Trip to Ha Long Bay in Northern Vietnam
Ha Long Bay City
Ha Long City is located about 160 km east of Hanoi, about two and a half hours drive on the modern highway. The city lies on the shores of a bay of the same name: Ha Long Bay. This bay is one of the must-see destinations for travelers in Vietnam thanks to the multitude of islands (nearly two thousand) rising from the sea in the bay and creating a spectacular and unique landscape. The bay, which is also defined as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was selected in an international competition in 2011 as one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature.
♦ Cruise tours in Ha Long Bay (to book from Viator):
Another attraction in this city that should not be missed, successful for both adults and children, is the Sun World amusement park, which features a giant cable car over the bay and a giant Ferris wheel, in addition to the large amusement park with a variety of rides and charming gardens. From the cable car and the giant Ferris wheel, there is a breathtaking view of the bay and the modern and impressive bridge that connects both sides of the bay and separates the tourist area of Ha Long City from the area where locals live, where local markets are also located.
Accommodation
It is recommended to stay in Ha Long City for two nights.
Recommended Hotels:
Wyndham Legend Halong - 5-star hotel near the bridge with views of the bay and Sun World park. A modern, high-quality hotel with excellent service and a successful breakfast. The hotel has a pool, gym, restaurants, and a bar. Free Wi-Fi.
Muong Thanh Luxury Quang Ninh Hotel - 5-star hotel packed with facilities including a pool, jacuzzi, spa, tennis court, gym, casino, and of course restaurants and a bar.
Novotel Ha Long Bay Hotel - A successful 4-star hotel located, similar to the previous two, in the city's newer hotel area. The hotel features a pool, spa, gym, and of course a restaurant.
Recommended Season for a Visit:
Ha Long Bay is a tourist destination all year round. It is favored by tourists from all over the world, but especially dominant in huge numbers of tourists are Chinese tourists. There are also many Korean tourists and of course Europeans and Americans who are absorbed among the quantities of Asians arriving in the area.
Local tourism by residents of Vietnam is mainly in the summer months of June-August when Vietnamese children have a long summer vacation. This season is also particularly hot and humid, accompanied by heavy rains and sometimes tropical storms. Winter is the dry season but relatively cold and less pleasant for cruising in the bay when a cold wind blows vigorously and drives you inside the boat.
The recommended season for a visit in terms of weather is between October-December and also in March-April.
Cruise Tour in Ha Long Bay
Ha Long Bay is famous, as mentioned, for its many islands that rise steeply from the sea surface. These islands are made of limestone rock topped with vegetation and trees.
Tourists who arrive here go on scenic boat cruises between the islands, often with an overnight stay or two on the boat itself. During the cruise, you stop and visit several islands for a brief visit, and some also go kayaking near the islands. The cruise departs from the Tuan Chau Island marina.
Almost everyone who comes to Ha Long Bay boards a boat immediately upon arrival for a 24-hour cruise, including a night in a private cabin on the vessel.
There are ships of all levels, from simple boats to 5-star level vessels, from private boats for a couple to ships with 50 rooms. The cruise starts at noon and ends the next day at 11:00 AM, at which point you leave the ship and continue to the next destination.
Anyone who wants to sail to more and further islands, which are also less touristy, can go on a cruise of two nights or even three.
On the other hand, there is also a day cruise without overnight stay, at a much cheaper price of course, lasting eight hours, which in my opinion is preferable to an overnight cruise, because in eight hours you see enough of what the bay has to offer and it is better to stay in Ha Long City and tour there as well. During the cruise you enjoy a varied lunch amidst spectacular scenery. There are not many countries where you get such private, personal pampering at such a cheap price.
Booking a cruise in Ha Long Bay for cruise ship passengers from the Viator website:
Includes port pickup
On a cruise in Ha Long Bay, you sail through magical landscapes between hundreds of islands and islets of all sizes.
Some of the islands are more famous because they resemble animals, such as a frog or a dog, or structures, such as a pagoda. One of the islands even appears on one of the local banknotes.
On such a cruise, you usually stop to visit three islands (out of about 20 that can be visited). There is also an option for kayaking near the islands, which gives a different perspective on the islands and without the noise of passengers and engine sound. During the cruise, you pass dozens of ships of all sizes and styles, including decorated and photogenic boats.
On one of the islands usually visited, there is the largest stalactite cave in the area called Surprise Cave. A tour is conducted inside a cave with a giant space containing many stalactites and stalagmites.
Another popular island is called Titov, named after a Russian astronaut who previously visited the island together with Ho Chi Minh. On the island, there is a large statue of him and a sandy beach.
From the island, there is a magnificent viewpoint from the top of a cliff reached by climbing 465 steps. Amazing view, highly recommended!
Another destination to visit is a floating fishing village located inside a large lagoon surrounded by high cliffs that provide the village with good protection against typhoon winds. The houses of the village are positioned on floats, with fish cages between them that they raise for sale. There is a small museum about the residents' lives, and the visit includes a roughly half-hour trip in a small rowing boat that circles the village and gives tourists an opportunity to view the residents' floating houses and see how they live.
A short video about cruising in Ha Long Bay:
Sun World Park
Sun World Park in Ha Long Bay is a modern and diverse site that began operating in 2016 and continues to grow and develop.
It features a cable car with the world's largest cabin (230 passengers), and its cable is stretched over support towers taller than any other cable car in the world (188.88 meters) - two Guinness World Records! The cable car travels through a breathtaking view of Ha Long Bay and reaches the other side of the bay where a giant Ferris wheel offers an even more impressive view.
In addition, the site features long alpine coasters, Japanese gardens, a water puppet theater, an amusement park, a water park, as well as a variety of rides for young children, arcade machines, a wax museum, and more.
A short video about the Sun World amusement park:
Scenic Seaplane Flight Over Ha Long Bay
Another experience for travelers in Ha Long is a scenic flight over the entire bay and its spectacular islands in a light plane taking off and landing in the sea. The flight departs from the marina on Tuan Chau Island and lasts about 25 minutes.
Flight booking from the Viator website:
♦ Flight over Ha Long Bay - Halong Bay Seaplane Sightseeing Tour With Pick up
Additional Travel Destinations in and Around Ha Long City
The Local Market:
In Ha Long City, there is a large, authentic local market where you can buy everything at hand, including clothes, fabrics, toys, housewares, souvenirs, various foods, as well as a fish and meat market and a vegetable market.
Pagoda:
You can visit a pagoda named Long Tien built in 1941 and admire its unique statues. This is the largest temple in Ha Long and its most famous historical site.
Pearl Cultivation and Manufacturing Factory:
Near Ha Long City, oysters that produce pearls are cultivated. At a pearl cultivation farm that also includes a shop selling pearl jewelry named Ngoc Trai Legend Pearl, you can tour and see the stages of cultivation and harvesting pearls from oysters. The process includes planting catalysts inside the shell that accelerate the growth of the pearl, along with a small bead that serves as the focus for pearl growth. These oysters are attached to a net that is submerged in the sea until the pearl grows.
A short video about the pearl farm: