HA NOI – CNN television station has ranked Ha Long Bay as one of the top five tropical island paradises in Asia, based on the opinions of several "specialists", including Stuart McDonald, founder and editor of the website: http://www.travelfish.org

McDonald said in an interview on CNN television that Ha Long Bay in north-western Viet Nam was one of the most stunning boating destinations anywhere in the world.

The mysterious limestone caves on Ha Long Bay's bigger islands and the "incredible sunsets" were two sights not to be missed, McDonald said on CNN.

Ha Long Bay comprises a vast coastal waterway of about 2,000 islands spread over an area of 1,500sq km.

Tranquil waters year round made swimming always a pleasure, McDonald said.

The other destinations were the Anambas Islands in Indonesia, the Koh Chang and Similan Islands in Thailand and Langkawi, Malaysia.