|
 Quan
Lạn Island belongs to Bái Tử Long Bay; part of
an island range on the outside of the gulf of
Bắc Bộ. It has an area of 11 sq. km, and
features eight populated hamlets. Quan Lạn
Island stretch toward East – West from the foot
of Vân Đồn Range to the Gót Mount with many high
mountains to the east barring waves and winds,
protect the villages. The island is situated on
an important navigation route that connects
China, Japan, Thailand and Philippines to
Vietnam.
Along two sides of the island are tens
kilometres of sand beaches. This is the endless
resource for glass making which the sea gives to
man and it is also the extremely interesting
tourism
Since the 11th century, Quan Lạn had been one of
the centres of the ancient commercial port of
Vân Ðồn, which was animated and prosperous at
the time. Today, there are still many vestiges
linked to the ancient commercial port.
This also
explains why the island, lying deep in the sea,
has the large pagodas and archaeological sites
seen today. On the island there is the Quan Lạn
Communal House built in the 18th century;
exceedingly beautiful and almost entirely
preserved. Next to it is Quan Lạn Pagoda (Linh
Quang Tự), which is dedicated to Buddha and God
Liêu Hạnh.
 The pagoda also worships the statue
of old Hậu, a local person who made lots of
contributions to the construction of the pagoda.
The statue features a gentle and cheerful old
woman, which adds an original character to the
pagoda. Beside Quan Lạn Pagoda lies Nghè Quan
Lạn (Ðức Ông) Shrine, which is dedicated to Phạm
Công Chính, a local people who participated in
the historical Vân Ðồn battle against the Yuan
invaders. He was later honored as a god. Quan
Lạn has many valuable sea products such as
octopuses, butterfish, mackerel, holothurian,
shrimp, and sái sùng. |
