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Top 5 World Heritage Sites in Vietnam

Halong Bay
Ha Long Bay is located in the northeastern part oI Vietnam
and constitutes part oI the western bank oI Bac Bo GulI,
including the sea area oI Ha Long City and Cam Pha Town
and part oI Vn Don island district. It abuts Cat Ba Island
in the southwest. Toward the west is the shore with a 120
km-long coastline. It is located within 106o58`-107o22` east longitude and within 20o45`-
20o50` north latitude. The site is 1553 sq. km with 1969 islands oI various sizes, oI which 989
have been named.

The islands in Ha Long Bay are mainly limestone and schist islands most lying in the two main
areas: the southeastern part oI Bai Tu Long Bay and southwestern part oI Ha Long Bay. These
islands represent the most ancient images oI a geographical site having a tectonic age oI Irom
250 million to 280 million years. They are the result oI many times oI rising and lowering
processes oI the continent to Iorm a karst. The process oI nearly Iull erosion and weathering oI
the karst created the unique Ha Long Bay in the world. In a not very large area, thousands oI
islands with diIIerent Iorms look like glittering emeralds attached to the blue scarI oI a virgin.
The area where many stone islands concentrate has spectacular scenes and world-Iamous caves
and is the center oI Ha Long Bay Natural Heritage, including HaLong Bay and a part oI Bai Tu
Long Bay.

The area is recognized as the World Natural Heritage that is the area oI 434 sq. km with 775
islands. It looks like a giant triangle with Du G Island (in the west), Ba Hm Lake (in the
south) and Cng Ty Island (in the east) as its three angle points. The nearby area is the buIIer
area and areas classiIied as national beauty spots in 1962 by the Ministry oI Culture and
InIormation.

Viewed Irom above, Ha Long Bay looks like an extremely vivid huge drawing. This is a
wonderIul and skilIul masterpiece oI the Creation and oI nature that turns thousands oI dumb
soulless stone islands into Iantastic sculptural and artistic works oI various graceIul shapes, both
Iamiliar and strange to human beings.

Ha Long is also home to great biodiversity with typical eco-systems like mangrove Iorest, coral
and tropical Iorest. It is also home to thousands oI plants and animals oI numerous species, Ior
example shrimp, Iish and squid. Some species are particularly rare and can be Iound no where
else.

With such special values, at the 18th Session oI UNESCO`s Council oI World Heritage held on
17 December 1994 in Thailand, Ha Long Bay was oIIicially placed on the list oI the World
Natural Heritage. In 2000, UNESCO recognized it as the World Heritage Ior the second time Ior
its geographical and geomorphologic values. This conIirms the global premier value oI Ha Long
Bay.

":ang Binh ( Phong Nha Cave )
Phong Nha-cave A pleasant, sleepy town, Phong Nha is nestled at the Ioot oI a series oI
limestone cliIIs in an otherwise Ilat region, 45 km to the
northwest oI Dong Hoi.

The limestone massiIs are similar to those seen on the
Andaman coast oI Thailand and mark are stark change in
the geology oI Vietnam as you pass Irom south to north.

The only reason to visit Phong Nha is to visit the Phong
Nha cave system, but an overnight here makes sense iI you have time in your schedule.

II you're one who considers caves to be nothing more than a hole in the ground, you have to see
this cave to realize just how mistaken you are.

There`s a cave, there's big caves and there's gigantic, world record-breaking caves like what
you'll see in Phong Nha. II you've only got time Ior one cave in your holidays, this is it.

The town is located along the main road Irom highway 14, stretching 2 km to the boat landing
Ior the caves. Accommodation is generally good and not too expensive. It's a good place Ior a
restIul night iI you've been harrying about Vietnam Irom hot-spot to hot-spot.

y Son
My Son Sanctuary is set in a small valley belonging to Duy Phu Commune, Duy Xuyen District,
Quang Nam Province, about 70km southwest oI Danang City and 40km Irom Hoi An City. OI
the 225 Cham vestiges that are Iounded in Vietnam, My Son possesses 71 monuments and 32
epitaphs, the content oI which is still being studied.

The Cham Kingdom had two sanctuaries belonging to two main opposing clans. My Son oI the
Dua Clan, ruled over the north oI the kingdom and was the place Ior the worship oI God Srisana
Bhadresvara. The Cau Clan, who reigned over the south, had Po Nagar Sanctuary, dedicated to
Goddess Po Nagar. Nevertheless, My Son was considered as the sanctuary oI the Cham
Kingdom.

Architect:re in y Son
The temples in My Son were built into groups that
basically Iollowed the same model. Each group was
comprised oI a main sanctuary (kalan), surrounded
by towers and auxiliary monuments. The kalan,
which is a symbol oI Meru Mountain (centre oI the
universe, where the gods live) is dedicated to Shiva.
The small temples are devoted to the spirits oI the
eight compass points. In the towers, topped with
tiled, curved rooIs, were stocked the oIIerings and sacred objects oI the pilgrims. Cham temples
do not have windows, so they are very dark inside. Windows are only Iound on the towers.

Cham towers and temples are built oI bricks associated with sandstone decorations. It is quite
noteworthy that no adhesive can be seen in between the bricks, which is amazing since some oI
the works have survived thousands oI years. The structures were built, and only then did the
sculptors carve the decorations oI Iloral patterns, human Iigures or animals. This technique is
unique in Asia.

Every kalan in My Son is comprised oI three parts: the bhurloka (Ioundations), the bhurvaloka
(body oI the tower) and the svarloka (rooI).

In December, 1999, at the 23th meeting oI World Heritage Committee oI UNESCO in
Marrakesh, Marocco, My Son was recognized as world cultural heritage based on two prominent
criterions: typical example about cultural exchange and unique evidence oI disappeared Asia
civilization

#elics of H:e
Complex oI Hue Monuments lies along the PerIume River in Hue City and some adjacent areas
oI Thua Thien Hue Province. Hue City constitutes the cultural, political and economic centre oI
the province, and was the old imperial city oI Vietnam under the Nguyen Dynasty Irom 1802 to
1945.

Cultural values
Located in the centre oI Hue, along the PerIume (Huong) River`s northern bank, the complex oI
royal architecture represents and demonstrates the power oI the Nguyen Dynasty's centralism.
Contained in this complex are Kinh Thanh Hue (the Hue
Capital Citadel), Hoang Thanh (the Royal Citadel or Imperial
City) and Tu Cam Thanh (the Forbidden Citadel) clustered
together, symmetrically placed along the longitudinal axis and
Iacing to the south.

Surrounded by a square wall, almost 600 meters in length on each side, the Imperial City has
Iour gates, oI which the south gate (Ngo Mon) is most typical in construction and is widely seen
and recognized as the symbol oI Hue Citadel. It served not only as the main entrance but was
also the place where important events oI the dynasty took place. Within the area oI the Imperial
City, the Forbidden Citadel was the area reserved Ior daily activities oI the royal Iamily.

In addition, place-names that embellish Ior the beauty oI the Complex oI Hue Monuments can be
named as: Huong River, Ngu Binh Mountain, Thien Mu Pagoda, Bach Ma Mountain, the Thuan
An and Lang Co Beaches...

At the meeting oI the 17th session oI the World Heritage Committee (WHC) in Columbia, Irom
the 6th to the 11th oI December 1993, UNESCO has come to the decision oI recognizing the
architectural ensemble oI Hue as a world cultural heritage. This was a noteworthy event in the
cultural history. For the reason that Hue is the Iirst site in Vietnam ever listed in the World
Heritage list.

Hoi An Ancient Town
Hoi An is an old town down the Thu Bon River, on the coastal plain oI Quang Nam Province,
about 30 km south oI Danang City. Hoi An used to be known on the international market with
many diIIerent names such as Lam Ap, FaiIo, Hoai Pho and Hoi An.

What is so special about Hoi An is that this little port town is in an incredible state oI
preservation. It oIIers some oI the most densely-concentrated sights in Vietnam with its old
streets bordered with ancient houses and assembly halls, its pagodas, temples, ancient wells and
tombs. In total, more than a thousand places oI interest. The architecture oI Hoi An is
characterized by a harmonious blend oI Vietnamese, Chinese and Japanese inIluences. AIter
many centuries, Hoi An is still respectIul oI its
traditions, Iolk Iestivals, belieIs and oI its
sophisticated culinary art. Set in a quiet environment,
Hoi An is surrounded by peaceIul villages that have
craIts such as carpentry, bronze making, ceramic...

Researchers said most oI the buildings in Hoi An
underwent restoration at the beginning oI the 19th
century, even iI they might be constructed long time ago. The ancient architecture shown most
clearly in the Ancient Town that located in Minh An Ward. It covers about 2 square kilometers
and almost oI all Iamous relics in Hoi An are gathered here. The streets are very short and
narrow, having a winding, crossing as the chessboard style. The topography oI the ancient town
tilts gradually Irom north to south. The building in the old town is built mostly with traditional
materials such as: brick, wood and no more than two Iloors. The traces oI time is able to Iind not
only on the architectural design oI each building but also everywhere like: on the yin-yang rooI
tiles covered with moss and plants; the old gray mold walls; the pictures carved on a strange
animal, or describing a old story. Having inherited a multi-cultural architecture so varied and
sophisticated, Hoi An must have attracted numerous and talented workers in carpentry, ceramics,
and woodcarving Irom China, Japan and other regions oI Vietnam.

Rich in traditions and early exposed to the outside world, the Hoi An people Ieature a unique
cultural identity, which has been well preserved Irom generation to generation. Lives oI people
who stay here incline to be interior with subtle quiet. In the mind oI the natives oI Hoi An, this
town constitutes a large ancient home that shelters a big Iamily oI many descendants including
hospitable dwellers, Iriendly hosts and hostesses, kind-hearted women, obedient children and so
on. They together Iorm a harmonious community who has lived peaceIully side by side through
successive generations.

The architectural signiIicance oI Hoi An has been recognized by UNESCO, during the 23rd
Congress which took place in Marrakech (Morocco) Irom the 29th oI November to the 4th oI
December 2009, since the town was oIIicially listed as a World Cultural Heritage Site.

This article written by Lanh Nguyen Irom Vietnam Heritage Travel
For original article, please visit:
http://vietnamheritagetravel.com/news/1358-top-5-heritages-in-vietnam.html
Vietnam Heritage Tour

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