Dive into Ha Long Bay and find out why it’s become a famous World Heritage site. You’ll be sure to feel the spirit!
“Ha Long Bay” means Descending Dragon Bay. Legends tell of dragons sent to defend Vietnam’s Tonkin gulf from its enemies. After the battle, the dragons descended to the sea, forming the breathtaking islands you see here today.
Ha Long Bay is not only a historical site, it’s also home to thousands of marine species and magnificent landscapes.
So if you spend 2 days in Halong Bay, what do you plan to do? With countless tips from travel magazine around the world, among hundreds of interesting destinations in Halong Bay, it is not easy to plan your trip for your 2-day trip.
However, with the desire to bring a beautiful image of Vietnam to international friends, here is our suggested journey for you.
Note: this journey is a suggestion from a personal point of view, you absolutely can choose other great destinations in Halong, our aim is to bring a happy and wonderful holiday for you at Vietnam.
Day 1: Discover the heaven on earth of Halong
 |
| Photo by Andrew Crump |
1. Exploring the spectacular natural landscapes
Departing from Hanoi, it will take you about 3 – 4 hours to arrive Halong. Upon arrival, the best way to enjoy this inspiring scenery is to join on a Halong bay cruise that take you to many impressive natural landscapes of limestone caves, iconic islets and grottoes, each of them with their own beauty and the stories associated with it.
Sung Sot Cave (Surprising Cave)
Situated in the central area of Ha Long Bay, on the Bo Hon island, Sung Sot Cave is considered one of the most beautiful caves in the bay. Covering a total area of over 10,000m², the cave is divided into two main sections, with numerous stone stalactites creating a beautiful natural sculpture.
Thien Cung Grotto (Heaven Grotto)
Situated on the southwest side of the bay, Thien Cung grotto is also a top attraction in Halong. With the total area of 10,000m² with its complex interior structure, the grotto fascinates all of its visitors. Inside, you can find a lot of stalactites and stalagmites with strange shapes, hanging down like colorful curtains. Combined with light from the outside, the space in grotto is like a heaven on earth. Be sure to take as many photos as you can to remember it by.
Trong Mai Islet (Fighting Cock Rocks)
Trong Mai islet, also known as “Ga Choi”, is usually one of the first islets that you will see during your trip. Shaped like a pair of chickens rising from the blue sea, these rocks make up the most well-known islet in Halong Bay. The name “Trong – Mai” evokes the image of male and female with loyal love and cohesion. With its artistic value and meaning, Trong Mai has become a symbol of Ha Long Bay.
Dau Go Cave
Situated on Dau Go island in Ha Long Bay, Dau Go Cave is considered one of the most beautiful caves in Vietnam. The cave is approximately 5,000m2, divided into three main sections with a 17m wide entrance. At the end of the cave is a well of clear water surrounded by four ancient walls. Apart from the beautiful stalactites, Dau Go is also well-known for its great diversity of plants like moss, ferns and woody trees,… distinguishing it from some of the other caves.
2. Kayaking through the Bay
 |
| Photo by Vietnam Typical Tours |
3. Wandering through Halong night market
After such a long tiring day, allowing yourself to relax by wandering through Halong night market is a good idea.
Situated in the center of city, the market is open from 6pm until late at night with more than 100 stalls. This place is quite full of goods from the ordinary to the high-class ones. Here, it’s easy to find most souvenirs, handicrafts, backpacks, handbags, etc. You can buy a key ring made of shellfish for friends or buy colorful shirts in Ha Long – Tuan Chau. Besides shopping, enjoying the fresh seafood dishes like grilled clams, fried squid,… around this area is also a must try. Don’t forget to ask the price and make a bargain before ordering!
Day 2: Embrace the marvelous view of Halong bay
 |
| Photo by Tranlink1011 |
1. Climbing Bai Tho Mountain (The Poem Mountain)
Bai Tho is a beautiful limestone mountain located in the city center so travelers of Halong Bay can add this place to the schedule. This is another place to explore Halong from a different perspective. The mountain is only about 200m high so the road isn’t long but quite steep, luckily, there are still stone steps for you. Within about 30 mins of climbing, you will be rewarded with a marvelous view over Halong bay while standing on the top. Remember to bring water and wear sneakers to ensure safety.
2. Visiting Tuan Chau Island
After climbing, you can move to Tuan Chau island for swimming and sunbathing. Located in the southwest of Halong, the island covers an area of 400ha. Thanks to the convenient location, it is easy to get to Tuan Chau by bus or motorbike through a 2km long road connecting it to the mainland. Tuan Chau is famous for its 6km long sandy beach, which will make you comfortable in the midst of the blue sea waves. In addition, tourists might also experience a variety of exciting activities like beach volleyball, canoes parachuting, sea fishing, or other lavish services and entertainment such as dolphin show, seal show, circus, and martial art show.
You can enjoy the journey here till around 4 – 4.30pm. This is the perfect time to end your trip and head back to Hanoi.
What to eat in Halong?
 |
| Photo by collect on the internet |
Cha Muc (Squid Sausage)
Cha Muc is the most famous food of Quang Ninh and also in the top 50 specialties of Vietnam. The main ingredient of Cha Muc, of course, is squid. The crunchy and delicate texture of this specific variety of squid, and the juicy flavour and attractive aroma of this dish goes perfectly well with Xôi (boiled rice, sticky rice) or Bánh Cuốn (a type of thin, steamed rice cake).
This beautiful piece of culinary mastery is sold at many stores and stalls around the city and especially at Halong Market.
 |
| Photo by collect on the internet |
This is probably the most expensive seafood dishes in Halong and almost only in Quan Lan Island (belonged to Bai Tu Long archipelago). Sa sung is a marine worms type, live beneath the sand in a long time, like clean environment and oxygen-rich seawater. In polluted waters area, it has absolutely no sa sung. Halong people use sa sung to cook many good food as grilled with chili salt, fried with garlic or pineapple, roasted and served with chili, lettuce or crunchy fried…. Especially, eaten raw sa sung with mustard is very tasty and nutritious. However, price is not cheap, the price of 1 kg dried nudus is ranged from 100 USD to 200 USD depending on type.
Ngan
Ngan is a type of hard clam. In Vietnamese, Ngan means tasteless but in fact it is quite delicious and carries a very delicate and pleasant aftertaste. If you are planning on visiting Halong, you may have many Ngán dishes like grilled, steamed, deep-fried with vegetables. Amongst all products made from Ngan, the most famous one is Ngan wine.
You can easily find it anywhere from street foods style to seafood restaurants in Halong.
A Halong holiday allows your mind to relax, and as you stop worrying about your job and social life, you can focus on recharging your batteries, having fun, learning new things and broadening your horizons. It is good to travel as far away from home as possible, and really immerse yourself in a different culture.
A Halong holiday allows your mind to relax, and as you stop worrying about your job and social life, you can focus on recharging your batteries, having fun, learning new things and broadening your horizons. It is good to travel as far away from home as possible, and really immerse yourself in a different culture.
