Ha Long Bay in Northern Vietnam is a world-famous tourist destination because of its pristine beauty. Made up of thousands of islands, it is like an endless search for something new, if not magical, to be found in the place. And with the recent discovery of Bai Dong Island, or more popularly known as Mat Rong Island or Dragon Eye Island, it continuously holds a deep ocean of wonderful surprises just waiting for someone to find.
Mat Rong Island is situated at the Southern edge of Ha Long Bay and is called as such because its location means “Descending Dragon” in the Vietnamese language. And since it has just been found, it is in its pure, immaculate form, a delight especially to the nature lovers and adventurers in general. It has a 300-400 metre long beach line made up of fine white sand and crystal clear blue waters.
Image by: https://discoverhalong.com
Though named Dragon Eye, the island actually looks like an octopus with a big head and long tentacles. There is a lake in the middle which some people say is also shaped like an octopus head, other times an eyeball. On the other hand, some say that it is crescent-shaped. The lake is 100 metres in diameter and surrounded by rocky hills. There is a unique variety of kelp and seaweed growing on it that doesn’t seem to be common anywhere else. Moreover, the water in the lake is saltwater because it is believed to run to the sea through a cave system.
Based on its rocky feature, Mat Rong Island is said to be a limestone mountain millions of years ago. Through time, elements may have slowly eroded it, leaving no soil or even limestone behind. Instead, only black sharp rocks set on top of each other remained, It is also this rocky surface which made the trees in the island last a long time, strongly standing their ground through the cracks in the rocks. Low tides reveal a 30-metre shoreline, ideal for walking and appreciating the full beauty of the place. For the avid explorers, there is also a mountain pass which serve as a mystery to be unlocked.
Mat Rong Island is about 20 kilometres from the harbour and can be accessed by either taking a wooden boat which will take an hour to ride, or a high speed boat which cuts the trip in half. Visitors must bring their own food and other necessity because there is no fresh water, mobile phone signal and other modern conveniences available. Some people prefer having tourist services and amenities like food, kayak rental, etc., but others are completely satisfied with the present state of the island, arguing that the main purpose of going to Dragon Eye Island is escaping the complexity of city life and retreating to a basic, natural form of existence that only nature can offer.