Journey of adventure in the heritage land

Tourists explore the heritage site - fishing village on Ha Long Bay. Photo: Nguyen Hieu

The memory of that time is the image of a simple large boat with two rows of wooden seats, gently weaving through the islands and rocky mountains of various shapes, towering above the clear blue water in the heart of the heritage.

In the summer of 2018, as a travel reporter, I had the opportunity to return to Ha Long with a press group to attend the first professional music minishow held on a 5-star cruise ship in the middle of the bay.

In the windy space, the piano sound echoed in the sunset, making Ha Long appear as classy as a surreal painting - romantic and full of emotions. At that moment, I realized that this heritage area had put on a new coat, more brilliant and charming than ever.

Not only can tourists see Ha Long from ships, they can also observe thousands of limestone islands from a high angle, through the glass windows of a seaplane.

The seaplane service to see Ha Long Bay has been in operation since 2014, initially mainly serving international visitors. It was not until around 2020 that the seaplane experience began to attract Vietnamese tourists.

At the end of 2024, during my third business trip back to Ha Long, I had the opportunity to fly a seaplane - experiencing exploring the heritage site from above.

Taking off from the water, Ha Long opened up before my eyes like a magnificent natural painting: rocky islands undulating in the middle of the blue ocean, each contour of the bay curving like a talented brushstroke. Far in front of my eyes was the horizon glowing red in the afternoon light, where seagulls spread their wings in the endless sky. The 15-minute journey brought completely new and unique experiences and perspectives of Ha Long Bay.

In recent years, Quang Ninh tourism industry has undergone a strong transformation, from infrastructure to tourism thinking. Investment in highway systems, international cruise ports, specialized marinas... to new products has created conditions for Ha Long to become a tourist center all year round.

Most recently, the Ha Long Summer 2025 survey program - "Ha Long Voyage: Culture, Heritage & Renew" once again brought me back to discover a very different Ha Long: closer but newer.

It is still a luxury cruise with 5-star amenities, still a journey to visit the heritage area with many attractive activities such as kayaking, fishing, learning about the history of Vung Vieng fishing village... but only shortened to one day to suit the needs of guests. Because, before, if tourists wanted to experience all these activities, they often had to go on a 2-day-1-night tour or longer.

Not only coming to admire the beautiful scenery of Ha Long, visitors can experience more in a journey that promotes sustainability, guiding visitors to preserve heritage and local cultural, historical and traditional values.

Mr. Nguyen Van Hieu, General Director of Vitamin Tours & Events, Head of the program's Organizing Committee shared: "We - local tourism service providers and travel businesses - have the responsibility to preserve and promote the heritage value, while also renewing the tourism experience in Ha Long Bay, making Ha Long always interesting and attractive in the eyes of tourists, so that this place is not just a destination to see, to visit once and then stop.

Through promotional campaigns, Famtrips and support from newspapers and media, we hope to introduce and spread new tourism products from budget to high-end, to attract tourists to Ha Long Bay."

The good news is that these activities are receiving support from local authorities. In 2025, Quang Ninh aims to welcome 20 million tourists, including 4.5 million international visitors. Total revenue from tourism activities will reach VND50,000 billion.

However, in the context of an economy still facing many difficulties and fierce competition from emerging destinations, the local tourism industry is facing many challenges.

Every time I return, I see Ha Long “transform” once again with more complete infrastructure, new services and experiences from popular to high-end. And I understand that, like every other reporting trip, our mission as journalists is to record and spread those positive changes, so that the heritage is not only preserved, but also continues to live on with its own charm.

Source: https://laodong.vn/lao-dong-cuoi-tuan/hanh-trinh-phieu-du-tren-mien-di-san-1526768.ldo