

Photos: Where the Dragon Meets the Sea
Legend has it that Ha Long Bay is the work of a beast, the remnant of a great dragon's escape into the sea. As he descended from the mountains into the water, the dragon's lashing tail gouged the rocks, forming valleys and crevices that would later fill with water to form the formidable bay. Today, the bay is just as ethereal - morning fog drifts between the rocky pinnacles, blurring the distinction between sea foam water and moss-covered tower; birdsong echoes through the ca