Map of Halong Bay. How to get to Halong Bay

  - a real treasure of Vietnam. Fantastic in its beauty views amaze thousands of tourists who visit this place every year.

Halong Bay, in other words, is a bay where thousands of mysterious caves and grottoes, cliffs, bizarre cliffs, large and very tiny islands are collected by nature. Its size is impressive - more than one and a half thousand km. sq.!

It is worth saying that Halong itself is the capital city of the Vietnamese province of Quang Ninh, which is by no means of independent interest.

Halong Bay Description

Halong is famous not only for its breathtaking landscapes of cliffs and islands. Mysterious caves are hidden in the rocks, inside of which is a whole world full of ominously hanging down stalactites and growing from the bottom of the cones and pillars of stalagmites, as well as small waterfalls.

Equipping the caves with multi-colored lamps, the Vietnamese created for the tourists bright underground iridescent with all colors.

The islands of the bay - completely different in size - are randomly scattered across the water and stick out of it like rocks.

Almost a thousand islands have their original name, including such interesting names as Elephant, Antelope, Fighting Rooster, Lizard. It is clear that they are named so either due to their outlandish form, or in honor of the animals that live on the island.

Some of the islands are completely occupied by caves.

• Among the famous cave islands is the "Cave of Wooden Spears", which is famous for the fact that inside it were stored spears driven into the bottom of the bay during the war with the Mongols.
• In the “Drum Cave” a strong wind at times creates a hum similar to drum roll.
• Inside some caves, for example, in the “Cave of Pillars”, there are clear lakes with fresh drinking water.
• The largest cave in Kuang Han, its length is over one kilometer.

The largest island of the Bay is 285 square meters. km and has the name Katba, which translates as "island of women." Here is a unique natural park, which occupies half the territory, a tourist complex and excellent sandy land for bathing.

Another famous island is Tuanchau, on which the former residence of Ho Chi Minh - the famous leader - a fighter for independence, is located.

Another interesting place showing the whole flavor of local Vietnamese life is floating fishing villages. Incredible, but they are built on rafts!

The local flora and fauna is extremely rich, and fishermen manage to catch more than 200 species of fish and about 450 different mollusks.

The people of Vietnam are quite superstitious, so the story of Halong is riddled with mythical legends and stories. The most popular of them are associated with dragons, which now adorn all kinds of souvenirs in the bay, because the very name "Halong" translates approximately as "the place where the dragon plunges."

According to one legend, the land where Halong is now located was previously inhabited by a huge fire-breathing dragon. Walking along it, with his powerful tail, touching the mountains, he hollowed out rocks, and left deep holes with his paws.

Going down to the coast, the dragon plunged into the sea, which overflowed the coast, flooded the entire valley, and only cliffs, cliffs and thousands of islands created by a powerful creature remained from it.

Another tradition is no less fantastic.

In ancient times, Heaven helped the Vietnamese to fight with the Chinese soldiers who tried to plunder and seize their land. In order to prevent defeat, it sent a flock of magic dragons to help, in which, instead of fire, gems, pearls, poured into the sea from the mouth. Only by touching the sea waves did they turn right in front of the opponents into islands and thus defeated enemy ships.

Having dealt with the hated enemies, the dragons decided to settle on this earth. The mother of all dragons, chose for herself the most picturesque bay, which has since been called Halong in honor of the Dragon, descending into the sea.

Historians say that in the 13th century, hostilities did take place in the bay, but between the Mongols and the Vietnamese.

Having driven long wooden spears into the bottom, the Vietnamese lured enemies there and easily defeated, as the Mongolian ships fell into the trap, flying into pointed spears, which were invisible due to the tide.

By the way, the scientific, more real theory of the formation of the bay is as follows. The coast, created from limestone rocks, was washed away by rains over time, carried away by the wind - from here caves, grottoes and rocks originated.

The coast of the gulf began to sink about 10-15 thousand years ago, which led to the appearance of islands that rise among the waters.

At present, Halong Bay is a unique creation of nature, a World Heritage Site and protected by UNESCO. In addition, in 2011, Halong was considered one of the wonders of the world.

Where is Halong Bay located on the map

The map below shows the exact location of the bay.

How to get to Halong Bay

Distance from Hanoi to Halong

The bay is located 170 kilometers from the capital of Vietnam, Hanoi in the Gulf of Tonkin in the South China Sea.

It is most convenient to get there as part of an excursion, but an independent trip is also possible, which may turn out to be even more expensive than an organized tour. Some tourists come to the bay from Chinese Nanying by bus. From Ho Chi Minh City you can get flying to Haiphong.

How to get from Hanoi to Halong

The most basic route runs from the capital Hanoi.

Minibuses and shuttle buses

In about 3 hours, tourist minibuses arrive in Halong, longer due to the many stops (about 5 hours), but the cheapest option is a shuttle bus. Buses are usually taken directly to the marina.

Airport transfer

Some Halong hotels offer their future guests their own transfer from Hanoi Airport to Halong. In addition, you can rent a car with a driver for several days.

A train

Through the city of Haiphong (two hours drive from the capital) trains run to Halong. From here you can also get there by ferry, boat or speed boat.

Time and cost of visiting

Halong Bay is visited all year round, but the winter months can significantly spoil the impression of this place due to strong winds, and summer is usually famous for long rains. The best time to visit is autumn and spring.

To enjoy and enjoy the bay, you can not do without a boat ride between the cliffs and islands or a cruise for several days. The cost of such excursions depends on the number of days, the class of the boat and the place where the tour was purchased. In official cash registers, in travel agencies the prices are lower.

• A standard boat ride with a visit to the island costs from $ 5.
• A 2–3-day cruise with meals and a night stop at the hotel (or by boat) will cost $ 35 and more.
• If you book a tour from Hanoi, then one day, including travel, will cost from $ 25, two days from $ 50, and three from $ 85.
• Some firms offer helicopter rides over Halong cost from $ 175.

In any case, it's worth it, because Halong is a real masterpiece created by nature.

Amazing, mysterious, majestic and simply inspiring: all the words are simply not enough to convey all the beauty of the nature of Halong Bay. The map of Halong Bay will help not only to orient, but also to imagine more than 3 thousand islands that rise above the emerald Gulf of Tonkin. Even your imagination will not be able to draw the views of this bay. Halong is a real work of art, a large and priceless collection of sculptures that were created by nature itself!

Tourist trip to Halong
  Halong Bay is the number one attraction in northeast Vietnam, so it does not suffer from "loneliness." This place is not deprived of the attention of tourists all year round. Nevertheless, there is a certain period of the year when the winds blow and very often a small but piercing rain pours. So from February to April you should not visit this "paradise". Most of the tourists who go on a trip around the bay begin their walk with visits to the caves and walks through the national park on the island of Katba. There is also a very large number of coasts with pleasant warm sand and azure water.
Caves
  You can also visit many different caves and grottoes, which are very easy to find using the map of Halong Bay. Many caves have lakes and one of them is the "Cave of Wonder." Here, nature created a pink, yellow and purple highlight! "Cave of wooden stakes", where during the war the Vietnamese hid their weapons. Another “Drum Cave” - got its name due to the fact that with a strong wind you can hear a sound resembling a fraction of drums.
Canoeing
  When you are on tour, be sure to try a canoe ride. You can swim near the wonderful grottoes and see some islands nearby! You can see local fishermen and whole floating fishing villages.
Cat Ba Island
  This is the largest island in the bay, that's why life is in full swing here. Most often people are brought here if they take a tour for several days. On this island there are three beaches and a well-developed infrastructure for a good holiday. It should be noted the local market, where everything is much cheaper than in Nha Trang. So buy souvenirs, and in the evening go for a walk along the promenade and visit the national park.
Get yourself or buy a tour?
If you decide to go on your own, then a trip to Halong Bay will cost more than a group sightseeing tour. Despite this, many still prefer to "go alone" on a trip. What is required for this?
  First of all, buy or print a map of Halong Bay. From Hanoi you should get to the city of Halong (40 thousand dong - 3.5 hours) Book a place and get a boat to the island of Kat Ba (130 thousand dong - the price includes entrance to the national park and 6 hours on the way). The boat will sail through all the attractions, and you will get to Ben Beo Bay.
  So on this large island you can organize trips to the caves, as well as spend plenty of time on the beach.
  If you go on a group tour, then the cost of such a trip will be from $ 100, depending on the duration. One of the companies also arranges helicopter rides over the bay on Saturdays - the cost is $ 175 per person.

Ha Long Bay is an extremely picturesque place in the north of Vietnam in the South China Sea. Consisting of more than 3,000 tiny and not very islands, cliffs, cliffs and caves, the bay is deservedly very popular with tourists from all over the world. According to ancient legend, all this beauty was created by a huge dragon who lived in the mountains. Once he went down to the land and broke it with his mighty tail into many thousands of pieces. Locals still believe in its existence.

Halong Bay on the map:

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Halong Bay.

Basically, tourists enjoy short one-day excursions to colorful islands in small fishing boats, fascinating descents into numerous caves with stalactites and stalagmites, contemplation of local beauties while sailing from the skeleton to the island. Recently, diving has also become popular here, since the underwater world of Halong is also unusually diverse and bright. The main souvenirs that travelers bring after visiting Halong are all kinds of shells and memos from caves - pieces of stalactites and stalagmites.

Video “Halong Bay. The amazing world of the islands (Vietnam) ":

Halong in Vietnam.

Halong Bay (Vietnam) is considered one of the must-see places, it must be seen! However, it is located in the north of the country, and it is difficult to get there from the southern resorts. But if you still offer an excursion to Halong Bay or you want to visit it yourself, be sure to go on the road! You will not regret the journey!

How to get to Halong Bay?

The city of Halong on the map of Vietnam is located in the north, and you need to keep the path to it, then go on a tour of the bay of the same name. The easiest way to do this is from Hanoi. You can choose one of these options:

• Take public transport. The journey by shuttle bus or minivan will take about 5 hours, because there will be many stops. But this is the cheapest option, a ticket costs about $ 5.
• Hire a taxi. The trip will be quite expensive and will cost about $ 50.
• Buy excursion round. Prices start at $ 50, the cost depends on the duration of the tour and its program.

Despite the fact that the trip by public transport seems more budget, it is best to choose an organized tour from Hanoi. The fact is that in Halong itself you still have to buy tours of the bay, and the shortest (for 3 hours) will cost tourists $ 30. Moreover, during this time you will not be able to see everything. Experienced travelers are advised to buy two, or even three-day tours from Hanoi, because during this time you can see much more attractions.

One-day excursions to Halong Bay (Vietnam) from Hanoi take place according to one scenario: the bus brings tourists to the pier, where they transfer to a boat or boat and go for a walk along the bay. This will be a short tour, because you need to have time to return back on the same day. Tours in several days are different:

• Overnight at one of Halong hotels. Tourists are brought to the city, boat trips are carried out by boat or boat, and in the evening they are sent to the hotel. The following days are also spent on tours of the bay.
• Mini cruise. Then tourists sail in a comfortable ship and spend nights in cabins. The cost of such a tour depends on the type of cabin and the class of the ship.

Halong Bay (Vietnam): how to get from Nha Trang?

Many tourists choose the popular Vietnamese resort Nha Trang for relaxation. Halong Bay (visible on the map) is located very far from it. And although you can get there by public bus (of course, there is no direct route), only those with a lot of free time and energy can do this. It is best to fly from Nha Trang to Hanoi by plane. With this option, you can plan a visit to Hanoi,. And from there, go on your own to Halong Bay.


  Organized tours (for 2-3 days) are also better to choose with a flight, and not with a bus transfer. True, they will cost from 300 dollars. But you will not need to buy transport tickets on your own, book a hotel and arrange excursions around the bay. Often tours from Nha Trang to Halong are offered with a stop in Hanoi. And this is a convenient option to at the same time see the capital of Vietnam.

What to see in the bay?

Halong Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and that already says a lot. It has magnificent nature: a bay with more than 3,000 islands, mostly rocky. It is because of the beautiful views that tourists visit this bay. The name Halong means "dragon's teeth." The rocky islets do look a bit like dragon teeth sticking out of the water. The Vietnamese are trying to maintain the purity and pristine nature in this bay.
  The most popular excursions and attractions in the bay:

• • Boat trips around many islands. Since there are thousands of islands in the gulf, only a detour takes them a long time. Therefore, sea excursions with landing on some islands and climbing to observation platforms are popular.

• Swim into the grottoes and visit the caves. Such excursions are very impressive! On small boats (kayaks), tourists are transported under rocky arches, and then they are planted near one of the caves and carried inside. The multi-colored illumination of the "innards" of the cave creates an amazing picture and allows you to make great pictures, despite the lack of sunlight.

• Excursion to the farm where pearls are grown. Vietnam is one of the world leaders in pearl production. And tourists will be able to see where the pearls are cultivated and find out exactly how they do it.
• Visit. It is the largest island in the bay, and it has a lot of interesting things. You can visit the national natural park with lakes and caves, as well as a museum dedicated to military operations in Vietnam.

• Boat trips with immersion. Snorkeling in the bay will give enough vivid impressions: you can see the underwater vegetation and the inhabitants of the bay, including sea urchins.
• Mini cruises. This is a great opportunity not only to see the exotic nature and various interesting places, but also to visit a real sea cruise. On a comfortable ship, tourists will be offered a place in the cabin, entertainment, delicious food and drinks. In addition, it is more pleasant to view the surroundings if you are lying in a deck chair on the deck of a cruise ship!

Halong Bay is a place worth visiting by tourists from anywhere in the world. A tour of the islands will give an unforgettable experience. Be sure to grab the camera to leave beautiful views and your emotions in mind!