as in 1992; a French famous actress came there to film some shots of the film Indochina.

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In the island, some settings are still preserved including the stone-paved road to the beach (often called the Slave Pier), the prisons, etc.

Ngon Tay islet in Halong bay tours reviews

On the way to Ti Tốp Island, visitors see a stone rock resembling a thump jutting out of the sea.

Ngon Tay islet in halong bay tours reviews

Nature has put the Ngón Tay (Finger) Islet here as a reminder of many interesting extras in the discovery of Hạ Long.

Mat Quy Islet on Paradise Cruises

Boating past the Ấm Islet some 20 minutes, we see Mặt Quỷ Islet or Monster Head Islet, which protrudes about 30-35 m from the waters of Bái Tử Long Bay.

Mặt Quỷ islet on paradise cruises

Nature has carved the rock in the shape of a monster head, with a rough big nose standing out from a distorted face. From whatever angle, one still find it horrible

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Dua Islet in Halong Bay Vietnam

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Dua islet in halong bay vietnam

In Bái Tử Long Bay, some 7 km east of Bài Thơ (Poem) Mountain stands a stone islet, which resembles a huge magic wand in Andersen’s fairy tales. It clarifies the geological and geomorphologic significance of Hạ Long Bay. Đũa Islet serves as an interesting tourist site and a “lighthouse” for seagoing boats

Dau Nguoi Islet in Halong Bay Vietnam

From a far, you can see a 25-meter islet, which reminds us of a huge Egyptian head with a big nose. Its chin lies close to the sea surface. Many people associate it with the image of the Egyptian Sphinx.

Dau Nguoi Islet in paradise cruises

The Dau Nguoi Islet in Ha Long Bay, a masterpiece of nature, has its own poetic beauty as it lies amidst seawaters. The islet lies near Luồn Cave, 13 km away from the tourist wharf.

Dinh Huong Islet in Halong Bay Travel

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In the itinerary of Thiên Cung – Ðầu Gỗ – Ti Tốp, one finds Ðỉnh Hương Islet or Lư Hương (Incense Burner Islet) to the southwest of Ðầu Gỗ Island.

Dinh Huong islet in Halong Bay Travel

Passing the Chó Ðá (Stone Dog) Islet and the Con Mèo (Cat) Islet, one sees an imposing stone slab resting on two other small stones stands blocked the way. The stone slab resembles a huge incense burner, which lies in the middle of the sea as a holy object to worship the Sky and Earth.

Con Coc Islet – Paradise Cruises

Con Cóc or Toad Islet is one of the most exquisite works nature has presented Hạ Long. Just imagine, an 8-meter-tall toad sitting to wait for rain amidst the vastness of the sea.

Con Cóc islet in Halong bay Vietnam

The Toad Islet lies in the southeast of Hạ Long Bay, 17 km away from the tourist boat wharf.

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But islet – wonders of nature

Some 30-minute boating away from the Con Cóc Islet, on the way to the Ba Trái Ðào (Three Peaches) Island, visitors see a pen bobbing (Bút Islet) in the seawaters. This constitutes a monument of knowledge Mother Dragon wanted to pass down to the present-day generations.

But Islet in Halong Bay tours

Lying adjacent to the Pen Islet is a small attractive beach. Tourists can anchor there to take a bath.

Xep And Yen Ngua Islets in Halong Bay Tours

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Xếp Islet or Layer Islet is a huge, multi-layered, square piece of stone which looks like an Egyptian pyramid built in the middle of the Bái Tử Long Bay, Cẩm Phả District.

Xếp islet in Halong bay travel

The Yên Ngựa or Saddle Islet lies in Hạ Long Bay, in the centre of the World Heritage Area. Nature has creatively shaped two pieces of stone, one high and one lower, which are linked together to form an imposing rock, looking like a saddle. Boats can go through underneath.

Yên Ngựa Islet in Paradise Cruises

The whole rock resembles a sewing machine. How wonderful to have such a magnificent but elegant “saddle”, jutting some 10 m above the sea surface.

Ấm and Ba Trái Đào Islets – Paradise Cruises

System islets of Halong Bay Vietnam

On the route to Quan Lan – Ngọc Vừng islands; Ấm Rock or Kettle Islet is situated in Bái Tử Long Bay. An island jutting out of the seawaters, the teapot of the Jade Emperor, who accidentally dropped it into Hạ Long so, its handle was broken.

Ấm islet in Halong bay Vietnam

This island consists of three small mountains with the height of 23 m, seen from afar, resemble three peaches (Ba Trái Đào).

The island connects to a legend of about the romantic love between a youngest fairy who was very pretty with a young and poor fisherman. Because of feeling in love with him, she stole three peaches from Heaven for him, that if he ate, would give him eternal life, allowing them to live together forever. The King of the Heavens discovered the robbery and turned the peaches into three stone islands. Chastised, the young fairy had to return.

Ba trái đào islet – Paradise Cruises

Today, Ba Trái Ðào is a famous tourist attraction with three nice fairy beaches, romantic landscape. It is 22 km from south north of Bãi Cháy Tourist Wharf.

Reu island Halong bay tours

Rều Island in Halong Bay Vietnam – One of seven wonders of the world with 1600 islands…

Rều Island in Halong bay Vietnam

Rều Island lies just 500 m from the tourist boats wharf. The Hoàng Gia International Joint Venture is implementing a project to turn the island into a resort complex with many kinds of services. At present, the island has a lot species of animals, including many rare ones.

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Rều Island is fast changing into an interesting holiday resort.

Ti Top Island – Halong Bay Vietnam

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Ti Top island – Halong Bay Vietnam

Situated about 7-8 km south-east of Bãi Cháy lies the small Ti Tốp Island. It displays a beach shaped like a crescent moon, and sand that has been washed to a snowy white by the tide. On 22 November 1962, this tiny island had the honour of receiving a visit from astronaut Ghermann Ti Tốp, a hero of the former Soviet Union, accompanied by Hồ Chí Minh. To perpetuate the remembrance of their visit, Uncle Hồ named the place Ti Tốp Island. It has now become an attractive beach for tourists and has various of tourist services.

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Thirty-five years afterwards, on 27 June 1997, Ti Tốp returned to the island having his name. Deeply moved, he wrote in the souvenir book of the Management Board of Hạ Long Bay: “My deepest thanks to destiny, which has allowed me to come back to this tiny island.” It has become a beach attracting many visitors.

Ngoc Vung Island - Paradise Cruise Halong Bay

Paradise cruise Halong bay – Halong Bay Vietnam

Ngọc Vừng, or Gem Island, is a pretty site sitting between the Nét Islet and Phượng Hoàng (Phoenix) Island, in the Vân Ðồn District. From above, Ngọc Vừng looks like a beautiful velvet handkerchief with exquisite white edgings; it seems to float on the water surface. On the east side of the island there is a kilometres-beach with pure white sand. At the centre is a luxuriant benjamin fig tree; it was under this tree that Hồ Chí Minh stood and conversed with the population in 1962 during a visit.

Ngoc Vung Island Paradise cruise halong bay

Formerly, under the feudal dynasties, this island zone contained a great quantity of rare and precious species of mother-of-pearls. At night, fluorescent pearls would light up the whole region. So there are several islands having name “Ngọc” such as Ngọc Vừng (dazzling pearl), Minh Châu (Ngọc Châu)…

During the war against the US, the island belonged to a front of outward islands that served as protection for the eastern waterways.

It is also on the beach that many stone artefacts were discovered in 1937, opening a string of excavations and archaeological research aiming at providing some explanations of the mysteries of the ancient Hạ Long culture.