Top places to travel in Vietnam (Part 2): Halong Bay

Top places to travel in Vietnam (Part 2): Halong Bay – a Nature Wonder of the World

Are you excited for your upcoming Halong trip? Are you confused and excited to join the tour but you wonder what you need to prepare when traveling? Therefore, Vietnam Scenery Travel Agency would like to send you some tips, as well as the latest updated Ha Long tourism experience for your reference.

1. General Information about Halong Bay

Halong Bay is a famous tourist destination of Vietnam, located in the west coast of Tonkin Gulf in the Northeastern Vietnam area. With thousands of magnificent islands and miraculous caves, Ha Long Bay has been recognized by UNESCO many times as a World’s Natural Heritage Site. Ha Long tourism attracts both domestic and international tourists.

2. Climate in Halong.

Ha Long Bay is part of Tonkin Gulf so the weather has 4 seasons. In winter (From November last year to March next year), weather is very cold. In summer (From April - October) the weather is very hot.

From April to August every year is the high season of Halong tourism. This is the best time for you to swim, kayaking, windsurfing, parachuting ... However, in the summer, especially in July-August, there are storms and tropical depressions. Therefore, the activities on the bay will be banned and tourists should be caution if travelling Halong at that time.

In the autumn (From September to November), Halong Bay is also very beautiful with sunshine and clear sky. The weather is cool and still can swim. At this time, the typhoon is also less; the number of tourists also decreases. Therefore, you will avoid tourist rushes.

So the best time to go to Ha Long is in April to June or September to November.

3. What should you put in your travel bag

Suncream, Sunglasses, Umbrella: In the summer, Halong Bay is like other famous beaches that are sunny and hot, this will harm your skin.
Swimwear: a good preparation for swimming.
Swimming buoys: an important stuff for children.
Camera: a perfect tool helping to keep your unforgettable and amazing memories.

4. Transportation

Public transportation is also available and easy to take in Halong. However, tourists should be careful to avoid a fact that some drivers cheat transportation costs.
To reach Halong Bay, tourists can book tour and depart from Hanoi. It takes 2 hours 30 minutes from Hanoi to Halong City. Then if tourists choose to experience Halong Cruise, driver will take you to Tuan Chau Harbor and after that, you will have a nice tour on the Cruise.

5. Foods

Ha Long tourism not only has majestic nature but also has many special culinary specialties. There are many restaurants from high-class to casual to choose.

Some recommended restaurants: Mithrin restaurant (Hung Thang, Bai Chay); Panorama restaurant (168 Ha Long, Bai Chay); Son Ca restaurant (98 Ben Tau); Blue Sea restaurant (08 Le Thanh Tong); Hai Ninh restaurant (zone 3, Vuon Dao); Thien Ly restaurant (Ly Thuong Kiet, Cua Ong) ...

If you want to enjoy Halong seafood, you can go to Sea Food Restaurant (Ha Long street); Thu Huong restaurant (Ha Long street); Noi Nho restaurant (Tran Hung Dao street) ...

Here are some specialties that tourists should not ignore: Sticky rice with grilled chopped squid, Steamed rice roll with grilled chopped squid, Clam, Britannica, Sea sam...

Click here to know more about Halong specialities.

6. Famous tourist spots in Halong Bay

Surprising Cave is the largest - most beautiful cave in Halong Bay and is in the Top 10 most beautiful caves in the world. The path to the Sung Sot cave is made up of stone cliffs that allow visitors to experience the feelings of mountain climbers. The cave was named the "Grotte des surprises" by the French (Surprising Cave).

Bai Tu Long Bay includes a sea-part of Ha Long City, Cam Pha City and Van Don Island District. The South West borders Ha Long Bay, the East is adjacent to the sea, the West is adjacent to the mainland with Cam Pha City and the North East borders Co To Island District. Bai Tu Long Bay consists of hundreds of magneficient islands and islets.

Titop Island is located in Ha Long Bay, about 7-8 km southeast of the Bai Chay Tourism Port. Titop Island has a crescent-shaped sandbar. The sand here four seasons was washed clean by the tide.

Thien Cung Cave is located north of Dau Go island, 4km south of the Bai Chay Tourism Port. The cave is one of the most beautiful caves of Halong Bay. The cave is large with numberlessness of stalactites and stalagmites having strange shapes.

The Kissing Rocks (Hon Trong Mai) is a symbol of Vietnam tourism, located southwest of Ha Long Bay, 5 km from Bai Chay Tourism Port, near Dinh Huong Rock.

Luon Cave is located on Bo Hon Island, 14 km south of Bai Chay. In front of the cave is Con Rua island (Turle Island), on the right of the cave is the Heaven Gate. In here, water color is always blue during 4 seasons like a mirror.

Bright Dark Cave is located on Lan Ha Bay in Cat Ba archipelago, Hai Phong Province. The cave is 70m long through the mountain but is located on the water surface, so to visit the cave you often have to go paddling or kayaking.

Interesting places surrounding Halong Bay

Sun World Ha Long Park: This is the most extensive entertainment complex in Ha Long City. The complex consists of 5 main areas: Dragon Park, Vortex Park, Amusement Park on Ba Deo Hill, Sun World Beach and Food & Shopping Zone.

Reference price (The price includes a package for Cable Car, Sun Wheel and Amusement Park on Ba Deo Hill):
Adults: 300,000 VND / 01 ticket
Children from 1 meter - 1.3 meters: 200,000 VND / 01 ticket
Children under 1 meter for free

Bai Chay beach is located along the coast of Halong Bay, suitable for resting and swimming. The average annual temperature is about 20 ° C.

Quang Ninh Museum is a unique artistic architecture. With 3 floors, Quang Ninh Museum offers the most complete information for visitors about nature and people here.

Address: Tran Quoc Nghien Street, Tuan Chau Town, Halong City, Quang Ninh Province
Opening hours: Weekdays, except Mondays: from 8 am to 17 pm.
Entrance fee: Adults: 30,000 VND/ ticket
Students: 15,000 VND/ ticket
Children: 10,000 VND/ ticket

Yen Tu relic: If you like experience a spiritual tourism, you should visit Yen Tu relic area. This is a system of pagodas, ancient towers and forests that blend with natural landscapes on Yen Tu Mountain.

7. Things to do in Halong Bay

Overnight on Halong Cruise
Cruises on the bay like hotels, have clean cabins with air-conditioners, blankets, and private bathrooms. It is interesting that you can relax in your own room and enjoy the majestic mountains and blue water right outside the window of the room. At night, you can join some activities: squid fishing, singing karaoke or even chatting with your loved ones.

Kayaking
If traveling to Ha Long but you do not try kayaking, it will be a regret. Halong Bay was voted by National Geographic Adventures magazine as one of the Top 25 Kayaking Tourist Destinations in the World. In Ha Long, there are many places to rent kayaks (at tourism ports, islands), the rent is from 100,000 to 200,000 VND/ hour depending on the types of boat (1, 2 or 3 seats). In the case, if visitors choose Halong Cruise Tour, Kayaking tickets have been covered.