Asian Pride: Korea and Vietnam co-operate for votes

BY EAMONN FITZGERALD ON MAY 13, 2011 IN HALONG BAY, JEJU ISLAND

"Promote our Asian Pride! Jeju Island, Ha Long Bay!"

“Promote our Asian Pride! Jeju Island, Ha Long Bay!” That’s the joint slogan of two of the 28 Official Finalists in the New7Wonders of Nature campaign. It’s also the motto of an interactive, international platform that Korea’s Jeju Island and Vietnam’s Halong Bay have created to energize voters in both countries and around the world in the run up to 11 November, when the names of the seven winners will be announced.

With its English, Korean and Vietnamese interfaces, the tri-lingual website — “Promote our Asian Pride! Jeju Island, Ha Long Bay!” — encourages users to vote for the two candidates and highlights the respective beauty of each. After voting, participants can print the confirmation e-mail that will allow them to get free entrance tickets to the main sites in Jeju Island and Halong Bay.

Jeju is a volcanic island, 130 km off the southern coast of Korea. Its central feature is Mount Hallasan, the tallest peak in South Korea and a dormant volcano, which rises 1,950 m above sea level.

Halong Bay contains thousands of limestone islands of various sizes and shapes. Several of them are hollow, some with enormous caves, others with tiny enclosed lakes.