About Halong Bay
Located on the Gulf of Tonkin and 170 km East of Hanoi, Halong Bay is a
mysterious, resplendent and truly glorious UNESCO World Heritage Site in Northern Vietnam. An overwhelming landscape of the most incredible sights you will ever see, with more than 2000 of the most unique and imperious islands, that are scattered throughout the Gulf of Tonkin, surrounded by a deep emerald sea. Without a doubt the most incredible natural wonders of the world, and it goes without saying, one of the most dramatic tourist destinations in Vietnam. A trip to this wonder will bring you from surprise to surprise.
What to see & do in Halong Bay
Halong Bay is one of the most beautiful and impressive sights in Vietnam. Ha long bay has twice been recognized by UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage Area for its exceptional scenic beauty and one of the world’s greatest natural wonders, In order to truly explore its beauty and peacefulness treat yourself to a trip on Halong bay cruises and Halong bay tours with Hanoi Halong Travel.
With more than 1500 square kilometers of deep, green emerald water running along more than 120km of coastline in the Northern Region of Vietnam, with a thick gathering of some 2000 monumental limestone islands, Halong Bay is most certainly one of the most breathtaking natural wonders of the world.
Caves and Grottos, fill these limestone islands and are full of hidden passageways, impressively large chambers, plenty of stalactites, stalagmites, mystery, history and intrigue. Many of these caves and grottos are only accessible by charter boat, but can be visited on a tour of Halong bay. The islands all have their own unique and interesting names, not all, but 989 of them at last count, acquired by their odd and unique shapes, topped like some surreal lopsided muffin with sprinkles of thick, jungle vegetation. Some of the islands are an integral support for some of the local floating fishermen, who make use of the clear, shallow waters to catch their pick of more than 200 species of fish and more than 450 different species of mollusks. The islands are literally teeming with wildlife, bantams, iguanas, antelope and monkeys, to name but a few.
Thien Cung Grotto: Thien Cung Grotto is considered as one of the most beautiful caves of Halong Bay. The Grotto is located at elevation of 25 meters above the sea level. Visiting the grotto, tourists will feel like visiting an art museum with variety of sophisticated statues and reliefs. In the center of the grotto, there are four big pillars propping against the roof.
The original inhabitants of Halong Bay have told an ancient story about Thien Cung Grotto over many generations. The story is told that Dragon Prince was fallen in love with “Nang May” (Ms. Cloud). They held a lavish wedding party inside the grotto in 7 days and 7 nights. All kinds of animals and all genies took part in to share happiness with the couple. The celebration was that fun and bustling like on the heaven. Nowadays, entering Thien Cung Grotto, visitors can gaze party sceneries in the setting of stalactites and stalagmites inside. The grotto has been discovered recently by local explorers.
Dau Go Cave: (Grotto of Wooden Stakes) is the largest of all the grottos in the bay. Known to the French as the Grotto des Merveilles, after they stumbled upon it in the early 19th Century, it consists of 3 colossal cave chambers. Not for the faint hearted, it is accessible after climbing some 90 steps to get to the entrance, and worth every step climbed to get there.
The walls of the second chamber sparkle and glisten when bright light is shined on them, but the really interesting chamber, is the 3rd one in the cave. Said to have been used in the 13th Century by Tran Hung Dao, the Vietnamese folk hero and war general, who hid his stash of the sharp bamboo stakes that were planted in the Bach Dang River during the invasion of Mongolian general Kulai Khan.
Hang Sung Sot (Surprising Cave) is for sure, the most popular cave for visitors to stop and see. Like its counterpart (Hang Dau Go), it also has three magnificent chambers, and plenty of steps to reach the entrance at the top. In the second chamber, there is an unusual shaped rock lit up in pink, regarded as a symbol of fertility. The cool air temperatures inside the chambers are a welcome reprieve from the balmy air outside, and visitors can take the gentle walk throughout the cave, looping back to the entrance of the bay.
Bai Tu Long Bay, situated just next to Halong Bay, is the quieter, less touristy counterpart of its dramatic and outgoing neighbor. If not more beautiful, because of the lack of modern development and massive tourist invasion, it trickles along quietly all the way down to the Chinese border. The incredible islands along the way, have a fascinating history and charm, and well worth the visit, however, because of the lack of visitor’s infrastructure, it can be extremely difficult to get around, or stay here, without a Vietnamese speaking guide.
The historical, mystical maze, of romance, stunning beauty and incredible scenery, should make Halong Bay soar to the top of any travelers bucket list. The bay offers discerning travelers a rare chance to experience the other side of Vietnamese life, away from the hustle and bustle of the busy city. Travel through the mysterious emerald waters of the bay, on an authentic Vietnamese junk, while surrounded by limestone forests as far as the eye can see, and be prepared for a spiritual awakening like none other.
Recommended activities in Halong Bay
Take an Overnight Cruise
The most popular and enjoyable thing is to get out to the middle of the bay to enjoy an overnight cruise. There is a range of cruises to suit all budgets and these also offer many other activities on and off board which adds to the whole Ha Long experience.
Kayaking
Recently kayaking has become very popular in Ha Long, and it is easy to understand why. The combination of the calm waters with the grand scale of the bay allows for lots of exploration. Visitors enjoy this because of the many different things to search through including the open waters, hidden lagoons, unspoiled beaches and floating villages.
This activity is considered very safe here, mainly because of the still waters and the safety equipment everyone is provided with. In 2000 Ha Long Bay was voted in the top 25 destinations Worldwide for kayaking.
Visiting a cave
The rise and fall of sea levels over millions of years has created some beautifully unique caves and grottoes through some of the limestone islets. Take time to look and dwell on the history of these magnificent caverns.
Visit Floating Villages
The fishing communities who live on the bay retain their own special culture. These floating villages are home to many generations and many of the residents never leave, but live their whole life in this unique environment they are born into.
Each village usually has around 30 families with populations ranging between 200-600 people and daily life can be poor and hard. The main income is from fishing and tourism activities.
Squid Fishing
Night Squid Fishing is a great way to sit and relax and gaze at Ha Long Bay in the evening. Many cruise boats will offer this as an activity and it can be common to see large shoals of squids surrounding the boat.
Larger Halong Bay
Lan Ha Bay: Located to the south of Halong Bay, Lan Ha Bay, home of Cat Ba Island, spreads over an area of more than 7,000 ha, of which 5,400 ha are under the management of Cat Ba National Park.
Unlike its famous neighbour, Lan Ha Bay reserves a more pristine scenery with an intense concentration of limestone mountains which the sea surface has partitioned into smaller bays and gulfs. With over a hundred beautiful, small beaches lying at the feet of the mountains, there is no problem finding a good spot for swimming, or organizing a private beach BBQ or overnight camp. Just imagine, after a long day of exploration in caves and grottos, you can totally relax while bathing in the azure waters and breathing the salty sea breeze of Lan Ha Bay.
Lan Ha Bay has gradually gained popularity thanks to its unspoiled and magnificent natural beauty, and as people look for pristine, less crowded destinations. Just 30 minutes by boat from Cat Ba Island, you will be charmed by breath-taking views of the bay. A rock-climbing & deep water soloing or snorkelling & diving trip is also a great idea. Lan Ha Bay, among the three bays in Halong Bay zone, is considered to have the best water quality for diving and good conditions for rock-climbing (both on Cat Ba Island and on the bay). For overnight stays, Lan Ha Bay offers many options of hotels, hostels and bungalows on Cat Ba Island, Viet Hai Village and Monkey Island (Cat Dua Island), or you can choose to spend your night on a cruise or junk boat, surrounded by rock and water.
Cat Ba Island
The UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in Halong Bay is a distinctive landscape showcasing the most dramatic invasion of the sea in a rugged landscape. Evidence of the sheer molding force that water has on solid stone and rock is apparent in the out of worldly shapes left behind in the natural rocky architecture, dotted all over the bay. The dynamic diversity of the reserve is one of the most unique in the world, and is fast becoming a premier destination for visitors from all corners.
The density of rare and beautifully preserved wildlife and natural ecosystems has quickly become one of Cat Ba Island’s most famous landmarks. Spiraling coral terraces, tidal flats, winding willow swamps lurking under twisted mangrove forests, all spilling out onto the cashmere sands of postcard perfect beaches, maintain the home for some of the world’s most endangered animals, like the Golden-headed Langur, Black Giant Squirrel and Leopard Cats.
To get in & around Halong Bay
The best way to get to Halong Bay, will be to fly into Noi Bai International Airport, 40km outside Hanoi, Vietnam’s capital city. From there you will need to transfer to Halong City, and there are a number of ways you can do this. The best way would be to hire a car, minivan or bus, with a driver, this is a relatively inexpensive option and the driver will be able to pick you up directly at the airport. It is not recommended that you take a private bus, although practically free at the price, it is overcrowded, stops every 5 minutes and will take more than 6 hours for your to reach Halong City. We recommend you to book your transfer from Hanoi or Hanoi Airport with Andy Tourist. We offer competitive rates at excellent quality and with high safety standards.
If you really feel like splashing out, you can pick up your helicopter at the airport and zip through from Hanoi to Halong City in just one hour, and enjoy a spectacular bird’s eye view of the bay. Andy Tourist can provide the necessary arrangements for this. Please contact us in advance.
Another exciting option would be to pick up your vehicle and your driver, and get him to make the 2 hour trip to Hai Phong, where you would then board a hydrofoil to Cat Ba Island, where one hour later when you arrive, you board your boat to tour all of Halong Bay. The best way to see Halong Bay is by boat; you can either join a tour, hire a private boat or junk, and spend up to 10 days cruising around Halong Bay at your leisure.
Contact us at info@andytourist.com for more information and get hot Halong Bay Deals. We organize daily tours to Halong Bay from Hanoi and offer best price for early booking.
