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Bai Tu Long National Park is situated in Bai Tu Long bay in Van
Don district, Quang Ninh province. The topography of Bai Tu Long
bay is similar to that of Ha Long bay, immediately to the south:
limestone islands and islets, surrounded by marine waters. One distinctive
feature of Bai Tu Long bay is
Ba Mun island, a larger island, composed of schist, sand and gravel,
not limestone. Ba Mun island consists of a narrow strip of land,
18 km long and, on average, 1 km wide. The highest point on the
island is Cai Quyt peak at 307 m. A number of streams originate
on the central ridge of the island, most of which are seasonal.
Bai Tu Long National Park supports about 2,000 ha of lowland evergreen
forest, most of which is on Ba Mun. This forest has, however, been
heavily disturbed by selective timber extraction and very little
undisturbed forest remains. On Tra Ngo Island, however, significant
stretches of limestone forest still remain.
Tree species diversity is high in the forest in the national park,
with no one family dominating. Common tree species include members
of the Caesalpiniaceae, Theaceae, Dipterocarpaceae, Myrtaceae and
Sapotaceae families. A total of 398 vascular plant species have
been recorded on Ba Mun Island to date, four of which are listed
in the Red Data Book of Vietnam: Decussocarpus fleuryi, Goniothalamus
chinensis, Morinda officinalis and Smilax glabra.
The national park also includes a number of significant patches
of mangrove forest. The dominant mangrove species is Aegyceras corniculata,
while Bruguiera gymnorhiza, Kandelia candel and Rhizophora stylosa
are also present. The Ang valley on Tra Ngo island contains the
largest patch of mangrove forest in the national park. It can be
accessed through Cai De cave, a 2 km-long tunnel, which connects
the valley to the sea.
Despite the national park's isolation from the mainland, it supports
a high diversity of terrestrial fauna. Prior to 1975, the fauna
of Ba Mun island was the most diverse and abundant known in Quang
Ninh province. Subsequent decades of illegal hunting and timber
extraction have, however, significantly reduced the diversity of
the island's fauna (Anon. 1998). According to the investment plan
for the former Ba Mun Nature Reserve (Anon. 1998), Eurasian Wild
Pig Sus scrofa and Red Muntjac Muntiacus muntjak still occur, although
the presence of other large mammal species, such as Asian Black
Bear Ursus thibetanus, could not be confirmed.
The national park has been the focus of preliminary ornithological
surveys. A single globally threatened species has been recorded:
Pale-capped Pigeon Columba punicea (Eames and Tordoff in prep.).
Bai Tu Long National Park education centre opens
QUANG NINH — It was not just the young who appeared fascinated
by the new environmental education centre in Bai Tu Long National
Park, north of Ha Long Bay.
Older residents of Minh Chau Commune, Van Don Island closely inspected
the exhibits on the plant and animal life that live in the park’s
15,700ha of sea, tidal and island land at the center’s opening
day on March 5.
"I want to learn more about the local environment but there
are not many trees left," said Kieu Van Vien, from nearby Na
San Village.
"The local rangers patrol the forest very strictly to protect
what we have left. But I hope the centre will teach everyone about
protecting the environment."
Unlike Ha Long Bay, few tourists make it to Bai Tu Long Bay. However,
logging, poaching, over-fishing and the pollution from the province’s
large coal mining industry are placing substantial pressure on the
environment.
Poverty in the communes that surround the park mean it is frequently
entered illegally as people search for food or to steal logs or
hunt valuable animals to make ends meet.
Park director Nguyen Duc Tuy said an education environment centre
in the national park was necessary for local community as well as
tourists.
"It is significant component of our awareness strategy that
will facilitate the area’s understanding of park issues."
Bai Tu Long National Park, in the northern province of Quang Ninh,
was set up by the Government in 2001. The park covers the islands
of Ba Mun, Tra Ngo Lon, Tra Ngo Nho, Sau Dong, the Sau Nam islands
and another 20 smaller karst islands.
The park has 494 different plant species, 37 animals, 96 bird species,
15 amphibian species, 22 species of reptiles and 391 marine animals,
according to a biodiversity study by British NGO Frontier Viet Nam.
One of the most endangered animals in the park is the dugong, also
known as a sea cow. Listed in Viet Nam’s Red Book, the dugong
is a large whale-like sea mammal that is in fact, more closely related
to the elephant than the whale. Minh Chau fishermen found a 500kg
dugong in park waters last December.
Safeguarding the park’s ecosystem is difficult because the
area’s main communes of Minh Chau, Quan Lan, Ban Sen, Van
Yen and Ha Long are far apart, spread across several islands, chief
park ranger Pham Van Sy said.
Frontier Viet Nam has two projects in the park, focusing on evaluating
biodiversity, improving the community’s environmental awareness
and training forest rangers in research methods and collecting statistics
on the local flora and fauna.
"I hope the centre will play an important role in addressing
these issues and raising awareness not only the local community
but among visitors," said Leo Bottrill, chief of representative
Frontier-Vietnam. — VNS.
Ha Long Bay is northern Vietnam's biggest attraction, one of the
most magnificent natural splendors of the Far East. "Ha Long"
means "Where the Dragon Descends into the Sea." From the
emerald-green waters of Ha Long Bay some 3000 limestone and dolomite
islands (. or "grottos") rise jaggedly from the Gulf of
Tonkin like medieval stone cathedral spires, or the scales on a
dragon's back. Local lore has it that an enormous dragon created
the bay, grottos and outcroppings as it thrashed its way toward
the open sea to prevent the intrusion of enemy navies. Today, local
fishermen still report encountering a giant sea beast called Tarasque,
sort of the Nessie of the South China Sea.
Ha Long Bay affords some of Vietnam's most spectacular scenery,
including beautiful limestone formations, rock arches, gin-clear
water, virtually inaccessible lagoons, sheer cliffs, peaceful coves,
eerie caves, secluded strips of white, powdery sand, and thousands
of limestone islets. Like sculpted cartoon characters, these islets
are fancifully named: Frog Island, Face Island, the Isle of Wonders
and the Isle of Surprise. Chinese junks glide over the teal-hued
bay between the grottos, which are densely carpeted in neon-green
ficas, mangrove and spiky cacti. Pearl oyster farms are tucked into
tight channels between the towering, limestone cliffs. Primitive
floating fish hatcheries are spun across the waters between the
grottos like neglected spider webs. This maritime mountain range
reaches for a distance of more than 100 kilometers and covers an
area of some 1553 square kilometers.
Two major battles were fought in Ha Long Bay during the 10th and
13th centuries. In 1882, French Captain Henri Rivière was
beheaded here after trying to capture the region's enormous coal
deposits. The locals paraded his head from village to village. The
French weren't amused, and decided that Vietnam should be permanently
annexed as a French colony.
Coal remained the mainstay of local industry until recent years,
when hydroelectric projects in both Vietnam and China (where much
of the coal was destined) largely relegated it to the proverbial
back burner. Locals have diverted their attention from the coal
mines to the gold mine of tourism. Nevertheless, coal mining remains
an eyesore to the more adventurous travelers who decide to head
to Mong Cai in Vietnam's far northeast.
Ha Long's only natural drawback is the weather: It can be horrible.
It is often damp, rainy and cold, particularly during the winter
months. Visitors during the winter tend to spend most of their time
in the bay itself, as Ha Long's waters remain bathtub-warm year-round.
If Ha Long were, say, a thousand kilometers closer to the equator,
this would be paradise on Earth. As it is, it's still darn close.
Catch the area on a nice day, particularly during the spring and
fall months, and you're in for one of the biggest treats of your
Vietnam visit.
Kim Quy Grotto or Golden Tortoise Grotto is situated on Dâm
Nam Islet, with a peak 187 m above sea level. Dâm Bac Islet
is in the front of the grotto and Soi Sim Islet in the back.
The grotto is 100 m long and 5 to 10 m wide, running in a north-south
direction.
A narrow way leads to the interior of the grotto where a stream
flows. The stalactites here are snow-white and lightly hang from
the ceiling.
It is linked to the ancient legend of the Golden Tortoise: after
having helped Emperor Lê Loi defeat his enemies, the Golden
Tortoise took back the magic sword he had given him, and swam towards
the sea. Arriving in HaLong Bay, it met with so many evil spirits
and demons hindering its journey that it remained to do battle.
After having defeated them all, the Golden Tortoise was so exhausted
that it searched for a grotto to rest in, and once inside, turned
to stone.
Today in the grotto, it can be found dozing, still with ancient
wounds covering its body.
Two kilometres south-west of Ti Top island is the Mê Cung
Grotto or Bewitching Grotto. It formed on Lom Bò Island,
and seen from afar, the entrance is like the roof of a house denting
the island’s side.
After a narrow crack only allowing one person through at a time,
many partitions appear. These chambers are somewhat small and narrow,
but very refined, and with many stalagmites and stalactites bearing
beautiful forms.
Threading your way through narrow passages, you find a dim light
from afar, which signals the exit of the grotto. On getting out
of the grotto, climb up several rugged stone stairs and look down,
you see a large round lake surrounded by the mountain. Its waters
are blue all year round. The lake is home to many kinds of fish,
shrimps, octopuses, algae, see weed, and coral. Lying adjacent to
the lake there is an area of old trees popularly known as an alluring
“royal garden”.
It is dry and well-ventilated, and features a thick layer of shells
forming the foundation of the entrance. Formerly, this layer was
1.2-meter-thick and semi-fossilized. In the course of research,
there was also a fossilized animal’s skeleton discovered in
the interior. The Mê Cung Grotto has been recognized by archaeologists
as one of the vestiges of the pre-Ha Long new Stone Age culture,
which existed between 7,000 and 10,000 years ago.
Pushing into the grotto, tourists feel like walking in a palace
of a Persian king. Hearing the murmur from out of nowhere, you think
that Scheherazade is telling the stories of the Thousand and One
Nights for her king.
On the island, there are many ancient trees casting long reflections
on the water of the bay. They are home to many species of birds
and animals (monkeys, chamois and vagrants).
The Trinh Nu Grotto or Virgin Grotto is situated on the island range
of Bo Hòn in the system comprising the Sung Sôt Grotto,
Ð?ng Tiên Lake and Luon Grotto. It is 15 km south of Bãi
Cháy Beach. For fishermen, the Virgin Grotto is their house,
but for young lovers, it is considered as the symbol of truly love,
and is the romantic place for taking oath of love.
Entering Trinh Nu Grotto, one finds in the middle of the grotto
a stone statue of a lying-girl with her long hair hanging down who
is looking to the sea in a vain hope.
Situated opposite to Trinh Nu Grotto, Trong (or Male) Grotto has
a stone statue of a boy who turns his face to Trinh Nu Grotto. One
still hears his vain scream in tune with the wind blowing into the
cliff somewhere.
Legend has it, there once was a beautiful fisherman's daughter,
whose family was so poor that it was in the service of the rich
administrator of the fishing zone. He forced the family to give
him the girl as a concubine. She already had a lover who at that
time was on the high seas catching fish to prepare for their wedding.
The administrator, angered by her refusal, exiled her to a wild
island where she suffered from hunger and exhaustion. On one frightening
night, amidst terrible rain and winds, she turned to stone.
It was also the night that her lover knew of her danger, and he
rowed his boat in search of her. On the terrible night, the tempest
destroyed his boat and he floated to one of the islands. In a lighting
flash he saw his mate in the distance, but his calls were driven
away by the wind. He used a stone block to hammer down on the mountain
cliffs to announce to her he was nearby. He struck until blood flowed
from his hands, and in his final exhaustion, also turned to stone
(today’s Trong Grotto).
Tourists also find Trinh Nu Grotto attractive partly because of
its association with a fanciful love legend: “Once upon a
time, there lived a boy and a girl who deeply loved each other.
However, they were so poor that they could not be able to get married.
The boy decided to go offshore fishing with a hope that he could
get enough money for his marriage. And the girl painfully waited
in vain for her fiancé. She finally took a small boat and
rowed to the sea to look for him. So immense is the sea, and so
many are the islands, the boy, therefore could not hear her doleful
call, though he was just several canals away. Exhausted, the girl
lied in a grotto, looking to the sea and got petrified after the
last call. The boy got lost in a grotto nearby, shouting to call
the girl in vain. The echo of their call through the cliff was so
moving. At last, the boy became exhausted and petrified in the grotto
- present-day Trong Grotto.”
Today, whenever passing this place, tourists can still hear his
faint call.
Situated on the south-west side of Ha Long Bay, Ba Ham Lake is found
on Ðau Bê Island (Calf Head Island) in Lan Ha Bay. This
island is part of the range of islands at the farthest end of HaLong
Bay, bordering the immense zone Long Châu Sea. Ba Ham Lake
is situated in the middle of a narrow, rectangular area, with the
all four sides enclosed by vertical cliffs.
The lake is a system comprising three wide and round pits, linked
together by a narrow and meandering tunnel. Stalactites hang from
the ceiling in a myriad of strange, colored forms. The silence is
disturbed only by the sounds of the boat’s oars. On the island
are many species of plants such as orchids, Benjamin figs, banyans
and cycads, which blossom throughout the year. It is also the home
of yellow-haired monkeys, birds, flying squirrels and bats. Under
the deep blue surface of the water are the animated lives of shrimp
and fish.
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