28-12-2023 (HANOI) Vietnam’s renowned Ha Long Bay is facing a threat to its iconic turquoise waters as pollution and unchecked development jeopardize its unique ecosystem and picturesque allure. The UNESCO site, drawing over 7 million visitors annually to its blue-green waters and limestone islands draped in rainforests, is grappling with the consequences of its own popularity.
Ha Long City, born from the bay’s tourism boom and now adorned with a cable car, amusement park, luxury hotels, and a surge in residential constructions, has inflicted significant harm on the once-pristine environment. The bay’s ecosystem is suffering, with Ha Long City’s rapid expansion causing notable damage to the surrounding wildlife and natural beauty. Docks and luxury apartments line the shoreline, and recent images of an extensive construction site in a neighboring bay have fueled conservationists’ outrage.
Conservationists reveal a stark decline in the bay’s coral diversity, estimating a reduction from around 234 types to roughly half the original number. The pressing issues of human and plastic waste further compound the challenges faced by this once-unspoiled natural wonder.
Last month’s publication of images depicting extensive construction encroaching on the waters of a neighboring bay added fuel to the concerns voiced by conservationists. Ha Long Bay’s degradation underscores the urgent need for sustainable practices and conservation efforts to preserve its environmental integrity.
Tourists, who once flocked to experience the bay’s beauty, are now expressing disappointment at the visible changes. On December 28, as visitors queued for boat-plane tours over the bay, Anete Cimbule from Latvia shared her expectations, stating, “I was actually expecting for more blue waters in Vietnam. We would like to see cleaner waters.”
Despite the challenges, some locals, like Captain Nguyen Ba Hai, remain cautiously optimistic about the future. Captain Hai, after his third flight over the bay, noted a positive change in the past decade, stating, “the discharge of plastic trash onto the sea has greatly improved, that’s very encouraging.” However, he expressed a desire to witness the bay’s waters restored to their former vibrant blue hue.
