A Tour to Ngoc Vung Island

Ngoc Vung Island is about 50km away from the tourist wharf of Ha Long. Ngoc Vung (halo of a gem) Island in Van Don District, Quang Ninh Province has a natural beautiful landscape, attracting a great number of visitors.

Its name comes from the fact that in the old days this area had many categories of rare and precious oysters whose pearls brightened the whole area. Today, people in the surrounding area still dive for oysters to retrieve the pearls, although the oyster-rearing farms for pearls are developing.

Rowing kayaks to explore Cong Do fishing village.



Playing in the sea waves. 

Ngoc Vung Island is a soil island covering 12km². It has the old wharf of Cong Yen which is in the old Van Don system of commercial ports from the 11^th century, and relics of the ancient citadel of the Mac and Nguyen Dynasties. During the anti-US resistance war, Ngoc Vung Island was among the outpost islands defending the eastern airspace of the country. It has been awarded the title “Heroic Island” by the State.

Crabs and oysters are local specialties.

To visit Ngoc Vung Island, visitors can take a 5-hour boat ride and arrive at Cong Yen Wharf. Since there are no cars or motorbikes on the island, visitors are provided with bicycles when disembarking the boat and they often first head to the beach, 5 kilometres away.  

Cycling along a concrete road that snakes around the island, visitors are surrounded by the island’s beauty. They enter a small fishing village with houses roofed with red terracotta tiles or grey concrete.  The Island has a population of over 1,000 people who are friendly and hospitable and work together to make the island community survive.  They are ready to invite visitors to their house to have a meal or lead them to visit relics on the island.

Sandworms (Spunculoideas) are sold on the island.

Ngoc Vung Beach is crescent shaped, nearly 3km long and has a casuarinas forest. The beach is clean, natural and beautiful. Visitors to the island will enjoy fresh and delicious seafood which are caught or reared by the locals and sold at a cheap price. Tu hai (mollusca family), oyster, lobster and sandworm (Spunculoideas) are specialties of the island.

Part of the fishing village on Ngoc Vung Island.

Visitors will feel passing a shorter way because the road is clear and they enjoy the beautiful scenery around.

Cong Do fishing village is another attraction in the tour. To visit the village, each visitor will row a small kayak. Sitting on the kayak he/she can easily touch the water. As professional boat rowers visitors ride the kayaks through the fishing village. Sometimes they stop to talk with hospitable villagers.

Sunrise over the island.

Due to the blissful surroundings, tourists say that a day on the island passes quickly and many want to stay longer on the island to enjoy the magnificent masterpieces bestowed by nature.

 

Cycling on the island is a relaxing pastime.

How to get to Ngoc Vung Island

Ngoc Vung Island has a total area of 40km², over 30km from Ha Long City and about over 2 hour’s boat drive from Cai Rong Wharf (Van Don District). Visitors can book boat tickets to visit the Island.

Further information:

Huong Hai Boat

No. 1 Vuon Dao, Bai Chay, Ha Long City, Quang Ninh Province.

Tel: (84-33) 3845042

Source: Vietnam Pictorial