Given that HaLong Bay’s name translates to “Bay of Descending Dragons,” it is easy to see why it has such a mythical allure. Vietnam’s most popular tourist destination combines a breathtakingly beautiful coastline with an emerald sea that ripples with thousands of limestone monoliths. Since it was designated a World Heritage Site, it is no longer unknown to tourists from all over the world.
Ha Long Cruise
It is obvious that the best way to explore this extraordinary destination is by going on a cruise. The majority of junk boats have 15 to 20 cabins, so the groups are smaller than what you might anticipate from a cruise ship.
During the HaLong Bay cruise, you will have the opportunity to admire numerous fantasy landscapes. For instance, here are some of the best destinations during your cruise.
Three-quarters of the Halong Bay World Heritage Site is occupied by Bai Tu Long Bay, which also includes numerous islands in Van Don, Cam Pha District. Off the beaten path and far from the heavily visited sites, visiting Bai Tu Long Bay promises to offer many exceptional experiences.
Bai Tu Long Bay
Visitors can find stunning natural scenery in this sizable region. Bai Tu Long is still a vast area that has not been fully explored. Given that it is still a relatively new travel destination, in some ways, it is even more beautiful than Halong Bay. There are many places to see in Bai Tu Long, including the Cong Do neighborhood, the Thien Canh Son cave, the fishing village of Vung Vieng, Da Xep Park, and Tra Gioi beach. There are also some populated islands with numerous stunning beaches, including Quan Lan, Ngoc Vung, Cong Dong, and Cong Tay.
Lan Ha Bay is the smallest of the three main bays in the region; it is located south of Halong Bay. Its 400 limestone islets are dispersed over 76 km2, and it has a similar aesthetic appeal to Halong Bay.
Lan Ha Bay
The popularity of Lan Ha Bay never really took off like it did for Halong Bay in the 1990s due to its distance from Halong City and the main tourist wharf, and Lan Ha has since remained in the shadow of its famous neighbor. You should take it as good news that Lan Ha Bay is still a hidden treasure with uninhabited areas, clear waters, and caves to explore. Its most famous feature is undoubtedly its spotless, white beaches, which are uncommon in Halong. Finding the ideal location for swimming, snorkeling, and, for the more daring, cliff jumping, doesn’t take much work because the bay is home to no less than 139 white-sand beaches.
Sung Sot Cave is the biggest, most well-known, and most likely most frequented cave in all of Halong.
Interior of Sung Sot Cave
Sung Sot Cave, which is situated on Bo Hon Island, is generally regarded as Halong Bay’s geographic center. At the bottom of Bo Hon Island, there is a small dock where you can disembark and start the roughly 100-step ascent to the entrance of Sung Sot Cave. The cave has a staggering 10,000 square meters of space, which is twice the size of the White House. It has a 500-meter-long passage and is about 30 meters high, which is good news for those of us who get anxious in small spaces.
“Hang Sang Toi” is situated in Lan Ha Bay, a part of the Cat Ba archipelago, in the Hai Phong province . A 70-km long cave that extends onto the water but penetrates the mountain is present. The cave’s top is above the water, but its bottom is submerged. Visitors must therefore travel to the cave in a bamboo boat or by kayak. You can reach the nooks and crannies of the fascinating grottoes using a tiny floating vehicle. This is among the best things to do in the Lan Ha Bay area, and it is always included in programs lasting two days and one night or longer.
Kayaking to discover Sang Toi ( Dark and Light) Cave
Be prepared to be astounded by the view of the hidden paradise when you are boating through the grotto and entering its spacious area. You can admire the expansive water zone there, which is surrounded by stunning high limestone formations. Spend as much time as you like floating on the emerald water, inhaling the fresh air, and admiring the breathtaking scenery. Additionally, it’s fascinating to savor the breathtaking tranquility. You are looking at an ideal combination of the sea, sky, and mountains that directs you and helps you forget the stress of the city. What could be better than this tranquility of mind? The Dark Cave and Bright Cave are not only stunning, but also serene, spotless, enigmatic, and unexpected.
The name of the island dates back to 1962, when Ho Chi Minh and Soviet cosmonaut Gherman Titov visited Halong Bay. The astronaut was so taken with the natural beauty of Halong that Uncle Ho made the decision to rename Island No. 48 to Ti Top (his name pronounced in Vietnamese), cementing the friendship between the two legends and their respective nations.
Titop island
The fact that Titop is one of the few islands in Halong with a sandy beach (as opposed to neighboring Lan Ha Bay, which has 139 beaches) is one of its main selling points. Tourists can take a refreshing swim, kayak around the area, or snorkel along this pristine, crescent-shaped sandy shoreline. For those people who would rather stay on land, there are sun loungers, tropical drinks, and fresh local seafood available.
There is a concrete road that connects Tuan Chau Island, which is 2 kilometers from Halong’s city center, with the mainland. The island has a surface area of almost 22 hectares and a few small hills. Today, Tuan Chau is home to a global resort and recreation complex that draws a sizable number of tourists every year.
Sunrise in Tuan Chau Island
A beach is an essential component of Tuan Chau, just like on any other island. Here is a two-kilometer stretch of seashore with clear water that is perfect for beachgoers. Along with swimming and tanning, visitors can also partake in a variety of recreational pursuits like canoeing, parasailing, skimboarding, waterskiing, and so forth.
Tuan Chau Island has undoubtedly made a significant contribution to the growth of Halong Bay tourism. The island guarantees to give customers pleasurable experiences during their cruise through Halong Bay with its cutting-edge and standardized services. This place will never let you down, so don’t be hesitant to visit.
Vietnam’s northern provinces all experience the same typical humid and tropical monsoon weather, including Halong. The south of Vietnam only experiences the rainy and dry seasons, whereas Halong experiences all four seasons, each with unique weather characteristics.
A good time to visit Halong Bay is between October and December because of the pleasant weather. The humidity level drops significantly, and the temperature is between 13 and 21 degrees Celsius. Less rain falls during this time. But by the end of December, clouds are to be expected. More sunshine is available to tourists, though it is not as intense as in the summer. For this occasion, there will be more discounts and special events. Remember that Halong is expected to be busier overall because this is the busiest time of year for tourists.
Read more: Best time to visit Vietnam
