Cave dining in Halong bay banned

At a press briefing in Ha Long city, Mr Pham Hong Ha - Chairman of Ha Long city people's committee, also head of the management board of Ha Long Bay - said the conclusion of the meeting between the Committee and related agencies, Quang Ninh provincial People's Committee demanded an end on dining activities in the caves October 2016. Cruise Halong bay, however, Quang Ninh Provincial People's Committee also assigned Ha Long city to coordinate with the departments concerned to advise and propose to develop new tourism products, but to ensure the safety, security, environmental sanitation and compliance with regulations and laws.

According to Ha, from 2005, the Quang Ninh authorities have assigned Halong Bay tourism service company to organize dinner service and art activities in Trong cave only. However, recently, at other caves and grottoes such as Ho Dong Tien, Tien Ong, Grass cave, Virgin caves continue to organize this type of service.

Therefore, Quang Ninh Provincial People's Committee decided to completely terminate dining service in the caves of Halong Bay to preserve intact the natural values of the World Heritage Site of Ha Long Bay, minimize activities likely to have negative impact to the landscape and environment of Ha Long Bay, promoting the values of the world natural heritage Ha Long Bay.
Quang Ninh Provincial People's Committee requires Ha Long city authorities to notify individuals and organizations to cease cave dining before the end of September 2016. For the Ha Long Bay tourism service company, to stop dining operations at Trong cave before October 31.

As reported before, the dining service in the cave by Halong Tourism Service company has caused a sensation in the public, as it is not only harming the heritage but also making the picture of Halong bay ugly as a famous landscape worldwide.

Agreeing with the prohibition of party in caves of Ha Long bay, especially in the core area, but some travel companies suggested that research is needed to develop this product in a certain area , with the extremely strict regulations, to provide catering services in Halong bay became a "specialty" of international standard only in Ha Long.

Representative from an international travel company said dining service of small scale in some caves or beaches in the buffer zone of Ha Long Bay has always attracted travelers, especially international visitors, and not all tourists can enjoy this service, only travelers doing long trip on the bay are allowed. This is a special advantage of Ha Long Bay.