Planning a trip to Halong but still hasn’t decided where to go yet? You should surely know that there are a bunch of great things to do in Halong apart from cruising. From beautiful sightseeing spots to mighty mountain ranges, modern amusement complex, and traditional pagodas, Halong has it all. Thus, the article below will suggest several interesting itineraries for 2 days exploring the best parts of Halong.
This mini itinerary will give you plenty to see and do in four days around Northern Vietnam. Take in the historic charm of Hanoi before seeing the spectacular limestone karsts of Halong Bay and Ninh Binh.
There’s so much to see and do in Halong Bay. To make your trip a bit easier, we’ve compiled three different 3-day itineraries for a trip to Halong Bay.
If you’ve got 5 days to explore Northern Vietnam and you’re not quite sure what to do, we’ve got your back. This itinerary will take you from the ancient streets of Hanoi to the towering mountains of Halong Bay to come to an end in the hills and mountains of Sapa.
You could easily spend a week in Hanoi and Halong bay without feeling bored. However, for most people with limited time, a few days would be good. For example, a 3 days in Hanoi and 2 days in Halong bay itinerary would cover most of both destinations.
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Halong Bay Area
Halong bay is known for its impressive natural beauty, and although it was recently crowned one of the new Seven Natural Wonders of the world, not many people know about the legend of the bay’s origins.
The Origin of The Name
In Vietnamese, the name “Hạ Long”, literally translated, means "descending dragon". According to ancient mythology, the Vietnamese people are said to have descended from dragons themselves – with this in mind, the legend of Halong Bay promises to be a fascinating one indeed.
The Legend of Dau Go Cave
During the war against the Nguyen Mong invaders in the 13th century, soldiers of the Tran Dynasty put wooden spears in the river Bach Dang (Yen Hung) as a trap to defeat enemy soldiers. Because the ‘wooden heads’ of the spears the cave was called Dau Go to commemorate their victory.
The Legend of Trinh Nu Cave
The story goes as follows: once upon a time there was a beautiful fisherman’s daughter. She came from a poor family but one day a rich man, upon seeing her beauty, proposed to marry her. The girl was already engaged to another fisherman whom she loved dearly, so she declined the rich man’s proposal. Outraged by her dismissal, he banned her and her entire family to a desert island.