Ha Long Bay in northern Vietnam has been named among 25 world’s most beautiful places by CNN.
"Ha Long Bay is one of the most popular natural attractions in Southeast Asia and one of the most beautiful places in Vietnam," it wrote.
According to the U.S. cable news channel, with 1,969 islets of hulking limestone and deep, green waters that are home to myriad floating villages, this is a place where time slows to a standstill.
"Sail on a junk boat or pick up a kayak, and get lost in the quieter reaches of this vast and fascinating corner of the South China Sea," it suggested.
Ha Long Bay was recognized by UNESCO in 1994 and in 2000 as a world natural heritage for the beauty of its landscape and its geological and geomorphological values.
The bay, located in Quang Ninh province, is 165 kilometers from the capital city of Hanoi. Covering an area of 43,400 hectares and including over 1,600 islands and islets, most of the bay is uninhabitated and unaffected by humans, according to the UNESCO.
Other places in the list are: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest (Uganda), Samburu (Kenya), Mount Toubkal (Morocco), Zhangjiajie National Forest Park (China), El Nido (Philippines), Rotorua (New Zealand), Kata Tjuta (Australia), The Maldives, Petra (Jordan), Atacama Desert (Chile), Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve (Costa Rica), Ciudad Perdida (Colombia), Dominica, Svalbard (Norway), Lake Bled (Slovenia), Cappadocia (Turkey), Positano (Italy), Lake District (UK), Plitvice Lakes National Park (Croatia), Vancouver Island (Canada), Denali National Park (Alaska), Horseshoe Bend (Arizona), Badlands (South Dakota) and Monument Valley (Utah).
In February, Ha Long Bay had been named in the list of the world's 40 most colorful places in 2023 by Conde Nast Traveler.
"Board a Chinese junk boat to experience the beauty (and associated myths and stories) of the mist-shrouded basin for yourself," the U.S. travel magazine wrote.
It commented: "Halong Bay, often visited by bikini-clad youth in warmer weather, becomes infinitely more romantic, quiet, and introspective as temperatures drop. And the relative lack of crowds means your photos won’t be interrupted by the heads of other tourists."
In August, the bay ranked fifth among the 10 most beautiful places in the world by The Travel.
"Scattered throughout the bay are more than 1,600 limestone towers and islands covered in tropical trees. Most of the islands are uninhabited and unaffected by humans. The best way to experience this mist-shrouded landscape is to board a junk boat and sail through the outstanding scenic beauty," the Canadian travel site wrote.
"Visitors can get off to explore various cave formations across the bay, including Thien Cung Cave and Surprise Cave, which give way to impressive sweeping views of the water below," it added.
In 2019, the bay was listed by British travel magazine Rough Guides as one of the 10 best UNESCO sites in Asia.