Halong Bay – Vietnam explores affordable delicious destinations and cuisine.

Halong Bay in Vietnam always attracts a large number of domestic and international tourists. Halong is “memorable” for its famous scenic spots, delicious cuisine, and exciting experiences…

1- Hạ Long – Việt Nam

Halong Bay is located in Quang Ninh province of Vietnam, about 180km away from Hanoi, and is known as the northern paradise of tourism. Thanks to its convenient location, modern infrastructure, and developed transportation system, every year, Halong tourism attracts millions of domestic and international visitors.

With an area of 1,553km2, Halong Bay includes 1,900 large and small limestone islands in various vivid shapes. The bay has been repeatedly voted by UNESCO as one of the natural wonders of the world and is dubbed a must-visit destination once in a lifetime.

2- Why should you travel to Ha Long once in your life?

Why should you choose Ha Long as your travel destination? With the 3 reasons below, I believe everyone wants to pack a backpack and go.

• As one of the 7 natural wonders of the world: in the top 7 natural wonders of the world, Ha Long Bay is certainly the dream destination of every visitor. Not only domestic tourists, foreign tourists are also very interested and admiring the natural creation here.
• Having full facilities and quality services: Over the years, Ha Long has experienced extremely high economic development. The system of facilities and infrastructure is invested synchronously and with quality. Guests will be served a full range of facilities, meeting the needs of entertainment, relaxation, shopping…
• Many interesting and attractive places of entertainment, entertainment and discovery: coming to Ha Long, you will be free to explore, experience, and have fun. Ha Long travel experience of most people is not to miss attractive places to visit such as: Ha Long Bay, Old Town, Night Market, Tuan Chau….

3- What is the best month to travel to Ha Long?

What is the best month to travel to Ha Long? Ha Long weather varies from month to month and is quite different in each season, so please carefully review the weather forecast information before the trip. Time to travel to Ha Long can be divided into the following time periods:

• April to June is the ideal time to travel to Ha Long. At this time, the weather is almost no rain, sunny, warm, pleasant, very suitable for sightseeing, resting with family and friends.
• June to August is the peak season of Ha Long, many families combine vacations for their children, so the number of guests flocks to the winter, and the price of rooms and services is also easy to increase. It is summer time. Especially in July and August, it is easy to have tropical depressions and storms, directly affecting tourists’ Ha Long travel schedule.
• Late November to Tet is the time when foreign tourists come to Ha Long mainly because Vietnamese tourists have chosen to come here in the summer. Therefore, this time Ha Long is also peaceful and has more private space for you to enjoy.

How to get to Ha Long?

International visitors to Ha Long – Vietnam should choose the first destination as Van Don airport, Quang Ninh province; Cat Bi airport – Hai Phong or Noi Bai international airport, then move to Ha Long City for tourism.

With the synchronous development of transport infrastructure, moving to Ha Long is very quick and convenient. From Hanoi, visitors can use a variety of means of transport to Ha Long such as:

Motorbike

Traveling to Ha Long by motorbike from Hanoi and some northern provinces, you can choose 1 of the following 2 routes:

Route 1: Hanoi – Bac Ninh follow Highway 18 and then continue to move to Pha Lai – Chi Linh – Dong Trieu – Uong Bi – Ha Long
Route 2: Noi Bai airport – Bac Ninh, continue to follow Highway 18A to Pha Lai – Sao Do – Dong Trieu – Uong Bi – Ha Long.

It takes about 4-5 hours to travel by motorbike from Hanoi to Ha Long. But long distances will be tiring and dangerous. However, for those who love backpacking and exploring, this will be a great experience. However, if traveling by motorbike, keep an appropriate speed, wear a helmet with glasses, long-sleeved shirt to be safer during the journey.

Note: Riding a motorbike from Hanoi to Ha Long is not a completely safe journey, but if you have driving experience and fully comply with traffic rules, the possibility of an accident will be reduced. significantly.

The road from Hanoi to Ha Long is National Highway 5, with noisy and crowded traffic. Moreover, riding a motorbike can make you tired and distracted if you have to drive for a long time.

To ensure safety, you should wear full protective equipment, including helmets, armor, gloves and sturdy shoes. You should also be careful when passing trucks and other vehicles, and limit driving at night if possible.

If you have no driving experience or are not confident in your abilities, you can use other means of transport such as bus or rent a car with a driver to move to Ha Long.

Feeling when traveling Ha Long by motorbike gives us a feeling of thrill and excitement. For those who are new to traveling to Ha Long by motorbike, driving through steep passes and winding curves will bring a sense of thrill and excitement.

Freedom: Traveling by motorbike will give you a greater sense of freedom, you can decide where to go, where to stop and where to take photos without having to follow the tour schedule.

Enjoy the beautiful scenery: Ha Long is one of the most beautiful landscapes in Vietnam, you will have the opportunity to admire the unique rocks, green islands on the extremely beautiful sea.

However, traveling to Ha Long by motorbike will also require you to exercise a lot, hard to drive on long roads and hot sun, so it can cause fatigue.

Car: If you go by car, you just need to follow the directions at the Hanoi – Ha Long highway, you can move to Ha Long quickly and safely. Travel time by car from Hanoi to Ha Long is only about 2 – 2.5 hours, so it is very convenient.

Public transport: In addition to private vehicles, you can also use public transport such as taxis, coaches, trains. If departing from the southern provinces, visitors can also take a plane to land at Cat Bi airport – Hai Phong or Van Don airport – Quang Ninh and move to Ha Long quickly.

Means of transportation in Ha Long city

In the Ha Long city area, there are many suitable means of transportation.

Motorbike: You will easily rent a motorbike taxi at a reasonable price. However, with the Ha Long travel experience of many tourists, remember to ask the price before getting on the bus to avoid the situation of “hacking” or appearing “scam”.

Bus: Ha Long has a bus system running continuously, linking to famous tourist destinations. Depending on the starting point and the place you want to move, visitors will choose the most suitable bus route. The average bus fare in Ha Long is about 3USD – 5USD/way.

Tram: Trams are quite popular means of transportation, especially in the center and tourist attractions of Ha Long.

Currently, the city has 5 Ha Long tram lines serving visitors, starting from Bai Chay tourist area or Ha Long city center. The tram passes through famous Ha Long tourist sites such as Bai Chay bridge, Quang Ninh Museum – Library, Ba Tho mountain relic cluster, Vinpearl Resort & Spa Ha Long…

Ticket price for Ha Long tram is from 23USD – 40USD/trip. Hours of operation are from 7:00 to 22:00 every day.

Taxi: This is a convenient form of transportation, suitable for most tourists. The tourist destinations in Ha Long are not far from each other, so traveling money is not a problem. Taxi prices in Ha Long range from 2.5 USD – 5 USD/km depending on the car company and the distance traveled.

The most beautiful and hottest Ha Long tourist destination

Ha Long Bay: 

Ha Long Bay possesses majestic and poetic natural beauty with thousands of large and small islands and many unique caves. The bay is also recognized by UNESCO as a natural wonder of the world, attracting a large number of tourists every year with beautiful destinations such as: Dragon Eye Island, Ti Top Island, Con Coc Island, Ngoc Vung Island, Sung Cave. Fever…

• Stunning scenery: Ha Long Bay is home to many limestone islands created by the tilting and cracking of rocks over millions of years. The islands have a unique shape, spectacular scenery, green, creating a beautiful picture of nature.
• Unique caves: In addition to the islands, Ha Long Bay also has many large and unique caves such as Sung Sot cave, Dau Go cave, Trong cave, Thien Cung cave, Tam Cung cave… All these caves All of them have unique natural wonders, this place also contains many historical and cultural relics of the Vietnamese nation.
• Culinary specialties: Ha Long Bay is a large sea, so there are many delicious sea specialties such as lobster, scallops, eel, dried squid… Besides, there are many local specialties such as fish. spring rolls, spring rolls, Korean fish rolls, fish cakes, frog porridge…
• Rich tourist activities: Visitors to Ha Long Bay can participate in many tourist activities such as boating, scuba diving, climbing, fishing, enjoying special dishes, swimming…
• Rich ethnic culture: Ha Long Bay is home to many Vietnamese ethnic groups such as Nguyen, Ho, Duong, Ma… They have many unique cultural features, customs and unique cultural traditions. unique, helping tourists learn about the cultural diversity of the Vietnamese people.

Tuan Chau Island:

Located on Tuan Chau island, Tuan Chau tourist area attracts visitors by its beautiful and poetic space. Coming to Tuan Chau, you should participate in a water music show, have fun at an outdoor amusement park or a newly opened dinosaur park that attracts a lot of young people.

Some notes when exploring Tuan Chau island: Tuan Chau Island is one of the popular tourist destinations in Vietnam, known for its beautiful natural scenery and countless exciting activities. However, to have a really great and safe trip, you need to keep a few points in mind:

• It is advisable to learn about Tuan Chau island before going to plan and prepare better. You can search for information about places, activities, food specialties, and more.
• Choose the right time to ensure safety and avoid the obstacles of the weather. If you go in the rainy season, you should bring a raincoat or umbrella to avoid getting wet.
• You should prepare enough personal items such as clothes, shoes, swimwear, helmet cap, etc. If you want to participate in outdoor activities, it is recommended to bring sunscreen and mosquito repellent.
• If you want to swim, choose a beach with a safety flag. Always keep yourself in sight of those you travel with, especially when going to the beach.
• For a full experience of the local culture and lifestyle, you can participate in activities such as fishing, rock climbing, kayaking, and other folk activities.
• If you want to rent a bicycle or motorbike to explore Tuan Chau Island, please check carefully before using to ensure safety when moving. Need to negotiate the price before making a decision.

Bai Tho Mountain:

Bai Tho Mountain has a magical beauty but no less dignified. From here, you can cover the whole romantic scenery of Ha Long.

However, Bai Tho mountain climbing has been suspended due to safety concerns for visitors, instead you can visit and admire the scenery below. Please carefully update information from the local government before planning a specific schedule for your Ha Long trip!

note: Going up Bai Tho mountain requires physical preparation, because this is a long road and quite steep slope. If you are not physically fit, you should seek advice from experts or guides before setting off.

Bai Chay beach – Ha Long tourist attraction: 

Bai Chay beach is an artificial beach located right next to Ha Long Bay. This is the most beautiful beach in the city with clear blue water, fine white sand stretching nearly 1,000m. Here you will be spoiled for swimming, check-in and have fun.

Quang Ninh Museum:

Considered as a miniature model of Quang Ninh, Quang Ninh Museum contains the culture of Ha Long people, sketching the most typical features of the mining land. This is also a famous and beautiful check-in point.

Cua Van fishing village:

With the Ha Long travel experience of many tourists, if you have not been to Cua Van fishing village, you will not fully enjoy the beauty of this place. Cua Van is an ancient fishing village on the bay with a very unique lifestyle of fishermen in the sea. Coming here, you will discover interesting activities such as fishing, squid fishing, boating… and enjoy delicious seafood right at the boat.

Some other attractive Ha Long travel experiences

Not only visiting, sightseeing, having fun, coming to Ha Long, visitors also have the opportunity to try many unique and impressive experiences such as:

• Kayaking: enjoying the scenery of Ha Long Bay by kayak is an activity that visitors look forward to. You will be sitting on a tiny Kayak, swimming in the middle of the water, feeling small in the majestic scenery of the sky. My experience of traveling to Ha Long Bay when kayaking is to sit still and hold the position tightly for easy balance.
• Overnight on the yacht: if you love the romantic natural scenery, try once to spend the night on the yacht. Visitors will be greeted by dawn with four sides of the sea, no more dust or noise of the city.
• Seeing Ha Long Bay from a seaplane: this is a relatively new form of experience. On the seaplane, you will have a view like a bird flying overhead, zooming in, embracing the majestic scenery of Ha Long Bay.

What to eat in Ha Long? Ha Long delicacies should try

Squid – famous Ha Long specialty: 

The first delicious dish to answer the question of what to eat in Ha Long is grilled squid. Grilled squid is a famous specialty of Ha Long sea. The pieces of golden spring rolls, fragrant nose are processed sophisticatedly and elaborately. Biting the patty, you will feel the crunchy sound, the sweet taste when dipped with chili sauce or sweet and sour fish sauce.

If you come to Ha Long and want to buy this dish as a gift, consider buying pounded squid from people of Ha Long origin such as Ba Kien, Fishing Village, Hien Nhung… They know how to choose standard squid and how to mix it. Mix the right ratio with the traditional recipe. In this way, the patties will be more delicious and crispy.

Sauteed snails with soy sauce – delicious Ha Long dish

Without guise leaves, cooking oil, Ha Long people stir-fry snails with the smell of China, desiccated coconut, and lemon leaves. Snail dipping sauce does not need to be complicated, but it is taken from the chili sauce used to stir-fry the snails before.

Snails are washed, put in a pot, seasoned to taste and brought to a boil. When it has evaporated, the strong aroma will come out. Stir-fried snails with crispy, greasy, spicy soy sauce make visitors feel all hiccups.

Steamed Cu Ky:

Cu Ky is a type of sea crab with 2 very large claws and a lot of meat. Although it is not as rich as crab meat, it is more delicious than crab meat, and the price is also very affordable. Steamed Cu Ky is an attractive dish that many tourists choose to enjoy when coming to Ha Long. In addition to steaming, you can also process currants in many different ways such as roasting tamarind, grilling embers, stir-frying vermicelli…

Worship Ha Long

Sa worms are extremely valuable sea worms, 1kg of dried wormwood costs up to 4 – 5 million VND. Coming to Quang Ninh, don’t forget to enjoy the specialties from Sa worm such as: Crispy island worms, grilled samosas, sautéed kohlrabi, deep fried bread worms…

If buying dried wormwood as a gift, the Ha Long travel experience of many tourists is to choose the ones with thick, even sizes.

Grilled Oysters – A rustic Quang Ninh dish

Grilled oysters with onion fat is a rustic dish in Quang Ninh that is loved by many tourists. The fat oysters are pryed on one side of the shell, adding onion fat is grilled on a charcoal stove. When you hear the sizzling sound, add a few small broken peanuts and you have a great drink.

Sea Sam

Sea sam is also a Ha Long dish not to be missed. Famous dishes from sam can be mentioned as: sam blood soup, fried sweet and sour sam’s feet, crispy fried sam’s eggs, steamed sam, grilled sam’s cartilage, fried sam’s eggs with guise leaves, fried sam bao with fried dough…

Choose motel, Homestay, Hotel in Ha Long?

There are many motels and hotels in Ha Long from 2, 3 and 4 stars located in Bai Chay tourist area for you to choose. Room rates range from 250,000 VND or more. You should also choose Bai Chay area to book a room because around this area there are many restaurants, delicious food with relatively reasonable prices and especially near the large entertainment area Halong Park.

– Homestay: Reference price from 500,000 VND – 1,000,000 VND/night
– Hostels, 1-star and 2-star hotels: 150,000 VND – 500,000 VND/night
– 3-star hotel: 500,000 VND – 1,200,000 VND/night
– 4-star hotel: 900,000 VND – 1,700,000 VND/night
– 5-star hotel and resort: 1,500,000 VND – 2,100,000 VND/night
– Overnight cruise on the bay: 1,800,000 VND – 22,000,000 VND/night

You can refer to some of the following hotels:

Choice of Homestay and 2-3 star hotel: 3-star Halios Hotel Halong, 3-star BBQ HOSTEL, 3-star Orestay Halong, 2-star Tom’s Family Hotel, 2-star Ha Long Trendy Hotel, Vannie Homestay, MiRin homestay..
Choose a 4-star line: Muong Thanh Luxury Hotel, Novotel Ha Long Bay Hotel, Halong Boutique Hotel, Amazing Homestay Sapphire, Royal Lotus Ha Long, Ha Long Plaza Hotel…
Choose a 5-star line: Vinpearl Resort & Spa Ha Long, FLC Grand Ha Long Hotel, Wyndham Legend Ha Long Hotel, Royal Ha Long Hotel, Premier Village Halong Bay Resort…
Cruise selection: 5-star Starlight Cruise, 5-star Ambassador Cruise, 5-star Paradise Elegance, 5-star Alisa Cruise, 5-star Margaret Cruise, 4-star Syrena Cruise, 3-star Oriental Sails, Cruise 3-star Majestic boat…

Du thuyền ngủ đêm trên vịnh?

Nowadays, overnight cruises on yachts are chosen by many Vietnamese guests, an exciting feeling if you spend a night on a yacht with many activities such as going on the yacht’s terrace to enjoy the beautiful view of Ha Long at sunset. sunset or dawn, participate in kayaking, swimming on the bay, then singing karaoke, squid fishing when night falls…

Halong cruise tours can last 2 days 1 night or 3 days 2 nights depending on the itinerary of each cruise. 3-star yachts such as V’spirit, Majestic, Calypso, Golden Lotus, Oriental Sails, Glory… the price for a 2-day cruise is from 2,100,000 VND or more, including all shuttle bus services to Hanoi – Ha Long, eat 3 meals, scenic tickets… In addition, on Ha Long Bay, there are many cruises with 4- to 5-star class such as Au Co cruise, Ambassador yacht, Alisa yacht, Athena yacht, Paradise Elegance cruise. , Starlight… You can contact travel agencies to get the best price, especially in the summer there are many yachts applying promotional policies.