In a nutshell
- Ha Long Bay is one of the most beautiful bays in northern Vietnam, with towering limestone karsts rising out of the water at every turn. We’ll show you exactly where it is on our map and what’s really worth seeing.
- You can explore the highlights of Ha Long Bay on either a day trip or a multi-day tour by boat. The most convenient starting point is Hanoi, but you can also depart from Cat Ba or Haiphong.
- We recommend a two-day tour — it gives you a relaxed pace, takes you to more remote corners of the bay, and includes a night in a private cabin on the boat.
- A day trip is very hectic given the two-hour drive from Hanoi and tends to feel quite touristy. We strongly recommend the two-day tour instead.
Map of Halong Bay with the best highlights
The best base for visiting Halong Bay is Hanoi. The bay sits in the north of Vietnam, roughly at the same latitude as the capital, and you can reach the coast in about two hours by car.
The bay is massive. Technically, Halong Bay is just one of three sections of the broader bay area. The name gets used for the whole thing because it’s the most famous — and the easiest to reach from the mainland.
The two lesser-known bays are Lan Ha Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay. They’re really no different from their famous neighbor. You’ll find towering limestone karsts, cool caves, and floating villages — the only difference is that fewer tourists make it out here.
The largest island in the bay is Cat Ba. It separates Halong Bay from Lan Ha Bay, while Bai Tu Long Bay stretches to the east.
How do you visit Halong Bay?
Visiting Halong Bay really means joining a tour. Most Halong Bay tours start in Hanoi, which makes it super easy to combine with sightseeing in Hanoi — including classics like the Train Street. Since you’ll almost certainly be passing through Hanoi on your Vietnam itinerary anyway, it’s the most convenient option. You drive two hours to the coast, then board a boat. You can also book tours directly from Cat Ba island or from the coastal city of Haiphong.
For boat tours, you can choose between day trips and multi-day tours. Most multi-day tours run over two days, though three-day options exist as well. Pick whatever suits how much you want to see — at the end, you’ll be dropped back in Hanoi, Cat Ba, or Haiphong.
Should you do a day trip or a multi-day tour?
We recommend a two-day tour of Halong Bay.
On a day trip, you leave Hanoi in the morning and board the cruise ship around midday. Lunch is served as the ship heads into the bay, and you visit three to four highlights before turning back toward Hanoi.
We’ve done a day trip ourselves, and honestly — the whole thing feels pretty rushed. On top of that, all day-tour operators follow the exact same route, which means you’ll arrive at every highlight alongside at least 10 to 20 other boats full of day-trippers.
That’s why we’d push you toward a multi-day tour — ideally a two-day tour. The pace is much more relaxed, and you get to explore Lan Ha Bay or Bai Tu Long Bay, where the crowds thin out considerably.
Two-day tours still leave Hanoi in the morning, but you spend the night on the boat in a private cabin with an en-suite bathroom. You won’t return to Hanoi until the following evening.
The most beautiful tour of Halong Bay
A Halong Bay tour takes you through all the classic must-sees.
That includes the floating village of Ba Hang and Ti Top Island — you absolutely have to hike up to the viewpoint here. The panorama over the bay from up there is seriously stunning.
You’ll also paddle through Luon Cave by kayak, a cave tunnel that feels like something out of a movie. The last stop is usually Sung Sot Cave, which has three chambers — one so enormous that Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris could reportedly fit inside.
In the evening, you can try your hand at squid fishing.
Book the two-day Halong Bay tour
Highlights on the Halong Bay tour:
- Floating villages
- Ti Top Island
- Sung Sot Cave
- Luon Cave
- Squid fishing
The best tour of Lan Ha Bay
Lan Ha Bay is one of our two top under-the-radar picks. The bay sits below Halong Bay, tucked behind Cat Ba. Because it’s farther from the mainland, far fewer day-trippers make it out here — but it’s at least just as beautiful as Halong Bay.
The best way to experience it is to combine your boat tour with a visit to Lan Ha Bay and Cat Ba. The island itself is lush, hilly, and wonderfully peaceful — great for exploring caves or hiking up to viewpoints.
On our favorite Lan Ha Bay tour, you get to choose between two options at two different points — depending on whether you’d rather explore caves or kayak between the karsts. We recommend paddling through the Dark and Light Cave on the first choice, then opting for a short kayak trip through the Ao Ech area on day two.
During your night on the boat, you can join a Vietnamese cooking class and learn how to make spring rolls from scratch. Then it’s time for some squid fishing under the stars.
Book the two-day Lan Ha Bay tour
Highlights on the Lan Ha Bay tour:
- Dark & Light Cave
- Ba Trai Dao
- Trung Trang Cave
- Ao Ech area
- Vietnamese cooking class
- Squid fishing
The most beautiful tour of Bai Tu Long Bay
Bai Tu Long Bay is even quieter than Lan Ha Bay. There are fewer boats out here, and the attractions are noticeably less crowded.
What we love most about the two-day Bai Tu Long Bay tour is the chance to travel by small boat through a floating village. Hardly any other boats come through here, so you get a genuinely up-close look at how the fishermen live and work on the water.
The rest of the tour covers stalactite caves, kayaking, a Vietnamese cooking class, and night fishing.
Book the two-day Bai Tu Long Bay tour
Highlights on the Bai Tu Long Bay tour:
- Floating villages
- Thien Canh Son Cave
- Vietnamese cooking class
- Night fishing
Exploring Halong Bay on your own
You can also explore parts of the bay independently — this works best on Cat Ba or along the coastline.
Your best bet is to find a hotel in Cat Ba Town. We recommend The Moon Boutique Hotel — it’s stylishly decorated and has a great location.
From Cat Ba, rent a scooter to explore the island’s small villages, viewpoints, and beaches at your own pace. Taxis are hard to come by on the island, so the scooter really is your best option.
If you want to get out on the water independently, kayaking is your main choice. There are no private boat tours of Halong Bay that plan a custom route just for you. Instead, you can rent kayaks from several operators on Cat Ba and paddle between the karsts. Some operators will even take you out on a boat shuttle further into Lan Ha Bay, so you don’t have to paddle the whole way yourself.
That said, we only recommend going it alone if you genuinely want to plan everything yourself and have no interest in joining a group tour. The planning involved is substantial, and you’ll see much less of the bay than you would on a boat tour.
Read more tips for Cat Ba here:
When is the best time to visit Halong Bay?
The best time to visit Halong Bay is October and November. Rainfall is minimal, you’ll get the most sunshine, and temperatures sit between 26 and 29°C (79–84°F) — perfect for swimming and kayaking.
In general, anytime between October and April works well. That’s northern Vietnam’s dry season. In December, January, and February, though, pack a warmer jacket — it’s one of our key travel tips for Vietnam, since temperatures can drop to around 15°C (59°F).
Between May and September, you can still visit Halong Bay, but you should expect rain.
Of course, there’s never any guarantee of good weather.
Here you'll find more information on the best time to visit Vietnam:
Frequently asked questions about Halong Bay
How many days do you need for Halong Bay?
Technically, you only need one day to see Ha Long Bay — but we strongly recommend two days.
All one-day tours visit the same three spots in Ha Long Bay, so those spots are always crowded. With a two-day tour, you can also explore Lan Ha Bay or Bai Tu Long Bay alongside Halong Bay itself, where you’ll have the stunning karst landscape much more to yourself.
Can you swim in Ha Long Bay?
Yes, absolutely! Most boat tours through Halong Bay stop at spots where you can swim.
There are also a few islands with beautiful beaches — especially in Lan Ha Bay, where you can have a great swim without the crowds.
How do you get to Halong Bay?
The easiest way to get to Halong Bay is from Hanoi. The capital is about two hours from the coast.
On a tour from Hanoi, you’ll take a bus to the coast and then board a ship.
Alternatively, you can make your way independently by bus or train from Hanoi to Haiphong, Cat Ba, or directly to the pier where the cruises depart.
How long does it take to get from Hanoi to Ha Long Bay?
Given Vietnamese road conditions, you’re looking at approximately two hours by bus from Hanoi to Ha Long Bay.
How many islands are there in Halong Bay?
Across the entire bay there are almost 2,000 islands — ranging from tiny rocks jutting out of the water to massive islands you can actually explore.
