Ha Long
HαΊ‘ Long
Northern VietnamOverview
Ha Long Bay (Vα»nh HαΊ‘ Long, meaning 'Bay of the Descending Dragon') is Vietnam's most famous natural wonder and one of the world's most spectacular seascapes. Located in Quang Ninh Province in northeast Vietnam, the bay spans approximately 1,500 square kilometers and contains nearly 2,000 limestone karst islands and islets, many of them hollow with enormous caves. The geological formations were created over 500 million years through a combination of tectonic forces and the erosive power of tropical weathering. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994 (and expanded in 2000), Ha Long Bay draws over 4 million visitors annually. Ha Long City, the gateway to the bay, has modernized rapidly and offers the main tourist infrastructure, including the international cruise terminal at Tuan Chau Marina and the older Bai Chay tourist area. While the bay itself is the undeniable star attraction, the surrounding area includes the quieter Lan Ha Bay (reached from Cat Ba Island), the spectacular Bai Tu Long Bay to the northeast, and the coastal town of Quang Ninh with its excellent museum.
Must-Do Experiences
The top things to do in Ha Long
Take an overnight cruise through Ha Long Bay
The quintessential Ha Long experience: board a traditional wooden junk boat (or modern luxury vessel) for 2 days/1 night (or longer) cruising among the karst islands. Itineraries typically include kayaking through caves and lagoons, swimming, cave visits, cooking classes on board, squid fishing at night, and tai chi at sunrise on the deck. The overnight format allows you to experience the bay at its most peaceful β after day-trip boats depart. Prices range from $60 for budget to $300+ for luxury per person per night.
Kayak through hidden lagoons and caves
Paddling a kayak through the limestone archways into hidden lagoons (called 'dark and bright' caves β Hang Toi and Hang Sang) is a highlight of any Ha Long Bay visit. The enclosed lagoons, surrounded by sheer limestone walls draped in vegetation, feel like lost worlds. Most cruises include kayaking in their itinerary, but choosing a cruise that visits less-trafficked areas (Lan Ha Bay or Bai Tu Long Bay) enhances the experience.
Explore Sung Sot Cave (Surprise Cave)
The largest and most impressive cave open to tourists in Ha Long Bay, Sung Sot is accessed by climbing 100 stone steps to the cave entrance on Bo Hon Island. Inside, the cavern opens into two enormous chambers filled with stalactites and stalagmites illuminated in changing colors. The first chamber resembles a theater, while the second is so large it could hold thousands of people. Despite the crowds, the scale is genuinely impressive.
Visit Cat Ba Island and Lan Ha Bay
For a less crowded and more adventurous Ha Long Bay experience, base yourself on Cat Ba Island and explore Lan Ha Bay β a stunning extension of Ha Long Bay with 300+ limestone karsts but a fraction of the tourist boats. Cat Ba also offers rock climbing on limestone cliffs (Asia Outdoors is the established operator), trekking in Cat Ba National Park, and some of the region's best swimming beaches. Lan Ha Bay cruises depart from Ben Beo Harbor on Cat Ba.
Watch sunrise from the deck of your cruise boat
The most memorable moments in Ha Long Bay are often the quiet ones: watching dawn break over the karsts from the deck of your boat as the bay transitions from darkness to soft golden light. Many boats offer early-morning tai chi sessions on deck. The combination of misty limestone pillars, still water, and the first light of day is profoundly peaceful.
Visit Ti Top Island for panoramic views
Named after a Soviet cosmonaut who visited with Ho Chi Minh in 1962, Ti Top Island has a small beach and a staircase of 427 steps leading to a summit viewpoint with 360-degree panoramic views of the bay. The climb is steep but the views from the top β looking out over hundreds of karst islands stretching to the horizon β are among the most spectacular in Ha Long Bay.
Neighborhoods
Where to explore in Ha Long
Bai Chay (Tourist District)
The main tourist hub of Ha Long City stretches along the waterfront with hotels ranging from budget to luxury, seafood restaurants, souvenir shops, and the Sun World Ha Long amusement park. The beach at Bai Chay is artificial but pleasant. Most visitors use Bai Chay as a base the night before or after a bay cruise. The area has improved significantly with new waterfront parks and the cable car to Sun World.
Tuan Chau Marina
Located on Tuan Chau Island (connected to the mainland by a bridge), this modern marina is the departure point for most Ha Long Bay cruises. The area has upscale resorts, an artificial beach, and evening entertainment shows. Arriving here the evening before an early-morning cruise departure is convenient. The international cruise terminal opened in 2018 and handles the majority of bay cruise departures.
Cat Ba Island
The largest island in Ha Long Bay (though administratively part of Hai Phong city), Cat Ba is the base for exploring the less-crowded Lan Ha Bay. Cat Ba Town has budget accommodation, seafood restaurants, and an adventurous traveler vibe. The island is home to Cat Ba National Park, which protects the critically endangered Cat Ba langur (one of the world's rarest primates with only around 70-80 individuals remaining).
Food & Specialties
Ha Long's cuisine is dominated by the exceptional seafood pulled from the bay's waters. The floating fishing villages that have existed here for generations have developed distinctive preparation methods, while the bay's clear waters produce particularly sweet shrimp, crab, and mollusks. Most visitors eat on their cruise boats, where chefs prepare multi-course seafood meals, but the restaurants in Ha Long City and Cat Ba Town offer excellent and more affordable seafood dining.
Cha Muc (Grilled Squid Cake)
Ha Long's signature dish: minced squid mixed with dill, pepper, and fish sauce, shaped into patties and grilled over charcoal. Served with sweet chili dipping sauce
Sam Bien (Horseshoe Crab)
A local delicacy (available seasonally), horseshoe crab is prepared in multiple ways: grilled, in salads, or in noodle soup
Fresh Oysters and Clams
The bay's shellfish are renowned for their sweetness. Grilled with spring onion and peanut oil or steamed with lemongrass
Goi Ca (Raw Fish Salad)
Fresh fish 'cooked' in lime juice with herbs, peanuts, and chili. Similar to ceviche, served at restaurants along the waterfront
Seafood Hot Pot
A popular evening meal option both on cruise boats and in Ha Long City restaurants, featuring the day's catch
Banh Cuon Cha Muc
Ha Long's variation of steamed rice rolls served with the local squid cake
Best Time to Visit
Best Period
October to December
Autumn offers the best combination of pleasant temperatures, clear skies, and calm seas. The bay is beautiful year-round but fog can obscure views in winter and spring, while summer brings heat and the risk of typhoons.
Spring
March-May: Warming temperatures, 18-28Β°C. Can be foggy and misty, which creates an atmospheric but sometimes visibility-limiting experience. The mist can make the bay feel especially mysterious.
Summer
June-August: Hot and humid, 28-35Β°C. Generally good visibility when clear but risk of tropical storms and typhoons. Cruises may be cancelled during severe weather. The bay is busiest with domestic tourism in summer.
Autumn
September-November: The best season. Clear skies, comfortable temperatures (22-28Β°C), and calm seas. October-November offer the best visibility and photography conditions.
Winter
December-February: Cool and sometimes cold, 12-20Β°C. Fog and drizzle are common, potentially limiting bay views. The upside: fewer tourists and lower cruise prices.
Budget Guide
Estimated daily costs in Ha Long
Backpacker
$25-50/day (including budget cruise)
Mid-Range
$80-200/day (including mid-range cruise)
Luxury
$250-600+/day (including luxury cruise)
Price Breakdown
Budget day trip from Hanoi: from 600,000 VND ($24). Budget overnight cruise (2D/1N on shared junk boat): from 1,500,000-2,500,000 VND ($60-100). Mid-range cruise: 3,000,000-5,000,000 VND ($120-200). Luxury cruise (Heritage Line, Paradise, Bhaya): from 7,500,000+ VND ($300+). Hotels in Bai Chay: from 400,000 VND ($16) for budget to 3,000,000+ VND ($120+) for luxury. Cat Ba hostels: from 120,000 VND ($5). Seafood dinner in Ha Long: 200,000-500,000 VND ($8-20).
Getting There
How to reach Ha Long
By Air
The nearest airport is Van Don International Airport (VDO), opened in 2018, located about 60km east of Ha Long City. It handles domestic flights from Ho Chi Minh City (2 hours) and a few international routes. A taxi/Grab from the airport to Ha Long City costs approximately 500,000-600,000 VND ($20-24). Most visitors fly into Hanoi's Noi Bai Airport (170km west) and travel overland.
By Train
There is no direct train to Ha Long City. The closest station is Yen Vien (near Hanoi), from where bus or car transfer is necessary. The train-bus combination is not practical compared to direct road transfer.
By Bus
The Ha Long Expressway (opened 2018) has cut the drive time from Hanoi to under 2.5 hours (previously 4-5 hours). Comfortable shuttle buses run regularly from Hanoi's My Dinh station and many operators offer pickup from Old Quarter hotels. One-way fares run 150,000-250,000 VND ($6-10). Most cruise operators offer optional bus transfers from Hanoi for an additional fee. For Cat Ba Island: speedboats run from Got Pier in Hai Phong (60,000-200,000 VND, 45 minutes), or you can take a bus-ferry combination from Hanoi (4-5 hours).
Getting Around
Most visitors experience Ha Long Bay through organized cruise tours (from overnight junk boats to luxury multi-day cruises). Within Ha Long City, taxis and Grab are the main transport options. On Cat Ba Island, motorbike rental (100,000-150,000 VND/day) is the best way to explore the national park and beaches. Kayaks are provided on most cruise itineraries for exploring caves and lagoons up close. Local boat taxis can be hired for transfers between islands.
Day Trips
Excursions from Ha Long
Cat Ba Island
25km by boat from Ha Long City (or 4-5 hours from Hanoi via Hai Phong)
The largest island in the bay offers national park trekking, rock climbing, quieter beaches (Cat Co 1, 2, 3), and access to the less-crowded Lan Ha Bay. Can be visited as a day trip from Ha Long or as a multi-day base for exploring the area.
Quang Ninh Museum
In Ha Long City, on the waterfront
An architecturally striking modern museum designed to resemble black coal (Quang Ninh is Vietnam's coal-mining center). Excellent exhibits on the geology of Ha Long Bay, local ethnic minority cultures, and regional history. A surprisingly good museum that provides context for the bay experience. Admission: 30,000 VND ($1.20).
Yen Tu Mountain
70km west, approximately 1.5 hours by car
A sacred Buddhist mountain at 1,068 meters with a pilgrimage trail passing through ancient pagodas, temples, and forests. The summit houses the Dong (Bronze) Pagoda. A cable car covers part of the route. Most significant during the Yen Tu Festival (January-March, lunar calendar) when hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese pilgrims visit.
Bai Tu Long Bay cruise
Northeast of Ha Long Bay, departing from Ha Long or Quan Lan Island
The less-visited section of the Ha Long Bay UNESCO site, Bai Tu Long has equally dramatic karst landscapes but a fraction of the boat traffic. Several cruise operators now run dedicated Bai Tu Long itineraries, offering a more exclusive and tranquil bay experience.
Safety
Ha Long Bay is generally safe but there are specific considerations. Choose reputable cruise operators β the tourism authority has improved safety standards significantly after past incidents, and licensed boats are inspected regularly. Check that your chosen boat has proper safety equipment (life jackets, fire extinguishers). Be cautious on wet cave steps (Sung Sot Cave can be slippery). Wear a life jacket when kayaking. Sea conditions can change quickly, especially during typhoon season (July-September) β cruises may be cancelled or shortened for safety. On Cat Ba Island, the national park trails can be challenging and a guide is recommended for longer routes.
Local Tips
Insider advice for visiting Ha Long
- 1Avoid the cheapest overnight cruises (under $60/person) β they often use older boats with poor safety standards, overcrowded itineraries, and food quality issues. Mid-range ($120-200) provides a dramatically better experience.
- 2Consider Lan Ha Bay or Bai Tu Long Bay cruises instead of the main Ha Long Bay route β the scenery is equally spectacular but with far fewer boats, creating a more peaceful experience.
- 3The best photography light occurs at sunrise and just before sunset β book an overnight cruise to capture both. Day trips miss the bay's most magical hours.
- 4If prone to seasickness, note that the bay is usually very calm (protected by the karst islands), but some swells are possible during the wet season.
- 5Ha Long City itself is not particularly interesting β most travelers spend minimal time in the city and maximize time on the bay or on Cat Ba Island.
- 6The new Ha Long Expressway means you can leave Hanoi at 7am and board an 11am or noon cruise departure, making a same-day transfer very practical.
Sources
- UNESCO World Heritage Centre β Ha Long Bay
- Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (vietnam.travel)
- Quang Ninh Province Tourism Department
- Lonely Planet Northern Vietnam Guide