By air
Van Don (VDO) or Noi Bai, Hanoi (HAN), Van Don ~50 km; Hanoi ~2.5 h by expressway
Southeast Asia · Vietnam
Ha Long Bay, Vietnam
Thousands of limestone islands on emerald water
Getting there
Best time to visit
March to May and September to November — clearer skies, calmer weather
Don't miss
Sung Sot Cave
Ti Top Island
The floating villages
Lan Ha Bay
Things to do
An overnight cruise
Kayaking among the karsts
Cave visits
Swimming off Ti Top Island
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Thierry Boriecolour adjusted by Lycaon · Public domain
What to pack
Layers, swimwear in summer, motion-sickness tablets
A quieter corner
Lan Ha Bay, the quieter southern edge reached from Cat Ba
Questions travellers ask
When is the best time to cruise Ha Long Bay?
March to May and September to November bring clearer skies and calmer weather.
How far is Ha Long Bay from Hanoi?
It's about 2.5 hours from Hanoi by expressway. You can also fly into Van Don (VDO), about 50 km away.
What can I do on a Ha Long Bay trip?
Take an overnight cruise, kayak among the karsts, visit caves such as Sung Sot, and swim off Ti Top Island. Pack layers and motion-sickness tablets.
Is there a quieter part of Ha Long Bay?
Lan Ha Bay, the quieter southern edge, which you reach from Cat Ba.
About Ha Long Bay
- Coastal
- Island
Where it is
Ha Long Bay lies in the Gulf of Tonkin in north-eastern Vietnam, where nearly 2,000 limestone islands and islets rise from the sea beside the city of Ha Long, with Lan Ha Bay and Cat Ba Island to the south.
History
The bay's name means descending dragon, from a legend of dragons sent to defend the Vietnamese, whose jewels became the islands. Nearby, at the mouth of the Bach Dang River, Vietnamese forces destroyed invading fleets on stakes planted in the riverbed, in 938 and again against the Mongols in 1288. UNESCO listed the bay as a World Heritage Site in 1994 and extended the listing to the Cat Ba archipelago in 2023.
People
The bay's fishing families once lived entirely on the water in floating villages such as Cua Van, farming fish in cages and moving by rowing boat; many have since been resettled on land, and some now row visitors through the karsts. On shore, the surrounding province is also Vietnam's main coal-mining region.
Known for
- Overnight cruises among the karsts
- Sung Sot Cave
- Kayaking to hidden lagoons
- Floating fishing villages
- The viewpoint on Ti Top Island
Did you know?
Cat Ba Island, on the bay's southern edge, is the only home of the Cat Ba langur, a golden-headed monkey that is one of the rarest primates in the world.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.