Northern Vietnam
Hanoi Captital
Mai Chau
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Known as “the land of islands,” Ha Long Bay covers a large area of over 1.500 square kilometers, containing up to 1.900 limestone islands and over 60 unique-looking caves scattered among the islets. Cruising around the bay, visitors will be in awe of the bay’s magnificent panorama: blue water curving through the tall islands like a watercolor painting spreading before the eyes. Thanks to this dreamlike water view, UNESCO has honored Ha Long Bay many times as a World Natural Heritage.
Choosing when to visit Halong Bay is not an easy task, as each season here has its own beauty. Should we go in the summer when the weather is perfect for swimming? Or should we explore the bay in the quieter winter time? Fola Travel is here to help you!
Enjoy exciting activities in Spring
Spring is arguably the most ideal time to visit Ha Long Bay: the weather is always sunny with a clear blue sky, and the rainy season is not here yet. The comfortable weather allows tourists to enjoy outdoor activities, from hiking and cycling in the Ha Long mountains to rowing or taking hydroplanes around the bay.
The heat of Summer is perfect to be in the water
As a seaside city, summer in Ha Long means high temperatures and a lot of unpredictable rains. With an average temperature of around 30 to 35 degrees, tourists unfamiliar with tropical heat and humidity may find Ha Long’s summer extremely uncomfortable. This type of weather, however, is perfect for water activities included in Ha Long tours: swimming, sunbathing, kayaking…
Fall is the peak season of Ha Long Bay travel
It’s the end of the rainy season; the boiling, suffocating heat of the summer months is now gone, replaced by much cooler and more pleasant weather. Fall is no doubt the most beautiful season to go on a Ha Long tour: as the trees are changing leaves, the energetic and vibrant city now takes on a gentle, peaceful atmosphere.
A cruise tour during Ha Long Bay’s Winter is awesome
The temperature during winter in Ha Long Bay is the lowest year-round, averaging at about 18 degrees Celsius. The weather is dry, foggy, and chilly, with little to no rain. During the day, the temperature could get higher, so you can enjoy a little swimming here and there in the sun. However, water sports in winter are not as easily accessible as in summer or fall, so you should check the destination availability and plan your day accordingly.
Ha Long Bay is the ultimate vacation spot, but there are just too many places to check out when your time is limited. Beaches, islands, caves, fishing villages, water parks… which ones you should visit? Let’s find out with Fola Travel!
Ha Long Bay
Recognized by UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage Site, Ha Long Bay offers visitors an outstanding view of thousands of karst islands nestled in the calm, blue ocean, exuding an incredible sense of peace and tranquility.
Lan Ha Bay
A gift from Mother Nature, Lan Ha Bay spans over 7000 square kilometers. It is home to more than 100 large and small islands, as well as several picturesque beaches with unspoiled, wild beauty.
Bai Tu Long Bay
Bai Tu Long Bay has a captivating beauty of hundreds of islands that stand still through time, numerous immaculate beaches, and enigmatic caverns.
Ti Top Island
As a popular stop on a Ha Long cruise trip, Ti Top Island will leave visitors ecstatic with its wild, romantic, peaceful beauty of green mountains and blue sea.
Bo Hon Island
Known as Ha Long’s “cave paradise”, Bo Hon Island has many caves you should check out, such as Sung Sot Cave, Ho Dong Tien Cave, Trinh Nu Cave, and more.
Sung Sot Cave
Sung Sot Cave is a popular tourist attraction in Ha Long Bay and is proudly listed by CNN Travel Magazine as one of Vietnam’s seven most beautiful caves.
Dau Go Cave
Located 27 meters above sea level, Dau Go cave is believed to have developed some 2 million years ago, making it one of Ha Long Bay’s oldest caverns.
Thien Cung Cave
The cave is aptly named Thien Cung, which means “sky palace,” since it contains a layer of phosphorescent light that generates a magnificent heaven-like light.
Sang Toi Cave
Sang Toi, or Dark & Light Cave, is a nearly 100-meter-long cave tucked in Lan Ha Bay and is one popular stop for most Ha Long cruise guests to enjoy kayaking.
Luon Cave
Luon Cave is among the famous caves on Bo Hon Island, known for its picturesque natural scenery of green mountains and crystal-clear water flowing under the stalactites.
Tien Ong Cave
Visitors to Tien Ong Cave will be mesmerized by the enchanted limestone stalactites and the display of artifacts from local archeological excavations, proving that life existed offshore in Halong Bay thousands of years ago.
Thien Canh Son Cave
Thien Canh Son Cave attracts tourists with shimmering stalactites and stalagmites forming unexpected shapes, such as a chandelier or flowers, creating a stunning cave scene that will leave you breathless.
Vung Vieng Fishing Village
When coming to Vung Vieng fishing village, you can sense the vibrant and busy spirit of the locals, with cheerful laughter and entertaining fishing songs filling the air.
Cua Van Fishing Village
Cua Van Fishing Village retains a wild, lyrical natural beauty and simple local life that many visitors want to discover.
Sun World Halong Park
Sun World Ha Long is famous for its many areas of entertainment, including a water park, a game park, an aerial tramway with a view of Ha Long City and the seaside, a Japanese garden section with romantic scenery, restaurants featuring culinary quintessence from many countries around the world, and numerous shopping and other service malls.
Kayaking or taking boat rides around the bay
On a Halong Bay cruise tour, sightseers can rent a boat or kayak to admire the magnetic beauty of the bay right in front of them.
Swimming, diving, and enjoying water sports
Nothing is better on a hot summer day than jumping into the cool water, swimming around the bay, or relaxing on the sandy beach, taking in the magnificent ocean and islands.
Squid fishing
There are two squid seasons in a year when you can easily catch big squids and enjoy them grilled right on deck! Various Halong Bay cruises include squid fishing hours in their itinerary, so check it out!
Hydroplane
From a height up to 300 meters above the ground, tourists can admire the harmonious picture of Ha Long’s sea and limestone islands and witness the daily activities of locals on the bay.
Rock climbing
Climbing to the top of Halong Bay mountains, you can capture the panorama of Ha Long Bay in all of its glory, from the blue sea and sky mirroring each other to rows of islands afar.
Visiting Quang Ninh Museum
Not only does it have an impressive appearance, but the Quang Ninh Museum also amazes tourists with its three floors of themed exhibitions. The museum’s interesting artifacts and pictures will help tourists get a complete overview of Ha Long’s history and development and the people and nature surrounding it.
As a seaside city, Ha Long has many signature dishes you cannot find anywhere else, especially seafood delicacies. So prepare your stomach for a Ha Long cruise trip, because you will certainly eat a lot! Some of the foods that tourists have highly complimented include:
Seafood
Ha Long has an abundant source of seafood, everything from fish, shrimp, and crab, as well as squid, octopus, oyster, abalone, and many other varieties.
Steamed rice rolls with squid cake (Banh Cuon Cha Muc)
These wonderful steamed rice rolls with plump squid cakes are a popular breakfast choice for Ha Long residents and all Vietnamese people, so you should definitely try it out!
Mantis shrimp noodles (Bun Be Be)
Mantis shrimp is a typical seafood in Ha Long cuisine, but the most famous dish is mantis shrimp noodles. It has firm and fresh mantis shrimp, crispy fried tofu cubes, and fragrant local herbs.
Stone crab noodles (Bun Cu Ky)
This simple dish of vermicelli noodles, stone crab claws, lean pork, and herbs has such amazing flavor you would undoubtedly want a second bowl.
Ha Long handmade yogurt with tapioca pearls
This is a signature sweet treat of Ha Long, with silk yogurt and chewy tapioca pearls, topped with anything from fresh and dried fruits to syrups and chocolate.
Oyster porridge (Chao Hau Sua)
The most simple dish yet delicious is oyster porridge – warm, soft, and fragrant. A bowl of oyster porridge on a cold day by the bay will instantly warm you up, preparing you for an exciting day ahead.
Seaworm (Sa Sung)
Even though raw Sa Sung is not for everyone because of its scary-looking appearance, dried seaworm is a standard gift that Ha Long tourists often bring home for family and friends.
Horseshoe crab (Sam Bien)
This interesting-looking sea creature has firm and fragrant meat. You can find many delights made from horseshoe crab: soup, sausage, omelet, salad… all are delicious!
As a developed city in Vietnam, there are many options for accommodation in the city, from low-budget homestays and hotels to luxury resorts, villas, and even cruise ships. Rental prices range from a few hundred thousand to a few million VND a night, depending on what you choose.
Ha Long City is divided into two areas: Bai Chay and Hon Gai. Bai Chay tends to have more tourist facilities, hotels, and restaurants, while Hon Gai is mainly residential.
If you choose to stay in a more comfortable and affordable homestay, you can refer to places like The Bay, Halong Ginger, Orestay, and Deja Vu House. These places are great for solo travelers or groups of friends who want to be on a budget. The rooms are lovely and quite spacious, and the rent is cheap: only 200-500,000 dong per night.
For more deluxe options, FLC Grand Hotel, Wyndham Legend Halong, Novotel, Muong Thanh System, and Royal Lotus… are perfect. Ha Long also has many 5-star resorts, including Vinpearl Resort and Spa, Oakwood Ha Long, and many more. Staying at these high-end spots means having an incredible view of Ha Long City from your window, a fully-equipped room and amenities, as well as state-of-the-art facilities like pools, saunas, gyms, etc.
Tourists who don’t want to stay on land can spend the night on Ha Long Bay cruises, as most cruises would offer an option to sleep on deck if the trip is longer than a day. You can then enjoy the night view of Ha Long Bay until as late as you want!
Fola Travel is proud to have connections with some of the best hotels, resorts, and villas in Ha Long, guaranteeing to bring you the best service and the most fantastic time in Ha Long Bay. Look at our packaged tours above or contact Fola Travel at Hotline/Whatsapp +84986.332.366 for a 24/7 consultation.
As a big Northern city with a developed transportation system, there are many ways to get to Ha Long, either from nearby cities or internationally.
Driving yourself to Ha Long is a great option for tourists staying in northern provinces close to the city. Depending on the distance and transportation, it would only take you about 2 – 4 hours to reach Ha Long through the expressway. However, you do need to be familiar with Vietnam’s transport system and routes so as not to get lost on the way, as we need to get through a few provinces. Therefore, this is not recommended for foreign tourists traveling to Vietnam for the first time.
This is probably the most common option to get to Ha Long, especially from Hanoi. Most tour packages would include or offer a shuttle bus or limousine to drive tourists from Hanoi straight to Ha Long Bay, so you don’t need to worry about transportation and can just enjoy your Vietnam trip with ease.
If you want to book a taxi or limousine yourself, the prices would be much more expensive than a tour package could offer, but they do provide more privacy than a bus. Whatever it is, buses or limousines are definitely a good way to go from nearby provinces to Ha Long.
Visitors going to Ha Long from southern provinces or internationally may fly to either Hai Phong or Quang Ninh. Van Don Airport in Quang Ninh and Cat Bi Airport in Hai Phong are two big international airports in Vietnam that welcome thousands of tourists to visit Ha Long Bay annually. From these airports, tourists can easily access the bay through other means of transportation, like taking a bus or hiring motorbikes or taxis.
If you need help planning transportation or booking flights to Ha Long, visit the Fola Travel website at https://folatravel.com or contact us through Hotline/Whatsapp at +84986.332.366 for 24/7 support.
Here are things you should have in your backpack for Ha Long:
Ha Long is definitely a safe city to travel to. The streets here have a low crime and pickpocket rate, and the locals are welcoming and friendly. However, it is always advised that you travel with a trusty company that helps book your hotels and transportation, where you can make sure it is legit and secure.
During summer, Ha Long may experience heavy rains that could turn into flooding and landslides, which could be dangerous. Therefore, it is essential that you research the weather before booking your tour, as well as follow authorities’ guidance in case of emergency.
Fola Travel guarantees our customers a safe and secure trip with reputable hotels and service houses so you can travel without worry. Access our 24/7 consulting Hotline/Whatsapp at +84986.332.366 for more details.
The answer is yes. In order to go around Ha Long Bay and visit the caves, you have to pay about 200 – 300 000 VND/ person. If you book a cruise tour, for example through Fola Travel, this fee is already included in the tour price.
Since tipping is not a part of Vietnamese culture, you don’t have to tip anywhere when traveling in the country. It is, however, a great way to show your appreciation to the staff and locals who provide you with good services, and they will highly appreciate that.
If you are not sure how much is enough, Fola Travel recommends about US $2-5 depending on the service: how long it is, how much work they do and how satisfied you are.
Even though the majority of Ha Long (and Vietnam) locals still use cash, card payment is getting more and more popular, hence you can find QR code everywhere now, from coffee shops to a market stall.
If you book a packaged tour, most service fees are already included in the tour price, so you actually don’t have to pay for anything. However, it is a fun experience to live like a local, so if possible and it’s something you want to try, you can ask your hotel to change some cash to buy local foods and crafts!
This depends on how much time you have. If you just want to get to know Ha Long, a full-day cruise tour would be enough. This would also be great to combine with other tours around Northern Vietnam, so you can visit more places but still have enough time to enjoy each spot.
If you have more time and want to explore all of Ha Long, it’s best to book a 2-day or 3-day cruise trip, which can take you around the bay, visit Ha Long caves, and participate in fun water activities.
For Ha Long Bay, our most popular options are the 1-day cruise tours around Ha Long Bay, Lan Ha Bay, and Bai Tu Long Bay.
On a full-day tour, you will have the chance to explore a few majestic caves like Luon Cave and Dark & Light Cave, where you will be in awe of the incredible thousand-year-old stalactites and stalagmites picture. Some cruises do stop on islands, where you can swim, snorkel, go kayaking, or have a BBQ on the beach.
2-day-1-night and 3-day-2-night tours are also popular among visitors, as you have more time to explore the wonderful land of Ha Long.
Each Ha Long boat route has a distinct charm that is worth discovering, so no route is “better” than the other.
Routes 1, 2, and 3 will take visitors to Ha Long Bay’s most beautiful and well-known sights. These are also the busiest routes, therefore they are best suited for those who do not mind large crowds.
Cruise routes to Lan Ha Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay will be much less busy, which makes them perfect for tourists seeking a calm, unhurried, and relaxed vacation.
To learn more about the different cruise routes in Halong Bay, check out Fola Travel’s article here.
Yes. Most overnight cruises offer family cabins where your whole family can stay and have fun together. On some cruises, there are even kids play rooms for young children!
Yes. Halong Bay cruises are perfect for the elderly to have a relaxing and comfortable time admiring the beautiful nature. Some activities like kayaking or cycling are on the itineraries, but you can always sit out if you don’t have the energy to.
The majority of cruises depart from two major ports, Tuan Chau Port and Halong International Port, between 12:00 and 12:30 pm. Furthermore, a few cruises could depart from Cai Lan, Vinashin Port (Hon Gai), and other ports around Halong City and Cat Ba Island.
Yes. However, you may have to pay an extra fee to use your own food/ drinks in the restaurants. Halong Bay cruises offer different types of menus and can accommodate various dietary restrictions (vegetarian, halal…). They also serve many alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages in the bars, so it’s better if you order on the cruises.
Most cruises in Halong Bay already include the fee for kayaking or bamboo boat tours in the price, but some may require an extra fee.
No. Transfer service (shuttle bus, limousine, or private car) requires an extra fee, and you can request it in the booking process.
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