Fake photos of luxury hotel on Ha Long Bay waters go viral

In recent days some tour companies have posted the photos and said Fantasy Ha Long Bay hotel is set to open in 2024.

Some photos also show a panoramic view of the UNESCO world heritage bay thanks to its glass facade.

Photos of Fantasy Ha Long Bay shared on social media have been deemed fake.

The photos quickly caught the public eye, and questions have been pouring in about its location and room tariffs.

But on Thursday Pham Ngoc Thuy, director of the Quang Ninh Province Department of Tourism, said such a hotel would never be built in the core area of Ha Long Bay and warned tourists against being scammed.

Bui Thanh Tu, marketing director of tour service provider Best Price, said some people could post these photos to trick tourists into booking rooms.

A two-hour drive to the east of Hanoi, Ha Long Bay was voted among the world's seven new natural wonders by Swiss organization New Open World in 2011.

Its popularity rose after Hollywood blockbuster "Kong: Skull Island" was filmed there in 2017.