Halong Bay Travel Guide - Horizon Guides

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Welcome to Halong Bay

The insider's travel guide to Halong Bay

Located in the Gulf of Tonkin in northeast Vietnam, Halong Bay is easily Vietnam’s star attraction. More than 1600 karst islands and islets jut up from the ocean, each tower of rock uniquely shaped by nature.

Overnight cruises on traditional boats, known as junks, explore some of the 43,400-hectare UNESCO World Heritage Site, usually with stops to kayak around the formations, visit caverns and explore traditional floating fishing villages.

Beware that Halong Bay's beauty has become its own undoing; the city, pier and bay itself are enormously busy with tourists year-round. Treat marketing photos of lone junks in otherwise deserted waters with a healthy pinch of salt; they're probably photos of either Lan Ha Bay or and Bai Tu Long, to the south and north of Halong respectively. These two areas are far quieter but still far from "undiscovered" as some brochures would have you believe.

Two-night cruises from Halong Bay have enough time to reach these less crowded waters. Alternatively you can find cruises departing from Cat Ba Island.

If you're booking a standalone cruise yourself note that the hundreds of Hanoi-based agencies that sell tours are middle-men who are not actually running the trip, so buyer beware. When choosing a boat, the size, level of comfort and service ranges from backpacker party boats to luxurious private cruises. As with most things in life you get what you pay for when choosing a Halong Bay cruise.

The best time to visit Halong Bay is springtime from March to May/June, as well as September/October. These periods are most likely to have warm, dry weather. The peak tourist season of November to February can be good if you don’t mind cold temperatures (12 to 20 Celsius) and mist that reduces visibility. Halong Bay’s off-season coincides with the hot, humid, rainy months of June to August; operators offer discounts though cruises may be cancelled due to stormy weather.

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The Halong Bay atlas

3 picks Places & Experiences You Won't Find Elsewhere

While crowds flock to the famous Halong Bay, the nearby limestone karst islands of Lan Ha and Bai Tu Long are formed by the same geological feature that runs 100km up the Vietnam coastline and are just as beautiful, yet with a more isolated appeal.
Begin your Vietnam trip in Hanoi with a trip to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum to learn more about the man who led Vietnam’s independence from French colonial rule. Next, head to the Old Quarter, where individual streets are dedicated to specific traders, for a taste of old Hanoi and to sample some street food. Take an overnight cruise on Halong Bay, exploring some of the 2,000 islets that make up this World Heritage Site, before travelling to preserved Hoi An for its stunning Chinese and Japanese architecture. After a brief stop in Ho Chi Minh City, where you can learn more about the Vietnam War, sail down the Mekong Delta for a taste of rural Vietnam, floating markets and village life. End your trip back in Ho Chi Minh City before flying out.
Start with a city tour of Hanoi, taking in the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, dedicated to the man who led Vietnam’s independence campaign, and the Ethnology Museum which looks at the 54 officially recognised ethnic groups in Vietnam. Finish in the Old Quarter for a taste of what Hanoi’s markets looked like in the past. Next, take a cruise in Halong Bay, exploring the 2,000 islets that make up this World Heritage Site before travelling to Hue to learn more about this former capital of the Nguyen dynasty. Make sure to visit the Imperial Citadel, which houses a series of palaces, halls and libraries. A three-hour drive away is Hoi An, a well-preserved city that is also an excellent base for exploring Vietnam’s countryside. Next, spend a couple of days in Ho Chi Minh City, exploring its French colonial architecture and street food, before a cruise along the Mekong Delta to experience rural Vietnam. From here, fly to Phu Quoc island for beach resorts and fresh seafood, before connecting back to Ho Chi Minh City and your flight home.