Ha Long Bay - UNESCO World Heritage Centre

Brief synthesis

Covering an area of 65,650 ha and including 1,133 islands and islets, Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago is located in the northeast of Viet Nam, within Quang Ninh province and Hai Phong city. Comprised of a multitude of vegetated limestone islands and towering limestone pillars of various sizes and shapes, rising from the sea, the property is a spectacular seascape sculpted by nature. Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago is the most extensive and best-known example of marine-invaded tower karst globally, and one of the world's most important areas of fengcong (clusters of conical peaks) and fenglin (isolated tower features) karst. The property's exceptional scenic beauty is complemented by its great biological interest.

Criterion (vii): Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago is a spectacular coastal landscape, and an outstanding example of fengcong and fenglin karst formed in humid tropical conditions. The limestone karst terrain has been invaded by the sea, to create a multitude of majestic limestone towers and features of shore erosion, including notches and caves. Cat Ba Archipelago provides spectacular views of the vegetated islands, marine lakes and limestone towers, with sheer cliffs plunging into the sea. It also includes the largest island in the region, with an inaccessible wilderness interior, marked by steep and rocky forested peaks, hosting important ecosystems that are the home to threatened species.

Criterion (viii): Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago is the most extensive example of marine-invaded tower karst globally, and one of the world's most important areas of fengcong (clusters of conical peaks) and fenglin (isolated tower features) karst. Abundant lakes, occupying drowned dolines, are one of the distinctive features of the fengcong karst, with some appearing to be tidal. Possessing a tremendous diversity of caves and other landforms derived from the unusual geomorphological process of marine invaded tower karst, the caves are of three main types: remnants of phreatic caves, old karstic foot caves, and marine notch caves. The property also displays the full range of karst formation processes on a very large scale and over a very long period of geological time. This provides a unique and extensive reservoir of data for the future understanding of geoclimatic history and the nature of karst processes in a complex environment. With the addition of Cat Ba Archipelago, the property comprises all the stages of the process of sea-inundation of tropical karst as well as three main types of caves (ancient marine notch caves, old karstic foot caves and notch caves).

Integrity

The major elements necessary to sufficiently protect the outstanding scenic and geological values of the Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago property are included within the boundaries. The size and area of the property provides sufficient integrity for the large-scale geomorphological processes to operate unhindered. Most of the property is surrounded by a large and extensive buffer zone, which adequately buffers the above attributes of the Outstanding Universal Value.

Located within an area of high tourism, marine transport, fisheries and the daily activities of people living and conducting their business, management of the area, instituted since inscription of the property, strictly regulates and controls activities in an attempt to minimize impacts on integrity. There is a continuing challenge to improve the integrity and quality of the environment. The natural scenic features and key geomorphology features such as islands, caves and grottoes remain intact and the property retains, overall, a high level of naturalness despite the long history of human use in the area.

The property also hosts a diversity of endemic flora and fauna such as the Livistona halongensis palm and Cat Ba Tiger Gecko as well as threatened species such as the Keeled Box Turtle, the Asian Small-clawed Otter, the Mainland Serow and the King Cobra. The property also maintains a small population of Cat Ba Langur, a Critically Endangered endemic primate and flagship species of the archipelago, although they continue to be affected by disturbance from tourism, restricted gene flow due to few individuals, and fragmented subpopulations.

Protection and management requirements

Internationally, Ha Long Bay was first recognized as a World Heritage site in 1994 and 2000. The Cat Ba Archipelago was recognized as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2004 and was added to the property through a significant boundary modification in 2023. Nationally, Ha Long Bay was first designated as a National Scenic Site in 1962 and elevated to a Special National Monument in 2009. The Cat Ba Archipelago was designated as a National Park in 1986, a Marine Protected Area in 2010, and most recently as a Special National Monument in 2013 and will be included in the Cat Ba – Long Chau Marine Protected Area, which was being established at the time of the extension of the property. Accordingly, Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago is effectively protected through various national laws and decrees, including those on cultural heritage, biodiversity, forestry, environmental protection, fisheries and inland navigation. To further ensure effective national protection, the boundaries of Cat Ba National Park should be aligned with the boundaries of the Cat Ba Archipelago World Heritage property. The current legal framework at the time of inscription ensures that all activities which may affect the World Heritage values must be approved by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and other relevant agencies.

Ha Long Bay is directly protected and managed by the Ha Long Bay Management Board. At the same time, the Cat Ba Archipelago is protected and managed by Cat Ba National Park, and Management Board of Cat Ba Bays. The distinct roles of these individual units in managing and protecting the property, is set out in the relevant provisions of Vietnamese and international law. In addition, systematic coordination between the management boards of the two sites is in place. An essential element of the successful management of the property is to assure the harmonious joint efforts of Quang Ninh Province and Hai Phong City, and the relevant authorities.

Socio-economic activities on Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago are well regulated, carefully observed and effectively managed. Management and preservation are further strengthened through the regulations, master plans and action plans of Quang Ninh province and Hai Phong city, such as regulations on the management of cruise ships and discharge of waste, as well as participation, education and awareness raising for local communities on heritage preservation. The management of the property is guided by a number of specific plans for environmental protection, tourism development and management, and conservation planning. These include the Master Plan for Conservation, Management and Promotion of Ha Long Bay World Natural Heritage, the Cat Ba Archipelago Biosphere Reserve Comprehensive Management Plan, and Master Plan for Conservation, Management and Promotion of Cat Ba National Park. In view of the globally significant biodiversity conservation values present within the property, Cat Ba Langur conservation projects are a national priority and attract attention from international organizations.

Long-term priorities for heritage management include action on ensuring the integrity of the natural landscape, geological, geomorphological and environmental values of the property, and associated biodiversity. There is a continued need for institutionalisation of the coordinated management and governance arrangements; closely supervising development of economic activities; and conducting further research to clarify the values of the property. Furthermore, there is a need to enhance heritage management competencies and to maintain and update the monitoring plan and management indicators in order to manage the property effectively and efficiently. Development projects within and beyond the boundaries of the property require attention, in conformity with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines and heritage impact assessments will be required for any relevant projects in the buffer zone and adjacent to the buffer zone. There is a continued need to ensure adequate staff and financial resources for these tasks.

Involving local communities fully and equitably in the management and protection of the property is essential, with attention needed to implement fully the requirements of the Operational Guidelines, and best practice international guidelines. It is essential to continue appropriate consultations with the local communities, particularly those who might be relocated from the core area.

Increasing visitor numbers and the impacts of associated tourism development continue to be a management challenge. There is a need to ensure that development projects and tourism levels do not exceed the ecological carrying capacity of the entire property and are compatible with maintaining the Outstanding Universal Value in the long term. The quality and attention to public safety of access infrastructure such as pathways, steps and boardwalks is of a high standard, and, with steadily increasing visitor numbers, maintaining the quality of visitor management is essential.