Tips to travel to Ha Long Bay

Tips to travel to Ha Long

1. Choose the right time

Ha Long has 4 distinct seasons and each season has its own beauty, so it is no exaggeration to say that you can go to Halong any time, however, you still need the following specific notes:

Season

Month

Weather and travel characteristics

Spring

March, April and May

  • The weather is cold but still sunny
  • The appropriate time to travel to Ha Long is combined with spiritual tourism (Yen Tu Pagoda, Long Tien Pagoda, Cua Ong Temple, ...)

Summer

June and July

  • The weather is sunny and sunny, but it should be avoided in some storms
  • Suitable for families with young children on vacation

Fall

August, September and October

  • The weather is sunny, less rain, mild climate
  • Autumn romantic atmosphere for couples

Winter

Nov, Dec 
to January

  • In the cold season, the beach cannot be bathed but the scenery of Ha Long Bay is still very beautiful
  • Suitable to play at the entertainment area on land or on vacation

* Note this season is the peak tourist season because there are many Western customers, the service price is very high

2. Choose the transports to and from Ha Long

Below is a table comparing the ways to travel from Hanoi / Saigon to Halong and travel in Halong, especially for those who have never been here and are looking for planning a trip yourself.

Note: The price is not fixed and just for reference

Vehicle

Time

Price

From Hanoi to Halong

Coach

3h - 4h

100,000 VND - 150,000 VND / person / way

Motorbike

4h - 5h

VND 100,000 / person / way

Car

2h - 3h

VND 250,000 / person / way

Train

5h - 7h

VND 100,000 / person / way

From Ho Chi Minh city to Halong

Coach

37h - 41h

800,000 VND - 1,000,000 VND / person / way

Train

33h - 34h

VND 800,000 - VND 1,500,000 / person / way

Planes

1h30 - 2h

1,100,000 VND-3,000,000 VND / person / way

3. Travel in Halong city

Select the appropriate mode of transport in Halong city from table below

Type

Price

Note

Motorbike

120,000 VND - 150,000 VND / day

Suitable if going many points during the day

Taxi

Average 11,000 VND / first km, 
13,000 VND / the next 20 km

Suitable if traveling a few points, points close to each other, large groups or families with young children / elderly people

Where to play in Halong city? - Popular activities and attractions

Halong City has 4 major tourist areas: Bai Chay, Tuan Chau island and Hon Gai. Each area has its own beauty, we refer to the summary below to choose the destination that suits you.

Area

Tourist features and outstanding activities

Bai Chay

  • The most crowded tourist place, with the most diverse recreational activities
  • Famous for: Bai Chay artificial beach, Bai Chay bridge (Vietnam's first cable-stayed bridge), old town, night market, Sunworld Halong amusement park, Marine Plaza shopping center - painting museum 3D, a variety of restaurants and hotels…
  • Service prices here are quite expensive in the tourist season

Tuan Chau Island

  • A small island about 2 km from Halong city
  • Famous for large-scale modern villas, Tuan Chau International entertainment, beach, Tuan Chau jetty with cruises of Halong Bay
  • The price of this area is expensive

Hon Gai

  • The area where most residents live
  • Famous for playing Sun Wheel on Ba Deo hill, Halong market, Quang Ninh museum, Halong Flower park, Vincom Plaza shopping center
  • The price of service is cheap

Halong Bay

  • A sea area with many limestone islands and caves, famous for its beauty
  • Main activities are sightseeing and sightseeing by boat, kayaking, seaplane or cable car
  • Service prices vary according to the type of travel you choose

4. Activities and enjoyment

You have 4 ways to visit Halong bay, the table below provides 2 ways for you to choose: take a boat tour or a cruise ship.

Note: the price is only for reference

Form

Cost

Time

Cruise visiting the bay

250,000 VND - 400,000 VND / person

4am - 6pm / trip, there are many trips a day

Halong  bay cruise

From VND 2,250,000 / person

Fixed itinerary

Rent a plane to visit the bay

From VND 2,000,000 / person

25 minutes / trip

Cable car to visit the bay

VND 350,000-450,000 / person

15 minutes / trip

Some experience on boat rental you need:
 Take a boat tour: This way is both saving money and visit more sites, suitable if only going during the day. Halong cruise ship also has many types and grades.
 Charter a cruise ship: This method will bring new experiences, but the price is a bit expensive so you need to choose the type of ship carefully.

Accommodation services in Halong are very developed with all types of motels, hotels (1 stars to 5 stars), resorts, homestays, cruisers. Each type has different properties and prices, below the average price list for you to choose.

Type

Reference price

Need

Homestay

500,000 VND - 1,000,000 VND / night

Suitable for travelers who like new experiences, like trends

Hotel, 
1 star hotel, 2 star

150,000 VND - 500,000 VND / night

Guests wishing to save money, cheap travel

3 star hotel

500,000 VND - 1,200,000 VND / night

Suitable for families with young children / elderly or couples

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

Travelers who like a vacation

Cruisers

2,250,000 VND - 22,000,000 VND / night

Halong Bay sightseeing, overnight on board cruisers

6. Book tours to Halong

For travelers who find Halong travel by yourself too difficult and time consuming, we recommend choosing a tour. So the problem is what kind of tour to choose? How many days is the tour? Here are some guides and suggestions for your Halong tours.

Currently there are 2 forms of tour as follows:
• Free Tour - "Free & Easy Tour": Only shuttle bus and hotel
This is a new type of tour recently appeared in Vietnam, for young people who do not want to be constrained by a specific schedule but find it troublesome to find a way to go by themselves. You can find and book tours at some sites like Tago , DulichVietNam , or on Facebook fanpage / group.

Choose Free & Easy Tour only include shuttle bus and hotel, both cheap and not subject to a fixed program. However, note that these tours are usually short days - 2 days 1 night or 3 days 2 nights.

• Package tour: Includes A - Z from shuttle bus, tour schedule, dining, accommodation

Tour package helps you get many points but save time and effort. This type of tour can be short-term or long-term, with lots of choices of itineraries and prices. 

 

Published at: 08-01-2021
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