UNESCO heritage site Ha Long Bay featured in Hollywood movie
Limestone karst mountains in world heritage site Ha Long Bay has appeared in a trailer for the upcoming Hollywood blockbuster ‘The Creator,’ affirming the prestige of Vietnam’s tourism on global map.

A view of Ha Long Bay in Quang Ninh province, northern Vietnam. Photo courtesy of Vietnam News Agency.
During the official trailer for the American science-fiction action thriller film directed by Gareth Edwards, Vietnamese fans were surprised to see the thrilling scenes of Ha Long Bay with its towering karst mountains and crystal blue water.
Gareth Edwards said the crew came to Vietnam to film limestone cliffs in Ha Long Bay.
The film crew traveled 16,000 km to visit 80 different destinations, including Asian countries such as Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Nepal, Japan, and Indonesia.
Gareth said he used to visit Ha Long Bay and was impressed by its majestic beauty and that’s why he chose it as the setting for “The Creator.”
The Creator stars John David Washington, Gemma Chan, Ken Watanabe, Sturgill Simpson, Allison Janney, and Vietnamese actress Ngo Thanh Van, with the film being set in a dystopian world in which the human race is at war against artificial intelligence.
The movie is scheduled to premiere on September 26 and be released in cinemas on September 29.
Ha Long also appeared in many international films such as French-Indochina film (Indochine) directed by Resgis Wargnier in 1992; Pan and Neverland directed by Joe Wright in 2015 and Hollywood blockbuster "Kong: Skull Island" directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts in 2017.
Around two hours to the east of Hanoi, Ha Long Bay is famous for its cruise tours through the thousands of vegetation-covered islets and towering limestone karst mountains.
Located in the Gulf of Tonkin, Ha Long includes some 1,600 islands and islets, forming a spectacular seascape of limestone pillars.
Ha Long Bay was named by UNESCO as a world heritage site twice in 1994 and 2000. Since its recognition as a natural world heritage, it has received heap praise from international media.
Last February, American magazine Travel+Leisure named Ha Long Bay one of Asia's most stunning places to watch sunrise and sunset. The editors of American magazine Condé Nast Traveler then selected Ha Long Bay among world's 40 most colorful places "to brighten up winter days."
The ideal time to visit Ha Long Bay is March-April and September-November. In addition to cruise tours, seaplane tours that enable tourists to admire the world heritage site at the height of over 300 meters are also available. Each tour lasts 25 minutes and costs VND1.6 million ($68) for Vietnamese and VND2 million ($85) for foreigners.
- Read More
Sugary drinks subject to excise tax in Vietnam from 2027
Sugary drinks in Vietnam will be subject to an 8% excise tax starting in early 2027 and 10% from 2028, according to the adjusted Excise Tax Law, passed by the parliament on Saturday.
Economy - Sat, June 14, 2025 | 4:56 pm GMT+7
Ericsson should focus on 6G research, build database for AI in Vietnam: Prime Minister
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has suggested Ericsson's cooperation with Vietnam should focus on piloting innovation initiatives, 6G research, and building a database for AI in the country.
Economy - Sat, June 14, 2025 | 3:59 pm GMT+7
Swedish giants H&M, Syre to scale up operations in Vietnam
H&M, a globally renowned fashion brand from Sweden, plans to expand its network of stores in Vietnam to over 20 in the time to come, said CFO Adam Karlsson.
Industries - Sat, June 14, 2025 | 2:16 pm GMT+7
Leading industrial park developer Becamex to gain from Binh Duong province’s merger into HCMC: broker
Becamex IDC Corp, a leading urban and industrial park developer based in Binh Duong, is expected to benefit from the province’s merger into Ho Chi Minh City, with many new development opportunities, according to Vietcombank Securities (VCBS).
Companies - Sat, June 14, 2025 | 8:00 am GMT+7
Vietnam Airlines secures $1.5 bln funding from ING Bank for strategic expansion
Vietnam Airlines and ING Bank have signed an MoU for bilateral financial cooperation, securing capital funding of up to $1.5 billion.
Companies - Fri, June 13, 2025 | 10:56 pm GMT+7
Lawmakers scrutinize dual-city international financial center plan
Discussing a draft resolution on establishing an international financial center in Vietnam, some parliament members have proposed careful consideration of a dual-city model based on regional development strategies and investment efficiency.
Finance - Fri, June 13, 2025 | 10:49 pm GMT+7
Vietnam among world’s most food-self-sufficient nations: study
As concerns mount over the potential for disruptions to global trade, a new study published in the journal Nature Food has identified Vietnam as one of the few countries with a high level of food self-sufficiency, capable of withstanding major interruptions to food imports and exports worldwide.
Southeast Asia - Fri, June 13, 2025 | 10:41 pm GMT+7
Bad debts at Vietnamese commercial banks remain a concern
While the most challenging period for bad debts in Vietnam appears to have passed, potentially irrecoverable debts have reached a record high, accounting for 1.25% of total outstanding customer loans, or more than VND176 trillion ($6.74 billion), according to a new report by research firm Vietnam Report JSC.
Banking - Fri, June 13, 2025 | 7:58 pm GMT+7
Vietnam's galvanized steel major Ton Dong A to focus on domestic sales amid export market woes
Ton Dong A, a leading galvanized steel manufacturer in Vietnam, will focus more on the domestic market due to export difficulties, raising the ratio of domestic sales to 75%.
Companies - Fri, June 13, 2025 | 4:56 pm GMT+7
Vietnam's leading construction materials maker Viglacera appoints new chairman
The board of directors of Viglacera, Vietnam's leading construction materials maker, has appointed Tran Manh Huu as new chairman, succeeding Nguyen Van Tuan.
Companies - Fri, June 13, 2025 | 3:08 pm GMT+7
Vietnam urges Exxon Mobil to accelerate long-delayed Blue Whale gas field project
Vietnam expects the U.S.'s Exxon Mobil to speed up the long-delayed Blue Whale gas field project in line with the contract.
Energy - Fri, June 13, 2025 | 2:06 pm GMT+7
Prime Minister invites Swedish firms to invest in Vietnam's technology infrastructure, renewable energy
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh says he hopes Swedish companies will continue to expand their investment in Vietnam's information technology infrastructure, especially in remote areas.
Economy - Fri, June 13, 2025 | 11:28 am GMT+7
Singapore’s Keppel earns $76 mln from partial sale of property complex in southern Vietnam
Singapore-based Keppel Corporation brought in SGD98 million ($76.54 million) from selling a 22.6% stake in a property complex in Vietnam’s southern metropolis of Ho Chi Minh City.
Real Estate - Fri, June 13, 2025 | 8:28 am GMT+7
Thailand tightens e-commerce rules
Thailand is preparing to increase oversight of digital marketplaces, adding rules for certain types of platforms to strengthen consumer protection and ensure responsible e-commerce, Bangkok Post quoted the Electronic Transactions Development Agency (ETDA) as saying.
Southeast Asia - Thu, June 12, 2025 | 10:56 pm GMT+7
Malaysia attracts nearly $21 bln investment in Q1
Malaysia has secured MYR89.8 billion (nearly $21 billion) in approved investments for Q1, a 3.7% year-on-year increase amid a challenging global economic backdrop, according to the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA).
Southeast Asia - Thu, June 12, 2025 | 10:53 pm GMT+7
Thailand targets faster EV growth
Thailand’s Board of Investment (BoI) is stepping up efforts to promote the electric vehicle (EV) industry by offering more investment incentive packages aimed at supporting the emerging sector and creating additional EV-related jobs.
Southeast Asia - Thu, June 12, 2025 | 10:46 pm GMT+7
- Opinion
-
Vietnam embraces new wave of investments: HSBC exec
-
Chinese e-commerce giant Temu's Vietnam entry: unfair competition or market economy norm?
-
Vietnam's economy: positive changes but concerns persist
-
Slow administrative procedures hinder Korean investments in Vietnam: KoCham chair
-
Abundant real estate opportunities surround HCMC
-
Vietnam needs to modify FDI incentives to stay competitive amid global minimum tax application: expert