The completed removal has been welcomed by residents, who said dismantling the corroded metal structures had improved the bay’s iconic scenery.
Nguyen Van An, 65, a resident of Ha Long Ward, said the removal of the rusting steel frames that had clung to the cliffs for years had returned the mountains to their natural state.
Son Lam Tourism Co., Ltd. in Hanoi installed the lighting system in 2010 and completed it in 2011. It debuted at the 2012 Ha Long Carnival and cost more than VND 140 billion (approximately USD 5.5 million).
The system was designed to project images of Ha Long and Quang Ninh onto the night sky above the bay. However, the laser projectors functioned properly only a few times before dimming and failing to display the intended visuals.
UNESCO inscribed Ha Long Bay as a World Heritage Site in 1994 for its outstanding scenic and aesthetic value, and again in 2000 for its geological and geomorphological significance.
In September 2023, UNESCO jointly recognised Ha Long Bay and the neighbouring Cat Ba Archipelago as Vietnam’s first inter-provincial World Natural Heritage Site.
