Welcome to Vietnam, Mister Bond
As the newest 007: First Light trailer unfolds, a breathtaking tropical setting steals the show—towering limestone cliffs rising from emerald waters, mysterious caves, and elegant wooden ships with crimson sails. Bond navigates through it all aboard a sleek boat, and for fans of world geography, the setting is unmistakable:
This looks like Hạ Long Bay, Vietnam.
The Clues: Limestone Giants and Red-Sailed Junk Boats
What makes this location instantly recognizable? First, the towering karst formations—steep, vegetated cliffs rising straight from the sea. Second, the elegant junk boats with red sails, iconic to Vietnamese maritime culture.
Both are clearly visible in the trailer: Bond glides past dramatic stone outcrops, while red-sailed ships cross the horizon. These aren’t generic tropical backdrops—they point very specifically to Hạ Long Bay.
Bond in Vietnam? Not Quite – Until Now
Right: Film still from Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), © Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., reproduced under Section 51 of the German Copyright Act (UrhG) for purposes of film commentary.
A scene in the 007: First Light trailer shows Bond navigating a boat through towering limestone cliffs rising from emerald waters – a visual that may instantly remind fans of The Man with the Golden Gun (1974) and its legendary setting: James Bond Island in Thailand’s Phang Nga Bay. But while the resemblance is striking, the actual location is something entirely new.
Back in 1997, Tomorrow Never Dies flirted with a similar setting. The production had planned to film several key sequences in Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay, aiming to add both geopolitical weight and visual flair to the story. But with permits ultimately denied by the Vietnamese government – reportedly over concerns about the film’s portrayal of the country – the crew was forced to change course. They relocated to southern Thailand, opting for the karst landscapes of Phang Nga and Krabi, which mimicked the desired look while remaining politically uncontroversial. As a result, the high-speed boat chase with Wai Lin only appeared to unfold off Vietnam’s coast – it was, in fact, shot entirely in Thailand.
Now, nearly three decades later, 007: First Light brings Bond to Ha Long Bay at last – not on celluloid, but in pixels. For the first time, the franchise embraces this spectacular location in a meaningful way, delivering what earlier films only hinted at: a true Bond mission set among Vietnam’s cinematic seascapes.
The Real Hạ Long Bay: Nature’s Masterpiece
Located in northern Vietnam, Hạ Long Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Southeast Asia’s most iconic travel destinations. The name translates to “Descending Dragon Bay,” a reference to the local legend in which dragons protected the region by spitting jade and fire into the sea—forming islands and creating natural defenses.
The bay spans over 1,600 limestone islands and islets, many of them hollow, riddled with caves and grottoes. It’s been featured in countless travel documentaries and adventure films—but never, until now, in the world of James Bond.
What Happens in Hạ Long Bay?
In the trailer for 007: First Light, Bond pilots a boat through the towering limestone cliffs of Hạ Long Bay, heading toward the mainland. On a hill in the distance, a structure appears—part luxury, part mystery. A villain’s hideout? Or simply a high-end retreat?
We later see Bond poolside with a woman—possibly Isola. Are they pretending to be a couple? Or is something real developing between them?
Earlier, however, M had warned him not to trust her. Isola may not be who she claims to be.
The tone remains composed: a diving pair on underwater scooters glides through emerald waters; Bond reclines on a yacht as a woman approaches. Everything feels orchestrated—too smooth, too perfect.
But cracks begin to show.
Earlier in the trailer, we witness a tense, close-quarters fight at night. Bond, dressed in a tuxedo and armed with a suppressed pistol, takes on multiple attackers. Fireworks explode overhead, briefly lighting up the cliffs and sea. The setting strongly resembles Hạ Long Bay—suggesting that this violent encounter takes place in the same location, hidden behind the beauty.
Then, after the boat scene and moments of intimacy, the trailer shifts once again.
We’re shown a circular, high-tech interior—not a sprawling villain lair, but a focused, clinical space. At its center stands a glowing golden structure, intricate, radiant, and completely central. A small group of individuals—some in lab coats, others in suits—observe silently. It’s calm. Controlled. And undeniably significant.
The placement of this scene—immediately following the Hạ Long Bay sequence—raises questions.
Could this facility lie beneath the cliffs Bond was approaching? Is it part of the same compound seen from the boat, or something entirely separate?
Could this be the core of Operation First Light—a prototype weapon, an energy source, or something more symbolic: the ignition point of Bond’s transformation into a double-0 agent?
Whatever it is, its purpose remains unclear.
But it’s clearly not just background. It means something.
