Ha Long Bay - Latest Travel Guide

Ha Long Bay is more than 1,500 square kilometers, with more than 2,000 large and small islands of all shapes scattered, creating a magnificent scenery. Taking a sightseeing boat during the day, sleeping on the bay at night, flying a seaplane with a panoramic view from above... are experiences visitors should try at least once.

Weather

Ha Long Bay has a tropical, hot and humid climate, divided into two main seasons according to the North. Winter from November to March of the following year, the average temperature is from 15 to 20 degrees Celsius, the lowest is below 10 degrees Celsius. Summer from May to September, the average temperature is 25-29 degrees Celsius. The hottest temperature can be up to 37-38 degrees Celsius. In addition, there are two transitional seasons: spring (April) and autumn (October).

Transportation

After coming to Ha Long to eat and play in the city, visitors will choose the appropriate form to visit the bay. If you have booked a cruise line or tour, you will be guided in detail. If you buy tickets yourself, you should consult information at two major ports in Ha Long including: Tuan Chau International Passenger Port (12 km from the center of Ha Long City) and Ha Long International Passenger Port in the city center Ha Long, the number of ships is less than Tuan Chau port.

Type of sightseeing

Sightseeing ship

This is a passenger service from the ports and wharves of Ha Long city to the island and the scenic spots by each route. There are many types of ships from low-end to high-class. Boats can be chartered by pairing or chartering separately and depending on the routes. Ticket prices are allowed to increase on peak weekends or Tet holidays, but not more than 30%.

Cruise ship

This is a service provided by private businesses. The ships must meet tourist standards, be beautiful and safe, and have from 1 to 40 bedrooms. Guests can stay together or rent the whole boat. Each ship has a bedroom, a bar, a restaurant, a spa... Depending on the type and carrier, visitors will be provided with corresponding services and can participate in experiences such as bathing, boating, kayak, rowing boat to visit the fishing village, fishing for squid, singing karaoke, practicing nursing in the morning.

Overnight on the bay 1 or 2 nights. The cost per night ranges from about 2 million VND to 4 million VND per person.

Enjoy the view from above

In addition to taking a cruise or sitting on a bamboo boat, visitors can also watch the bay from above when flying by helicopter or seaplane. However, the helicopter service has been stopped since April and there is no time to reopen. Seaplane service brings a new perspective on the beauty of the whole bay.

The flight over Tuan Chau island, Reu island, Hang Dinh, Ba Hai, But Moc, Tai Voi, Sung Sot cave, Ti Top island, Dinh Huong island, Thien Cung cave and then return to the apron. The price of a tour is from 1.6 million VND for Vietnamese tourists and 2 million VND for international tourists, flight time is 25 minutes. Guests can also rent charter flights or sightseeing flights from Hanoi to Tuan Chau for from VND 9 million.

Other viewing services on Ha Long Bay: speedboat ride, experience as a fisherman, boating, kayak, bamboo boat...

Sightseeing tickets

Because Ha Long Bay is wide, it is almost impossible for visitors to go to all the spots in just a few hours. The bay management board arranges sightseeing according to each route, each route has its own theme and there are 5 routes, equivalent to 5 types of tickets, which are counted once and per person. Specifically:

• Day tour (from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.)
  • Route 1: Ship Port - Van Canh Park: Thien Cung, Dau Go, Dog Stone Island, Ba Hang Cave, Dinh Huong Islet, Trong Mai - Ga Choi Islet. Ticket price: 290,000 VND.
  • Route 2: Ship port - Cave Park: Soi Sim beach, Titov beach, Sung Sot cave, Me Cung cave, Bo Nau cave, Luon cave, Trong cave, Trinh Nu cave, Dong Tien lake. Ticket price: 290,000 VND.
  • Route 3: Ship port - Marine Culture Conservation Center: Cua Van Floating Cultural Center, Tien Ong Cave, Ba Ham Lake, Ba Men Temple, Ang Du. Ticket price: 240,000 VND.
  • Route 4: Ship port - Marine entertainment center: Co cave, Thay cave, Cong Do cave, Cap La cave, Vong Vieng, Tung Ang - Cong Do ecological zone, Hon Xep park. Ticket price: 240,000 VND.
  • Route 5: Cruise port - Gia Luan wharf (Cat Ba - Hai Phong): Thien Cung, Dau Go, Cho Da islet, Ba Hang cave, Dinh Huong island, Trong Mai-Ga Choi island. Ticket price: 290,000 VND.
• Visit route 2 and stay one or two nights. Ticket price: 590,000 VND and 790,000 VND.
• Visit route 3 and stay one or two nights. Ticket price: 540,000 VND and 690,000 VND.
• Visit route 4 and stay one or two nights. Ticket price: 540,000 VND and 690,000 VND.

Touring places

Ti - top Island (Titov island)

This is an island located on Cat Nang creek. Before 1962, the island was called Cat Nang. In 1962, President Ho Chi Minh and Soviet Space Hero (former) German Titov visited the island. To remember this event as well as to show the friendship between the two countries, the name Titov was chosen for the island. There is also a statue of Titov on the island.

Titov is a must-see attraction in the Halong Bay travel itinerary. On the island, there is a road to the top of the mountain with a length of 170 m, a beach of 500 m2 and a system of service shops to serve tourists. There are also many activities here such as swimming, football, beach volleyball, kayaking, speedboat.

Sung Sot Cave

This is the largest cave discovered on Ha Long Bay and has high geoscientific value. Deep in the cave is a stalactite block with many strange shapes. The name of the cave is derived from the fact that many tourists are passionately admiring, going from surprise to surprise when entering the cave.

Luon Cave

The cave is located on the Bo Hon island range, shaped like a tunnel with a flooded background. Deep in the cave is a small lake. The cave is the road connecting the sea with this lake. The lake is surrounded by steep, arc-shaped cliffs. To enter the lake, visitors have to go by bamboo boat or kayak. Visiting the cave on high tide days, visitors will experience the feeling of having to stoop on a bamboo boat through the flooded cave floor to enter the lake. This is also the reason for the name cave. There is also a boating service to see golden monkeys.

Trong Cave

Trong Cave has an area of about 300 m2. This is one of the cave archaeological sites belonging to the Soi Nhu culture, dating from 18,000-7,000 years ago. At the northwest and southeast entrances, traces of yellow-brown sediments and freshwater snail shells remain. Besides, there are also a small number of freshwater mollusks: agarwood, seashells, mussels. Entering the cave, visitors can admire the beauty of the cave's arch, the stalagmites, and can hear the wind blowing through the rock crevices reverberating against the cave wall, creating a sound like a drum.

Trong cave has a dinner service inside, visitors should contact the management in advance for details.

Trong Mai Islet

These are two small islets about 12 meters high facing each other, shaped like a pair of rooster - hen. The two islands seem to be leaning towards each other lovingly. When the ship gently passed by, Trong Mai island became the image of a giant fish struggling in the middle of the sea. When the train just passed, looking back, the figure of a couple of chickens no longer exists, instead it is the shape of a swimming fish.

Hon Trong Mai is a symbol of Ha Long Bay tourism. In 2000, this place was also chosen as a symbol of Vietnam tourism. Hon Trong Mai is an endless source of inspiration for art creators.

Cho Da Islet

Cho Da Islet belongs to tourist routes 1 and 5, about 2.5 km from Tuan Chau international cruise port and 6.4 km from Ha Long international passenger port. Stone Dog is located at the foot of the mountain close to the water's edge, about 8 m high, shaped like a giant dog. In the past, when the fishing village still existed on Ha Long Bay, the fishermen here considered it a protective image for the peace of the inhabitants of the fishing village on the bay.

In addition, the bay also has attractions such as: Cua Van area, Maze cave, Thien Cung cave, Trinh Nu cave, Dau wood cave, Co cave, Finger island, Dinh Huong island...

Note:

• In winter, the bay is windy and cold, visitors should bring a lot of warm clothes.
• When sailing, you need a swimsuit, a hat, and sun protection. When traveling on kayaks, speedboats, visitors need to wear life jackets.
• Buying tickets to the bay should make sure to buy at the right place and prepare at the pier on time.

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