Here are the Halong travel experiences for newcomers
compiled by Cruise-Halong-Bay.com. The article provides
tips, specific instructions on how to go, how to choose
the means and time, how to choose a suitable place to
eat - accommodation.
Halong travel � choose the right time
Halong has 4 distinct seasons and each season has its
own beauty, so it is no exaggeration to say that
traveling to Halong is always possible. However, you
still need specific notes for each time as follows,
Halong bay
cruises:
Season |
Month |
Weather and tourist characteristics |
Spring |
March, April, 5 |
-
The weather is cold but still sunny
-
The right time to travel to Halong in combination with
spiritual tourism (Yen Tu pagoda, Long Tien pagoda, Cua
Ong temple, ...)
|
Summer |
June, 7 |
-
The weather is sunny, but some storms should be avoided
-
Suitable for families with young children on summer
vacation
|
Collect |
August, 9, 10 |
-
The weather is sunny, little rain, mild climate
-
Autumn romantic atmosphere for couples
|
winter |
November, December
to January, 2 years later |
-
In the cold season, you can't swim in the sea, but the
scenery of Halong Bay is still very beautiful
-
Suitable for playing at entertainment areas on the
mainland or going on vacation
* Note ,
this season is the peak tourist season because there are
many Western guests, the service price increases very high |
Getting to and in Halong
Below is a comparison table of ways to travel from
Hanoi/Saigon to Halong and travel within Halong,
especially for those of you who have never been here
before and are looking for a self-sufficient Halong
travel experience,
Halong
tours.
Transportation to Halong
Refer to the following table to easily compare and
choose the right way.
Vehicle |
Time |
Price |
From Hanoi to Halong |
Coach |
3h � 4h |
100,000 VND � 130,000 VND/person/way |
Motorcycle |
4h - 5h |
100,000 VND/person/way |
Car |
2h � 3h |
200,000 VND/person/way |
Train |
5am - 7pm |
70,000 VND � 100,000 VND/person/way |
From City. Ho Chi Minh City to Halong |
Coach |
37h - 41h |
800,000 VND � 900,000 VND/person/way |
Train |
33h - 34h |
730,000 VND � 1,000,000 VND/person/way |
Plane |
1:30 � 2h |
1,100,000 VND/person/way |
Note , if you take a bus, you can find and buy bus
tickets online at vexere.com , and if you buy train
tickets, you can consult the train time in advance and
book tickets via the hotline at vetau24h.com .
Traveling in Halong city
Refer to the table below to choose the right vehicle
when going out in the city.
Type |
Price |
Note |
Motorcycle |
120,000 VND � 150,000 VND/day |
Suitable if going to many points in the day |
Taxi |
Average 11,000 VND/km for the first time,
13,000 VND for the next 20 km |
Suitable if going to few points, close to
each other, large groups or families with
young children/elderly |
Where to go to Halong? � Popular activities and
attractions
Halong city has 4 major tourist areas:
Bai Chay, Tuan
Chau peninsula and Hon Gai. Each area has its own
beauty, and we refer to the summary table below
to choose the right destination for you,
Halong city.
Area |
Tourist features and outstanding activities |
Beach Fire |
-
The place with the largest concentration
of tourists, with the most diverse
entertainment 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 combination of diverse
restaurants and hotels,�
-
Service prices here are quite expensive
in the tourist season
|
Tuan Chau Island |
-
Is a small island about 2km from Halong
city
-
Famous for its large-scale modern villa
area, Tuan
Chau International entertainment area,
beach, Tuan Chau wharf with Halong Bay
cruises
-
The price in this area is expensive
|
Hon Gai |
-
Area where many locals live
-
Famous for Sun
Wheel amusement park on Ba Deo hill, Ha
Long market, Quang Ninh museum, Halong
flower park, Vincom Plaza shopping
center
-
Cheap service prices
|
Halong Bay |
-
It is a sea with many limestone islands
and caves, famous for its beautiful
scenery
-
The main activity is sightseeing and
sightseeing by boat, yacht, seaplane or
cable car
-
Service prices vary depending on the
type of means of sightseeing
|
Halong has a lot of attractions and attractions, but
you won't be able to go all of them. Therefore,
according to the Halong travel experience of those who
have gone before, here are some suggestions of tourist
destinations you should not ignore.
Bai Chay tourist area
Bai Chay is the busiest area in Halong city thanks to
two outstanding entertainment venues, the artificial
beach and the Sun World Halong Complex amusement park.
Bai Chay Beach
Address : Bai Chay, Halong, Vietnam
Get directions to Bai Chay beach
Bai Chay is known as an artificial beach stretching over
500m, fine white sand with a peaceful space, suitable
for tourists who like to go for a walk and sunbathe. Not
only the beautiful scenery during the day, if you walk
by the beach in the evening, you can also see the
shimmering Bai Chay Bridge - the first cable-stayed
bridge in
Vietnam and the pride of the people of Quang
Ninh,
private Halong bay cruise.
In addition, from here it is very convenient to go to Ha
Long Night Market for dining and shopping, or to Sun
World amusement park to entertain friends and family.
Sun World Halong Complex
Address : Halong Street, Bai Chay, Halong, Quang Ninh
Get directions to Sun World Halong Complex
Sunworld Halong is a huge international-class amusement
park complex, located right in Bai Chay tourist area.
This place is divided into 2 main areas, the coastal
entertainment complex and the entertainment complex on
the top of Ba Deo (Hon Gai). In which, Bai Chay coastal
complex includes Dragon Park and Typhoon Water Park -
the two largest parks in Southeast Asia with many
diverse and attractive adventure games.
One Halong travel experience that you need to keep in
mind when going to Sun World is that you should spend a
full day to explore all 2 areas. Otherwise, it is more
economical to buy tickets to only 1 individual area.
Tuan Chau international entertainment resort on
Tuan Chau island
Tuan Chau Park is the second largest amusement park in
Halong after Sunworld, divided into 3 main parts:
Outdoor Play Area, Games World and Dolphin, Seal and Sea
Lion Performance Club. The most prominent activities
here are performances of water music, water puppetry,
magic, circus animals, music and dance performances,
etc., so it is very suitable for families with young
children.
Tuan Chau peninsula is a rather separate amusement and
resort area, visitors can completely focus on traveling
to Tuan Chau 2 days 1 night if they want, but the trip
will be more resort-oriented.
Note , the ticket price in Tuan Chau Park is cheaper
than Sunworld, but the food and shopping services on the
island are very expensive. Therefore, before going out,
you should prepare the necessary food and drink in
advance.
Halong city center - Hon Gai area
Crossing Bai Chay bridge, you will come to Hon Gai area
- an area where many locals gather. There are not many
entertainment complexes here, but there are two places
not to be missed: Halong Market and Hoa Halong Park.
Going to the market to shop and buy gifts is one of the
indispensable Halong travel experiences . Halong
market is the destination that you need to find, Halong
market 1 and 2 are only located about 500m - 1km apart.
Halong Bay travel experience � Sightseeing and fun
activities
To visit Halong Bay, you have 4 ways to go, see the
table here are 2 ways for you to choose: take a boat or
take a boat tour.
Form |
Cost |
Time |
Cruise ship to visit the bay |
200,000 VND � 250,000 VND/person |
4h - 6h/trip, there are many flights a day |
Halong Cruise |
From 1,700,000 VND/person |
Fixed schedule |
Rent a seaplane to visit the bay |
From 2,000,000 VND/person |
25 minutes/trip |
Cable car to visit the bay |
350,000 VND/person |
15 minutes/trip |
Renting a cruise ship: This way both saves money and
sightseeing a lot, suitable if only going during the
day. Halong cruise ships also have many types and
classes, you should see more experience of chartering
2021 in the article below to make the most suitable
decision for yourself.
Visiting the bay by boat tour: This way will bring new
experiences, but the price is a bit expensive so you
need to choose the type of yacht carefully. Refer to the
article Halong cruise travel experience 2021 below to
choose the most suitable place to stop.
Halong deluxe cruises.
Halong travel experience � Choose accommodation
Based on the 4 tourist areas mentioned above, you should
choose the most convenient accommodation with places to
hang out. At the same time, refer to the experience on
how to choose the type of accommodation that suits your
needs and price suggested by us below. This
section is very necessary for those of you who are
looking for travel experiences in Halong and
self-sufficient travel .
How to choose accommodation that suits your needs
and budget
Accommodation services in Halong are very developed
with a full range of types such as motels, hotels (1
star to 5 stars), resorts, homestays, yachts. Each type
has different properties and prices, below is the
average price list for you to choose from.
Type |
Reference price |
Need |
Homestay |
500,000 VND � 1,000,000 VND/night |
Suitable for travelers who like new
experiences, like to follow trends |
Hostels,
1 star hotels, 2 stars |
150,000 VND � 500,000 VND/night |
Travelers who want to save money and travel
cheap |
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 Hotels
and Resorts |
1,500,000 VND � 2,100,000 VND/night |
Tourists like to go on vacation |
Cruise |
1,700,000 VND � 22,000,000 VND/night |
See Halong Bay, relax in a special form -
spend the night on the sea |
Besides, if you choose to stay on the mainland, you
should also know the price according to the following 3
areas.
Area |
Average price |
Type of accommodation |
Hon Gai |
180,000 VND � 800,000 VND/night |
There are many cheap motels and hotels |
Bai Chay
|
The area focuses on many types of
accommodation with diverse prices |
Tuan Chau Island |
400,000 VND � 2,000,000 VND/night |
High-class resort service � resort and villa |
With the above criteria, have you determined the type of
hotel that is right for you? If you are still confused,
we recommend choosing a 4-star hotel in Bai
Chay - a safe choice in terms of quality and with a very
convenient location. Here are some specific suggestions.
Suggest some 4-star Halong hotels in Bai Chay
These top 3 4-star hotels in Bai Chay always keep high
ratings on online booking sites.
Novotel Halong Hotel
Address : 160 Halong Street, Bai Chay, Halong, Quang
Ninh
Novotel Halong is a 4-star hotel located on Halong
Street - one of the most beautiful and expensive coastal
roads in the city. This place is located right opposite
Bai Chay beach and next to Sun World Park, located in
the center with easy access to entertainment
attractions.
The hotel is quite large - 225 rooms with modern design,
cozy and fully equipped. In addition, Novotel has many
combo packages and offers on the website. Currently
Novotel is having a policy of 15% off when booking at
the link below. Quickly book now to choose a stopover
that is both economical and quality.
Royal Lotus Halong Hotel
Address : Block A13, Lot 1, Dong Hung Thang Urban Area,
2 Halong Marine Boulevard, Bai Chay, Halong, Quang
Ninh
Royal Lotus Halong is located in a prime location -
opposite Marine Plaza, the largest commercial and
entertainment center in Quang Ninh province. The hotel
is also very close to Halong night market (a few
minutes walk) so it will be suitable if you are a
tourist who likes to shop, like the excitement of the
night.
Halong Plaza Hotel
Address : 8 Halong, Bai Chay, Halong, Quang Ninh
Halong Plaza Hotel is nestled in the busiest
neighborhood of Bai Chay, just a few minutes walk to the
beach and Sunworld Park. From here, visitors can have a
panoramic view of the bay and Bai Chay cable-stayed
bridge. The plus point of the hotel is that with its
"golden" location and 4-star quality, Halong Plaza has
quite reasonable room rates - about 1,000,000 VND/night
.
Halong Plaza is a 4-star hotel that is frequently
mentioned if you are looking for Halong travel
experience for accommodation that meets all three
factors of beauty - cheap - convenience. This is really
one of the hotels worth stopping when you come to Ha
Long Island with affordable prices and good service
quality. More specifically, you can book a room in
advance via the link below to enjoy a discount of up to
43%.
Dining experience in Halong
Which Halong specialties are most sought after by
tourists? Join us to "fill up your stomach"
with the experience on how to choose a dining area in Ha
Long for newbies below.
Area |
Culinary features |
Hon Gai |
-
The area eats delicious seafood and
focuses on many cheap seafood
restaurants. If you want to enjoy a
"real" Halong seafood meal, you should
come here
-
Cai Dam market area has many famous pubs
|
Bai Chay � Peach Garden |
-
The area focuses on a variety of dishes
from popular dishes to snacks and Ha
Long specialties. Daily meals just to
"full stomach", should eat here for
convenience
-
Note, tourists are often "hacked"
|
Tuan Chau Island |
-
Many luxury restaurants with beautiful
views
-
The food here is expensive
|
In addition, you should know the following 2 tips:
If you want to find a luxurious buffet with a beautiful
view, you can choose the restaurant in the hotel. Some
hotels have quality restaurants such as: Wyndham Legend
Halong, Muong Thanh Luxury Hotel, Saigon Halong Hotel
In addition to seafood, Halong also has a number of
must-try dishes such as: white sticky rice with squid,
rolls with squid, bored dishes, sage, nodding cake,
Quang Yen nem chua/nem chao, sticky rice wine soaked in
Hoanh Bo
Top 10 Halong specialties to eat and bring back as
gifts. Sapa, halong
bay tours.
Halong travel experience in terms of luggage
preparation and costs
The next experience of going to Halong is always not
superfluous when it comes to preparing luggage and
costs. In it, we give you some "unique" tips
about luggage and an overview of cost estimates.
Prepare your luggage
If going in summer, Halong is very sunny especially
when going to the bay, so don't forget to bring
sunscreen, sunglasses, hat or umbrella. In addition,
swimwear should be prepared for swimming because the
price of renting or buying swimwear in Halong is very
expensive
Tips to prepare a "virtual living" outfit: One of the
beautiful and famous checkin points is Halong ancient
town, you should bring a set of clothes with neutral
colors or vintage motifs to match the background houses.
gold here
Wearing vintage-style clothes to checkin in Halong old
town
Wearing vintage- style clothes to check in in Halong
old town
Prepare expenses
See the table of minimum expenses below to get an
estimate of how much money you should bring.
Work |
Estimated minimum cost |
Move |
From
Hanoi to Halong |
240,000 VND/person/round trip |
From City. Ho Chi Minh City to Halong |
2,500,000 VND/person/round trip |
In Halong |
100,000 VND/day |
Sleep |
Homestay |
500,000 VND/day |
Hostels, 1 star hotels, 2 stars |
150,000 VND/night |
3 star hotel |
500,000 VND/night |
4 star hotel |
900,000 VND/night |
5 star hotel/resort |
1,500,000 VND/night |
Eating |
200,000 VND/day |
Ride |
500,000 VND/day |
Other expenses (shopping, buying gifts, ...) |
200,000 VND/day |
Thus, if the formula is applied:
Halong travel expenses = �travel + accommodation +
meals + outings + other expenses�
You can easily estimate the minimum cost to prepare.
For example, for a trip of 2 days and 1 night, going
from Hanoi to Halong by bus, staying at a 3-star hotel,
the minimum estimated cost according to the above
formula will be about 1,740,000 VND/person .
Suggest specific Halong travel schedule
For those of you who are still quite confused about a
reasonable entertainment plan in Halong, we
share the experience of traveling to Halong 2 days 1
night and 3 days 2 nights with a specific schedule with
similar costs. response. But before that, you should
clearly determine which schedule you fit into.
Schedule |
Suitable object |
2 days 1 night |
-
Outside the North
-
In need of going out on 2 weekends
-
Should choose either just hanging out in
the city or just playing in Halong Bay
|
3 days 2 nights |
-
Suitable for distant audiences (Central,
Southern)
-
Have a yearly travel plan so you have
more time
-
Can combine both playing in the city and
visiting Halong Bay
|
Book a Halong tour
For travelers who feel that self-sufficient Halong
tourism is too difficult, troublesome and
time-consuming, we recommend you to choose a
tour. So the question is what kind of tour to choose?
how many days tour? Which company's tour is reputable
and cheap? Here are some guides and suggestions about Ha
Long tour for you.
Currently, there are 2 types of tours as follows:
Free Tour � �Free & Easy Tour�: Only includes shuttle
bus ticket and hotel
This is a type of tour that has just appeared in Vietnam
recently, for young people who just don't want to be
constrained by a specific schedule but find it annoying
to have to find their own way to go and stay.
However, you should note that these tours are usually
short - 2 days 1 night or 3 days 2 nights.
Package tour: Including from A - Z such as
transportation, sightseeing schedule, meals,
accommodation
Package tours help you to go to many places and save
time and effort. This type of tour can be short or long,
there are many choices of itineraries and prices. Some
reputable tour companies such as Vietravel,
TheSingTourist, Go Fun, Ivivu...
Above are the most specific tips and instructions on Ha
Long travel experience for newcomers . Are you ready for
the upcoming trip? Share immediately with us if
you have had real experience, or if our article has any
tips, please comment so that everyone can know.
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