Tips to travel to Ha Long
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 |
|
Summer |
June and July |
|
Fall |
August, September and October |
|
Winter |
Nov, Dec |
* Note this season is the peak tourist season because there are many Western customers, the service price is very high |
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 |
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, |
Suitable if traveling a few points, points close to each other, large groups or families with young children / elderly people |
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 |
|
Tuan Chau Island |
|
Hon Gai |
|
Halong Bay |
|
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, |
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 |
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 |
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.