Many foreign tourists visiting the famous Halong Bay and Cat Ba Island in northern Vietnam have encountered an abundance of plastic waste, causing outrage among both locals and visitors themselves.

Alex Brauwalder, a tourist from Switzerland, expressed his outrage at the abundance of garbage during a tour of Ha Long Bay and Cat Ba Island. He noted that the floating plastic waste extended over a considerable distance, making it difficult for him to navigate the bay.

Patricia Mayerhofer from Australia called the World Heritage site a “sea of ​​garbage.” The organizers of the excursion suggested that the garbage could have been delivered from fishing villages or left behind by tourists. British tourist Ged Kelly also confirmed similar observations. While kayaking, he saw “a huge amount of plastic bottles, cans, gloves and even an office chair floating in the water.”

From September to May, the international tourist season, the amount of plastic waste around Ha Long Cata Ba, a popular cruising and kayaking destination, increases significantly. Hoang Minh, a cruise ship owner, confirmed that the problem of garbage in Ha Long Bay and Cat Ba has remained an issue for many years, despite regular cleanups. Fodor’s Travel Magazine included Ha Long Bay in its annual list of places to consider before visiting due to its trash problem. Alex Brauwalder sent a petition to UNESCO regarding the pollution of Ha Long Bay and the Cat Ba Archipelago.