| Ha Long Bay | |
.jpg/250px-Halong_ensemble_(colour_corrected).jpg) | |
| State | Vietnam |
|---|---|
| Region | Dong Bac |
| Institutional website | |
Ha Long Bay is located in Vietnam.
To know
It is located 170 km (105 miles) east of Hanoi. The bay is famous for its scenic ocean topography and is often included in the lists of natural wonders of the world. It is part of the World Heritage ofUNESCO.
Geographical notes
It is a cove located in the Gulf of Tonkin, in Vietnamese territory. It is part of the Quang Ninh province and includes about 2,000 limestone islets with numerous karst caves. The bay is located not far from the border with the China. In Vietnamese the term "Hạ Long" means "where the dragon descends into the sea".
When to go
The bay is a marine island with a humid tropical climate and two seasons: a hot and rainy summer, and a dry and cold winter. The average temperature is 15 ° C - 25 ° C.
Territories and tourist destinations
Ha Long Bay: full screen map.Islands
The Ha Long archipelago is made up of 1,969 inhabited islands. Access to the islands can take place from several ports, albeit in the special case of Cat Ba, you can also reach by car, motorbike or bus (via Haiphong).
- Ban Sen: Covered by a dense forest, the island is almost uninhabited and accessible only by the rafts of Quan Lan and Cai Rong.
- Cat Ba: it is a national park with numerous caves and the most popular destination in Ha Long Bay, accessible by local bus and ferry from Lương Yên bus station in Hanoi (recommended) or by boat from Halong, or by local bus or ferry from Haiphong (less scenic).
- Quan Lan: a historically significant island with the beginning of some tourist infrastructure and some beautiful beaches. Accessible by ferry from Cai Rong or also (presumably) from Halong City.
- Van Don: a large island that is well inhabited, little visited by tourists and connected by road to the mainland.
How to get
The vast majority of tourists prefer to go through a travel agency. This consists of spending the morning on the bus, which collects tourists at their hotels or an agent in central Hanoi, taking them to Halong, this is a simpler but more expensive alternative. If you choose this option, standards vary considerably - some quite comfortable, or even luxurious, on boats with excellent food and experienced guides and enthusiasts, but most are characterized by long and demanding bus rides, boat rides so slow you could swim faster (to get you to buy more food and drinks on board) such as short stops for kayaking, visits to water caves, and other practices.
By car
You can rent a private car from Bai Noi Airport or from Hanoi city center to Halong Bay.
By bus
From Hanoi, you can take a bus from Gia Lam bus station. Tickets cost 90,000 dong; they take approximately 4 hours and the bus will pick up passengers en route. Air conditioning is minimal, so be prepared to sweat in the summer. Most tourists will not find this trip pleasant, but it is an authentic Vietnamese experience.
How to get around
What see
What to do
At the table
Safety
Other projects
Wikipedia contains an entry concerning Ha Long Bay
Commons contains images or other files on Ha Long Bay
