Visit Halong Bay, travel guide 2024

Grandiose postcard, a geological museum in the open sea or a world natural wonder, whatever its nickname, Halong Bay has established itself, in successive years, at the top of the best destinations in Vietnam. Classified in the UNESCO list of World Natural Heritage for its exceptional values both in landscape and geological terms, Halong is guaranteed a dream holiday to do without waiting.

Excursion by boat or kayak in a magical setting formed by thousands of limestone peaks, exploration of caves more beautiful than each other, and visit to charming fishing villages make Halong Bay a place to visit at least once in our life.

Situation

Halong is located west of the Gulf of Tonkin, 170 km from Hanoi. Its 1553 km2 is made up of a core zone and a buffer zone. The bay has a total of 1969 multiform islands and islets, 980 of which are still awaiting a name.

Halong Bay Weather

Halong City has a coastal climate with two distinct seasons, winter from November to March and summer from May to August.

The annual average temperature of Halong is 23.2°C, it is hottest in June (29°C) and coldest in January (16°C).

When to visit Halong Bay?

This famous site is taken by storm by national tourists during the summer holidays which begin between May and July. Travellers from other continents prefer it for the winter period from November.

The months between August and October and between April and May are the two best times to visit Halong Bay, with the ideal temperatures between 24 and 28°C and perfectly clear skies.

Note that a cruise in Halong Bay between June and July could be spoiled by the rains and even the typhoon that threatens the northern regions during this period.

How to get to Halong Bay?

Motorbikes, buses, trains and seaplanes are the possible ways to get to Halong from Hanoi.

By bus

Bus departures from My Dinh, Nuoc Ngam and Giap Bat bus stations start at 6 am and end at 5 pm daily.

You can count for around 3 – 4 hours on the road, the ticket price is 100,000 VND for the seat and 200,000 VND for a berth.

By train

Take the Halong Express tourist train from Gia Lam station to Halong. The 5-hour trip costs about 100,000 VND/one way/person.

By motorbike

There are wo practical routes:

Route 1 (155km): National Highway 5 – Sai Dong crossroads – Bac Ninh – National Highway 18A – Pha Lai – Chi Linh - Dong Trieu – Uong Bi – Halong.

Route 2 (160km): Noi Bai Airport – Bac Ninh – National highway 18A – Pha Lai - Sao Do – Dong Trieu – Uong Bi – Halong.

By seaplane

This means of comfort, which is more expensive, allows you to have a panoramic view of the sea from a height of between 150 and 3000 metres. Capable of accommodating 12 travellers, it will make you enjoy a fantastic and unforgettable experience on one of the most beautiful bays in the world.

>> Read more: How to get from Hanoi to Halong Bay: 6 best ways to travel

What to do and what to visit in Halong?

Discovery of a fabulous mine of caves and islets

Thien Cung Cave (Heavenly Palace)

The spectacular landscape of Halong Bay is revealed by crisscrossing in the middle of innumerable peaks with particular shapes but also by exploring the admirable caves that they sculpt.

You can explore the wonders in its depths, Thien Cung (Heavenly Palace), Dau go (Wooden Head), Sung Sot (Surprises), and Trong and Trinh Nu (Drum and Virgin) caves, to name a few. 

Created at the end of the descent of the Dragon into the sea, as indicated by the legendary name of Halong, the mythical islets will certainly surprise you during your excursion with the most famous names, Man’s head, Fisherman, Rooster and Hen, Veil, Monk, Incense burner, Frog… for example.

Swimming on beautiful beaches

Minh Chau Beach

You totally should bask in the sun on one of the beaches bordered by emerald water in Halong, from the busiest to the most isolated.

Two artificial resorts of Bai Chay and Tuan Chau are very lively during the holidays.

The station of Titov Island is known for its magnificent landscape setting.

Low-key resorts can be found in the more remote islands, such as Ngoc Vung, Quan Lan, Minh Chau and Three Peaches.

Kayak escape

Appearing among the list of 25 best spots in the world to practice kayaking established by National Geographic Adventures, the site has everything to delight lovers of this activity, and it’s one of the experiences not to be missed in Halong Bay.

Easily accessible in ports and on the islands, renting a kayak ranges between 100,000 – 200,000 VND/hour, depending on availability for one/two/three people.

Admire Halong Bay from a seaplane

What could be better than contemplating the breathtaking beauty of the verdant sugar loaves from a bird's eye view? Visiting Halong Bay by seaplane was voted in 2015 by The New York Times magazine as one of the most attractive activities.

Night on board a cruise on Halong Bay

To enjoy the miraculous universe in the open sea, a stay in Halong of at least two days is preferable to savour the tireless moments, ranging from a sublime dawn to a dazzling twilight. Imagine at nightfall, it's a whole starry sky that invades your romantic evening for two. For many travellers, this nocturnal escape is to be done at least once in their life.

Visit fishing villages

The over-the-water getaway of this world wonder does not fill up without a stopover at a local village. Vung Vieng, Cua Van or Ba Hang are beautiful floating villages where you can chat with the smiling fishermen and rowers to bring you closer to the peaceful life in a boat.

Adventure in the climbing routes in the open sea

Superb cliffs, numerous gorges and mythical caves that shape the reliefs of Halong Bay make it a perfect place for climbers of all levels. Let yourself be carried away by the wind of the sea and the climbing tracks giving the view of the breathtaking landscapes.

Halong Sun World Amusement Park

Recently opened to visitors, this park covering 214ha offers a whole range of entertainment at an international level. Composed of two giant poles, one along the coast and the other located in Ba Deo Mountain, this complex offers a multitude of activities, from the most fun to the most fantastic for the dream of a family outing.

Other points of interest that are also around, are the Quang Ninh Museum and the religious sites around Halong such as the Ba Vang Pagoda, the historical and religious remains in Yen Tu Mountain.

Hotels in Ha Long

Since Halong welcomes millions of vacationers from all over the world every year, the hotel and entertainment structures are constantly diversifying. You will therefore have a very wide choice of accommodation in Halong Bay and there is something for all tastes and all budgets. Please note that the price of rooms is normally doubled or even tripled on public holidays.

Along Halong Street

This axis offers the majority of high-end 4 to 5-star hotels with sea views. Much higher than in other sectors, the price offered is at least one million VND per night.

Hai Quan or Maritime Crossroads

The rooms here are well suited to the budget, costing between 200,000 and 300,000 VND/night.

Vuon Dao or Peach Garden Sector

As with the choice at the Hai Quan crossroads, the hotels in this part are quite affordable for a price of between 300,000 – 700,000 VND/night.

Culinary specialities

Halong Bay has no shortage of little surprises to make you live an unforgettable gourmet stay. In addition to fresh shellfish, other flavours that make the reputation of the sea and the land of Halong are, namely, sticky rice and dumplings with squid pancakes, some food based on peanut worms or “sa sung”, horseshoe crab, "banh gat gu" or local dumplings.

We wish you good preparation and a good trip!

Related articles:

>> Halong Bay Private Cruise: List of Small Boats

>> Value of the culture of fishing villages in Halong Bay

>> Halong, Bai Tu Long or Lan Ha, which bay should we choose for a cruise?