Vietnam: coastal landscapes and historic trading towns
Vietnam’s cultural and natural landscapes range from the limestone islands of Ha Long Bay to the historic streets of Hoi An. These places offer different ways of understanding the country: one through the long shaping of a seascape, the other through centuries of trade and settlement.
In the northeast, Ha Long Bay and the Cat Ba Archipelago are recognised for limestone formations rising from the sea. Their caves, cliffs and islands are part of a distinctive marine karst landscape.
Farther south, Hoi An preserves the form of a Southeast Asian trading port active between the 15th and 19th centuries. Its buildings and street plan reflect contacts between local communities and overseas merchants.
UNESCO’s site records provide background on the landscape, architecture and conservation of both places. Read together, they show how geography and exchange have shaped different parts of Vietnam’s heritage.