“Ha Long Bay deserves to be one of the seven natural wonders of the world”, not only Vietnamese but also foreigners who have already been to Ha Long Bay expressed their feelings.

When asked how she feels about Ha Long Bay, Mrs. Shannon David Holding, an Australian visitor who is working as a sales consultant at a downtown duty free shop in Perth, Australia said “I visited Ha Long Bay because I had heard about Ha Long Bay in the newspapers, on TV and from Australian tourism companies.

Ha Long Bay is very beautiful, everything is great and the people are very friendly. In my opinion, I think Ha Long is very different to other parts of the world that I have been to. Thus, everybody should nominate Ha Long as one of the seven natural wonders of the world. This is the first time I have come to Ha Long and it is also the first time I have come to Vietnam. My family will stay in Ha Long for three days and we will come back to Ha Long Bay in the future. I love the people and the scenery here.

To attract more and more foreign visitors to Ha Long, I think Vietnam should advertise more and put photos of Ha Long Bay on the Internet, increase advertising on Ha Long in other countries in the world, and supply more information on Ha Long to foreign tourist companies.”

Sharing Mrs. Shannon’s views, Mr. Minh Nguyen, a Vietnamese American, a quantitative and financial valuation specialist, said “I have lived in America for 41 years. Although I am living and working abroad I still come back to Vietnam frequently. Ha Long is always an impressive and memorable landscape even though I have been to many places in the world.

I know that Ha Long is one of the landscapes that is being nominated for the seven natural wonders of the world, I am very glad and will nominate Ha Long, I hope I can contribute to the success of Vietnam’s tourism sector in general and Ha Long in particular.

As an overseas Vietnamese, I have some ideas for attracting more and more Vietnamese and foreign visitors to Ha Long Bay. Firstly, Vetnam should avoid over-commercialization. Secondly, make sure all activities follow strict environmental controls. Thirdly, reduce or even prohibit the use of ships and boats with engines in sensitive areas.

Besides, Vietnam needs to encourage sailing, kayaking, and tours that show the orchids, plants, wild life, while monitoring the water quality frequently.

Mr. Donatas, a Polish visitor, has a different view when expressing his feelings on Ha Long Bay. He said “This is the first time I have come to Ha Long and Tuan Chau island is very nice and clean. Ha Long Bay with its many caves and rocks is a nice place to visit. Tuan Chau island is great and I will come back to this island.

I want to propose some ideas through the Communist Party of Vietnam Online Newspaper in order to create better conditions for foreign visitors in Ha Long.

It is easy to see that it is difficult to exchange money in Ha Long, and it would be very difficult for us to enjoy Ha Long if we can’t exchange money.

Moreover, we are foreign visitors, we can’t speak Vietnamese, but we can’t find information in English anywhere. Thus, it is very difficult for us to find out about the history and development of Ha Long Bay.”

On December 14, 1994, at 17h17, at the Le Meridien Hotel in the southern city of Phuket, Thailand, the World Heritage Committee unanimously decided to recognize Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay as a world heritage site at its 18th session.

The news was warmly welcome by the Vietnamese people and those in other countries.

Let’s vote for Ha Long Bay so that the list of the seven natural wonders of the world will include Ha Long Bay, a unique natural heritage, helping to enrich man kind’s ever-lasting treasures.