HaLong Bay is a famous tourist destination of Vietnam that has been recognized by UNESCO many times as the natural heritage of the world. Not only for thousands of magnificent islands, miraculous achievements of creation, HaLong bay is also famous for unique tourism activities and delicious cuisine.

What is the best time to travel to HaLong Bay?

HaLong Bay is a part of the Gulf of Tonkin - where the weather has 4 distinct seasons. The most notable of which are: very cold winter (From November of last year to March of next year) and very hot summer (From April - October).

According to the general trend for domestic tourists, summer (April to August every year) is the most crowded time for Vietnamese tourists to travel to Ha Long. Going in this season, you will be free to swim, participate in fun activities to explore on the bay such as kayaking, windsurfing, skydiving ... This season services in Ha Long have many promotions for tourists. Especially, if you join the cruises in Ha Long, this season will be greatly discounted. However, in the summer, especially in July-August, is the time when many storms + tropical depression land, so activities on the bay will be banned. => Best you should go in the months 4-5-6 is the most suitable.

The autumn in HaLong Bay is also very beautiful. From September to November in HaLong Bay there is always beautiful sunshine, clear weather.  The weather is not very cold so that you can still swim in the sea. The storms are also less at this time, the number of visitors is also reduced, so it will avoid the crowded scenes.

So the best time to go to HaLong Bay is summer from April till June, or autumn and late autumn September-November.

How to get to HaLong Bay?

Motorcycle / car

Route of Hanoi - Bac Ninh - Ha Long: 155 km. This is the shortest route from Hanoi to Ha Long, traveling by car takes about 3 hours. The journey is as follows:

- From Hanoi, follow the route 5 - Sai Dong junction: 10 km.
- From Sai Dong, follow Road 1 - Bac Ninh: 23 km.
- From Bac Ninh, follow the road 18 - Pha Lai- Chi Linh - Dong Trieu - Uong Bi - Ha Long: 122 km.

Route of Hanoi - Bac Ninh - Ha Long: 160 km.

- Noi Bai Airport (Hanoi) along Noi Bai - Bac Ninh (32km) to Bac Ninh.
- Connect to Highway 18a through Pha Lai, Sao Do, Dong Trieu, Uong Bi to Ha Long.

Passenger Cars

Visitors can go to major car companies gathered at My Dinh bus station, the first trip departs at 6:00 am and the last one at 17:00 pm (the journey takes 3-4 hours). Buses are taken from 5 to 15 minutes to Bai Chay bus station in Ha Long, Quang Ninh province. Car fares range from 100,000 VND / passenger with seats to 200,000 VND / passenger bed.

Seaplane

Currently, in addition to the usual means of transportation, Ha Long Bay tourists from Hanoi also have a new choice with a modern and luxurious seaplane of Hai Au Airlines.
The aircraft with 2 seats for the pilot, 12 seats for passengers and spacious windows, not only saves travelers time traveling, but also helps you enjoy the beautiful view from the plane, also such as capturing memorable moments of HaLong Bay from an altitude of 150 to 3,000 m above sea level.
To book seaplanes flights, you can go to website: seaplanes.vn, or book tickets via phone number: 096 296 0689.

Where to stay in HaLong Bay?

Below is a list of hotels in HaLong Bay recommended by Explore Real Asia

Must-try things in HaLong Bay

1. Go sightseeing

With thousands of magnificent islands, miraculous achievements of creation, HaLong Bay has been recognized by UNESCO many times as the natural heritage of the world. Ha Long Tourism has the advantage of beautiful scenery, which is attractive to both domestic and international tourists.
For the most beautiful attractions, check out our article about Where to go in Ha Long?  - Top 10 most attractive tourist attractions in HaLong Bay.

2.Kayaking

If you travel to Ha Long and you do not experience the journey of exploring the bay by kayak, it is a regret. While sitting on a small kayak swinging the paddle on the blue water and watching the fascinating natural scenery, it is peaceful and equally interesting.

Ha Long Bay was voted by National Geographic Adventures magazine as one of the top 25 Kayak tourist destinations in the world. In Ha Long, there are many places for renting Kayaks (at the tourist pier, the islands). The rental price is from 100,000 - 200,000 VND / hour depending on the type of boat 1, 2 or 3 seats.

3. Overnight on cruise

Cruise ship on the bay, like a miniature hotel, has its own room, with clean mattress blankets, air-condivate bathroom. It is interesting that you can relax in your own room and open thitioning. In the pre window you will see mountains, majestic water, fish, jellyfish swimming right under the room window and at night. Come, you can also go on deck to watch the stars, watch the sea at night.

Enjoying the L’Azalée cruise, guests will be able to kayak, visit ancient limestone caves and explore Sung Sot cave.

4. See HaLong Bay from seaplane

If you have ever experienced the scenery of Ha Long Bay on cruise trips but still are not satisfied, because you have not seen the beautiful views of Ha Long Bay as advertised in the movies, then there is no more ideal way than sightseeing HaLong Bay from seaplane.

Flight travel not only saves passengers time when traveling, but also offers beautiful views of many scenic spots

Currently in Vietnam Hai Au Aviation is the first private airline to provide seaplane services with high-end sightseeing flying services. Aircraft with 2 seats for pilot, 12 seats for passengers and spacious windows, allowing passengers to enjoy the beautiful view from the plane and capture the memorable moments of Halong Bay from elevation from 150 to 3,000 m above sea level.

Sitting on a seaplane you will see a Halong Bay that has never been so beautiful

In particular, The New York Times (USA) also voted to see HaLong Bay from seaplane is one of the most attractive travel services in 2015.

5. Mountain climbing

Not only attractive by charming beauty, poetic sea and sky, HaLong Bay with diverse and rugged terrain is also a challenge for visitors who love climbing. If you are a fan of this extreme sport, surely the thorny cliffs, the majestic curves of mountains, cliffs, caves in Halong Bay will give you a feeling of desire to conquer.

Conquering the majestic cliffs of Halong Bay will be an unforgettable experience for visitors. 

6. Explore beautiful caves

Ha Long Bay is likened to by many tourists as the water-color painting of nature, which is created with perfect beauty. And in that water-color painting, in addition to "water and rock" as many people say, this place is also famous for its beautiful and unique caves. Each cave of Ha Long has an interesting name, evoking the curiosity of visitors to explore such as: Thien Cung cave, Sung Sot cave, Luon cave, Dau Go cave, Hanh cave, ...

7. Visit the fishing villages on the Bay

Away from the sparkling, lavish lights of the city centers, away from the bustling life of the city. The coastal fishing villages in Ha Long are peaceful, fresh, and is an interesting destination and stop for tourists. The destination for this experience may be Ha Long Van Fishing Cooperative in Vung Vieng fishing village, Cua Van fishing village, Ba Hang fishing village ... You can rent bamboo boats right at Ha Long tourist pier.

8. Take the ‘2-floor bus’ aerial tramway

On June 25, Ha Long cable car system was inaugurated and put into operation after 2 years of construction. The work is located in the entertainment project complex worth 6,000 billion VND stretching along the coast of Bai Chay through to Ba Deo hill (Hon Gai).

The cable car cabin will start from the starting point in Bai Chay ward (Ha Long city), running from Cua Luc bay to the top of Ba Deo hill (Hong Gai ward)

The tower at the top of Bai Chay is built 188.8 m high, setting a record as the tallest tower in the world. The tower on the Ba Deo hill side is 133 m high. The cable car system has only 2 cabins, which is like a giant double-decker bus with a capacity of 230 people / cabin. Inside the large cabin there are seats, handles, and armrests for guests. Surrounding are large glass windows to help guests see the entire Halong Bay from above

9. Experiencing the food 

Referring to Ha Long, everyone thinks immediately that this is an extremely famous tourist destination in Vietnam with thousands of magnificent islands and beautiful natural landscapes. But have you ever wondered what you will eat when you come to Ha Long? Besides the exotic scenery and gorgeous nature, the cuisine in HaLong Bay is also another thing that you should experience.