Ha Long Bay

Favored by nature, with a tropical monsoon climate, Ha Long Bay experiences four distinct seasons: Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. The Winter starts from November and lasts until March of the following year, with average temperatures ranging from 15 to 20°C. This period is often chosen by foreign tourists due to the cool weather and fewer domestic visitors.

Meanwhile, the Spring begins in April, and the Autumn starts in October, with temperatures ranging from 18 to 19°C. These periods are chosen by domestic tourists as times for relaxation and exploration, engaging in activities like swimming and scuba diving. Thus, the selection of the travel time depends on individual preferences to find the most suitable period for their trip.

• See more: The Best 5 Star Hotels in Ha Long Bay

Situated about 170km from the center of Hanoi, tourists can choose from various means of transport to get there, as the area has been invested in convenient transportation infrastructure to facilitate travel. With a starting point from Hanoi, travelers can select the following modes of transport:

Traveling from Hanoi, tourists can follow the route: from Sai Dong junction, go straight to Road 1 Sai Dong, then head to Bac Ninh and turn onto Road 18 Bac Ninh. Continue to Pha Lai, Chí Linh, pass through Dong Trieu and Uong Bi to finally arrive in Ha Long city.

• See more: Ha Long motorbike rental: Top 5 best places

To travel by bus, tourists can go to My Dinh bus station or Luong Yen bus station to catch a bus to Ha Long. On average, the travel time will last from 3 to 4 hours, with ticket prices ranging from 150,000 VND to 220,000 VND/person.

If tourists want to enjoy the street views along the route from Hanoi to Ha Long, they can go to Gia Lam station to buy a ticket to Ha Long, with the price ranging around 300,000 VND/person one way. Depending on the seat type and class, the prices may vary.

In the case that travelers are departing from Ho Chi Minh City to Ha Long, it is advisable to travel by plane to Hanoi, Hai Phong, or Quang Ninh, which not only saves time but is also better for health.

• See more: Ha Long Bay: How to visit & Things to do

To attract tourists from near and far, Vinh Ha Long offers 100% ticket fee waiver on important holidays and festivals throughout the year. In addition to the boat price of 150,000 VND/person, this place also discounted admission fees for regular days, specifically:

• Route 1: The boat port to Van Canh Park is priced at 290,000 VND/person, with a duration of 3 to 4 hours.
• Route 2: The boat port to Cave Parks will be priced at 290,000 VND/person, with a duration of5 to 6 hours.
• Route 3: The boat port to the Marine Culture Conservation Center is priced at 240,000 VND/person, lasting 3 to 4 hours.
• Route 4: The boat port to Gia Luan wharf, Cat Ba - Hai Phong is priced at 290,000 VND/person lasting 5 to 6 hours.

For visitors choosing overnight ticket prices in Ha Long, it will be valid for 24:00 hours from the departure time at the pier.

• For route 2, with 1 night stay, the sightseeing ticket is priced at 590,000 VND/person.
• For route 2, with a 2-night stay, the sightseeing ticket is priced at 790,000 VND/person.
• For route 3, with 1 night stay, the sightseeing ticket is priced at 540,000 VND/person.
• For route 3, with a 2-night stay, the sightseeing ticket is priced at 690,000 VND/person.
• For route 4, with 1 night stay, the sightseeing ticket is priced at 540,000 VND/person.
• For route 4, with a 2-night stay, the sightseeing ticket is priced at 690,000 VND/person.

In addition, when tourists choose to add other parts or options, associated fees will be applied according to the prescribed ticket prices.

• See more: Top 12 Most Beautiful Beaches in Ha Long Bay

Dubbed a world wonder, therefore, the cost of visiting Ha Long Bay will be much higher compared to other destinations. To make the most out of it and have no regrets about this trip, let's go through some must-visit places with Justfly when you have the chance to visit here.

The fishing village nestles at the foot of a high mountain on Dau Go Island, near Thien Cung Cave, situated about 10km from the mainland. Ba Hang fishing village is an ancient village that has existed for hundreds of years in Ha Long Bay.

This place features idyllic, poetic natural sceneries and tranquility, often chosen by film crews for shooting. Visiting the fishing village, tourists will perceive the historical hardships of the villagers, enjoying the down-to-earth and simple lifestyle of the fishing community.

Ha Long Bay was formed with many small islands, scattered in the vast sea, bringing a majestic beauty known to near and far travelers. When you have the opportunity to visit Ha Long Bay, be sure to explore the following famous islands.

Con Coc Islet is a small island located about 12km away from Bai Chay Beach boats, looking towards the East on Ha Long Bay. This islet features a beautifully angled shape, resembling a frog squatting on the water.

Con Coc Islet with a height of about 9 meters, is an ideal check-in spot, providing a unique backdrop to capture a great check-in photo.

Being referred to as "The Kissing Cocks", it is located in the Southwest of Ha Long Bay. This is one of the famous islands, situated about 5km away from Bai Chay Harbor. Hon Ga Choi Island is formed by two islets that resemble a rooster and a hen leaning their heads against each other.

The island is approximately 10 meters high, and from afar, visitors will see a pair of fighting cocks in a unique posture on the sea. This is one of the symbols of Ha Long Bay, a natural artistic work bestowed upon the land of Quang Ninh.

Located approximately 34km from the tourist port in Van Don district, Quang Ninh province, Ngoc Vung Island creates an impressive highlight with the island being enveloped by beautiful beaches all around.

On Ngoc Vung Island, there is Van Xuan Mountain, which is approximately 182m high, accompanied by archaeological relics. This place preserves knowledge from the Mac and Thanh dynasties, thereby possessing an ancient characteristic from the 11th century.

Located in Ha Long Bay, about 14km east of Bai Chay, Ti Top Island was called "Cat Nang" during the French colonial period. This is one of the small islands that had the honor of being visited by President Ho Chi Minh in 1962.

The impression of Ti Top Island is created by the steep slope combined with the white sandy beach, forming an image of a crescent moon at the foot of the mountain when viewed from above. Visitors come here to participate in activities such as rowing boats, towing buoys, swimming, parasailing,...

Tuan Chau Island, located about 4km to the southwest in the direction of Bai Chay tourist area, spans approximately 3km and features villages and a resident population. The area has been transformed into a recreation and entertainment zone with a complex of restaurants, hotels, bathing beaches, and more, offering luxurious and upscale options for visitors.

Located behind Kim Quy Cave, Soi Sim Island provides visitors with a completely secluded resort space, away from the hustle and bustle of urban life. With pristine natural landscapes and forests, visitors to the island will have the opportunity to admire romantic hills of purple flowers during the blooming season of the sim flowers.

Besides the sea and island scenery, visitors to Ha Long Bay should also visit the caves which constitute a geological exploration work with historical significance in this area.

Sung Sot Cave located right in the heart of the Ha Long Bay World Heritage Site on Bo Hon Island, this beautifully and spaciously designed cave is one of the most attractive caves, contributing to making Ha Long Bay a popular destination for many visitors.

With winding, meandering paths, interspersed with the foliage of pristine forests, various emotional nuances are created, providing visitors with unforgettable experiences.

Known by the name of Canh Doc Island, it is situated approximately 8km from Ha Long City. The cave has a vast area with a capacity for several thousand people, and a mountain peak rising 189m above sea level. Thien Cung Cave stands out with its rectangular space stretching over 130m.

Above, the cave wall rises vertically, adorned with stalactites carved into bizarre shapes. Forms of birds, fish, foliage, and wildlife scenes create an ancient, majestic, and solemn scenery, making visitors feel as though they have been transported into a mysterious world from ancient times.

Thien Cung Cave is approximately 100m away, connected by a winding, meandering path under the canopy of pristine forest. Dau Go Cave resembles a 25m high jellyfish, highlighted with stalactites hanging down, forming a splendid yet bizarre waterfall.

• See more: Top 9 Most Amazing Caves in Ha Long Bay

• Top Tourist Destination in Vietnam: On July 8, 2017, Ha Long Bay was honorably awarded the "Top Tourist Destination in Vietnam 2017" by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism.
• Special National Monument: On August 12, 2009, the Vietnamese Government designated Ha Long Bay as a "Special National Monument".
• National-Level Notable Monument: In 1962, the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism of Vietnam classified Ha Long Bay - as a “National-Level Notable Monument” with an area of 1,553 km².
• World Heritage: Ha Long Bay had the honor to be recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site two times, in 1994 and 2000, and is being nominated for the third time.
• The Most Beautiful Bay in the World: In March 1997, Ha Long Bay participated in founding the “Club of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World”.
• Voted Among the "New Seven Wonders of Nature": On April 27, 2012, New Open World awarded Ha Long Bay the title of “New Wonder of Nature.

• See more: Ha Long Bay: How to visit & Things to do

Seafood vermicelli in Ha Long Bay is a long-standing specialty and has a completely different flavor compared to other places. A full bowl of seafood red rice noodles usually has shrimp, crab meat, shrimp, fish cakes and vegetables. The natural sweetness of seafood and broth combined with the cool, fragrant taste of raw vegetables is extremely harmonious, a dish loved by many tourists and not to be missed when coming to Ha Long Bay.

It is one of the types of seafood that is difficult to catch and difficult to process, but on the contrary, sea horseshoe crab meat is quite delicious, so it is popular with many people. Gradually it also became one of the specialties of Ha Long Bay. Like many other types of seafood, sea horseshoe crab meat is processed into many different dishes such as sea horseshoe crab blood pudding, sweet and sour stir-fry sea horseshoe crab, lemongrass and chili, steamed sea horseshoe crab meat, crispy fried sea horseshoe crab eggs, ...

It is a popular dish from North to South, but perhaps only Ha Long has this type of Rolled rice cakes filled with squid sausage. The squid in Ha Long waters is much larger than in other places. An adult cuttlefish is up to the size of two spread hands. Fresh squid, just caught from the sea, washed, then pounded in a green stone mortar until smooth and then rolled into small pieces. Rolled rice cakes filled with squid sausage are a dish not to be missed when traveling to Ha Long Bay.

Sipunculus nudus are a very precious seafood species, priced from 4 to 5 million VND for 1 kg. When coming to Quang Ninh, don't forget to enjoy specialty dishes made from sipunculus nudus such as: crispy fried sipunculus nudus, roasted sipunculus nudus, fried sipunculus nudus with tamarind, ...

• See more: THE 15 BEST Seafood Restaurants in Ha Long

Squid sausage is one of the specialty dishes in Ha Long. Because the squid patties here are prepared by hand-crafted process, extremely elaborate and sophisticated. That's why Ha Long squid sausage is often yellow in color and have a characteristic aroma. When you eat it, you will feel the sweet, crunchy, rich taste that is unforgettable.

Ha Long Sea is more salty than other seas, so Ha Long dried squid has a rich and extremely unique flavor. Enjoying Ha Long dried squid, you will feel its unique delicious, sweet, chewy flavor. To choose quality dried squid, you should choose ones with a thick body, bright pink color, head and antennae attached to the body.

For dried sipunculus nudus, you should choose the type that is thick, ivory white, 7cm to 15cm long, and has a characteristic aroma. The shape of sipunculus nudus is quite similar to earthworms and also has other names such as sea worms, etc. From sipunculus nudus, we can make many dishes such as sipunculus nudus stir-fried with garlic, pineapple, stir-fried with a very delicious and nutritious mixture are popular dishes of restaurants.

This type of cake is made of rice flour. When held in the hand, it will fall in many directions as if nodding. Nodding cake looks similar to rolled rice cakes, combined with chicken fat stewed with minced meat or fried onions with chili sauce. This type of cake is very popular with children, so you can buy it as a gift for your children.

• See more: What to Eat in Halong Bay: Top 15 Local Foods Every Visitor Should Try

To have a convenient trip to explore this beautiful, famous "1 - 0 - 2" place, visitors should pay attention to some of the following issues:

• Entrance tickets are only valid for single-use per person. For overnight stay tickets, they are valid for 24:00 from the time you board the boat.
• Children under 6 years old are admitted free of charge.
• The price of sightseeing and boat travel tickets may vary depending on the time, location and method of booking.
• You should plan a detailed itinerary for your trip to save time and costs.
• When traveling, you should bring necessary personal items such as: sunscreen, sunglasses, sneakers, hats, cold medicine,...

• See more: Top 15 Most Luxurious Cruises In Ha Long Bay

With its stunning natural landscapes, the purity of natural and mountains of Ha Long Bay is both an ideal tourist and relaxation spot, as well as a place for you to explore and conquer pristine nature. We hope that sharing of Justfly will help tourists have a meaningful trip and vacation.