Page 6 - Heritage
P. 6
Vietff7amffhasffaffnaturalffheritageffofffextraordinary
biodiversity.ff”rguablyffoneffoffftheffworld’sfftenffmost
biologicallyff diverseff countries,ff Vietff 7amff pos-
sessesffaboutff10%ffofffallfftheffworld’sffspeciesffand
containsffeverythingfffromfflargeffmammalsffinclud-
ingfftgers,ffmonkeysffandffelephantsfftoffexotcffbirds
andffanffastonishingffvarietyffofffplants.ff•edicatedffto
preservingffitsffvastffnaturalffresources,ffVietff7am
hasffestablishedff30ffnatonalffparks,ffoverff70ffnatural
reserves,ff veffRamsarffsitesffandffeightffbiosphere
reservatonffareas.ff2tsffWorldff1eritageffsitesffffhold
affspecialffplaceffinfftheffheartsffofffallffVietnamese.
/elowffisffanffexampleffoffftwoffVietnamese’sffmost
impressiveffheritageffofffVietff7am:ff1aff5ongff/ayffand
9hongff7ha-4eff/angff7atonalff9ark.
HAhLONGhBAY
5ookingffdownfffromffabove,ff1aff5ongff/ayffwithffitsffthousandsffofffcraggyfflimestoneffis-
landsffsurroundedffbyffsparkling,fflappingffwavesffpaintsffaffgrandffpicture.ffWithffthe
limestoneffformatonsffoffftheffregionff500ffmillionffyearsffinfftheffmaking,ff1aff5ongff/ay
isffwithoutffdoubtffoneffofff6otherff7ature’sffgreatestffmasterpieces.ff6anyffislandsffin
1aff5ongff/ayffcanffbefffoundfflakes,ffcavesffandffgrotoesffthatffsitffbothffaboveffandffbelow
theffseafflevel.ff2tffalsoffownsfftwoffecosystems:ffafftropical,ffmoist,ffevergreenffrainforest
ecosystem;ffandffaffmarineffandffcoastalffecosystem.ff1aff5ongff/ayffisffhomefftoffanffabun-
danceffofffbiodiversityffincludingffwhite-tabbyffandffred-hairedffmonkeys,ffdeer,ffpheas-
ants,ffeagles,ffwildffboars,ffmigratngffbirdsffandfftortoises.ffThefflocalffpeopleffwhofflive
inff1aff5ongff/ayffareffaffsea-faringfffolkffwhoffplyfftheffshallowffwatersffforffitsffwideffrange
offf shffandffmollusks.ff)orfftheffvisitors,ffthereffareffmuchfftoffdo,fffromffdayfftripffand
overnightffcruisesffaboard,ffthroughfftoffexploringfftheffislandsffbyffkayakfforffsimplyfflazing
theffdayffawayffonffaffbeach.
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