Things to do in Ha Long

Ha Long is two towns joined by a bridge. Bai Chay, on the west side, is the tourist strip of hotels. Hon Gai, to the east, is the older port, founded by the French in 1883 around the coal trade.

Nobody comes for the streets. Tours in Ha Long are tours of the bay, and the city is where the boats start.

The bay from the water

UNESCO inscribed the bay in 1994 for its scenery and added its geology in 2000. Many boats leave from Tuan Chau marina. It sits on an island joined to the mainland by a causeway.

• Sung Sot Cave. The Surprise Cave, a large dry cave of stalactites and stalagmites that visitors walk through.
• Titop Island. A small beach, and a climb to a viewpoint over the bay.
• Luon Cave. A lagoon you enter by kayak or in a bamboo boat rowed by a local.
• Lan Ha Bay. South-east of the main bay, off Cat Ba Island, and the choice for fewer boats.

How the days are built

Most visitors come on day trips from Hanoi. The bus collects hotels in the Old Quarter at about 8. The expressway takes about two and a half hours each way, which leaves roughly six on the water.

• Day cruise. Lunch on board, a kayak or bamboo boat, one cave and one island. You are back in Hanoi by evening.
• Overnight. Boarding is around noon. Many boats add a cooking demonstration, squid fishing after dark and tai chi at dawn.
• Seaplane. A 25-minute flight from Tuan Chau over the islands, in a plane for up to 12 people.

Practical

• Weather. January averages 16.6C, cold enough for a jacket on deck. July averages 29C, and August is the wettest month at about 400 mm. February is the driest, near 40 mm.
• Typhoons. Summer storms can stop cruises. The seaplane also needs good weather: a cancelled flight is rebooked or refunded.
• Pick-up. It covers the Old Quarter. Hotels farther out are met at a central point such as the Opera House.
• Holidays. Many boats add a surcharge at Tet, on Christmas Eve and on New Year's Eve.
• Extras. Drinks on board and tips for crew, guide and driver are normally not included.