More than 100 tourists from Hong Kong (China) and China were allegedly left unguided by a local tour operator at Bai Chay Tourist Wharf in Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay on Tuesday.

The anxious foreign visitors later contacted a Chinese diplomat agency in Hanoi for help. Afterwards, tourism authorities in Quang Ninh province, where the UNESCO-recognized bay is located, instructed Khang Thai travel agent - the tour operator - to fully implement what they have signed in the contract.

About one hour later, the Hanoi-based Khang Thai assigned their staff to the wharf to receive the tourists and guide them around the bay in accordance with the scheduled travel program, according to Ha Quang Long, director of Quang Ninh’s Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism.

Regarding the abandonment, Long explained that the tour guide got home while waiting for the Chinese tourists to arrive at the wharf. Because they were not informed of the tour guide’s late arrival, the tourists misinterpreted this as being abandoned.

Meanwhile, Nguyen Huu Viet, a local tourism official, told Thanh Nien it is impossible that the company [Khang Thai] abandoned the tourists.

According to Viet, the tourists had a “free day” program on Feb. 3 under the contract they signed with Khang Thai.

Khang Thai has yet to give any comment on this matter.