Halong Bay is home to hundreds of limestone caverns for spelunking, plenty of undisturbed locations for swimming and kayaking, a couple of floating towns to explore, several deserted islands to hike on, and a variety of cuisine and drinks to relish. Let’s go over “What to do in Halong Bay Vietnam”, the most popular tourist location.
About Halong Bay Viet Nam
Ha Long Bay, in northeastern Vietnam, contains the marine regions of Ha Long City and Cam Pha Town, as well as a piece of the Van Don island district. It lies on the western bank of the Bac Bo Gulf. It has a southwest border with Cat Ba Island. The shoreline extends over 120 kilometers to the west. Ha Long Bay is around 1,553 km2 in area and has 1,960 – 2,000 islands, the majority of which are limestone. With a high density of 775 islands, the bay’s core occupies 334 square kilometers. This bay’s limestone formed over 500 million years in a variety of environments and conditions. Over the course of 20 million years, the tropical wet climate in this harbor affected the formation of the karst. Biodiversity, such as a tropical evergreen biosystem and oceanic and seaside biosystems, has been generated by the geodiversity of its surroundings. Hạ Long Bay has 14 indigenous floral species and 60 distinct faunal species.
This natural marvel of the world was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994 and has since become Vietnam’s single most popular tourist destination.
Without further ado, here are our top 20 recommendations for fantastic things to do in Halong Bay!
Take a Leisurely Cruise
The best way to explore Halong Bay is by boat. Some firms provide half-day trips on classic junk boats where you can see the bay while sailing at leisurely speeds. Others provide speedier boats that can transfer people between islands and return more quickly. While it is possible to take a swift half-day or full-day cruise in Halong Bay, an overnight or two-night trip is strongly advised to fully experience Halong Bay.
Take a few days and rent a yacht, using it for sleeping at night and for day trips around the bay. Being lulled to sleep by the currents is a genuinely lovely experience, and stargazing from a boat anchored in the open ocean offers a completely different perspective than what is visible from the ground. These cruises provide guided trips to exclusive beaches and fishing communities, cooking workshops, and buffet dinners. For the ideal vacation, mix and match various activities. For example, arrange a peaceful “spa cruise” that includes deep tissue massages and yoga before sunrise, or go on an authentic adventure that includes moonlit squid fishing and deep sea diving.
Take an afternoon to kayak around the karsts after getting off the ship, regardless of your preferred mode of transportation. Kayaks offer the most freedom and adventure due to their tiny size, making them the ideal means of getting up close and personal with the limestone formations. Paddling through caves, across floating settlements, and between a variety of islands and karsts is safe, simple, and pleasurable due to the peaceful and steady bay water. Periodically jump into the crystal-clear sea for a swim, then return to the yacht for dinner and sunset cocktails.
Dive and snorkel to investigate Coral Reefs
There is an entire universe flourishing beneath the surface, despite the fact that many travel guides only highlight the scenery above the water. More than 140 distinct types of coral, including uncommon kinds, may be found at Ha Long Bay. Up to 30 or even 60 percent of the area surrounding islands like Cong Do is covered by these coral reefs, which shield marine life from boat traffic, pollution, and human intervention due to both geographic isolation and legislative constraints.
Watch sea life such as starfish, sea horses, and sea turtles swimming through the transparent water as you go diving near the coral reefs. Additionally, you can investigate the complex cave systems and underwater grottos that conceal entire ecosystems. Both novice and expert divers can go diving with a diving school, or you can take a boat into deeper water and go snorkeling.
Explore Caves – Take a trip into the Mystic World
Numerous caverns of all sizes can be found in Ha Long Bay, outside of Cat Ba. Each cave is a distinct archeological relic from Ha Long’s millions of years of development. Sung Sot, Me Cung, and Thien Cung are three of the most fascinating in the area.
Sung Sot Cave is well-known for its enormous size as well as its interior cavern, which is home to stalactites and stalagmites with unusual shapes. Reaching the 10,000 square meter cave system requires ascending a hard road, but the journey is well worth it. Enter the second chamber after passing through the first cavern. Here, piercing light lingers and flickers on the sculptural structures, giving life to elephants, mammoths, horses, and military formations.
The biggest and most well-known cave in Halong Bay is Sung Sot, whereas Me Cung Cave is the narrowest and oldest. Based on archeological evidence, the periwinkle fossils that are still present at the cave’s entrance date back over 10,000 years. Explore the intricate network of chambers and tunnels within the cave, which is adorned with stalactites and stalagmites and is dotted with fossils. Fit through the tight entrance.
Thien Cung Cave, the most beautiful of the three, comes after the biggest and oldest. According to mythology, the Dragon King and his wife May lived in Thien Cung. In the middle of the cave, the couple exchanged vows in front of gods, dragons, and fairies. The cave is now lit by gentle colored lights that create odd shadows and give the mythological tales a dramatic sense of plausibility. Heavenly light beams also pierce the roof through apertures. Step outside the cave to see a sweeping panorama of Ha Long Bay, really befitting a Dragon King.
Visit Lan Ha Bay or Bai Tu Long Bay
Are you aware that there are two other bays adjacent to Halong Bay? Halong Bay is well-known to almost everyone. Less than Halong Bay, but no less stunning, are Lan Ha Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay. Though there are fewer boats and fewer visitors, which makes these two Halong Bay substitutes the best option. As a result, you won’t need to be so terrified to share a beach or cave with plenty of other tourists.
You will be driving longer because both bays are a little bit farther from Hanoi. In addition, comparable scenery will be encountered, and similar pursuits like kayaking alone, exploring caverns, and visiting floating fishing towns will be done.
Explore these two bays to answer the question “What to do in Halong Bay Vietnam?”
Ride the world’s highest cable car
With one of the best panoramic views of the UNESCO site, Sunworld Amusement Park is a popular destination for aspiring landscape photographers!
The Queen’s Cable Car, which offers expansive views, is the park’s principal draw. With a maximum passenger capacity of 230 and a height of 188.88 meters, this cable car holds two Guinness World Records: it is the largest reversible aerial tramway.
It should come as no surprise that visitors rank Sunworld Amusement Park among the must-do activities in Halong Bay. At $12 for adults and $8 for kids under 1.3m, the trip is reasonably priced and offers a comfortable experience.
Watch the Dolphin Show in Tuan Chau
What to do in Halong Bay if you have children? Come to watch the Dolphin show.
Place: Tuan Chau’s Dolphin Show Venue (2 km far from the mainland)
Entrance fee: $10 USD / person, children under 1m tall are free to enter, and groups of guests will be discounted
Visitors at Tuan Chau’s Dolphin Show can not only watch the acrobatic jumping dolphins but also pet and photograph these friendly animals. Other interesting activities at the Dolphin Show in Tuan Chau include seasonal musical shows, fashion displays, and other large cultural events that are frequently held at the venue.
Read more: Best Time To Visit Halong Bay Vietnam For Perfect Experience
Hike to the Hidden Caves of Cat Ba Island
Cat Ba Island, the largest in the Cat Ba archipelago and Halong Bay area is almost totally covered in rainforest. In addition to other native mammal species, the national park preserves white-headed langur monkeys, which are among the world’s most endangered primates. There are good hiking routes throughout the parks, and it is feasible (and recommended) to accompany a guide to learn about the island’s vegetation, animals, and history.
Some hiking trails go to mountain peaks, others end on virgin sand beaches, and still others meander through hidden caves and grottoes. Hoa Cuong Cave is very tiny, but it glows like diamonds in the light. Others, such as Thien Long and Trung Trang, are teeming with stalactites and stalagmites bent and twisted into bizarre patterns over millions of years. It’s a strange and strong sensation to be within an underground world that arose inexplicably long ago.
The most interesting cave on Cat Ba is Hospital Cave, which served as a refuge for soldiers during the American War. It is now a tourist attraction, yet the hospital rooms remain intact, complete with equipment.
Take a scenic flight tour of Halong Bay
Take in Halong Bay’s stunning scenery from an entirely new angle – on a seaplane! Admire the breathtaking aerial views of Cat Ba Island and Halong Bay’s karst formations. Don’t miss the famous Fighting Cocks Island, where two rock formations mimic two cocks fighting.
Daily trips from Hanoi are offered by tours, with 25-minute scenic fly trips over Halong Bay starting at just $99. The best method to make your trip even more spectacular is to take a seaplane ride before your cruise. This will make your vacation truly unforgettable.
Go trekking and hiking in Cat Ba National Park
What to do in Halong Bay Vietnam, why not go hiking?
Cat Ba National Park, a frequent stop on various Halong Bay cruise itineraries, is the best option for hiking. Because of its diverse ecosystems, which include mangroves, coral reefs, wetlands, and tropical jungles, UNESCO has designated Cat Ba National Park as a global biosphere reserve. The park is home to a diverse range of animals, including cuckoos, hornbills, hawks, macaques, civets, and the most endangered golden-headed langurs in the world.
Hiking along the wonderful routes that lead to the summit of the mountain is possible, but it takes a lot of time and stamina. The journey is eighteen kilometers.
Vietnam Tour 247 has the following advice for hikers visiting Halong Bay:
- Carry a water bottle with you on the hike to stay hydrated.
- Put on non-slip footwear. And refuse to wear flip-flops!
- Employ a tour guide to give you a tour of the area, explain the history, and offer you safety advice.
- Reserve a tour departing from Halong Bay or a cruise tour that includes a stop in Cat Ba National Park.
Visit Monkey Island
Despite being only a short distance from Cat Ba town, Monkey Island can only be accessed by boat. Because of the wild pineapples that grew all over the remote island, Cat Dua Island, also known as Pineapple Island, was previously named after it. Nowadays, many refer to it more affectionately as Monkey Island because of the entertaining native monkeys who come to the beaches to play with visitors.
The picturesque coastline of Monkey Island is ideal for both adventurers and sun worshippers. Spend a leisurely afternoon lounging on the white beach and swimming or snorkeling in the crystal-clear ocean. You can also explore the natural world on land or at sea, in a kayak, or on one of the many hiking trails.
Experience fishing with the locals
One of the daily jobs that the native fishermen in Halong Bay do is fishing. Travelers find fishing to be an intriguing pastime that allows them to feel like real fishermen. Then, one of the best things to do in Halong Bay is go fishing with the locals. You can try your luck at fishing with them at daybreak and learn a little bit about the legend surrounding the area.
Halong’s night squid fishing is a fun pastime. If you are a true night owl, you can enjoy a peaceful evening of fishing while the squid is drawn to the lights strung along the sides of the boats. You will receive guidance on how to use a fishing rod and catch squid in the sea from either the cruise personnel or local fishermen. It’s interesting to note that you will have dinner made from the caught squid.
What to do in Halong Bay – Sample the seafood and local street food
Halong Bay will be a sanctuary for seafood lovers! Halong is a seaside city, hence seafood delicacies ranging from crab, prawn, squid, and snail to oysters are the city’s specialty. Certain cruise ships have really great food. In addition to being served on deck, seafood is widely available, reasonably priced, and fresh. To enjoy fish or other seafood, you could also just stop by a floating town or even build your own DIY barbecue fire pits near the shore.
The following five street food delicacies are a must-try for anybody visiting Halong Bay: banh gat gu (nodding cake), cha muc (squid sausage), sam (horseshoe crab), and sa sang (sipunculus nudus). There is nowhere else in Vietnam like these specialties. Therefore, doing a street food tour in Halong Bay is a must-do activity.
Discover Halong Bay in 2024 with Vietnam Tour 247
Halong Bay is a place that promises life-changing experiences. It is well-known for its emerald waters, majestic limestone karsts, and fascinating caves. Vietnam Tour 247 is the ideal travel companion for an amazing experience if you’re hoping to discover this stunning harbor in 2024.
Our mission at Vietnam Tour 247 is to provide outstanding travel experiences. Our well-planned tours will fully immerse you in Halong Bay’s splendor. You’ll be in wonder and delight at every turn, whether you’re kayaking through secret lagoons or taking tranquil trips on traditional junks.
Come explore what to do in Halong Bay with Vietnam Tour 247 in 2024 for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. In addition to making sure that your travel is seamless and pleasurable, our skilled staff is dedicated to offering the highest caliber of service. Your doorway to Halong Bay’s treasures is Vietnam Tour 247!
Read more: Halong Bay Cruise – A Comprehensive Guide
