1. Overview
Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, is the starting point for most tours of Halong Bay. With its rich history, unique culture, and quaint streets, Hanoi is an enchanting city to explore before embarking on an adventure to Halong Bay. That’s why most Halong Bay tours start in Hanoi, and Halong Bay tour from Hanoi are popular with international tourists.
Halong Bay is a famous tourist destination in Vietnam, located on the west coast of the Gulf of Tonkin in the northeast region of Vietnam. With thousands of magnificent islands and miraculous fruits of creation, Halong Bay has been recognized by UNESCO many times as a world natural heritage. The bay is divided into three different areas (Halong Bay Center, Bai Tu Long Bay, and Lan Ha Bay). Depending on the operating company, you will get to explore different areas of Halong Bay. Central Halong Bay is the area with the most tourists and is closer to the mainland, so it’s a good choice for a day trip.
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2. Three reasons why traveling to Halong Bay is always attractive to tourists
2.1. Beautiful natural scenery
Halong Bay “captures the hearts” of tourists with its majestic and unique natural scenery, with images of hundreds of thousands of large and small islands with different shapes, lush green vegetation, and clear, calm sea water. Thanks to its picturesque natural beauty, Halong Bay was recognized by UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage Site in 1994 and 2000.
2.2. The cost in Halong Bay is quite cheap
Halong Bay tourism is very developed, so the cost of a tour here is not too expensive. Whether tourists are in the North or the South, there are many good flights all year round to reach Halong Bay. The daily tours that go here also have affordable prices and stable service. Along with that, the culinary source is abundant and diverse, and visitors to Halong Bay have the opportunity to enjoy many delicious dishes at reasonable prices.
2.3. Halong Bay has many attractive tourist activities
Not only do they have the experience of viewing the amazing natural bay, sea, and islands, but visitors to Halong Bay can also freely conquer themselves with attractive sports activities. The most outstanding thing is kayaking on the clear, jade-colored water or challenging yourself with rock climbing on the thorny rocks of the mountains and caves.
3. How far is Halong Bay from Hanoi? How Long Does It Take To Get From Hanoi To Halong Bay?
Halong Bay is located in Halong city, Quang Ninh province, about 160 km from Hanoi. The starting point to visit Halong Bay is Tuan Chau Pier, Halong City. Hanoi and Halong are connected by National Highway 5B, one of the newest and best highways in the country. This area has very good infrastructure, partly because of tourism and partly because of its proximity to the nearby city of Hai Phong, which is the main seaport of Northern Vietnam. On average, it takes 2.5–3.5 hours to go from Hanoi to Halong Bay by car or bus. By bus, it takes about 3.5 to 4.5 hours, and by train, it takes 7 hours to get to Halong from Hanoi. You can see more travel guides on how to travel from Hanoi to Halong Bay here.
4. Halong Bay travel Should I book a package tour or go on my own?
If you travel self-sufficiently, in Halong Bay, it is very difficult to rent a sailboat or speedboat unless you are on a private charter yacht. Therefore, the only difference between booking a package tour and traveling on your own is that the package tour includes transportation from Hanoi to Halong Bay, while traveling self-sufficiently means you have to travel from Hanoi to Tuan Chau Pier and buy tickets at the Pier to visit Halong Bay during the day.
An advantage of a package tour is that the travel company has a pre-planned itinerary and transportation included for you. The tour company picks you up at the hotel and then brings you back to the hotel after the Halong Bay tour. Depending on your itinerary type and length of stay, prices can range from as low as 90 USD to as high as 400 USD for a 2 day 1 night tour.
Book a tour as early as possible when you choose your travel date, and you should choose reputable travel companies to book the tour. You can book a Halong Bay tour from Hanoi with our company, Metta Voyage. Although Halong cruise itineraries and activities are the same on most cruises, you can expect the main activities to include kayaking, swimming, and cave tours.
5. Discover the top 3 best Halong Bay tours from Hanoi
5.1. Halong Bay tour from Hanoi 1 day:
If you have limited time but still want to explore the breathtaking scenery of Halong Bay, you can experience a 1-day Halong Bay tour from Hanoi. There are many travel companies in Hanoi that offer day trips at affordable prices for you.
With this itinerary, you will be picked up around 8:00 a.m from your hotel in Hanoi’s Old Quarter, about a 3-hour drive from Halong, with a comfortable 30-minute stopover. Lunch will be served on the boat while you cruise to admire the many strangely shaped islands in Halong Bay. Additionally, you can enjoy activities such as kayaking or cave tours, visiting local fishermen’s floating villages, swimming, etc. You will leave Halong Bay at around 5 p.m. and return to Hanoi around 9 p.m. You can refer to:
With this 1-day Halong Bay tour from Hanoi, you can choose one of the following 3 itineraries:
- Halong Bay – Thien Cung Cave (4 hour cruise)
On this four-hour cruise, you’ll visit Thien Cung Cave, located on a remote island in the bay. As the name suggests, the cave is decorated with beautiful stalactites and stalagmites. Colored lights turn the scene into a fairytale palace. Then cruise past some of the bay’s most iconic locations, including Thumb Island, Perfume Island, and Ba Hang floating village.Â
- Halong Bay – Sung Sot Cave – Titop Island (6 hour boat trip)
On this six-hour journey, we will go further to visit Sung Sot Cave, which is the largest cave in Halong Bay. Then make a stop at Titop Island, with its soft white sands and crystal-clear waters; Titop Beach is a favorite place for swimming. The steep path leading to the observatory and small pentagonal pagoda offers breathtaking views of the entire bay.
- Bai Tu Long Bay Cruise (8 hour boat trip)
The 8-hour full-day cruise is reserved for travelers who want to explore Halong Bay further, and on this private boat trip, you will cruise Halong Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay to many remote areas. Otherwise, kayak to visit the islands and caves of Bai Tu Long Bay.
5.2. Halong Bay tour from Hanoi 2 days overnight on the boat
The overnight cruise tour in Halong Bay is one of the most popular tours among tourists. Halong Bay cruise tours will bring visitors an exciting feeling when night falls in the dim space, participating in activities such as kayaking, swimming on the bay, and going to the rooftop to watch the yacht. Beautiful views of Halong at sunset or sunrise, practicing tai chi, then singing karaoke, squid fishing at nightfall, etc. Halong Bay cruise tours have different schedules, taking tourists to visit the most famous destinations on Halong Bay, such as Thien Cung cave, Thien Canh Son cave, Sung Sot cave, Trong Mai island, Ti Top island, Soi Sim island, Bai Tu Long, Ngoc Vung island, fishing villages, etc. You can see more: Halong Bay 2 Days 1 Night .
5.3. Halong Bay tour from Hanoi 3 days 2 nights
For a more comfortable itinerary and deeper exploration of Halong Bay, you can consider a 3-day, 2-night itinerary. This option allows you to fully immerse yourself in the natural wonders of the bay and experience local life. You will have the opportunity to visit caves, kayak through Luon Cave, a destination loved by many tourists for its pristine beauty and beautiful landscapes, explore fishing villages, and even have a BBQ lunch on the beach, night squid fishing, etc.
In this 3-day, 2-night Halong Bay Tour from Hanoi, you will experience the most prominent destinations in Halong Bay, such as: Thien Cung Cave, Dau Go Cave, Stone Dog Islet, Dinh Huong Islet, Ga Choi Islet, Bai Tu Long Bay, Bai Tho Mountain, Sung Sot Cave, Lan Ha Bay, Titop Island, Bai Chay Beach, etc. In addition, you can also visit SunWorld Halong Park, an international-class amusement park complex, and admire the Halong Museum, which gathers more than 2,000 original artifacts, truly reflecting the history, culture, people, and nature of Quang Ninh in the process of formation and development.
6. Important things to know about Halong Bay tour from Hanoi
- When booking a Halong Bay tour, you need to enter detailed information, including your full name, passport number, and visa expiration date. And remember to bring your passport with you, because you’ll need it to register at the dock.Â
- Some tour operators will only pick you up from hotels; most tour operators charge an additional fee (about 10 USD) for picking up guests from hotels outside Hanoi’s Old Quarter.
- Most lunches are seafood-heavy but can be customized. If you are a vegetarian or have dietary requirements, please notify the tour company in advance.Â
- If you visit a floating village, you often have the opportunity to leave donations at the local school or library, etc. Don’t give money directly to children.
- You should note what is included in the tour price and what is not. Most day tours include lunch, but some do not include drinks. Kayaking equipment rental is usually an optional extra that you pay in cash on the day.
- Overnight tours often have a holiday surcharge (about 20 USD) during Christmas, New Year, and Lunar New Year.Â
- Be careful with poisonous jellyfish. Jellyfish hardly cause too much trouble, but they do have common symptoms such as hives, rashes, etc.
The Halong Bay travel itinerary is always subject to change. The boat will still sail if it rains, but if the weather is too bad, your tour may be changed or even canceled. Bna5 can see more travel guides about the best time to visit Halong Bay.Â
7. Conclusion
Above are Discover the Top 3 Best Halong Bay Tour From Hanoi that Metta Voyage shares, hoping you will have the most attractive trip. If you want to book Halong Bay tour tickets departing from Hanoi or have any questions related to schedules, locations, or other tours, Please contact Metta Voyage now.
8. Contact us
Website: www.mettavoyage.com
Email: [email protected]
Hotline 24/7: + 84 989 383 572
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