In 1962, the Vietnam Ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism designated Hạ Long Bay a ‘Renowned National Landscape Monument’.
A community of around 1,600 people live
on Hạ Long Bay in four fishing villages: Cửa Vạn, Ba Hang, Cống Tàu and
Vông Viêng in Hùng Thắng commune, Hạ Long city. They live on floating
houses and are sustained through fishing and marine aquaculture
(cultivating marine biota).
Hạ Long Bay was first listed as a UNESCO
World Heritage Site in 1994,in recognition of its outstanding,
universal aesthetic value. In 2000 the World Heritage Committee
additionally recognized Hạ Long Bay for its outstanding geological and
morphological value,and its World Heritage Listing was updated.
In 2009, the New 7 Wonders Foundation,
which runs the New Seven Wonders of the World program, included Halong
Bay on its list of nominations as one the World’s 7 Natural Wonders
