Ha Long Bay is located in the northeastern part of Vietnam and constitutes part of the western bank of Bac Bo Gulf, including the sea area of Ha Long City and Cam Pha Town and part of Van Don island district. Officially recognized as one of the New Seven Natural Wonders of the World in 2012, Halong Bay is a must-sê on anyone's itinerary in Vietnam, thanks to its turquoise water and thousands of jagged, limestone islands. Come to Ha Long, you will be suprised by the amazing beauty of this place, you can enjoy this beauty by visit to famous attractions such as Dau Go cave, Sung Sot cave, Thien Cung cave, Bai Tho mountain, Dinh Huong islet, Monkey island, Tuan Chau island, Lan Ha island, fisher commnunties and so on.
Travel Guide
1. How to get there?
Halong Bay is quite accessible from just anywhere in Vietnam and neighboring countries. Many visit Ha Long Bay on a larger international cruise ships which docks in Cai Lan international Port (about 10 minutes from Ha Long Bay). Others choose to fly to Ha Noi (180 km) or Hai Phong (80km) airport and take a road trip to the Bay. The most popular way to get to Halong Bay is by road, which follows Highway 18 that passes by Tuan Chau Island, Bai Chay Road and Hon Gai Bridge. If you travel from Hanoi, most cruise trips will arrange a transfer from your hotel to the pier for you. An average trip without traffic will take at least 4 hours for one way.
2. Where To Shop The Local Goods In Ha Long?
Halong Market
Being constructed and offcially operated in 2003, the new Halong market is one of the most attractive destinations in the city that draw a huge number of local and international tourists coming for shopping. The market is located in the center of Ha Long City at Bach Dang street. Products which are exhibited and sold here are diverse in the range from nornal to luxurious goods and pretty competitive in price. Morever, this is also one of the places that sell specialties of Ha Long city, such as dried squid or seafood, with most ensured quality and reasonable price. Halong market opens all 7 days a week, from 6.00 am to 6.30 pm.
Halong Night market
For various tourists who visit Ha Long City, Halong Night market is a place that they should not miss out, A market is a group of more than a hundred stalls which sell diverse types of products, such as handicrafts, handmade accessories, clothes, and other dispensable items such as swimwear, lotion or hat. Tourists tend to come to this place for purchasing unique products of the beach city like necklaces made from seashells, snalls, wooden small boats or T-shirt with images of Halong Bay. And the great things is that sellers here are friendly with advance English skill so that tourists should not worry about bargaining, posing, and tourists can have a nice chat with them about this charming city. Halong Night Market opens 7 days a week, from 6.00pm until midnight.
Bai Chay Commercial Center
Being established on the base of minuscule market at Vuon Dao Street, Bai Chay Commercial Center is one of the largest and most modern shopping centers in Ha Long City. Products here are diverse from regular to deluxe goods and the price range is a little bit higher than other markets in the city. However, this extra money is paid for better services, as well as ensured the quality of each product.
Being constructed and offcially operated in 2003, the new Halong market is one of the most attractive destinations in the city that draw a huge number of local and international tourists coming for shopping. The market is located in the center of Ha Long City at Bach Dang street. Products which are exhibited and sold here are diverse in the range from nornal to luxurious goods and pretty competitive in price. Morever, this is also one of the places that sell specialties of Ha Long city, such as dried squid or seafood, with most ensured quality and reasonable price. Halong market opens all 7 days a week, from 6.00 am to 6.30 pm.
Halong Night market
For various tourists who visit Ha Long City, Halong Night market is a place that they should not miss out, A market is a group of more than a hundred stalls which sell diverse types of products, such as handicrafts, handmade accessories, clothes, and other dispensable items such as swimwear, lotion or hat. Tourists tend to come to this place for purchasing unique products of the beach city like necklaces made from seashells, snalls, wooden small boats or T-shirt with images of Halong Bay. And the great things is that sellers here are friendly with advance English skill so that tourists should not worry about bargaining, posing, and tourists can have a nice chat with them about this charming city. Halong Night Market opens 7 days a week, from 6.00pm until midnight.
Bai Chay Commercial Center
Being established on the base of minuscule market at Vuon Dao Street, Bai Chay Commercial Center is one of the largest and most modern shopping centers in Ha Long City. Products here are diverse from regular to deluxe goods and the price range is a little bit higher than other markets in the city. However, this extra money is paid for better services, as well as ensured the quality of each product.
3. What food need to try in Ha Long?
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 a squid. However, according to local fishermen, high-quality dishes must use squid from Halong area The crunchy and delicate texture of this specific variety of squid and the juicy flavor and attractive aroma of this dish go perfectly well with Xôi (boiled rice, sticky rice).
Prawn, lobster and oyster
Ha Long Bay has many kinds of prawn, lobster, white pearl shrimp or tiger shrimp. However, the most valuable and most delicious are prawn and lobster. There are two popular methods of prawn/lobster processing, steaming and breaded frying. However, steaming with using additional ingredients like beer or tubers lemongrass to remove the fishy smell is more preferable because people love to enjoy the natural taste it provides.
Banh gat gu
Banh gat gu is made from steaming rie flour mixture. It has a white in color and served with a dipping sauce made according to their own recipe. When you eat it, the cake is dipped in a special sauce, along with a piece of caramelized pork. This sauce is a really a star of this dish. Having an amazing experience with this food all depends on the sauce. The feeling of cool, soft cake and juicy pork is an enchanting culinary experience.
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 a squid. However, according to local fishermen, high-quality dishes must use squid from Halong area The crunchy and delicate texture of this specific variety of squid and the juicy flavor and attractive aroma of this dish go perfectly well with Xôi (boiled rice, sticky rice).
Prawn, lobster and oyster
Ha Long Bay has many kinds of prawn, lobster, white pearl shrimp or tiger shrimp. However, the most valuable and most delicious are prawn and lobster. There are two popular methods of prawn/lobster processing, steaming and breaded frying. However, steaming with using additional ingredients like beer or tubers lemongrass to remove the fishy smell is more preferable because people love to enjoy the natural taste it provides.
Banh gat gu
Banh gat gu is made from steaming rie flour mixture. It has a white in color and served with a dipping sauce made according to their own recipe. When you eat it, the cake is dipped in a special sauce, along with a piece of caramelized pork. This sauce is a really a star of this dish. Having an amazing experience with this food all depends on the sauce. The feeling of cool, soft cake and juicy pork is an enchanting culinary experience.
4. Best time to travel Ha Long?
As a year-round destination, visitors will come away with different impressions of the bay, depending on the time of the year they visit. In the sun bay sparkles, with the dark limestone karsts rising up out of emerald green water in stark constract. In the winter, the mist can make the bay very atmospheric and early quite.
For sunshine and high temperatures head to Halong Bay between May and September, although this season experiences tropical storms. Daytime temperatures can reach to the lơ 30°C and remain in the mid-20°C at night, ensuring pleasant evening out on the deck.
The winter, from November to March, is cooler, with the coldest months being January and February, although on sunny dáy the temperatures can reach mid-20°C. The weather ranges from clear sunny dáy to overcast with lơ visibility.
For sunshine and high temperatures head to Halong Bay between May and September, although this season experiences tropical storms. Daytime temperatures can reach to the lơ 30°C and remain in the mid-20°C at night, ensuring pleasant evening out on the deck.
The winter, from November to March, is cooler, with the coldest months being January and February, although on sunny dáy the temperatures can reach mid-20°C. The weather ranges from clear sunny dáy to overcast with lơ visibility.
5. Where is Ha Long Bay?
Halong Bay is located on the Western side of the Gulf of Tokin in Northeastern Vietnam. The bay is approximately 35km (21 miles) northeast of the port city of Hai Phong and approximately 170km (105 miles) by road from the capital Hanoi. The town of Halong is situated on the coast to the North of the Bay. The journey from Hanoi to Halong takes approximately 3.5 hours.
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Copyright © 2006 - 2020. All Rights Reserved.