Ha Long Bay
Close to two thousand limestone islands off the coast of north-east Vietnam, a pagoda mountain inland at Yen Tu, and a runway long enough for any jet fifty kilometres up the coast at Van Don.
- Arrival
- Van Don International · VDO
- To the city
- About 50 km to Ha Long City
- Private jets
- At VDO, open around the clock
- Best time
- April to June
The city
Stone islands and a mountain of pagodas.
The bay holds 1,969 islands, 980 of them with a name, scattered over some 1,550 km². Bai Tho Mountain, above Ha Long City, gives the view across them. Inland, Yen Tu Mountain rises behind Uong Bi, its pagodas reached by cable car or on foot.
The heritage authority that looks after the bay recommends April to June, when the days turn warm. Winter is cool and often misty, with afternoons near 20 °C; the heaviest rain falls from June to September.
- The bay Nearly two thousand islands of limestone rising straight from the sea, protected as a World Heritage site.
- Bai Tho Mountain A steep climb above Ha Long City, recommended from October to April, with the islands spread below.
- Yen Tu A mountain of pagodas inland from the bay, with a Golden Buddha statue and a cable car for the climb.
Arriving
Van Don, up the coast.
Van Don International, built and run by Sun Group, lies about 50 km from Ha Long City. Its 3,600 m runway takes wide-body jets and has an instrument landing system; fog and heavy rain are most likely from June to September.
- Hong Kong 1 h 15
- Ho Chi Minh City 1 h 50
- Shanghai 2 h 45
- Delhi 4 h 25
- Paris 12 h 15 long-range jet
When to go
April to June.
The bay has a true winter: from December to February highs stay near 20 °C and the sea cools to 19 °C. The warmth returns in April and the sea reaches 27 °C by May, while the rain builds from May to a peak of over 300 mm in August.
- 20° J 27 19°
- 20° F 31 19°
- 23° M 43 20°
- 27° A 91 23°
- 31° M 168 27°
- 32° J 244 29°
- 32° J 267 29°
- 32° A 312 30°
- 31° S 206 29°
- 29° O 119 28°
- 25° N 55 25°
- 22° D 24 22°
Where to stay
At the foot of Yen Tu.
Shown for information. We have no arrangement with any of these hotels.
Where to dine
Two hotel dining rooms.
The MICHELIN Guide Vietnam does not cover Ha Long. These are the fine-dining rooms of two hotels, one on the bay and one at Yen Tu, as each hotel describes them.
- Yulong Mansion Fine dining, InterContinental Halong Bay Cantonese InterContinental Halong Bay Resort, Ha Long
- Tho Quang Signature restaurant, Legacy Yen Tu MGallery Vietnamese royal and international Legacy Yen Tu, Uong Bi, well outside Ha Long
Elsewhere in Vietnam
More reasons to come.
- Hanoi The Old Quarter, its lakes, and the French opera house.
- Hoi An An old trading port of lanterns and tailors.
- Da Nang The airport for the central coast, and the beaches of its bay.
- Ho Chi Minh City The former Saigon, with its old post office and crowded streets.
- Phu Quoc Pepper farms, fish-sauce houses and long west-facing beaches.
Flying to Ha Long Bay?
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A Business or First Class seat on a scheduled airline, or an aircraft of your own. Tell us the date and how many are travelling, and we reply with one final price, our margin included.