Images of Ha Long Bay from over 100 years ago.

On the evening of April 27th, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the People's Committee of Quang Ninh province held a ceremony to announce and honor Ha Long Bay as a new natural wonder of the world. This is a great honor and source of pride for Vietnam, as once again, the stunning natural beauty and unique value of Ha Long Bay have been recognized by the international community.

Here are some photographs of the scenery and people of Ha Long Bay taken between 1885 and 1953. Many of these have never been published before.

On this occasion, photo collector and architect Doan Bac (born in 1975 in Hanoi) is introducing to the public rare photographs of Ha Long Bay from over 100 years ago. This is part of the project "Exploring Ha Long Bay - A Look Across Three Centuries" being undertaken by Doan Bac and his colleagues.

From a collection of over 7,000 photographs of Vietnam (1860-1954) titled "Treasures of Memory," Doan Bac selected 150 photographs of the landscapes and people of Ha Long Bay taken between 1885 and 1953. Most of these were taken by the French, and many had never been published before.

Previously, Doan Bac's collection of ancient Ha Long Bay photographs was exhibited at the Hanoi Grand Opera House during a formal reception to thank embassies, diplomatic missions, and international organizations for their active contribution to promoting the image of Vietnam to the world.

According to VOV online