Google Doodle celebrates Vietnam's geological wonder Ha Long Bay

Every year, Vietnam's famous Ha Long Bay attracts millions of tourists. It was on December 17 in 1994, when Ha Long Bay in Vietnam was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. And so, in honour and celebration of this scenic beauty, Google Doodle has released their new animated doodle about it on December 17, 2023 (Sunday).

Vietnam's Ha Long Bay, which is known for its over 1,000 limestone islands, is situated in the Gulf of Tonkin in the Quang Ninh province. This geological wonder is believed to have formed roughly 3 million years ago.

'Its name in Vietnamese, Vinh Ha Long, means “where the dragon descends to the sea”,' reads a statement by Google Doodle. The reason:
According to legend, Ha Long Bay was created by a mythical dragon who once descended on Earth and caused the formation of huge valleys which later got filled with water.

Today, Ha Long Bay consists of roughly 2,000 islands and islets which is an environmental and cultural heritage.

"Its limestone pillars and emerald green waters attract millions of bucket-list visitors each year, making it one of Vietnam’s national treasures. Many delve down into the depths of Sung Sot Cave, the largest cave in the bay, while others enjoy more nautical adventures like fishing, snorkeling, kayaking, and scuba diving," reads the description of the Google Doodle.

This remarkable place is also an important site for scientists as it helped them study and understand the movement of geologic plates and Earth's history of climate change over the years.

Ha Long Bay in Vietnam is one of the seven new natural wonders of the world. According to Wikipedia, 'New 7 Wonders of Nature (2007–2011) was an initiative started in 2007 to create a list of seven natural wonders chosen by people through a global poll. It was the second in a series of Internet-based polls led by Swiss-born Canadian Bernard Weber and organized by the New 7 Wonders Foundation, a Swiss-based foundation which Weber founded. The initiative followed an earlier New 7 Wonders of the World campaign, and attracted 100 million votes from around the world before voting finished on November 11, 2011.'

The list of seven new natural wonders of the world includes: Ha Long Bay in Vietnam, Amazon Rainforest and River, Jeju Island in South Korea, Iguazú/ Iguaçu Falls in Argentina and Brazil, Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park in Philippines, Komodo Island (National Park) in Indonesia, and Table Mountain (National Park) in South Africa.

Meanwhile, it is interesting to note that the first Google Doodle was launched as an “out of office” message when the company founders Larry and Sergey had gone on vacation.