Relaxing: Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan in Ha Long Bay. — File Photo

SA PA — Founder and CEO of social networking website Facebook Mark Zuckerberg and his girlfriend spent yesterday trekking through forests and visiting ethnic villages in Sa Pa, local media reported.

The couple and their seven-person entourage - including bodyguards - arrived at the northern mountain town of Sa Pa in Lao Cai Province yesterday afternoon in two helicopters and are reportedly staying in a resort outside of the town.

To celebrate Christmas eve, Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan hired a luxury cruise ship on Ha Long Bay, an area twice recognised by UNESCO for its stunning natural beauty and on Sunday visited a number of sites on the bay including Sung Sot Cave.

Director of Quang Ninh Province's Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ha Quang Long wished the couple a merry Christmas and presented them with flowers on behalf of the province.

"We are so proud to welcome Facebook's CEO on our cruise," said Nguyen Thanh Hung, director of the Ha Long Phoenix Cruiser.

"He is so friendly and simple and expressed his good impressions of the bay after spending one night here," said Hung after welcoming Zuckerberg on board the cruise.

"He told me Ha Long Bay was beautiful and the local people were friendly and said that he would come back to visit the bay if possible."

Zuckerberg and his group arrived in Ha Noi last Thursday and stayed in the Sofitel Legend Metropole Ha Noi. They toured the capital on Friday and left for Ha Long Bay on Saturday and are expected to leave Sa Pa today.

The 27-year-old became the second-youngest billionaire and was named Person of the Year by the Time magazine for his achievements founding the social networking website Facebook in 2004 which has reached 800 million active users. — VNS