Public outcry over construction near Vietnam's Ha Long Bay, country's famous UNESCO World Heritage Site

TOPSHOT - This aerial photo taken on November 4, 2023 shows the construction site of a residential and hotel complex near Ha Long Bay in Vietnam's Quang Ninh province. A huge residential complex being built on the borders of Vietnam's Ha Long Bay prompted a public outcry in the Southeast Asian country on Monday (Nov 6), as concerns mount over human impacts that have degraded the UNESCO World Heritage Site. - AFP

HANOI (AFP): A huge residential complex being built on the borders of Vietnam's Ha Long Bay prompted a public outcry in the South-East Asian country Monday, as concerns mount over human impacts that have degraded the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The bay, famed for its brilliant turquoise waters dotted with towering rainforest-topped limestone islands, is one of Vietnam's most popular tourist destinations, attracting more than seven million visitors last year.