Guide on Ha Long Bay Tour

Vietnam is quickly becoming a more popular place to visit. People travel there to see its beautiful scenery, learn about its history, eat delicious food, and live in busy towns. Whether you're going for work, pleasure, or both, selecting the appropriate Kolkata to Vietnam flight is essential. Many companies offer flights with stops in different places, so you can make your trip fit your needs.

This guide has all the information you need to plan a Kolkata to Vietnam flight. These include companies that fly there, prices, travel times, baggage limits, and visa requirements. After reading this, you'll have all the information you need for a smooth trip.

Ha Long Bay tour packages

Ha Long Bay is a World Heritage site situated in the province of Quang Ninh in northern Vietnam. It is renowned for its green waters and thousands of immense limestone islands. Some popular Ha Long Bay tour packages are:

1. 2 day/1 night cruise package – Tour with an overnight stay in a traditional junk, meals included. Service facilities available include kayaking, swimming, and squid fishing.

2. 3 days/2 nights package- Accommodation on a luxury cruise ship, all meals on board. Delivers island trips, cooking demonstrations, and a beach party during sunset.

3. 5-day/4-night package – Provides an even richer experience of the Bay through extra day excursions to such sites as Ti Top Island, Sung Sot grotto, and Cua Van floating village. The list of activities has been expanded with the island hopping and the emphasis on the culture.

Ha Long Bay Tour Destination Overview

Ha Long Bay is located in the northeastern region of Vietnam and is considered as the natural wonder of Vietnam that spans over the area of 1000 square kilometers which covers the Gulf of Tonkin. Famous for water that shades green and cliffs of limestone, it was given the status of UNESCO world heritage site in 199Ha Long means ‘descending dragon’ according to a myth where a family of dragons released gems that transformed into islands and islets in the bay.

If you love the sea, beautiful landscapes and unique formations then you should consider visiting Ha Long Bay, one of the new seven wonders of nature.

Below are some facts about this natural wonder:

1. Ha Long Bay has over 1,600 islands and islets which rise from the seawater, making it a beautiful scene to behold. The islands are made of limestone and shale and were formed over 500 million years.

2. The name Ha Long translates as ‘descending dragon’ – referencing a story where a family of dragons released jewels which transformed into the thousands of islands in the bay.

3. Ha Long Bay is home to one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world because of the tropical climate and its small, separate habitats formed within the caves, tunnels, and lakes of the islands. It is home to over 200 fish species and more than 450 molluscs.

4. The geographical isolation of the Ha Long islands resulted in the growth of fishing cultures that developed floating villages, where people lived in boats and rafts. Some of the native animals include black squirrels, mountain goats and white-tailed deer which are also prevalent in the larger islands.

5. Sung Sot cave is situated in the island of Bo hon and this is one of the biggest and beautiful caves in Ha Long Bay stretching over 10,000 square meters and with very high roofs. Some other caves include Surprise Cave, Three Palace Cave and Tien Ong Cave.

Best Time to Visit Ha Long Bay

Deciding on the best time to visit Ha Long Bay largely depends on what type of experience the tourist is interested in.

Here are some guidelines:

1. Spring Season: March to May

The best time to visit Ha Long Bay is in spring since the temperature is relatively high and the sea is appropriate for boating activities since the rainy season is over. It has a mild climate with average temperatures ranging from 17 to 25 degrees Celsius.

2. Summer Season refers to the period from June to August

Summers are characterised by hot and humid conditions and the temperatures reach up to 35 degree Celsius. However, the rain storms during this time give a unique aura of mystery to the islands of the bay under the grey clouds and fog.

3. July to August

Also prefers cultural events during the Ha long Carnival, Long Tien temple festival and the Bai Tu Long regatta. Those who go for budget accommodations find good hotel rates during this period.

4. The Autumn Season is from September to November

The best time to view the fall colours, according to the source, can be at the end of October. The climate is moderately warm with little precipitation ranging from 20°C to 27°C.

5. Winter is usually from December to February

Ha Long Bay has cold winter with foggy and drizzly weather with average temperature ranging between 10°C and 20°C, though they have been known to drop as low as 10°C. Because of this, not many tourists travel at this time even though hotels have their most attractive offers. The great scenery and mysterious aura make it an ideal place for taking pictures. Sailing through the misty bay is also equally enjoyable.

How to Reach Ha Long Bay?

The easiest way to get to Ha Long Bay is by a tour package from Hanoi that comes with comfortable transfers to the cruise packages available. The distance of the trip from Hanoi to Ha Long Bay is 170 kilometres and takes about 5 to 4 hours one way.

Many buses and shuttles are available to travel in the morning from Hanoi Old Quarter to Ha Long city for $10 to $15 depending upon the type of vehicle. Transportation to Ha long Bay is convenient since tourists from Hanoi hotels are picked up in luxury limousines or vans and driven to the pier.

Another option is to take a public bus from My Dinh or Luong Yen bus station to Ha Long or Bai Chay station. The cheapest means is by bus from Gia Lam station but this is relatively uncomfortable.

There are many overnight trains and sleeper buses from Hanoi to Ha Long city as well. The cheapest option is to take a day train that arrives in Ha Long by evening. It is also possible to arrive by motorbike to Ha Long Bay within 5-6 hours, or rent a car/taxi and get there in approximately 4 hours. Getting a flight from Hanoi to Cat Bi airport only takes an hour but may be slightly costly.

Best Hill Stations and Beaches

Some of the best hill stations and beaches to visit in the Ha Long Bay area include:

1. Ti Top Island – A beautiful island with a semi-circle-shaped beach surrounded by mountains and the sea. At the peak after climbing around the mountain, one is rewarded with a great view of the area, particularly the bay.

2. Ha Long Bay – This is an extensive bay with the largest island of Cat Ba with forests, grottoes, lakes, waterfalls, trails and wildlife at the Cat Ba National Park. Cat Co 1, 2 and 3 are the most beautiful beaches here.

3. Quan Lan Island – Still one of the remote tourist attractions in Vietnam, the island boasts beautiful sandy shores backed by casuarina trees and vibrant coral for those who love snorkelling and diving holidays. There are five beaches in the island and according to many sources, Quan Lan beach is the most beautiful.

4. Monkey Island – This island is home to apes and a beautiful Monkey beach. You can take a kayak to watch monkeys in forested hillslopes in the vicinity of the sand dunes.

5. Titov Island – Small island which has been named after Russian explorer Grigory Titov famous for its beautiful view of the peak of the bay. Also like nice, calm beaches.

The Most Beautiful Love Spots in Ha Long Bay

Some of the most romantic places to visit in Ha Long Bay for honeymooners and couples include:

1. Dark cave – using a bamboo boat one can row through the Dark Cave with lanterns and then proceed to Bright Cave with crystal stalactites for couples.

2. Ti Top Island – There is a climb to the top of this island for some quiet time and watch the sunset and be able to feast your eyes on the panoramic view of Ha Long Bay.

3. Cat Ba Island – Take a scooter and drive to the less explored areas of this green island such as the Viet Hai village, Lan Ha Bay and beautiful Cat Co beaches surrounded by nature.

4. Vung Vieng Fishing Village – Go for a rowing boat ride around this quaint floating village of wooden fishermen’s houses for an ideal romantic getaway. Have a fun time sharing great seafood spreads.

5. Paradise Peak – A cable car trip of 10 minutes takes you to the romantic observation deck aptly named Paradise Peak on Hon Gai that overlooks poetic Ha Long Bay with thousands of islets against a backdrop of hills.

Top Foods One Should Take in Ha Long Bay

When exploring Ha Long Bay’s islands, it would be a radical mistake not to try some of the seafood which has just been caught in the emerald waters. Here are the top 5 Vietnamese dishes to try in the Ha Long Bay region:

1. Seafood – Squids, prawns, lobsters, abalones, and several types of fish are also common in local dishes because of the marine environment.

2. Nem Cua Be – A local dish from Ha Long Bay, this seafood pancake is made with crispy crab and prawn mixed with mushrooms and vegetables for texture.

3. Banh Khoai – These are Ha Long-style savoury pancakes prepared from rice flour and egg with shrimps or calamari rings enclosed within the pancake, served hot with fresh herbs, lettuce and fish sauce.

4. Cha Muc – These squid cakes are the pride of the culinary culture of Vietnam, made of minced squid combined with onions, pepper, and rice flour, giving crispy and savoury patties.

5. Salted mullet fish roe or caviar is popular in Ha Long and Dua Muoi, where it is covered with betel leaf, toasted peanuts, fresh herbs, and lettuce for a heavenly salty-sweet sensation.

Travelling to Ha Long Bay, which means descending dragons in English, adventure is surely around the corner.

Top things to do

Here are the top things you must experience during your vacation:

1. Overnight Cruise

Sleeping on a traditional wooden junk boat lets you wake up to the wonders of the bay with the dramatic landscape bathed in blood red during the sunset and the limestone formations become surreal.

2. The Caves

A complete expedition to navigate through the shallow caves and crevices with stalactites hanging from the ceiling and even the sun’s rays with the waters below clearly visible in some of the holes in the walls in this adventurous activity.

3. Scuba Diving

Discover the beauty of the aquatic life beneath the emerald blue waters of Ha Long with fishes, corals, sea turtles, puffer fishes, etc. Expert swimmers can dive over reefs and swim under limited water structures such as swim-through and black water caverns.

4. Squid Fishing

Witness and even participate in a traditional Sri Lankan activity of squid fishing, using traditional methods to catch fresh squid, which is best eaten grilled, right on the boat.

5. Cable Car Ride

Feel a bird’s eye view of the islands and waters in cable cars as you get to see the magical seascape and hills encrusted with rainforest greens at Bai Tho mountain and Paradise Peak among others.

The Ha Long Bay Shopping and Souvenirs

Take home memories of your Ha Long Bay experience with specialty items and trinkets. Some worthwhile shopping options include:

1. Lụa – The workshop is located on Cat Hai island and produces exclusively 100% pure Vietnamese silk which includes silk paintings, embroidered bags, carpets, and apparels with beautiful paintings of the islets of the bay.

2. Pearl Jewellery – Natural, lustrous pearl jewellery made from pearl-forming bay ecosystems can be explored in jewellery shops in Hai Phong city. Pearls of different kinds of strands, rings, pendants and studs in pure gold and silver ornaments are classy gifts.

3. Art and crafts – Each cruise and port has shops selling lacquerware, wooden carving and pottery, which are locally made. Wooden junk boats crafted with elaborate carvings and paintings, chopsticks and bowls with images of Ha Long bay are excellent souvenirs.

4. Squid Jerky – Crispy dried squid, a favourite delicacy from the island regions, is seasoned like a fruit jerky and infused with chilli and five-spice powder. They keep well too.

5. Art – Walking around the numerous art boutiques, one can buy an original oil painting or watercolour depicting Ha Long’s limestone peaks at dawn, dusk or during a storm by premier Vietnamese artists.

Visa for Indians to Ha Long Bay

Vietnam and Ha Long Bay require Indians to have a pre-approved visa before travelling to the area. The visa application process includes:

1. When applying for an approval letter or pre-approved visa, you should go to the Vietnam immigration authority’s website. Processing takes between 2 and 4 days.

2. Include scanned copies of passports, photos and hotel bookings in the application where needed. Business visas require invitation letters from the intended business entities to be visited.

3. Single entry visa is issued for 30 days while multiple entry visa permits stay up to 3 months in 1 year.

4. Single entry visa fees are $25 (INR 2000 approx) and multiple entry visa fees are $50 (INR 4000 approx) which can be paid online.