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K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

Halong Bay tour: Inside cave

About this recording

Creator
Kristin Post
Date created
January 21, 2001
Duration
2:21
Location
Halong Bay, Vietnam
File
MP3
License
This recording copyright ©2001. Terms of use

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With its famous beautiful limestone outcroppings and sapphire blue waters, Halong Bay is a popular destination for tourists.

It is also a point of pride for the Vietnamese. They tell a myth about the origins of the limestone islands. In ancient times, when the Vietnamese were fighting against enemies from the North, the gods sent a family of dragons to their aid. The dragons descended to earth in the location of Halong Bay. Upon hitting the sea, they spit out jewels and jade that became the islands that have provided refuge for the Vietnamese to seek safety from dangerous storms, and from foreign invaders, like the Chinese, the French, and the Americans.

The limestone caves in Halong Bay provided refuge for the north Vietnamese during the Vietnam War. A tour will take you to several of these caves, including one directly above the water, that is accessed by stairs. This cave may have been where the first American soldier was captured and held, at least this is what the tour guide says. That soldier was LTJG Everett Alvarez, who was shot down over Halong Bay after the infamous Gulf of Tonkin incident.

From my journal:

First stop is cave. Icky-lit with colored lights. The Chinese helped build it.

Transcript

Tour guide

…islands are not named.

But the area in which you are is recognized as a natural heritage, covers an area of 434 square kilometers, with 700 islands and islets. The islands of Halong Bay are limestone islands, six islands, and the other, land islands.

And you know, Cat Ba, Cat Ba is big land island, but it not belong to Halong Bay it is (?) of Halong Bay, and it belong to Haifong Province, not belong to Guanming province.

Halong Bay. Halong mean “descending dragon” bay, yeah, so all of know you know of this legend, so I don’t want to repeat it (laughter). But I want to tell you, because this..uh..Bay..play an important role on the sea water, on the sea water way. So during the war, yeah, it is a good place for the boat to avoid the storm and to avoid the (IRN?) bombing place. Uh…but I only want to tell you about historical event without any other idea.

Uh, in the fifth August, 1964. The..the…when the America attack the country, our country, the three American warplane were shot down here, and the first pilot was captured here. So only historical event, not, there’s no..I only want to repeat it for you. That’s it. Okay. (laughter)

So, uh. Because um…it was (?) in caves, the stalactite and stalagmite is very wide, and very beautiful. So you can enjoy by yourself, so remember after 45 minutes. It is now. 3:40, 3:40pm, please get back to the same boat. So and we continue to Cat Ba Island. I think 45 minute is enough for you, O.K.?

Tourist
Just follow the…
Tour guide
Yeah, I go with you, but in case you don’t see me. You will know the time to go back…