Choosing just seven natural wonders of the world is a phenomenally challenging task, and it took the New7Wonders campaign from 2007 to 2011 to orchestrate a global campaign to collect nominations, narrow down the list and allow voting. This week, the provisional list of seven was announced, and included the following:
Amazon Rainforest and River
Ha Long Bay, Vietnam
Iguazu/Iguacu Falls, Argentina + Brazil
Jeju Island, South Korea
Komodo Island, Indonesia
Puerto Princessa Underground River, Phillippines
Table Mountain, South Africa
ISLANDS visited Ha Long Bay for the November 2011 issue, sailing through the bay and visiting its limestone outcroppings, caves, labyrinthine trails of rocks, and surrounding islands of the Cat Ba archipelago, along the southeastern side. There are nearly two thousand islands over the 1,500-square-kilometer expanse of the bay itself.
From the press release:
"The bay's already popular, but that's among a certain set of travelers, people interested in cultural pursuits and really going beyond the well-trodden paths you find in places like Thailand and Bali," said Adam Sitkoff, executive director of the American Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam. "But now with this new recognition, it's more likely that Ha Long Bay will more more decisively into the main currents of travelers to Southeast Asia.
The provisional recognition of the New7Wonders natural sites will be made official at an inaugural ceremony in early 2012. Ha Long Bay has received formal recognition for its natural beauty in prior years, as well - the area was also designated as a UNESCO World Heritage SIte in 1994 and again in 2,000, and is Vietnam's top tourist attraction.
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