Bai Chay is a large,
beautiful,
artificial beach,
closed to the coast
of Hạ Long Bay. The
100-meter-wide-sandy
beach spans over 500
m. Early in the
morning or in late
afternoon, thousands
of people liven up
the atmosphere here.
The asphalt road
winds its way
through the white
sandy beach and
luxuriant
casuarinas. The
Hoàng Gia Tourism
Company has invested
in diverse services
for tourists. The
Bai Chay tourist
site is fast
changing into one of
the most captivating
of this kind in Hạ
Long City. It
comprises
restaurants, water
puppet and
traditional music
theatres, Hoàng Gia
Park, water-skiing,
and sea
motorcycling. The
Hoàng Gia Park lines
along the Hạ Long
road leading from
the Bai Chay Tourist
Wharf to the gate of
the Hạ Long Night
Market.
There are many
legends associated
with the name Bai
Chay. According to
one legend, when the
fleet carrying food
for the
Yuan-Mongolian
invaders led by Truong
Van Ho came
there, the
Vietnamese troops
and locals under the
leadership of Tran
Khanh Du set
fire to it. The
whole fleet was
engulfed in fire.
Meanwhile, the
northeast wind blew
hard and further
added fuel to it.
Fire was so fierce
it burned down the
forest in the
western side of Cua
Luc. Hence
the name Bai Chay.
Another legend has
it that the western
side of
Cua Luc used
to be a wharf for
seagoing boats.
Acorn-barnacles
firmly attached to
these boats’ sides
and underneath, and
might wreck the
boats. The local
population had
to
use casuarinas
leaves to burn
acorn-barnacles.
From
Hon Gai and
other neighboring
places, people
always see a blaze
from there, so they
called it Bai Chay.