Formerly named Binh Tri Archipelago, Ba Lua Archipelago is known as the “Little Ha Long Bay of the South.” It is composed of a group of 45 small and big islands in the territorial waters of Kien Luong District in Kien Giang Province and is considered a must-visit for tourists.

Based on local legends, Ba Lua was actually once a woman, a very beautiful one at that, who lived in Ha Tien and married to a rich and powerful man. As such, she owned all the islands in the archipelago, and the place was eventually named after her.

Ba Lua Archipelago is made up of several islands, islets and caves. Yet only ten islands are inhabited, with a total population of about only 2,300. Most of the islands were formed by limestone mountains clustered off the shore of Chong Islet with a height of less than 100 meters high. These mountains came about from the erosion of rainwater, sea waves and ground water over a period of millions of years, resulting in different shapes and sizes of the land forms. All 45 islands were named after these shapes and their folklore origin. Some, if not most, of the islands have interesting names such as Pig Islet, Goat Islet, Mangrove Islet, Nhum Ong (Male) Islet, Nhum Ba (Female) Islet, Re Lon (Groom) Islet and Re Nho (Groomsman) Islet, among others.

Because of the islands surrounding the area, the weather in Ba Lua Archipelago is generally fine, with rare occurrences of strong winds and big waves. This makes the place an ideal tourist destination basically the whole year round. Visitors can rent a small boat to cruise the shallow waters of the archipelago and actually see the fishes swimming because of the crystal blue and calm waters of the sea. Guests can also explore the canyons and caves of Ba Lua. Tien Cave is considered of the most beautiful caves all over the world. It stands at 150 meters high and is situated inside a mountain facing the SouthWest and NorthEast region of the archipelago. Visitors can enter the SouthWest area of the cave and after an amazing experience of exploration are even treated to more unforgettable memories by having the opportunity to bathe or even just bask in the breathtaking beauty of the beach when they go out.

Other activities tourists can enjoy at Ba Lua Archipelago are taking a one-and-a-half-hour boat ride to Ba Hon Dam and watching the many various-shaped islets along the way. Some of the islets haven't been named yet so tourists can have a fun game of naming them through the trip. If they're lucky, they can even see dolphins jumping over the water or accompanying them through the ride. Dolphins and dugongs are known to be spotted by the beaches of Ba Lua Archipelago, Nghe Islet and Phu Quoc Island. Tickets for the boat trip can be bought at the Hang Pagoda tourist wharf on Phu Tu (Father and Son) Islet.

Ba Lua's sunrise, sunset and sea breeze are other stunning sights that entice tourists to visit the place. The beaches, islands, hospitality and the whole archipelago of Ba Lua itself exude both beauty and mystery that continue to attract visitors to come to the place and leave with a lasting, beautiful memory of Ba Lua Archipelago.