This UNESCO World Heritage site is in northeastern Vietnam’s Gulf of Tonkin. The lush emerald and blue waters harbor over 1,600 mostly uninhabited—and thereby undisturbed—islands and islets, according to UNESCO.

In Vietnamese, Ha Long means “descending dragon.” Dragons play a prominent role in Vietnamese culture, and the most popular legend has it that one such creature and her children descended from heaven to defend the Viet people from invaders, spraying fire and emeralds or jade. She and her children then stayed on Earth.

Places of Tourist Attraction : The Marble Mountains, Museum of Cham Sculpture, Dragon Bridge, My Khe Beach, Ba Na Hill, Golden Bridge, .