Bai Tu Long Bay travel guide

About

I am going to tell you a secret.

Throughout the years, Ha Long bay has been universally recognised as one of the world’s
natural wonders. Millions of tourists travel to Ha Long bay every year to witness this
beauty with their own eyes. But, not any people know that, just northeast of Ha Long bay,
lies a hidden treasure, another world-wonder worthy, the extensively unexplored Bai Tu
Long bay.

Legend has it, a powerful Mother Dragon was sent from heaven to help the ancient
Vietnamese during a war against foreign invaders. Ha Long, in Vietnamese means “landing
dragon”, was said to be the resting place of Mother Dragon. Bai Tu Long, in turn, was
believed to be the place where Child Dragon landed. Because of the significance of
dragons as a creature in Vietnamese’s culture, Ha Long bay and Bai Tu Long bay are
regarded as sacred lands (or sea parts).

Ancient mythical limestones, beautiful islands and islets, crystal clear blue beaches with
white soft sand, Bai Tu Long bay is the place for the adventurous souls who thrill on
exploring the undiscovered, who want to truly witness the raw, untouched beauty of
Nature.

How to get there

Hon Gai is the most common port to get to Bai Tu Long bay. From Hanoi, there are a few
ways to get to Hon Gai.

If you take the bus

- At My Dinh bus station (Hanoi), you can take any bus that goes to Bai Chay bus
station (Quang Ninh). There are buses every 5-15 minutes, and the ticket price is
100,000 - 200,000VND/pax. From Bai Chay station, you can take a taxi or motortaxi
to get to Hon Gai port.

If you book a private car:

 - The average price for a 7-seater is 280,000VND/pax. Usually you will be picked up
from Hanoi Old Town

If you take the train

- From Yen Vien train station (Hanoi), you can get on a train to Ha Long train station.
You have to get up early because the train leaves at 4:55am! It takes about 4.5 hours
on the train, but you cannot beat this ticket price of $3.
- Alternatively, you can take the Ha Long Express at Gia Lam station for $15

If you fly:

- If you are travelling from Ho Chi Minh, the best way to get to Bai Tu Long bay is most
probably on air. The closest airport to Hon Gai is Van Don airport (Quang Ninh).
From Van Don airport, you can get a taxi to Hon Gai.

How to get around

The best way to explore Bai Tu Long Bay is undeniably by joining a tour in a traditional
wooden junk boat. Many cruise operators will help their guests to enjoy Bai Tu Long in the
best way possible, with many activities to make the most of the experience.

At the moment, the only way to get around Bai Tu Long bay is on cruise ships. It is a bay,
after all. There are many cruise operators to choose from. Hence, depending on your
budget, length of stay, preference of activities, you should be able to find a good quality
cruise that is suitable for you.

What to do

Most of your time in Bai Tu Long bay guaranteed will be spent on admiring the magnificent
landscape. The boundless emerald ocean studded with thousands of mossy green
limestone karsts of different shapes and sizes, some only a few meters tall, and some are
humongous and mountainous. Amidst the bay, you can truly experience the impressive
work of Nature.

Activities on the bay will largely depend on the cruise you have chosen. Expect a lot of
cruising, sightseeing, water-activities such as swimming, kayaking, and snorkeling.

Different tours will offer their different itineraries, but overall, some highlights are Thien
Canh Son cave, Vung Vieng fishing village, Bai Tu Long national park, Ban Chan beach.
Bai Tu Long Bay National Park

Bai Tu Long Bay National Park is protected as a part of ASEAN Heritage Garden. It is a
unique national park in that it has three ecosystems: sea, mountains, and limestone
mountains and caves. The national park is 15,000 ha in area, of which it covers the forest
area, islands, sea surface, waterfalls and floodplains.

Thanks to the diverse ecosystems, living organisms including plants and animals are also
very diverse. There are nearly 500 species of plants, many of which are rare and valuable.
There are 37 species of birds, 319 species of marine animals, and 9 species of endangered
mammals such as yellow money and chamois. This is definitely a valuable visit for those
who are passionate about plants and animal biodiversity.

Thien Canh Son cave

On Cong Do island, well-hidden below its dense forest canopy, located a large cave
comprising three chambers - the Thien Canh Son cave. “Thien Canh Son” in Vietnamese
means heavenly scenery on the mountains - because it is so beautiful.

Like many caves in Vietnam, Thien Canh Son cave was created from limestone
formation that existed for millions of years. It houses thousands of ancient stalagmites
and stalactites, in various shapes and sizes, as impressive as the landscape in Phong
Nha or Sung Sot caves. But here, you will find that Thien Canh Son is very much
untouched and undisturbed by tourism.

Vung Vieng fishing village

Vung Vieng fishing village is one of the four of its kind, the few floating villages that live in
the bay. The village is known for its charming beauty, imagine going about your everyday
life, but floating on a deep blue massive canvas of the ocean, with ancient limestone karsts
surrounding you.

Going on a kayak ride is a great way to enjoy the peaceful landscape and really learn about
life of the residents here. Observe how they go about their day being on the water surface
24/7, and watch them while they’re at work - fishing.

Ban Chan beach

Not a lot of tourists have set foot to Bai Tu Long bay, yet even fewer have discovered this
heavenly scenery. Off-the-beaten-path, soft fine sand and crystal clean water, the beach
stretches for several kilometers, making it the ideal location for paradisiacal getaway.
Accommodation

Usually, travellers will have their base in either Hanoi Old Town or Ha Long city. Then, you
can choose the cruise tours available from these cities. Your cruise operator will pick you
up from your hotel. If it is a one-day tour, you will be dropped off at your hotel. If it is a
multiple-day trip, accommodation while you are at the bay should be included in the tour.
So check with your tour agency before booking.

In Hanoi Old Town or Ha Long city centre, there should be plenty of accommodation
options to choose from.

Best time to travel

The average temperature of the area is pleasant all-year-round, from 15 - 25 degrees

Celsius. The best time to visit Bai Tu Long bay is spring/early summer time (January to May)
or late autumn (October/November) when it is dryer and sunnier. Although, the weather in
late autumn might be a bit chilly. In the summer months (July to September), the weather
is more unpredictable with rains and occasional storms.