In the history of Vietnamese currency, few landmarks have appeared as frequently and consistently across different periods as Ha Long Bay. In particular, sailing boats, a distinctive symbol of the bay, have been depicted on numerous banknotes, from the French colonial period to modern Vietnamese currency.
In the history of Vietnamese currency, few landmarks have appeared as frequently and consistently across different periods as Ha Long Bay. In particular, sailing boats, a distinctive symbol of the bay, have been depicted on numerous banknotes, from the French colonial period to modern Vietnamese currency.
Traditional three-panel sailing boats with distinctive batwing sails were once a primary means of livelihood for fishermen in Quang Ninh. According to banknote collectors, the earliest known depiction of Ha Long Bay on Vietnamese banknotes may have appeared on the one-piastre note, printed by IDEO Hanoi, a French banknote printing company in Hanoi. The note circulated from around 1941 to 1946 across the three countries of French Indochina – Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. Printed on Vietnamese paper, it featured three languages: French, Nom script and Vietnamese Romanized script. The reverse depicted sailing boats on Ha Long Bay.
Another notable example is the 100-dong banknote issued by Banque de l'Indochine in 1946. One side of the note depicts two sailing boats, an image so characteristic that it immediately evokes Ha Long Bay. A few years later, the 10-dong banknote issued by the Institute of Issue of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia in 1952 also carried an image of the bay.
In the modern era, sailing boats have become a symbol of Ha Long. After 1945, images of the bay continued to appear on banknotes issued by the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and later the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. The 100-dong banknote dated 1980 and issued in 1981 is considered one of the most visually striking Vietnamese banknotes of the post-reunification period, with the reverse depicting boats and the limestone formations of Ha Long Bay.
Particularly notable is the red 10,000-dong banknote issued in 1990 and reprinted in 1993. The reverse carries the caption "Sailing boats on Ha Long Bay" and depicts the coastal landscape with traditional sailing boats. It is regarded as one of the clearest and most impressive depictions of Ha Long's traditional sailing boats on Vietnamese banknotes.
In addition, a 500-dong banknote issued by the former Republic of Vietnam in 1968 and printed in the United States also featured a landscape of Ha Long Bay, although its main theme was the Battle of the Bach Dang River estuary.
Today, as traditional three-panel sailing boats are being brought back to Ha Long Bay for tourism activities, their appearance on Vietnamese banknotes has taken on even greater significance. These images are not merely decorative elements; they also serve as a bridge between the past and the present, and between heritage and contemporary life. They are a lasting testament to the beauty, identity and enduring value of Vietnam's cultural heritage – and to the timeless magnificence of a natural wonder recognised by the world.
By Pham Hoc
