Ha Long Bay in Vietnam's northern province of Quang Ninh has been ranked 14^th among the 100 most beautiful UNESCO World Heritage Sites, released by Newsweek, a U.S. newspaper.

The U.S. newspaper Newsweek lists Ha Long Bay of Vietnam among the Top 100 most beautiful UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Photo: Getty Images

Newsweek has announced its annual list of top 100 most beautiful UNESCO World Heritage Sites, which include both natural and man-made wonders and Ha Long Bay was placed in the 14^th position.

Ha Long Bay, in the Gulf of Tonkin, includes some 1,600 islands and islets, forming a spectacular seascape of limestone pillars. “Because of their precipitous nature, most of the islands are uninhabited and unaffected by a human presence. The site’s outstanding scenic beauty is complemented by its great biological interest,” Newsweek wrote.

The Newsweek’s Top 100 most beautiful UNESCO World Heritage Sties have been picked out from the UNESCO list of over 1,000 protected places across the globe.

Angkor, Siem Reap province (Cambodia) tops the list, followed by Venice and its Lagoon (Italy), Great Barrier Reef (Australia), Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area (China), etc.

Ha Long Bay, a must-go place for those who spend holidays in Vietnam, which has been twice recognised by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). Ha Long Bay has been named one of the seven natural wonders of the world.

The heritage site has become a magnet drawing visitors to Quang Ninh. Last year, the province welcomed a total of 9.87 million tourists, including 4.28 million foreigners.

The province aims to attract over 12 million visitors this year, including 5 million foreigners.

The ASEAN Tourism Forum 2019 (ATF 2019) will take place in Ha Long city, Quang Ninh province. ATF 2019, the annual forum regarded as one of the top events of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), will be held from January 14-18 to boost tourism co-operation and development.

With the theme "ASEAN – The Power of One", it is expected to underline the strength and beauty of the 10 nations in ASEAN and the beauty of each inpidual in the community, towards a prosperous, sustainable and inclusive development goal.

This is the second time Vietnam will host the event, 10 years since its first hosting in 2009. The hosting of ATF 2019 is also expected to create a golden opportunity for Quang Ninh in particular to promote its tourism.

The province this year has also been successful in hosting the National Tourism Year 2018 themed “Ha Long – Heritage, Wonder, Friendly Destination”, in Ha Long City in April./.

VNF