Halong Bay Disney Travel Agents Near Me

Overview

Introduction

Halong Bay is a slice of the South China Sea about 75 mi/120 km southeast of Hanoi that is speckled with more than 2,000 isolated limestone peaks (known as karsts) rising straight up out of the water. A group of 1,900 of these islets has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Nevertheless, gone are the days when you could enjoy a peaceful cruise across the bay. Halong Bay is now one of Vietnam's biggest attractions, and tour groups flock to the area. It can get crowded with vendors and the boat tours that operate there, including night cruises and party boats, which can be noisy.

Tours from Hanoi include a leisurely boat trip through the craggy islands. Some boat operators will drop anchor so you can dive into the calm waters or kayak when the weather is cooler. Other tours lead you through grottoes and caves with bizarre rock sculptures. (Be sure to take a flashlight.) Try to get a tour that lets you sleep overnight on the boat. Accommodations are simple but adequate (private cabin, shared toilet), and the views at sunset and sunrise are unforgettable.

At adjacent Cat Ba Island National Park, you can see monkeys, explore caves and swim over coral reefs. Nearby Yen Tu Mountain hides a Buddhist temple in a lovely setting.

Location

Halong Bay is an extremely popular cruise destination. It is a tourist area in its own right and is also a point of disembarkation for people visiting Hanoi, which is about three to four hours away.

Cruise ships have a variety of options for anchoring around Halong: Some ships dock at the commercial pier, while others dock at the relatively new passenger terminal, which is located on Tuan Chau Island, and some ships anchor in the bay and tender passengers into the city of Halong. Each option places visitors relatively far outside of the city center, but there isn't much to see in the city itself anyway.

Shore Excursions

Most visitors immediately depart on a boat tour of the bay. We recommend going on a smaller tour in a local sailboat, which you can hire on one of the piers. It is also possible to take a ferry to Cat Ba, the largest island in the area.

To reach Hanoi, you can take a ship-sponsored or privately booked excursion or hire a taxi.