Bai Chay Beach
is large, beautiful and closed to the coast of Halong Bay. The
100-meter-wide-sandy beach spans over 500 m. Bai Chay is a low gently
sloping range of hills that runs along the sea for more than 2
km. Blended in among the pine trees are large hotels and small villas
with distinguished architectural styles. Early in the morning or in late
afternoon, thousands of people liven up the atmosphere here. According
to the locals, Bai Chay got its name long ago, based on another
historical event. Bai Chay was once a forest. In 1287, the Mongols led
by the great Truong Van Ho,(a Vietnamese name for this Mongolian
general) attacked Vietnam and was driven back by general Tran Khanh Du.
Many Mongolian ships were set afire and drifted to shore aided by high
wind setting the forest on fire. Since then this stretch of beach became
known as Bai Chay or scorched beach.
The
asphalt road winds its way through the white sandy beach and luxuriant
casuarinas. The Hoang Gia Tourism Company has invested in diverse
services for tourists. The Bai Chay tourist site is fast changing into
one of the most captivating of this kind in Ha Long City. It comprises
restaurants, water puppet and traditional music theaters, Hoang Gia
Park, water-skiing, and sea motorcycling. The Hoàng Gia Park lines along
the Ha Long road leading from the Bai Chay Tourist Wharf to the gate of
the Ha Long Night Market.
There are many legends associated with
the name Bai Chay. 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.
Another legend has it that the western
side of Cua Luc used to be a wharf for seagoing boats. Acorn-barnacles
firmly attached to these boats’ sides and underneath, and might wreck
the boats. The local population had to use casuarinas leaves to burn
acorn-barnacles. From Hon Gai and other neighboring places, people
always see a blaze from there, so they called it Bai Chay.
