Halong Bay is one of the most attractive tourist destinations in the North, especially in recent years. Halong tourist spots are known for nearly 2,000 small and large islands with diverse ecosystems. Let’s explore the most attractive bays, islands, and beaches in Halong with Cuong Du Lich:
1. Bai Chay
2. Bai Tu Long Bay
3. Lan Ha Bay
4. Tuan Chau Island
5. Co To Island
6. Quan Lan Island
7. Ti Top Island
8. Cat Ba Island
9. Dragon Eye Island
10. Soi Sim Island
11. Ba Trai Dao Beach
BAI CHAY
Bai Chay is located along the coast of Halong Bay, this tourist spot has a long beach, fine white sand, and clear blue water. Bai Chay is considered a popular summer destination for many tourists, especially those from the North. Visiting Bai Chay in the hot summer to enjoy the cool sea breeze, the salty air blowing on your face is truly delightful.
Bai Chay was originally a diamond-shaped island 6 km long, with the widest part being 2 km. Located near Halong Bay, between Tuan Chau Island and Hon Gai. It is considered the tourism center of Halong, with very convenient transportation.
Bai Chay was originally a diamond-shaped island 6 km long, with the widest part being 2 km. Located near Halong Bay, between Tuan Chau Island and Hon Gai. It is considered the tourism center of Halong, with very convenient transportation. Bai Chay tourist area is located in the center of Halong City, between Tuan Chau Island and Hon Gai. Most tourists visiting Halong will choose Bai Chay as their first stop. Many people mistakenly think that Bai Chay tourist area is Halong tourist area, but that’s not the case. Bai Chay belongs to Bai Chay ward, Halong City, and is one of the three key tourist areas in Halong.
Transportation:
To travel to the tourist area of Bai Chay, Ha Long is very simple. Northern tourists can choose transportation such as buses, boats, motorcycles, or taxis.
– Traveling by bus: if departing from Hanoi, you can choose bus routes to Ha Long, Quang Ninh, or Bai Chay bus station. From My Dinh bus station, Gia Lam bus station, or underground bus station, there are buses going to Ha Long, Quang Ninh with ticket prices around 100,000 VND – 150,000 VND per person.
– Traveling by boat: to travel to Ha Long Bay by boat, you need to go to Gia Lam Station, Long Bien, Hanoi. The ticket price is 70,000 VND per person. Although there are boat routes serving tourists to visit Ha Long, it still does not meet the demand of visitors.
– Traveling by motorcycle: You can follow the route Hanoi – Bac Ninh – Uong Bi – Ha Long. To travel down to Ha Long Bay by taxi, take the Hanoi – Hai Phong highway.
In addition, for tourists from the South and the West, you can also combine air travel. You can fly to Noi Bai Airport, Hanoi or Cat Bi Airport, Hai Phong and then take a bus to the city of Ha Long.
Bai Chay has an artificial beach with white sand, coconut trees stretching along the beach. The beach at Bai Chay is over 1000m long, 100m wide, located along Ha Long Bay and divided into 3 sections. Thanks to the government and investors’ efforts, Bai Chay Beach is a popular bathing spot attracting many tourists during the beach tourism season.
Compared to other beaches in the North, Bai Chay Beach has the clearest and bluest water. A special feature of this beach is the very gentle and calm waves due to its location within Ha Long Bay.
When visiting Bai Chay, you must not miss the famous Bai Chay Bridge, a bridge with a length of 1106m on National Highway 18 connecting Hon Gai and Bai Chay. This bridge is also a symbol of Quang Ninh, and at night it becomes sparkling and radiant with lights.
To admire the panoramic view of Bai Chay Bridge at night, you can experience the Queen Cable Car and the highest Sun Wheel in the world above sea level. Ha Long at night will surely enchant you with its extremely romantic beauty.
For sightseeing in Bai Chay, you must visit the Night Market and the Old Quarter. These places display and sell many souvenirs, along with famous seafood restaurants. It’s even more exciting when you can rent a tandem bicycle, a 4-person bicycle, or a 6-person bicycle to tour around Bai Chay.
BÁI TỬ LONG BAY
Bái Tử Long Bay is located in the Gulf of Tonkin, including a sea area of Halong City, Van Don Island district, and Cam Pha City. Bái Tử Long Bay consists of hundreds of small and large islands, many of which are inhabited.
According to the legend told by the people: In the past, when the Vietnamese people were newly established, they were invaded by foreign enemies. At this time, the Jade Emperor sent the Mother Dragon with a group of dragon children down to the lower realm to help the Vietnamese fight the invaders. When the enemy’s ships from the sea approached the shore, the Dragon group spewed countless jewels and suddenly transformed into thousands of rocky islands in the sea, creating a solid wall to block the enemy’s advance. The enemy fleet, rushing forward, was suddenly blocked and crashed into the rocky islands, breaking apart. After the enemy was defeated, the Mother Dragon and her children did not return to the sky but stayed in the lower realm, where the battle took place. The location where the Mother Dragon descended was Halong, and the location where the Dragon child descended was Bái Tử Long.
Bái Tử Long Bay, along with Halong Bay, forms an incredibly impressive seascape with thousands of islands and rocky outcrops, becoming one of the most beautiful coastal areas in the world. Due to its uniqueness, Bái Tử Long Bay has become a prominent Halong tourist destination that every visitor wants to explore at least once.
Transportation to Bai Tu Long Bay:
From Halong City, to visit Bai Tu Long Bay, you can choose from 2 options:
– Renting a boat with a capacity of about 50 seats: prices range from 500,000 VND to 800,000 VND per hour, depending on the time you go.
– Renting a VIP yacht, also with a capacity of about 50 people: the usual price is 1,200,000 VND per hour.
– Renting a Kayak boat: to paddle this vehicle, you need to be flexible and it’s recommended to go with 2 people. Ticket price is around 50,000 VND per person per hour.
Highlights of Bai Tu Long Bay:
– Renting a yacht to visit Bai Tu Long Bay, you will admire the various small and large islands in the shape of limestone and slate islands, with a geological age of about 300 million years, formed by the process of multiple uplifts and subsidence from the continent to the sea trench. When visiting Bai Tu Long Bay, tourists can visit many other famous islands and island clusters such as: Hon Chong, Hon Van Don, Hon On, Hon Ba Sao, Thien Canh Son Cave, Cua Ong Temple,…
– Bai Tu Long National Park is a conservation area located in the Bai Tu Long Bay area, chosen as one of Vietnam’s representative marine conservation areas. With its diverse ecosystem, it has become an attractive tourist destination every time visitors come to Halong.
LAN HA BAY
Lan Ha Bay is located to the east of Cat Ba Island, overlooking Van Gate, adjacent to Ha Long Bay. Along with Bai Tu Long Bay and Ha Long Bay, Lan Ha Bay is both a natural fortress protecting the country and a gentle “mother of the sea” nurturing the people, while maintaining its original beauty amidst the changes of time.
Lan Ha Bay is a very peaceful bay in the shape of a crescent with about 400 large and small islands creating a giant painting depicting a fairy scene. Unlike Ha Long Bay, Lan Ha Bay has 139 small beautiful golden sandy beaches, deserted and inviting travelers to explore like “green sea straits”. All 400 large and small islands in this bay are covered with lush greenery or vegetation, even the smallest islands. Many sandy beaches stretch between two rocky mountains, quiet without big waves. Under the clear water, colorful coral reefs like Van Boi Beach, Van Ha Beach… can be seen. Travelers can dive to admire the coral reefs in calm waters at places like Sen Island, Cu Island, Monkey Island…
Outside of that, in Lan Ha Bay tourism, you can explore Luon Cave located on Bo Hon Island. With its upright cliffs and clear blue water all year round, like a mirror reflecting the surroundings, Luon Cave attracts visitors not only with its unique shape but also with its harmonious and captivating natural scenery.
With its cool and fresh climate, visitors can travel to Lan Ha Bay at any time of the year. However, domestic tourists usually visit Lan Ha Bay from April to October, while international visitors tend to visit Lan Ha from November to March.
To get to Lan Ha Bay, you can travel to Ben Beo from the center of Cat Ba Island, where you can buy tickets to visit the bay and then rent a boat to the tourist destination you desire. If you are just going around the bay, staying close to the shore and not going far, it is convenient to rent a local motorboat. Additionally, for larger groups, you can proactively rent a boat at the dock.
TUẦN CHÂU ISLAND
Tuần Châu Island is a ward island in Ha Long City, Quang Ninh. This is an inhabited island located on Ha Long Bay but only 2 km away from the mainland. Previously, the island was a resort for high-ranking state officials and has now become a luxurious and modern resort destination.
Tuần Châu has a convenient location both by waterway and roadway, serving as an important economic growth triangle connector. Also, due to its convenient transportation, tourism in Tuần Châu, Ha Long is increasingly popular from other provinces and cities.
Tuần Châu Beach with a 2km stretch of sand will make tourists comfortable waving in the clear blue sea waves. Next to the beach is a villa area with 50 5-star international standard rooms providing guests with moments of comfort. There are also over 300 other international standard rooms here. When visiting Tuần Châu Island, tourists can participate in underwater sports activities: high-speed water motorbikes; parasailing, surfing; fishing on Ha Long Bay; rowing; hot air balloon sightseeing in Ha Long Bay or mountain climbing, camping.
Services: dolphin shows, sea lions, seals, animal circus, martial arts serving guests continuously 3 times/day on all days of the week except Monday, water music park. Currently, Tuần Châu Island tourist area is being perfected. Many other projects are waiting for investors, turning Tuần Châu Island into the Pearl Island of Ha Long, with the hope of welcoming you to the “Ha Long Tourism” year.
When visiting Tuan Chau, tourists cannot miss the impressive dolphin, sea lion, and seal circus performances, which are activities loved by many visitors, especially children. The program lasts for 20 minutes, and there are several time slots for visitors to choose from:
• 9:00 AM – 9:20 AM
• 11:00 AM – 11:20 AM
• 2:30 PM – 2:50 PM
• 4:40 PM – 4:50 PM
• 7:30 PM – 7:50 PM
• 8:15 PM – 8:35 PM (Program only available on holidays)
The laser water music show at Tuan Chau, Ha Long, with mystical lights and vibrant sound support promises to bring you a visually stunning performance. The program lasts for about 40 minutes with the following time slots:
• 7:00 PM – 7:40 PM (Only available on Fridays and Saturdays)
• 8:15 PM – 8:55 PM
• 9:55 PM – 10:15 PM
The ticket price for both programs is 100,000 VND for adults, 60,000 VND for children, not including the entrance fee: 40,000 VND for adults, 20,000 VND for children.
In addition, Tuan Chau tourist area offers many other interesting activities such as circus performances, crocodile club, underwater entertainment area (including adventurous activities like water motorbikes, parasailing…), music and dance performances, mysterious house, and children’s play area.
Most notably, the entertainment area on Tuan Chau Island recently added a very unique 5D movie service, with each screening lasting about 10 minutes and running from 8:30 AM to 11:30 AM, 1 PM to 6 PM, and 7 PM to 10 PM.
CÔ TÔ ISLAND
The pristine blue sea and white sandy beaches are not only found in the Central and Southern regions of our country. In the North, Cô Tô Island (Quảng Ninh) also captivates visitors with its untouched beaches featuring white sand and clear blue water. Cô Tô is an archipelago located to the east of Vân Đồn Island, Quảng Ninh, consisting of over 50 large and small islands.
When visiting Cô Tô Island, tourists can explore:
The Memorial Site of President Hồ Chí Minh on Cô Tô Island: During his lifetime, President Hồ Chí Minh visited Cô Tô Island in 1961. In 1962, when he visited the Northeast region, the Hai Ninh Provincial Administrative Committee requested permission to erect a statue on Cô Tô Island, build a memorial house, and set up plaques at the places the President visited, which was approved. This is the only place where President Hồ agreed to have a statue erected while still alive.
The Cau My Stone Beach has a system of sedimentary rocks eroded over thousands of years by the sea, creating a truly spectacular wonder with beautiful scenery and is a must-visit destination when traveling to Co To Island.
The Lighthouse: Located 4 km from Co To town, it is one of over 30 “night sea eyes” operating throughout the Vietnamese territorial waters. Situated at an altitude of 101m, from here you can comfortably take in the panoramic view of Co To Island, from the dreamy beautiful seaside town, interspersed with lush green forests, serene modest houses.
The Love Path: Located 150m from Co To town, a tree-lined path, is a very romantic spot for couples to stroll by the sea. At least once during your trip to Co To Island, take a leisurely walk on the Love Path. Because when walking here, whether on foot or cycling slowly, it is extremely romantic. Along this path, you will hear the sound of the wind blowing through the trees, the gentle waves of the sea, the vivid green color of the trees, the golden sunlight, and the red bricks, reminiscent of romantic Korean dramas.
Van Chay Beach: Located 6 km from the town center, Hong Van is 5 km from Co To town, the Love Beach (central beach) is located in the town center.
When you come to Co To Island, you will definitely be captivated by the pristine and beautiful beaches that are enchanting here, and Hong Van is one of the destinations that will make you feel that way. Located on the east side of Co To Island, the Hong Van sea is calm and peaceful, with gentle waves rolling like a water lake due to Thanh Lan Island blocking the wind blowing in from the sea.
At the far end of the island is the beautiful Van Chai beach, nestled by the shore with a long stretch of fine sand, and charming rolling waves. Especially, the sea water here always has a deep blue color that is mesmerizing, reflecting the sunlight, changing into different shades of blue each time small waves gently lap against the shore.
Co To Park – a water park with a total area of over 1,000m² – has become the largest water park in Vietnam.
Co To Con Island: Located 7 km from Co To town, it owns the most beautiful beach in Co To with a primeval forest containing many rare animal species, and a sea with beautiful coral reefs.
As an uninhabited island, Co To Con Island attracts the most discerning tourists of the Co To archipelago with its pristine and beautiful beaches. Co To Con Island is over 1 km away from Co To Island. Tourists do not need to obtain permits and can rent a wooden boat to reach Co To Con Island with a travel time of about 25 – 30 minutes. The price to rent a boat is 600,000 – 800,000 VND (per route). Each boat can carry about 12 people. Here, you can experience camping on the beach, a very interesting feeling for those who enjoy new experiences.
You can take a motorbike taxi or walk directly to the port to rest for the next morning’s trip to Cai Rong by boat.
High-speed boat: Departs at 13:00-13:30 on weekdays – duration 90 minutes, ticket price around 180-200,000 VND/one way/person.
Wooden boat: Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays have 2 trips (morning 6:30; afternoon 13:00) – Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays have 1 trip, departing in the morning at 6:30. The price of the wooden boat is around 110,000 VND/one way/person.
If you want to go to Cai Rong to catch the morning boat to the island, you must arrive at Bai Chay before 17:00 the day before to catch the last bus and stay overnight at Cai Rong. This area also has many guesthouses, hotels with costs from 150,000 VND/night. To get around Co To Island, you can rent a motorbike for 200,000 VND/day. If not, you can use either a motorbike taxi or a taxi.
QUAN LAN ISLAND
Quan Lan Island, also known as Canh Cuoc Island, is an island in Bai Tu Long Bay, Van Don, Quang Ninh. It is a beautiful island famous in Quang Ninh, where visitors can immerse themselves in the pristine natural scenery, with long stretches of white sandy beaches, clear blue sea, and many historical and cultural relics, perfect for sightseeing and swimming, away from the hustle and bustle of urban life.
You can choose to visit Quan Lan Island in summer or autumn, as the weather is cool and pleasant, ideal for leisure and relaxation. The best times to visit Quan Lan are from April to June and from September to November. Additionally, you should avoid visiting in July and August, as these months often experience heavy rains and storms that may affect your trip.
You can buy high-speed boat tickets to Quan Lan Island at Cai Rong port. The boat runs twice a day: in the morning at 8:15 and in the afternoon at 15:15
– Duration: 45 – 50 minutes
– Ticket price: 100,000 VND/passenger/way
– Boat schedule from Van Don – Quan Lan: Morning 8:15, afternoon 15:15
– Boat schedule from Quan Lan – Van Don: Morning 7:15, afternoon 14:15
Van Don – Minh Chau Route: (Duration: 45 minutes)
– Weekday ticket price is 120,000 VND/passenger/way (including VAT)
– Weekend ticket price is 140,000 VND/passenger/way (including VAT)
Van Don – Quan Lan Route
– Ticket price is 150,000 VND/person
– Van Don -> Quan Lan: Morning 7:00; Afternoon 13:30
– Quan Lan -> Van Don: Morning 7:00; Afternoon 13:30
– Additional trips (outside the fixed hours) have ticket prices ranging from 120,000 to 150,000 VND/passenger/way
– Additionally, you can choose to rent a high-speed boat package (convenient for transportation, cost-effective)
Hon Gai – Quan Lan Route: (Duration: 60 minutes)
– Ticket price:
Weekday: 180,000 VND/passenger/way
Holidays, Saturdays, Sundays: 200,000 VND/passenger/way
– Boat schedule:
Hon Gai (Vinashin Wharf) -> Quan Lan: 9:30 AM, 2:00 PM
Quan Lan -> Hon Gai: Morning 7:00, Afternoon 3:30 PM
The main means of transportation for tourists on the island is tuk-tuks. Each ride can carry about 8-10 people speeding along the small roads to the beach. The usual price is around 100,000 VND/ride. You can also rent a shuttle for the entire 2-3 day trip for around 500,000 VND
Sơn Hào Beach on Quan Lạn Island is one of the most beautiful beaches for tourists visiting Quan Lạn Island in the summer. With its pristine beauty as if untouched by human footprints, Sơn Hào features a long, smooth white sandy beach, clear blue water, gentle and soothing waves, and a soft breeze blowing in from the sea. The gentle summer sun creates a relaxing paradise for visitors to Quan Lạn.
Minh Châu Beach is another famous beautiful private beach, located just 15 km from Quan Lạn Beach. The sand here is white and described as “White as snow, smooth as velvet.” To reach Minh Châu Beach, tourists can travel from Cẩm Phả to Tài Xá ferry (near Cửa Ông temple) to Cái Rồng town (about 9 km).
The Quan Lạn Tourism Relics are located on Quan Lạn Island in the Vân Hải archipelago. Quan Lạn is a land steeped in the traditional history of national resistance against foreign invaders. In 1990, the Quan Lạn Tourism Relics were classified by the Ministry of Culture and Information (now the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism) as a national historical and architectural relic with a system of communal houses, pagodas, and temples.
TI TOP ISLAND
Ti Top Island is located in the area of Ha Long Bay, Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam. The island is about 7-8 km southeast of the Bai Chay tourist port. The small island leans against Cua Luc Bay, with the Surprising Cave in front, Bo Hon Island to the left, and Dau Nam Island to the right.
As an island honored by Uncle Ho during a visit to Quang Ninh, Ti Top is one of the places that marks the friendship between Vietnam and the Soviet Union (Russia today). Now, Ti Top welcomes thousands of visitors every day, the “gem” of the Vietnam-Soviet friendship shining brightly, becoming an attractive tourist destination within the World Heritage Site of Ha Long Bay.
Ti Top Island is a steep island with one side sloping down to a flat, white sandy beach. Tourist boats often stop here. Visitors come ashore to swim in the sea or climb to the mountaintop to admire the panoramic view of the island. Looking down from above, Ti Top Beach has a shape like a crescent moon embracing the foot of the island.
Unlike many other tourist spots in Halong Bay, besides the beautiful natural scenery, Ti Top Island also boasts a beautiful beach called Ti Top Beach. Although not large in size, the beach is peaceful, spacious, and very clean, with the sand continuously washed by the tides, making it pure white, and the sea water crystal clear throughout the four seasons.
Currently, besides using boats to visit and admire the island’s scenery, another way to appreciate the beauty of Ti Top Island is to view it from above using a seaplane. The New York Times once voted the experience of viewing Bai Tu Long Bay and Halong Bay from a seaplane as one of the most attractive tourism services in 2015.
CAT BA ISLAND
Cat Ba Archipelago is a group of 367 islands, including Cat Ba Island located to the south of Ha Long Bay, off the coast of Hai Phong City and Quang Ninh Province, about 30 km from the center of Hai Phong City and 25 km from Ha Long City. This area has been recognized by UNESCO as a World Biosphere Reserve. The infrastructure is quite developed with a variety of hotels, guesthouses, resorts, and temples.
Cat Ba, also known as Ngoc Island, is the largest island among the 1,969 islands in Lan Ha Bay. According to local legend, the name Cat Ba can also be read as “Cac Ba,” which means “various ladies.” It is said that at one time, the women here took care of the logistics for the men fighting the enemy on a nearby island. The island was named Island of the Men (Cat Ong). Therefore, Cat Ba is a mispronunciation of Cac Ba.
On the main island of Cat Ba, there is a pristine forest on the limestone mountains that is being actively developed for ecotourism. To the southeast of the island is Lan Ha Bay, to the southwest is Cat Gia Bay with some small but clean sandy beaches, calm waves suitable for beach tourism and relaxation. There are many beautiful limestone mountains on the sea similar to Ha Long Bay and Bai Tu Long. On some small islands, there are also many beautiful beaches.
Cat Ba has been recognized by UNESCO as a World Biosphere Reserve on December 2, 2004. On April 1, 2005, a ceremony was held here to receive the UNESCO decision and commemorate this event. Vietnam currently has 06 World Biosphere Reserves recognized by UNESCO: Can Gio, Cat Tien, Red River Delta, Western Nghe An, Kien Giang, and Cat Ba Archipelago.
When visiting Cat Ba Island, you can explore some of the following attractions:
– Cat Ba Island Road: 27 km long, with many winding and steep passes, descending, crossing, following the coast, passing through the national park, with fascinating landscapes, and friendly people.
– Cat Ba National Park: covering an area of 15,200 ha, including 9,000 ha of forest, and 5,400 ha of sea creating an ideal ecological environment.
– Trung Trang Cave: Located 15 km from the town along Cat Ba Island Road, with many natural stalactites. This cave can accommodate hundreds of people.
– Hung Son Cave: 13 km from the town, on Cat Ba Island Road. The cave is also known as Military Hospital Cave because during the Vietnam War, a hospital with hundreds of beds was built inside the mountain.
– Phu Long Cave (Cai Vieng): Recently discovered, believed to be more beautiful than Trung Trang Cave.
– Beaches: Cat Co 1, Cat Co 2, Cat Dua (Monkey Island Beach), Cat Ong, Cat Trai Gai, Duong Danh, etc., are small, beautiful, secluded beaches with fine white sand, high salinity, clear water, and visible seabed. Some beaches have resorts such as Monkey Island Resort on Monkey Island, Nam Cat Resort on Nam Cat Island, Cover Beach Resort on Vach Da Island… There are plans to build “aquariums” here so that people can directly observe herds of dolphins, lobsters, sea turtles, squids, and sharks swimming around red coral reefs.
Cat Ba Island with its pristine and majestic beauty is known as the Pearl of the Gulf of Tonkin
Travelers can visit Cat Ba Island at any time of the year as the climate here is cool and fresh all year round. However, summer is always the paradise season for Cat Ba as visitors can freely swim in the clear water and experience the lush, cool nature that dispels the hot sun.
– From Hanoi: Take a passenger bus from Gia Lam Bus Station, Yen Nghia, Ha Dong to the bus station in Hai Phong city (average ticket price is about 100,000 VND/person). The second option is to depart from Hanoi towards Ha Long to take the ferry to Tuan Chau (but it will take longer)
– From here, travelers have two options: take the speedboat directly to Cat Ba for 220,000 VND in 45 minutes, or go by road through 2 ferries with costs of 11,000 VND and 6,000 VND per person respectively.
– Ride a motorbike from Hanoi to Hai Phong with a distance of 140km and then continue with the two ferry trips as usual.
DRAGON EYE ISLAND
Over time, the world is being explored more and more, and from that, people discover other extremely interesting places, even more attractive because of the primitive nature it brings. In the famous area of Ha Long Bay, there is such a place, have you ever heard of the name Dragon Eye Island?
Located in the southern part of Ha Long Bay (Quang Ninh province), adjacent to Lan Ha Bay area (Cat Ba, Hai Phong), Dragon Eye Island is also known by the name: Bai Dong Island. The island is a very attractive destination for young people nowadays. The pristine beauty is the special attraction of the island. Viewed from above, the island looks like the side of a dragon’s head with a round lake resembling the eye of a dragon. That’s why people named this island Dragon Eye Island.
Dragon Eye Island covers an area of about 30 hectares. The island has a crescent shape shielded by two large rocky mountain ranges and surrounded by a smooth white sandy beach. Here, there is a natural white sandy beach stretching 300 – 400 meters and a unique and magnificent natural landscape. Additionally, the island has a cool green primeval forest; a rich variety of flora, flowers, and grasses running along the beach and even on the steep cliffs.
The highlight of this island is the Dragon Eye Lake, a blue water pond nestled amidst the rocky mountain ranges and lush primeval forest. From the pier, passing through a forest path of about 100 meters will lead you to the Dragon Eye Lake. From a distance, the lake looks like a clear blue gem. Visitors here will be mesmerized by the crystal clear, deep blue water where the bottom is visible.
Dragon Eye Island still retains its pristine beauty, without any signs of tourism development, so there are no tourist services, entertainment, accommodations, etc. on the island. All tourist activities here are self-sufficient, from transportation, food, to leisure and exploration.
According to the experience of some people, it only takes 2 hours and 30 minutes to visit Dragon Eye Island, so you can travel to the island on weekends and return on the same day. Here, tourists can take photos of the beautiful natural scenery, organize barbecue parties, go fishing, explore the primeval forest. In the near future on Dragon Eye Island, activities such as kayaking, boat rowing, banana boat rides, etc., will be provided, and you can participate in these games.
There are currently no dining services on the island, so you should bring your own food and drinks, you can even camp on the island for rest. However, it is important to clean up the trash and take it back to the mainland to ensure the pristine ecological system of the island.
The unique landscape with a circular lake nestled in the heart of the mountain is the reason why Dragon Eye Island has become popular in the tourism industry recently. People spread word of this fascinating island, they come here to witness with their own eyes the unique wonder that visitors to Halong Bay have unintentionally overlooked for so long.
Getting to Bai Dong is quite simple. Taking a boat or car to Halong takes about 3 – 5 hours for the 150km journey, with ticket prices ranging from 100 – 200 thousand VND; for a more modern experience, you can take a seaplane to admire Halong from above, or for more flexibility, you can ride a motorbike. Then, head to Bai Chay or Doan Port, with a ticket price of only 30,000 VND per person and a 2-hour boat ride to reach the beautiful Bai Dong.
BEACH OF THREE PEACHES
The Three Peaches Beach is an attractive destination in Ha Long that always attracts a large number of tourists, especially international visitors, due to its poetic and charming beauty.
As one of the famous beautiful beaches in Ha Long Bay, the Three Peaches Beach is located about 22km southeast of Bai Chay Tourist Wharf, near Cat Ba Island. It is a beautiful beach with pristine natural scenery, charming landscapes of mountains and water. The reason why it is called Three Peaches Beach is because there are three smooth white sandy beaches shaped like peach petals, embracing the peach-shaped mountains…
Ba Trái Đào is a cluster of three small mountains, about 20m high, resembling three peach blossoms from afar. This place is associated with a legend of romantic love between a beautiful, gentle fairy and a poor fisherman. As the fisherman was a mortal, the fairy stole three peach blossoms from the Jade Emperor to give to him, hoping they would live together forever. The Jade Emperor found out and turned the three peach blossoms into three stone mountains, forcing the fairy to return to the sky…
This is a perfect destination for tourists with crystal-clear water, smooth white sandy beaches. Surrounded by large rocky islands, the beach is relatively safe and sheltered from the wind. The water here is quite deep compared to other beaches in Halong Bay, with some areas reaching waist-deep. Especially, the strange and unique shapes of the rock walls are an interesting sight for visitors. It is an ideal photo spot for tourists to capture memorable moments while exploring and traveling.
Furthermore, each rocky island possesses its own rich plant system, bringing impressive landscapes with wildflowers of various scents or the lush green of climbing plants hanging on the cliffs.
Ba Trai Dao Beach is poetic and charming, but not everyone can admire its beauty if they come at the wrong time. Each day, visitors only have about 2 to 3 hours to enjoy the beauty of the beach and freely immerse themselves in the cool blue water. The remaining time, the beach is hidden under the tide. To fully experience this beach, visitors should carefully research the activities of the tides.
SOI SIM ISLAND
Soi Sim Island is located in the second tourist route on Ha Long Bay, about 12 km southeast of Tuần Châu International Tourist Port. The island is in the central area of Ha Long Heritage Site, where many attractions are concentrated such as Ti Top Island, Surprise Cave, Luon Cave, and Maze Cave…
Soi Sim Island is one of the few land islands in the core area of the Heritage Site, with a rich and diverse plant system. The island is abundant with Sim trees – a bushy plant with purple fruits, hence the locals named the island Soi Sim. Soi Sim Island has two peaks over 100m high in the middle, resembling a saddle shape. This is an ideal spot to overlook the beauty of Ha Long Bay from above. Additionally, at the foot of the island is a smooth white sandy beach about 200m long.
From Ha Long, you can easily travel to Soi Sim Island as this island is currently on the tourist route number 2 including the Tuan Chau Harbor to Soi Sim Island, Ti Top Island, Surprising Cave, Maze Cave, Bo Nau Cave, and Luon Cave. The ticket price for individual passengers on the boat is about 150,000 VND per person and the travel time takes about 20 minutes.
When you arrive at Soi Sim Island in Ha Long, you can freely lie on the smooth white beaches or immerse yourself in the cool, clear water, in the pure atmosphere of the surrounding sea. The feeling of relaxation and comfort will sweep away the tiredness and worries of the days.
Located at the foot of Soi Sim Island, 10km from Bai Chay Harbor, Soi Sim Beach is a long stretch of white sand, clear blue water, and a peaceful atmosphere. The sea here is so clear that you can see small schools of fish swimming around, making it perfect for snorkeling. Nowadays, besides Titop Island, Soi Sim Beach has also been planned and put into operation, serving a large number of tourists who come here for relaxation.
Furthermore, if you want to change the atmosphere, tourists can also climb to the top of Soi Sim Island, where there is a beautiful view overlooking the bay. To meet the needs of tourists, the bay management board has built stone steps from the foot to the top, making it much more convenient.
Because of these reasons, Soi Sim beach is very popular among tourists, and Soi Sim Island is also an ideal stop for cruises on Halong Bay.
A trip to Halong Bay will surely captivate you and make you want to come back here many times.
Some tips for those who want to travel to Ha Long:
– The best time to visit Ha Long is from February to July and from September to November. You should go during these times because it is the transition between spring, summer, and autumn, with less rain, mild climate, and convenient weather for exploring Ha Long Bay.
– Getting to Ha Long is very easy, you can travel by bus, boat, or motorbike. If you are traveling from Hanoi to Ha Long, you can depart from My Dinh bus station, Gia Lam bus station, or Nuoc Ngam bus station.
– Tips for booking hotels in Ha Long: Although Hon Gai is the new administrative center of Ha Long city, Bai Chay is the tourist center of Ha Long. Choose hotels or resorts in Bai Chay ward for easy access to the beach and entertainment.
We hope that with these tips and useful information about traveling to Ha Long, you will have a convenient and enjoyable exploration of Ha Long Bay.
