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.
Seafood & Specialty
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Accessibility to
Halong Bay Area
Halong Bay Area
ACCESSIBILITY
To visit Halong Bay has never been so easy thanks to a lot of transportation like Halong Bay Luxury Cruises, Flights, Express and Intercity Trains, Express buses, Speedboats, Ferries... Let's discover!
Taking an overnight cruise trip not only takes you deeper into the most secluded part of the Bay but also organizes many activities for you to understand more about the local culture. There are both 1 day trips, 2 day trips, 3 days trip and even longer trips available. Pick the best one and you will have your moment of a life-time. The first-timer guide will help you plan your first cruise trip with these up-to-date articles and tips.
From Danang, Nha Trang and Ho Chi Minh City, you can fly either to Hanoi Airport, Hai Phong Airport or Van Don Airport and get a car transfer to Halong Bay. From other Southeast Asia countries, you also need to fly into one of these two airports to get access to Halong Bay.
You can choose the service of Halong Express train departing from Gia Lam Railway Station to Ha Long, USD20/single ticket.
This type of transfer is available for departing from Hanoi center only. The shuttle bus can be understood as a “tourist bus”, leaving Hanoi around 08:00 and returning at 12:00 from Halong Bay every day. If your hotel is located in Hanoi Old Quarter, you will be picked up from the hotel. Otherwise, you have to take a taxi to the meeting point. Shuttle bus costs from USD10 to USD30/person/one way.
There are several shared speedboat services available to Cat Ba island from Bai Chay and Tuan Chau. Most of them run a fixed route from Bai Chay - Tuan Chau - Gia Luan harbour - Beo harbour with an average price of 120,000 VND.
A very popular option to get to Cat Ba island is to take the ferry. The ride is quite enjoyable as it offers nice sea views of the surroundings. Ferries leave daily from the Tuan Chau ferry terminal and it takes around 2 to 2.5 hours to get to Cat Ba Island. Baggage is included. The price of a ticket is around $3 to $5.