The 15th anniversary of Ha Long Bay’s recognition as a world natural heritage site was celebrated in the northern coastal province of Quang Ninh on December 15.

Speaking at the ceremony, Nguyen Van Doc, Vice Chairman of the Quang Ninh provincial People’s Committee said that Ha Long Bay’s status as a world natural heritage site will enable more people in the world to learn about Vietnam.

The Bay, recognised twice by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for its natural beauty in 1994 and geomorphic characteristics in 2000, is also among listed among the top entries in a campaign to vote for the world’s seven new natural wonders by the NewOpenWorld.

The Bay is part of the Bac Bo Gulf in the northeastern part of the country, dotted with 1,969 limestone islands that rise spectacularly from the sea. It has 120km of coastline and covers over 430sq.km renowned for its diverse geographical features including mangrove forests, tropical forests and coral reefs inhabited by more than 1,000 species of marine life and many species of birds, bantams, antelopes, monkeys and iguanas.

Scientists have proved that Ha Long Bay is one of the cradles of ancient Vietnamese people with three consecutive prehistoric cultures that dated back to 18,000 years.

In the first 11 months of the year Ha Long Bay welcomed almost 2.2 million tourists.