Bo Hon Island, Halong Bay
Location: Bo Hon Island lies in Halong Bay.
Characteristics: It is a beautiful island of Halong Bay, not only its splendid scenery but also it is one of the largest in the area.
 There are many grottoes located here, such as the Surprise, Luon, Virgin and Male grottoes. There is also a concentration of high mountains with vertical cliffs like citadel wall, mountains follow closely make a huge beautiful watercolour picture on the sea. French calls this island Les Surprises. There are various species of plants such as benjamin fig trees, cycads and orchids... and animals are monkeys, deer and chamois. Perhaps, Bo Hon Island famous for the grotto system hiding inside it. Each of them has their own marvellous beauty and is related to the moved legends.
Bo Nau Grotto
Location: Bo Nau Grotto or Pelican Grotto lies far from 2-3km southeast of Trong Mai Islet.
Characteristics: This vaulted grotto covers 200m2. The floor of the grotto is wide and flat but not deep and its wall features lots of stalactites and stalagmites.
Bo Nau Grotto is one of the beauty grottoes in Halong Bay. At the entrance are three stones, looking like three fairies with their heads close to one another. Two men appear to be playing chess, with the third serving as a referee.
The name Bo Nau or Bo Nong is associated with the fact that pelicans often take shelter here. If Dau Go Grotto lies completely inside the island, Bo Nau opens its mouth at the side of the island. Stalactites fall down from the roof of the grotto in different clusters. Meanwhile stalagmites grow up in different shapes and layers. Is this that the life out there is so noisy that the three fairies have to choose this tranquil place to play chess? Turning southward, Bo Nau Grotto enjoys cool wind. Standing there, one can hear the murmur of the sea all year round.
Cong Do Island
Location: On the south-east side of Halong Bay, about 25km from Bai Chay Wharf, Cong Do is in Bai Tu Long Bay in the region which recognised as the World Heritage.
Characteristics: It has an area of 23,363m² and its mountain reaches a peak of 172m.
The island features many lagoons, which are the residence of numerous species of sea-life, such as shrimp, crab, fish, squid and aquatic plants. On the south-west side of the island, there is a wide coral reef displaying a myriad of colours. Coral reef ecosystem is more than 700m long and 300m wide. It is preserved almost undamaged. In the future, there are plans for the development of a zone for scuba-diving. On the south-east side of the island, vestiges of the ancient commercial port of Van Don were discovered. This confirms beliefs that Cong Do Island once held an important position in terms of foreign trade.
Hang Hanh Grotto
Location: It is lying 9km west of Cam Pha Town and 20km from Bai Chay Beach.
Characteristics: Hang Hanh Grotto is extremely beautiful. The small boat will take you through the stone passageway by lamp-light, casting magical colours on the hanging stalactites.
Hang Hanh is one of the longest grottoes in Halong Bay. It is 1,300m long and stretches throughout the stone mountain of Quang Hanh. The French named it ¡°Le Tunnel¡± or Tunnel Grotto. The mouth of the grotto is so low one has to go by small boat to pass through.
To get there, tourists can hire canoes in Doan Wharf (Hon Gai, Halong City) or take a coach to Cam Pha. At the Cam Pha wharf, one can also hire boats or canoes to go to the grotto. One should visit the grotto at low tide, as this is the time the mouth of the grotto appears. Remember to bring along torches before starting the journey. It takes one some 60 to 90 minutes to complete the trip. Hang Hanh Grotto seems suitable for adventures. Another matter of no less important is that the boatmen must be experienced or else you will get locked up in this deep ¡°Palace¡±.
In front of the present-day mouth stands Ba Co (Three Girls) shrine in a towering piece of stone. Legend has it that: ¡°Once upon a time there were three girls who often went to the sea together. One day, they caught a pouring rain and took shelter in a grotto. They found the scenery so captivating that they forgot the time of rising tide. Locked up in the grotto, they passed away and became Water God.¡± Today fishermen usually went to the shrine to pray for their bestowing favours on them.
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