On May 28, 2026, Keep Vietnam Clean partnered with Bhaya Cruises for their annual Ha Long Bay cleanup activity under the message “Green Promise – For the Bay We Love”, bringing together more than 100 volunteers, including the Bhaya Cruises team, partners, media representatives, international guests, and young volunteers to take collective action for a greener Ha Long Bay.
More than just a cleanup activity, the program also served as an opportunity for participants to gain a deeper understanding of plastic pollution in Ha Long Bay and the role each individual can play in protecting marine ecosystems.
UNDERSTANDING THE ISSUE TO TAKE MEANINGFUL ACTION
Before the cleanup began, Ms. Bui Ngoc Diep, Director of Keep Vietnam Clean, conducted a short training session for volunteers on the current state of plastic pollution in Ha Long Bay, the impacts of waste on marine ecosystems, and safety guidelines for waste collection.
According to the session, Ha Long Bay is currently under significant pressure from plastic waste originating from multiple sources, including tourism activities, aquaculture and fisheries, local household waste, and waste carried into the bay through river systems. Beyond affecting the landscape, plastic pollution also directly harms marine ecosystems, as coral reefs, seagrass beds, and mangrove forests can unintentionally become “plastic traps,” damaging the natural habitats of many species.
In addition to raising awareness about pollution, volunteers were guided on how to identify, sort, and properly handle different categories of waste during the cleanup, from common inorganic household waste such as plastic bags, bottles, and metal cans to aquaculture-related waste like foam buoys, fishing lines, and nets, as well as hazardous waste that requires careful handling.
Through this training session, Keep Vietnam Clean hopes that every cleanup activity not only contributes to immediate environmental improvement but also becomes an opportunity for participants to better understand the root causes of pollution and adopt more sustainable habits in everyday life.
OVER 620KG OF WASTE COLLECTED ACROSS MORE THAN 2KM OF COASTLINE
Following the training session, volunteers joined hands to clean the coastal area of Ha Long Bay in a spirit of responsibility and collaboration.
As a result, after covering more than 2 kilometers of coastline, the activity successfully collected:
📌 223.5kg of plastic waste
📌 176.2kg of foam waste
📌 190kg of fishing nets, ropes, and tarpaulins
📌 32.5kg of other waste
Every bag of waste collected not only helped improve the surrounding environment but also reduced the risk of waste continuing to drift, breaking down into microplastics, or harming marine life.
SUSTAINABLE TOURISM – PROTECTING HA LONG BAY STARTS WITH SMALL ACTIONS
From reducing single-use plastics and sorting waste to reusing materials and practicing responsible tourism, small changes in our daily habits can collectively reduce pressure on valuable natural ecosystems like Ha Long Bay.
Keep Vietnam Clean would like to extend sincere thanks to Bhaya Cruises for sustaining this meaningful initiative over the years and for creating a space where the spirit of green living can be spread through real, tangible actions.
For the bay we love – for a greener and cleaner Ha Long Bay!
#KeepVietnamClean #BhayaCruises #GreenPromise #ForTheBayWeLove #CleanTheBay #HaLongBay
