Ha Long Bay in the northern coastal province of QuangNinh has been selected as one of the six “Most Brilliant Places for Exploration” by travel website Youramazingplaces.com.

The website describes the beauty of this tourist hotspot, covering 1,553 square kilometers, with 1,969 islands of various sizes standing amid sapphire ocean water.

Some of the islands are interestingly named after their shapes, folklores or specialties, such as Rong (Dragon) Islet, KienVang (Golden Ant) Island, Khi (Monkey) Island and BaiTho (Poem) Mountain.

Ha Long Bay was twice recognised as a World Natural Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1994 and in 2011. It was also voted as one of the seven new natural wonders of the world.

Also on the list are the Luray Caverns in Virginia (the US), Monument Valley in Utah (the US), the Natural Bridges State Park in Santa Cruz, California (the US), the Providence Canyon in Georgia (the US) and the Libyan Sahara – 150m tall Afozedzhar Arch in the Jebel Acacus.