Halong Bay travel guide

Halong Bay’s 2000 limestone islets, soaring from a deep emerald sea, create one of Asia’s most spectacular and evocative landscapes. 

Steeped in myth, the name ha long, translates as “descending dragon”. Vietnamese legend holds that the bay’s islets were created by a descending dragon’s lashing tail.

Halong Bay’s first modern day movie appearance in the early 1990s French film, Indochine, starring Catherine Deneuve, reintroduced its wonders to the first wave of travellers to newly opened Vietnam. Its credentials were burnished soon after with a World Heritage listing in 1994.

These days, few Vietnam itineraries overlook Halong Bay.

Most travellers simply make a day trip from Hanoi that starts fairly early and involves around 7 hours of driving (3.5 hours each way). The last five years has also seen a big increase in the number of travellers staying overnighting on the bay in an assortment of craft for a night or two. The best of these are very comfortable - the worst provide mediocre and often unsafe conditions for budget travellers.

In good weather (best months are from March to October though storms are common in summer months), a night on Halong Bay is an unforgettable experience. Sunset on the bay is a delight and the early morning mist is timelessly atmospheric.

In winter (December to February), the risks of a cold and miserable time increase.

Safety on Halong Bay has been a big issue in recent years with a number of disasters and fatalities (see below). The bay also faces serious environmental challenges. Commercial shipping, nearby industry and poorly regulated tourism development, all threaten this uniquely spectacular natural environment.



SAFETY NOTE

In recent years, Halong Bay has been plagued by incidents of boats sinking. Two of these have resulted in loss of life. In the worst incident, that occurred early in 2011, 12 travellers drowned when a boat on which they were sleeping sunk in calm conditions. 


More rigourous safety standards have been implemented since that time though safety compliance and enforcement issues are rife in Vietnam. While there are strong indications that standards have improved, travellers should be careful in selecting a company that demonstrates an awareness of best safety practices.