There is a lot of information about Halong Bay — and many (too many) offers as well… it can sometimes be difficult to know what to prioritize for your stay.
This article is here to clarify things: why should we talk about the bays of Halong? What are the sites to visit and the activities to do in each bay? Which experiences should you prioritize to create the best itinerary?
The best tips, the most beautiful beaches, the most spectacular caves, the most authentic floating villages, and all the must-do excursions in and around Halong Bay — let’s dive in!
The Bays of Halong
Halong Bay is divided into two different administrative areas: Halong Bay and Lan Ha Bay.
Here is the Google Map to help you find your way around:
Map of the Halong Bays, Vietnam
The main Halong Bay appears at the center of the map. This part of the bay falls under the authority of Quang Ninh province, while Lan Ha Bay belongs to Hai Phong province.
Halong Bay covers a very large area and includes both the main Halong Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay. Most of the time, when people talk about Halong Bay, they refer to this entire area. However, today, the main Halong Bay has somewhat fallen victim to its own success, with a very (perhaps too) large number of cruise boats registered there.
Lan Ha Bay, on the other hand, can be visited either from Pha Got port or from the small Ben Beo port in the south of Cat Ba Island. To put it simply, large cruise ships depart from Pha Got, while smaller, often wooden junks leave from Ben Beo port. There is a clear difference between Lan Ha Bay and the main bay, as Lan Ha hosts all the fishing villages of the area. It also remains very peaceful and spacious enough to accommodate all registered boats. By choosing this bay, you will also get the chance to discover Cat Ba Island, the largest island in Halong Bay.
To do in Halong Bay: the best tourist sites and activities
Let’s start with the main bay. This is where you’ll find the largest caves and some of the most iconic rock formations. However, the number of visitors to these caves can be so high that it sometimes takes away from their charm. In our opinion, you might prefer visiting the caves of Phong Nha Ke Bang in central Vietnam.
Here’s a panoramic photo of Halong Bay with its many boats.
Panoramic view of Halong Bay, Vietnam
The caves of Halong Bay
If you choose the main Halong Bay, you will likely visit one of its four massive caves: Thien Cung (Heavenly Palace), Dau Go (Wooden Stakes), Sung Sot (Surprise), Trong and Trinh Nu (Man and Virgin).
Here’s a photo taken from the Surprise Cave — this is where most boats dock for visits.
View from Surprise Cave, Halong Bay, Vietnam
Here’s a view from inside the Surprise Cave — quite calm at that moment!
Inside the Surprise Cave, Halong Bay, Vietnam
The iconic rocks of Halong Bay
In the main Halong Bay, you’ll also see some of the rock formations that appear on many postcards —
notably Hon Trong Mai, literally “the Fighting Cocks.”
The Rocks Known as “Fighting Cocks” in Halong Bay
Here is another famous rock formation featured on the 200,000 VND banknote: Dinh Huong (Incense Burner Rock).
Dinh Huong Rock in Halong Bay, Vietnam
Titov Island – A Place to Relax and Swim
Titov Island is the most developed and well-equipped island in Halong Bay. It was named in honor of Russian cosmonaut Gherman Stepanovich Titov, the first man to spend a full day in space on August 6, 1961. He visited Halong Bay with Ho Chi Minh a year after his historic flight. Titov returned again in 1997, and a statue in his likeness was erected there in September 2015.
The island offers several attractions:
First, you can enjoy swimming on a beautiful beach with stunning views of the bay while you bathe.
Beach on Titov Island, Halong Bay, Vietnam. Photo credit: Mathieu Arnaudet
Second, climb to the island’s highest point for a magnificent panoramic view of Halong Bay. You’ll need to climb 427 steps to reach the top—but the effort is well worth it, as this breathtaking drone photo shows
Aerial view of Titov Island, Halong Bay, Vietnam
Finally, you can visit the Me Cung Cave, located about 2 km from the pier. It’s a beautiful 100-meter-long cave divided into several chambers, featuring many colorful stalactites and stalagmites illuminated by spotlights, and even a small inner lake. Here’s a photo to give you an idea of the place.
Me Cung Cave on Titov Island, Halong Bay, Vietnam
The Pearl Farm in Halong Bay
This might just be the perfect souvenir to bring back from your stay in Halong Bay! A very famous pearl farm, called Tung Sau, is located near the Surprise Cave mentioned earlier.
Pearl maker in Halong Bay, Vietnam
This pearl farm covers an area of nearly 30 hectares, with around 3,000 cages used for cultivating pearls. Visitors can learn about the different stages of production — from breeding to pearl extraction — and discover the various types of pearls that are cultivated: Akoya, Tahitian, and South Sea pearls.
Of course, at the end of the tour, some jewelry pieces will be available for purchase…
These sites are among the most famous in Halong Bay — and also the most visited. Let’s now step away from the crowds and head toward Bai Tu Long Bay.
What to do in Bai Tu Long: Top attractions and activities
Bai Tu Long Bay has been a national park since 2001 and is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site that includes the Halong Bay area.
Departing from Halong Bay, you can stop at some of the sites we mentioned earlier before sailing north into Bai Tu Long Bay.
This part of the bay offers fewer activities than Halong Bay — but that’s precisely its charm. You can take the time to relax and soak in the scenery.
Le village flottant de Vung Vieng est situé au coeur de la baie de Bai Tu Long et est un des quatre villages flottants situé dans cette baie.
The Ecotourism Site of Vung Vieng and its Floating Village
The floating village of Vung Vieng, located in the heart of Bai Tu Long Bay, is one of the four floating villages in this area.
Around 60 families live here, and in addition to traditional fishing, they now welcome tourists. You can board a small sampan rowed by a local woman or man — no kayaking here, which helps the villagers earn a living.
Thanks to this activity, the village homes are well maintained — especially compared to those in Lan Ha Bay. The fee you pay (included in your cruise) also helps locals protect their environment and clean the surrounding waters.
Rowers of Vung Vieng village in Bai Tu Long Bay
Floating houses of Vung Vieng in Bai Tu Long Bay, Vietnam
The Pearl Farm of Vung Vieng
Just like in Halong Bay, there’s a pearl production farm in the Vung Vieng floating village.
The Vung Vieng Pearl Farm cultivates three types of pearls, which take between 1 and 4 years to reach maturity.
Now, let’s head to the other side of the bay — to explore Cat Ba Island and Lan Ha Bay.
What to Do in Lan Ha Bay: Top Attractions and Activities
Within the vast Halong Bay lies Lan Ha Bay, located at the eastern end of Cat Ba Island, the largest island in the Halong archipelago. If you choose to explore this bay, you can enjoy both a cruise and a visit to Cat Ba Island, which is home to a UNESCO-recognized natural reserve.
Discover Cat Ba Island
Cat Ba Island is the largest island in the archipelago of the same name. Covering an area of 354 km², it ranks as Vietnam’s second-largest island, after Phu Quoc.
Its National Park spans over 280 km², accounting for nearly 80% of the island’s total area.
The park also includes over 6,000 hectares of marine ecosystem, rich in biodiversity, with more than 1,100 species of plants and aquatic animals, including 196 marine fish species and 193 coral species.
What to Do on Cat Ba Island?
Which experiences, activities, or excursions should you choose?
You can start by visiting the Fort, now called Cannon Fort, which offers one of the most beautiful panoramic views on the island. It is located only 5 minutes by motorbike taxi from the center of Cat Ba town. We highly recommend going by motorbike taxi — the slope leading to the entrance is quite steep! Once there, you can take a walk and enjoy several stunning viewpoints. With a bit of luck, the sky will be clear!
View of Lan Ha Bay from Cannon Fort, Cat Ba Island
Next, you could rent a motorbike in town to explore the island at your own pace. Along the way, you can stop to discover two fascinating caves: Trung Trang Cave and the so-called Hospital Cave.
The first one, also known as the “Bat Cave,” was discovered in 1938 and remains almost untouched today. You’ll likely have the place nearly to yourself as you explore relics that date back around 6 million years!
Entrance to Trung Trang Cave on Cat Ba Island. Photo credit: Mathieu Arnaudet
Small altar inside Trung Trang Cave, Cat Ba Island. Photo credit: Mathieu Arnaudet
The Hospital Cave, on the other hand, holds historical significance. This man-made structure was built and equipped in the early 1960s to shelter people from American bombings and to treat wounded Viet Minh soldiers. The cave contains 17 different rooms, including one dedicated to surgical operations. Today, mannequins are displayed to recreate scenes from that period.
Reconstruction of a room in Hospital Cave, Cat Ba Island. Photo credit: Mathieu Arnaudet
Finally, you can go hiking in Cat Ba National Park, whose entrance is located in the center of the island. If you’re not staying at the Hoi Lake Farmstay inside the park, you’ll need to purchase an entrance ticket costing 40,000 VND. From there, you can hike up to a viewpoint or, with a guide, cross the island all the way to Viet Hai village, a trek that takes about three hours. You can then return to Cat Ba town by ferry.
Trails in Cat Ba National Park, Vietnam. Photo credit: Mathieu Arnaudet
Taking a junk boat tour in Lan Ha bay
You can choose to sail through Lan Ha Bay instead of Halong Bay if you prefer peace and contemplation over the (often crowded) caves of the main bay. You’ll also have the opportunity to discover many floating fishing villages, which no longer exist in Halong Bay.
Hang Vieng Fishing Village in Lan Ha Bay, Vietnam. Photo credit: Mathieu Arnaudet
Which port should you depart from?
You have two options for your Lan Ha Bay cruise: you can either depart from Pha Got Port or from the small Ben Beo Port.
The large cruise ships depart from Pha Got, which is also the departure (or arrival) point of the ferry to Cat Ba Island, while the traditional wooden junks depart from Ben Beo Port, located in the southern part of Cat Ba Island.
If you’re planning to book a cruise from Hanoi, you’ll find many options departing from either Pha Got or Ben Beo. However, if you’re already visiting Cat Ba Island, we recommend booking a cruise on a small boat departing from Ben Beo Port. That way, you won’t need to leave the island for your excursion.
Which boat should you choose for your Halong or Lan Ha Bay cruise?
From Ben Beo, you can sail on small traditional wooden junks full of charm. For a group of friends, we recommend the “Quatre Saisons” (Four Seasons) boat. This is a traditional sailing junk with four cabins: three air-conditioned cabins with a double bed and private bathroom, and one air-conditioned cabin with two single beds and a private bathroom. The lounge and dining area are also air-conditioned and open to the scenic views. You can relax or enjoy the sunset on the upper deck equipped with sun loungers.
Here is a view of the boat under the sun
Book the “Four Seasons” junk boat
Go kayaking in Lan Ha Bay
During your cruise in Lan Ha Bay, you’ll have the opportunity to go kayaking or take a ride on a small sampan rowed by a local woman from one of the nearby villages. It’s a wonderful activity to enjoy either early in the morning or late in the afternoon, when the sun is softer. Along your journey, you’ll pass by some of the bay’s natural wonders, such as this one…
Rock passage in Lan Ha Bay, Vietnam
Visit Viet Hai Village by Bike
Your Lan Ha Bay cruise may include a visit to Viet Hai Village. Viet Hai is both a commune and a village. The commune of Viet Hai, including the pier where you’ll disembark to explore the area, covers about 7,000 hectares, while the village itself is just 70 hectares. The village is remote and surrounded by lush, dense vegetation.
While most people living on Cat Ba Island earn their living from fishing, the inhabitants of Viet Hai are also farmers and livestock breeders. Along the way, you’ll see rice fields, vegetable gardens, and plenty of animals roaming around!
A truly beautiful ride.
On the way to Viet Hai Village. Photo credit: Mathieu Arnaudet
You now have all the information you need to choose the bay and cruise that best suit your interests — depending on the activities and sights you wish to experience.
Our team is at your disposal to help you organize an unforgettable cruise in the magical setting of Halong Bay.
