- Things to Do & See
- Best Time to Visit
- At A Glance
- Travel Guide
Best Things to Do & See in Halong Bay Tours
Visiting the Beaches in Halong Bay
Sunbathing on Halong Bay
Halong Bay tours offer various beaches of endless sand and blue water for tourists to enjoy water-based activities such as Tuan Chau, Ba Trai Dao, Ti Top, and Ngoc Vung. The sunshine here is not as dazzling as other tropical areas. Therefore, you can spend a couple of hours lying on the sand, immersing yourself in breathtaking views of Halong Bay and let the sun rinse your body as well as take care of your skin. Order a cup of fresh juice to cool off if the heat makes you thirsty.
Swimming on Halong Beaches
Halong Bay attracts thousands of tourists by its clear and cool jade-blue water. Swimming on the beautiful beaches of Halong will be your most relaxed and comfortable moments ever. Moreover, by experiencing scuba diving, you can discover the marvelous underwater world of diverse marine creatures such as colorful fishes and gorgeous coral reef.Kayaking in Halong Bay
If you are looking for something more adventurous than the traditional junk boat cruise, kayaking is an advised option. Exploring Halong Bay by paddling from one limestone outcrop to mysterious caves leaves you wonderful adventure. The most popular places for kayaking journey are Peaches islands, Dark and Light caves.Discovering Floating Villages in Halong Bay

Exploring Grottoes in Halong Bay
Among hundreds of mountains covered by jungles, there are mysterious caves and isolated grottos of all sizes and shapes. You can hire boats to reach the gate of the cave then explore inside on foot. Some famous caves are Thien Cung Cave – Heavenly Palace Cave, Dau Go Cave known as the Cave of wonders, and Sung Sot Cave (Shocking Cave).
Viewing Halong Bay from a Seaplane
In spite of being costly, having a panoramic view from seaplane flying over Halong Bay brings you striking and thrilling feelings. The plane takes off in Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi and flies in the sky of Halong Bay. The high cost will reward you the luxury and modern space and services on plane as well as the magnificent bird-eye view of Halong Bay which can be only seen through images and videos. This service is provided by Hai Au Aviation.
Seeing Cat Ba Island
Considered as the largest island in Halong Bay, Cat Ba owns the astonishing natural beauty of mountains and beaches together with a wide range of floras and faunas. The common way to reach the island is by boat while the best way to explore it is by bike or on foot. The beauty of Cat Ba Island can be found by exploring limestone mountains, hidden dreaming waterfalls, untouched caves; spotting wildlife of tropical forests as well as mangroves. Endless options to visit in Cat Ba will take lots of your time but be worthwhile if you want to experience this island at its best.Weather in Halong Bay
Halong Bay has a typical coastal climate with two distinct seasons: winter (dry season, from November to April) and summer (rainy season, from May to October). The average temperature is about 23.7oC. Despite the coastal city, Halong Bay is a sealed sea and hardly affected by storms.Best Time to Visit Halong Bay
As one of the UNESCO World Heritage sites, Halong Bay is a long-standing spot on the bucket list of travelers worldwide. It is true that you can take your Halong Bay tour at any time of the year. Visit Halong Bay tourist not only can appreciate the beauty of the bay but also indulge in a lot of exciting activities such as swimming, diving, canoeing, kayaking, etc. Enjoy reading to know more about the weather of Halong Bay and to have a perfect Halong Bay tour package.January - February: Best Time to Enjoy Vietnamese Traditional New Year in Halong Bay Tours

March: Best Time to Take a Look at Traditional Festivals during Halong Bay Tours
This is the best time to enjoy traditional festivals including the Cherry Blossom Festival - the colorful traditional events In Halong Bay. Hit Halong Square from 17th to 21st March to admire the beauty of a variety of flowers from different countries. Tourists will be mesmerized by vivid flowers blooming under sunshine such as cherry or golden apricot blossom. Especially, at night you will soak up in the charming melodies of traditional instrument concert performed by Japanese and Vietnamese artists to learn more about the cultures from both countries. Thanks to the pleasant weather, clear and blue sky this time is also the perfect time to enjoy seaplane flight over the bay.
April: The Best Weather for Halong Bay Tours
With the temperature which is around 20 Celsius degrees, you can take part in any outdoor activities you want. Go to Halong Bay by yourself in April to relax your mind and escape from the busy life. Visit Ti Top island to admire its beauty with the white sandy beach at the front and the breathtaking view from the top. You also can challenge yourself through a variety of water activities and book a ticket to appreciate the spectacular scenery from the luxury seaplane. Pack your stuff to explore the majestic Halong on your own. Do not forget to visit many famous temples in Halong Bay such as Ba Vang, Long Tien or Cua Ong to have an in-depth look into Vietnamese culture. Soaking into Halong Carnival is another great choice for you. This festival is held annually on 28th April at 8:00 PM at Sunworld Halong Park.
May: Suitable Time to Enjoy Halong Bay Tours from the Top
Travel to Halong Bay in May to avoid the intense tourism flows and take the advantage of this month before the school break starts. With moderate temperature and clear sky, this is the best time to take a seaplane tour to get a perfect sightseeing. Halong Bay this month is so cool makes it easier for outdoor activities like fishing, cycling, kayaking, and swimming. Let your hair down in a bar at night… that’s so much fun.June to July: The Months to Avoiding the Tropical Heat by a Halong Bay Excursion
Halong Bay is an ideal destination to avoid the heat of summer. Book an overnight tour to relax on a boat, have a sauna and relax on the top deck under sunshine. Because the temperature in May can rise up to 35 Celsius degrees at noon, make sure that you do not forget to bring your sunglasses, sun cream in the luggage to avoid getting sunburn and a camera to take a ton of amazing photos.August - October: Best Time to Travel for Couples on a Halong Bay Tour

November: Wonderful Time to Visit Halong Bay
November is the time when domestic tourism is down and inbound tourism reaches peak because the Vietnamese are much more focus on work during this time. It is the most suitable time to visit Halong for travelers who want to discover this beautiful place without the intense flow of locals. With the moderate temperature (around 22 Celcius degree), you can enjoy all activities from cycling, kayaking to visiting the fishing village. However, the prices are not much lower than summer because a lot of international tourists hit the bay this month.Halong Bay in December: Best Time to Try Local Foods in Halong

Halong Bay General Information
Location: Northern Vietnam, Quang Ninh ProvincePopulation: Approximately 300,000 (2018)
Language: Vietnamese
Currency: Vietnam Dong (VND)
Natural Condition: Mountainous area (North and Northeast)
Beaches and islands (South)

People, Nature & Culture in Halong Bay
Halong Bay People
In general, people in Halong Bay are enthusiastic, hospitable, friendly, civilized and polite. They always have the awareness of preserving and popularizing the gift the Mother Nature gives to their home country. Tourists all over the world are always welcome to Halong Bay by the smile and respectful attitudes. In addition, 15 ethnic groups living in the area creates the linguistic and cultural diversity in Halong Bay.
Halong Bay Nature
Legend of Halong Bay
Legends tell Vietnam was invaded by foreign invaders. Ngoc Hoang (King of Heaven) sent Mother Dragon and her baby Dragons to help the Vietnamese fight against the enemy. Enemy’s boats just reaching to the shore were immediately burned by the fire from the Dragons. They also built the huge stones wall to block the attack of invaders. After the war, seeing the peaceful landscape with hard-working people, Mother Dragon and her baby Dragon did not return to heaven but stayed in Vietnam to protect the Vietnamese forever. The place Mother Dragon landed is Halong Bay and the one her children landed is Bai Tu Long Bay and the tails of the Dragons become Bach Long Vi Island (White Dragon) nowadays.Nature of Halong Bay

Halong Bay Culture

Halong Bay Travel Guides
How to Get to Halong Bay
Bus
Departure: My Dinh StationArrival: Bai Chay Station (From here, you can get to Halong Bay by taxi)
Operation time: From 6 am to 17 pm
Travel time: About 4 hours
Ticket price: Around 100,000 VND to 200,000 VND (about $5 to $10)
Private Coach
Fully utilized luxury Limousine Luxury Van manufactured in 2017 and 2018 with the standard of 9 seats in spacious, luxurious amenities.Pick up passengers at everywhere on request
Travel time: Around 2h45
Ticket price: 250,000 VND (about $10)
Tel: 1900 1112
Seaplane
Tourists from Hanoi to Halong Bay also have the new choice with the modern and luxury seaplane of Hai Au Aviation.Transportations in Halong Bay
Cruise & Boat
Cruises and boats are absolutely the main transportations to discover Halong Bay at its best. Besides, the bus system is also available for traveling to destinations in Halong (around 15,000 VND for a single ticket). You can also choose a taxi for convenient movement or hire a motorbike (ask the hotel's staff for the store of motorbike hire) for the new experience in Halong Bay.
Tuan Chau International Port (Tel: +84 203 384 2134)
Hon Gai Vinashin Port (Tel: +84 333 628 234)
Taxi
Some of Taxi brands in Halong Bay: Halong Taxi: (Tel: +84 33 362 62 62)Mai Linh Taxi (Tel: +84 33 3628 628)
Mobile and Internet Access in Halong Bay
Mobile connection is available in Halong Bay. The only thing you should care about is the registration with Vietnamese mobile operators for international roaming service, SIM purchase and others. Names of recommendation include Viettel, Vinaphone, and Mobifone with dozens of their stores around Halong Bay.Internet Access and Wi-Fi in Halong Bay is generally good at cruises, hotels, restaurants, and other public places. However, on islands and caves, the accessibility is unavailable.
Useful Things to Remember on a Halong Tour
For your safety, always wear a life jacket in water-based activitiesYou should try squid sausage, horseshoe crab, and seafood noodles in Halong. They are so yummy!
Seafood and delicious dishes are available in Halong market and Halong night market. Remember to ask for the price before ordering if you want to pay the higher price after the meal.
Check the quality of the cruise carefully before booking unless you will travel in aging and out-of-date ones.
Hire a tour guide to go with your Halong Bay. He (she) will give you the interesting information about Halong Bay and take you to interesting places that you may not know.
Winter in Halong is chill so carry enough warm clothes. Be careful in caves as the stones may hurt you if wiping out.
On kayaking tour, despite being very interesting, you mostly see the silver of water. For more experience, you should take a cruise tour including kayaking stop.
Do not go for the cheapest option in Halong. Cheapness does not usually go with quality.
Be an early bird. Get up to see the dawn in Halong Bay. How wonderful it is!
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