Cho Da Islet: A Guide To The "Stone Dog" Islet

Cho Da Islet, known in English as the Stone Dog Islet, is found in the west of Halong Bay, close to Dau Go Cave and Thien Cung Cave, about 30 minutes away from the mainland. Standing 26 feet (8 meters) tall Cho Da’s shape is commonly interpreted to be that of a dog, sat with its back to the sea, acting as a giant guard dog.

Guard dogs are a familiar sight to the Vietnamese people and stone dogs have become a common symbol. If you keep a look out you may notice that many temples, pagodas and older houses around Vietnam have two stone guard dogs outside their front door, these guard dogs are supposed to guard the property from evil.

As stone dogs have such strong ties to protection and guardianship, some say that Cho Da is a symbol of protection to safeguard fishermen and tourists who are out at sea or in Halong Bay. Others say that the dog is praying to the sky. One sure thing is that Cho Da Islet is an impressive islet that adds to the charming scenery of Halong Bay and continues to keep tourists safe on their travels.

If you are planning on visiting Thien Cung or Dau Go, be sure to drop by Cho Da Islet to witness an iconic part of Halong Bay’s unforgettable landscape.