Things to do in Ha Long
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Ha Long
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Best months: clear skies, calm seas and temperatures around 22 to 27 degrees, ideal for cruising and photography.
Spring is dry, mild and calm, with April warm enough to swim by the end of the month.
Warm and still largely dry, but domestic tourism rises and afternoon storms begin.
Cool, dry and quiet with atmospheric morning mist, chilly swimming, and a Tet surge and some closures in February.
Hot, humid and cheapest, with warm water but storm risk and a typhoon window that can cancel cruises, worst in July and August.
What's on
- Ha Long Carnival around 30 April to 1 May
The province big carnival opening Quang Ninh tourism week, with floats, international troupes and crowds across the holiday.
- Yen Tu Festival 10th day of 1st lunar month to end of 3rd lunar month
The pilgrimage season on Yen Tu Mountain, most intense in its first weeks from roughly February.
- Cua Ong Temple Festival main day 3rd day of 2nd lunar month
A long festival honouring Tran dynasty generals at Cua Ong Temple in Cam Pha, running across the first three lunar months.
- Quang Ninh Culture, Sports and Tourism Week late April to early May
The umbrella week around the Carnival stacking food festivals and sports events onto the holiday.
Best things to do in Ha Long
Sung Sot Cave
The bay flagship cave, two huge chambers on Bo Hon Island that reward the climb and the earliest boat.
Ti Top Island
Climb about 400 steps for the famous panorama over the karsts, then swim at the small crescent beach below.
Thien Cung Cave
The classic half day cave near Tuan Chau, one large chamber packed with formations and coloured lighting.
Cua Van Floating Village
The best known floating village, visited by rowing boat, and the most human hour of a standard cruise.
Quang Ninh Museum
Three floors on the bay, its history and its coal mines, in a striking black glass building in Hon Gai.
Sun World Ha Long Complex
Ride the Queen Cable Car to the Sun Wheel for the best land panorama, with Dragon Park and a water park below.
Ambassador Cruise
The polished large ship for the classic Ha Long route, with balcony cabins and the famous caves included.
Mon Cheri Cruises
The mid range sweet spot for Lan Ha, a modern ship with kayaking and swimming at a fair price.
Where to stay in Ha Long
Bai Chay
cruise convenience and first stays
The tourist side with the hotel strip, Sun World and both cruise ports 10 to 20 minutes away.
Hon Gai
food, the museum and longer stays
The lived in side with the museum, main market and best value seafood, across the bridge from the ports.
Cat Ba Town
Lan Ha kayaking and the national park
A lively harbour town base for day boats and the park, with one luxury resort and many budget hotels.
Think twice about
- Hung Thang, western Bai Chay
A forest of half finished and empty towers, deserted and poorly lit at night and far from food. Do not base here for a cheap new hotel.
- Tuan Chau Island as a touring base
Pleasant but isolated once the day boats leave, so every dinner and drink needs a taxi. Fine for one port night or a resort stay only.
Best restaurants in Ha Long
Cua Vang Restaurant
The flamboyant Bai Chay splurge built around live tanks and a signature crab hotpot cooked at the table.
1958 Restaurant
The Vinpearl island flagship for one dressed up night of Vietnamese and French influenced menus with bay views.
Nhà hàng Hồng Hạnh 3
The best known local seafood house, with live seafood, crab hotpot and squid cakes that you must order.
Linh Dan Restaurant
A large, clean Bai Chay seafood restaurant with a long menu, set up well for families and groups.
Avocado Restaurant
The mixed group compromise that cooks well, with seafood, Western dishes and proper vegetarian options.
Jumbo Dai Duong Restaurant
A big three floor Hon Gai seafood house near the wharf where you pick live seafood and have it cooked to order.
Nhà Hàng Hương Duyên
A Hon Gai seafood house famous for hand pounded squid cakes served with sticky rice or banh cuon.
Bánh cuốn chả mực Gốc Bàng
Steamed rice rolls with a fried squid cake at a decades old Hon Gai alley spot, the essential Ha Long breakfast.
Outdoor things to do in Ha Long
Hang Luon
Kayak through a low limestone arch into a hidden lagoon ringed by cliffs, the classic Ha Long paddle.
Dark and Bright Cave
Kayak through the Bright Cave arch into a quiet Lan Ha lagoon, with rare langurs living on the cliffs.
Cat Ba National Park
Hike through tropical forest to Ngu Lam Peak for a double panorama over forest ridges and Lan Ha Bay.
Viet Hai Village
Cycle 5 km from the harbour through rice fields to a small village inside the national park and lunch there.
Ba Trai Dao Beach
Three small islets with the clearest natural swimming water in the archipelago, reached only by boat.
Yen Tu Mountain
A pilgrimage mountain of pagodas climbed by cable car and stairs to the bronze Dong Pagoda at 1068 metres.
FLC Ha Long Bay Golf Club
An 18 hole hillside course above Hon Gai where nearly every hole frames the bay and the karsts below.
Hai Au Aviation
A 25 minute seaplane flight from Tuan Chau that shows the full maze of islands no boat or cable car can.
Best hotels in Ha Long
Vinpearl Resort & Spa Ha Long
A full resort on its own island off Bai Chay, with pools, gardens and a private boat back to town.
Wyndham Legend Halong
The reliable mid range tower on Ha Long Road, with bridge views, a big pool and an elaborate breakfast.
Novotel Ha Long Bay
The long established Bai Chay hotel with the deepest review record on the strip and bay facing rooms.
Ha Long Fancy Hostel
Backpacker dorms and private rooms in Vuon Dao with a vegetarian restaurant attached, near the cable car.
FLC Ha Long Bay Golf Club & Luxury Resort
The hillside grand resort above Hon Gai with bay panoramas and the golf course on the doorstep.
Little Colmar Boutique Homestay
A small eight room homestay on the local side, with kitchenettes, a coffee shop and a calm neighbourhood feel.
Hôtel Perle d'Orient Cat Ba - MGallery
Cat Ba only full luxury resort, on Cat Co beach with pools and a spa and Lan Ha on the doorstep.
Catba Palace Hotel
A friendly, good value town hotel near the harbour and day boat piers, ideal for a park and kayak plan.
Is Ha Long expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | ₫900,000 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | ₫2,500,000 a person |
| Splurge | ₫7,000,000 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- Sun World Ha Long Complex: a few days ahead
- Ambassador Cruise: weeks ahead
- Mon Cheri Cruises: weeks ahead
- Indochina Junk: weeks ahead
- Yen Tu Mountain: a few days ahead
- FLC Ha Long Bay Golf Club: a few days ahead
- Hai Au Aviation: weeks ahead
- Vinpearl Resort & Spa Ha Long: weeks ahead
- Book good overnight ships weeks ahead in October to April and months ahead for Christmas, New Year and Tet.
- In May to September under booked ships can be consolidated or cancelled, so book a named ship with a reputable operator.
- Check Sun World operating hours the same week, as weekday cable car hours are often afternoons only.
- Reserve Hong Hanh branches on weekend evenings and start Yen Tu early in festival season.
Is Ha Long safe?
- Swim only in designated areas and wear a life jacket on kayaks and tenders.
- Obey port closures in typhoon season absolutely, as the harbour authority suspends sailings for safety.
- Carry water and climb Ti Top and Ngu Lam early, as summer humidity often exceeds 80 percent.
- Around Hung Thang the streets are deserted at night, so stay on the lived in strips after dark.
Ha Long travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- The cheapest day cruise is the famous disappointment, a rushed loop with the most crowded stops at the busiest hour.
- Luxury is unregulated here, so read reviews from the last few months and look for real cabin photos.
- On board drinks, coffee and kayak fees are not always included, so ask what is included in writing.
- Agree the price per kilo and the total for live seafood before anything is cooked.
Getting around Ha Long: public transport and more
- Hanoi is about 2.5 hours by expressway and most cruises sell a limousine bus transfer from the Old Quarter.
- Confirm your port before booking anything: Tuan Chau Marina and the Ha Long International Cruise Port are several kilometres apart.
- Allow 20 to 30 minutes by taxi or Grab between Bai Chay and Hon Gai across Bai Chay Bridge.
- On Cat Ba, day boats leave Ben Beo harbour and one coast road covers the park and the beaches.
Who Ha Long suits
| Solo travellers | Good |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Good |
| Couples | Great |
| Bachelor parties | OK |
| Families | Good |
| Bachelorette parties | OK |
Make Ha Long your trip
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