Halong Bay is absolutely worth visiting and is an essential part of any visit to Vietnam. The area will particularly appeal to nature lovers, as it is set in a marine park that covers 600 square miles of ocean and islands. Within the park’s boundaries, you’ll find hundreds of picturesque limestone islets, countless beaches, and a network of caves and grottoes. The area’s beauty and uniqueness have been recognized with UNESCO World Heritage status, and it’s one of Vietnam’s most popular destinations to visit. Throughout this article, we’ll be looking at why you should visit, when you should visit, and the best way to experience Halong Bay.
Halong Bay is located in northern Vietnam and is a 170 km drive east of the capital city of Hanoi. It’s set within the Gulf of Tonkin in the Quang Ninh Province of northeastern Vietnam.
There are so many good reasons to visit Halong Bay it’s difficult to list them all. However, we’ll focus on 5 of the most important reasons you should visit this sensational destination.
Halong Bay’s amazing combination of emerald waters and stunning limestone karsts makes it one of the most beautiful destinations in Asia. The area shares many characteristics and similarities with popular Asian destinations such as Guilin in China and Krabi in Thailand.
Nearby Cat Ba island is an exceptional hiking destination with amazing views across the marine park. The short hike to Ngu Lam Peak and Dinh Ngu Lam is popular, while the much longer hike to Viet Hai village showcases the best of the island.
Halong Bay’s many limestone islands are littered with caves and grottoes. Some are accessible by land, while others can only be reached by sea. Sung Sot Cave is the most popular because of its stunning stalactites and stalagmites, but there are plenty of others to discover and explore. Some of the best include Thien Cung Cave, Tien Ong Cave, and Me Cung Cave.
While most of the islands of Halong Bay feature spectacular caves and grottoes, the islands of neighboring Lan Ha Bay are dotted with amazing tiny beaches. These stunning secluded spots in the shadow of the towering limestone karsts are the perfect places to relax.
After looking at the emerald waters throughout the day, you’ll be itching to get in the water yourself. The amazingly still and calm waters of Halong Bay lend themselves to swimming, kayaking, and even paddle boarding. Some of the smaller grottoes are too small to be accessed by boat, so they can only be accessed by kayak or swimming. A visit to one of these is a truly memorable experience.
There’s no denying that Halong Bay and Vietnam as a whole have become incredibly popular destinations over the past 10 years. Increased visitor numbers can sometimes ruin a location, but this isn’t the case with Halong Bay. The necessity of having to visit on a boat as part of a tour has allowed this increase to be managed. However, somewhat inevitably, these increased visitor numbers have made some of the most popular sites very busy. Sun Sot Cave is one such example of this.
You can avoid the crowds at Halong Bay by visiting as part of a longer tour. Ideally, one where you stay for 3 days and 2 nights on a liveaboard boat. Many visitors to the park only come for a 1-day tour, which means the main attractions and areas closest to the mainland are inundated with tourists. Head slightly further afield, and the whole dynamic changes and it’s not hard to find your own deserted beach. You also get to enjoy Halong Bay at sunset and twilight, probably the most magical time of the day.
Halong Bay is generally best visited during the spring or the autumn. This is because the summer tends to be hot, wet, and humid, while winters are much cooler and drier. The wet, uncomfortable summer conditions aren’t ideal for visiting, while winter is a little too cold to enjoy being out on the water or swimming in the sea. The spring and autumn present a good balance between these two extremes. Temperatures are reasonably warm at 25°C, and rainfall isn’t too frequent. The sea water temperature also warms up at these times.
While the spring and autumn are the best times to visit, they are also the most popular and expensive. If you’re planning a visit at this time, be sure to book ahead and, if possible, book a longer tour to escape the day trippers.
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