10 Fascinating Things You Cannot Miss in Halong Bay

Halong Bay - recognized many times as a natural heritage of the world by UNESCO with thousands of islands. Halong Bay has many beautiful sceneries so this place is a very attractive tourist destination for both domestic and international travellers. How is your upcoming Halong trip planned? Let’s us offer you some fascinating activities which cannot be ignored in Halong Bay?

1. Exploring Halong Sunworld Entertainment Park

Although the park has been opened since February 2017, the combination of the theme park and the water park is still in its infancy. However, there are plenty of recreational activities so that visitors can take part in relaxing at SunWorld. The games are designed for ages from children to adults so that everyone finds their own passion and interest. The Japanese garden - Zen Park is popular with many tourists thanks to its peaceful and relaxing atmosphere. The ticket to Halong Sunworld Park including the SunWheel, Queen cable car, and Zen Park is 300.000VND (13$).

SunWheel 

Located in the SunWorld Park Complex, but the special SunWheel deserves to have a distinct place on this list. The giant revolving SunWheel is the destination that offers the stunning views of Halong Bay that you cannot miss. With a height of 215m from the sea, the SunWheel is one of the two largest wheels in Vietnam.

Situated on Ba Deo Mount at 215 meters above sea level, the SunWheel is one of the highest panoramic views of the world. You will want to sit on this wonderful wheel twice to see all Halong Bay. Try it once in the day, when you clearly see nature around. Then, try again in the evening, when the night sky becomes the perfect background for the sparkling lights of Halong Bay.

Queen Cable car

Queen Cable Car brings a wonderful view of Halong nature. When going along the cable, you will praise because there is no place to bring so great experience like this. Children will also enjoy the opportunity to cross the sea with a unique vehicle. You can watch the sky above and the sea below. This experience is the right choice for every travellers.

2. Kayaking and Canoeing

The holiday in Halong Bay cannot be completed without spending time on water activities with family. If you want to discover the area's most beautiful spots by waterway, you can take part in a kayak or a bamboo boat. Bring the waterproof camera to take pleasure in capturing the best moments of your journey and be sure to bring your protective gear.

Kayaking is often accompanied by tours and other recreational activities. However, you can hire yourself a kayak all day without having to take a tour. The rescuers will observe and ensure your safety throughout the journey, so you are free to explore the beauty of Halong Bay.

3. Taking part in activities underwater

Recreational activities are not limited to the ocean surface but are also hidden beneath the ocean. Halong Bay is a picturesque spot with many pristine beaches for guests to swim or relax all day. Here, in addition to kayaking on the beach, the company also offers other interesting activities for visitors to experience.

Halong Bay and surrounding areas are ideal locations for scuba diving. The bayside setting of the bay will certainly not disappoint you. Thousands of coral reefs with many species of fish are the feature that makes Halong Bay become the preferred diving site.

Scuba diving is a good what-to-do in Halong Bay to capture the mark with the whole family. However, visitors should note that not everyone has enough power for this activity in the long run. Snorkeling is an interesting choice to learn more about the marine life. 

4. Visiting the floating village

If you want to feel the simple local life, please come to visit the small fishing villages scattered across Halong Bay. The floating villages are made up of small tent-like houses nestled between the islands in the bay. The people living here are fishermen and normally, they will sell some items. This will be a peaceful and relaxing experience in Halong. Some cruise tours include visiting floating villages and meeting people.

5. Visiting the pearl village

It is said that the islands of Halong Bay were created by a mighty dragon, decorated the sea surface by releasing rare gems. This legend also refers to mysterious treasures that can be found in the bay. A floating village on the beach is called "Pearl Village" - a place where visitors prefer to shop for jewelry or learn about the wonders that should not be missed. In Here, the tourists will have the opportunity to visit the pearl village to find out how the pearls are made, visit farms, museums and even buy some pearl jewelry to take home.

6. Relaxing on a cruise

Experience the night on Halong Bay cruise is one thing you need to do on the journey. If you do not have much time, you should consider a day trip. If you can, choose a longer tour. The overnight itinerary on the yacht is a perfect choice for your vacation. You will discover the beauty of Halong Bay on the boat, even a traditional Chinese style boat. If you choose luxury yachts, you will be served with 5-star service. Each cruise ship offers a different route and recreational activities.

Some tours will take you to explore the massive caves in the area. Others will take you to learn about the pearl village or kayaking. Find yourself a journey with various what-to-do activities in Halong Bay.

7. Visiting the beautiful caves in Halong Bay

Halong attracts tourists to visit and relax all year round. This place is in favor of nature for the beauty of the sky, floating in the sea and rushing clouds with waves in four seasons. Halong always brings visitors to visit the new and exciting feelings. Coming to Halong Bay, tourists are presented with beautiful natural scenery, be in harmony with the cool beaches which are green as jade. More than that, Halong has a beautiful and unique cave system. This will be an unforgettable impression for visitors.

From April 1st, 2017, the ticket price in Halong Bay is 250,000 VND/person/whole line (11$):

Line 1 with a visit time of 4 hours includes Cho Da Islet, Dinh Huong island, Ba Hang fishing village, Trong Mai island, Thien Cung cave, and Dau Go cave (the ticket does not include 60,000VND/guest for the boat to visit Ba Hang fishing village).

Line 2 with 6 hours of sightseeing include Dinh Huong island, Ba Hang fishing village, Trong Mai island, Sung Sot cave, Titop island, Me Cung cave, and Luon cave (the ticket does not include 60,000VND/guest for the boat to visit Ba Hang fishing village).

Line 3 with a traveling time of 8 hours include all sightseeing spots of Route 1 and Route 2, so the tour price for this route is 540,000 VND/person (24$).

8. Visiting the pagodas in Halong

There are many Buddhist temples in Quang Ninh Province, not too far from Halong Bay. One of them is Yen Tu Pagoda, which attracts the most tourists in the region. Some temples are located in caves and on islands, scattered throughout the bay. Normally, the pagoda is considered as a part of the tour so that visitors can experience Halong more fully. The cultural meaning and quietness will take you to rest and relax during the busy journey. There is also a cable car to serve tourists visiting Yen Tu.

  • Cable car operating hours: 7 a.m – 6 p.m daily
  • Ticket price: 120.000VND/way (about 5$/way)

9. Discovering Quang Ninh Museum

During the trip to Halong, Quang Ninh Province’s Museum is a place not to be missed. Friends and relatives will learn about the history of nature, Vietnam and the world. A lot of positive comments for this place will make you understand why even though the museum is closed for two hours of lunchtime, there are plenty of visitors willing to wait to see and witness this modern museum. You will be impressed with the layout as well as space inside the museum. This is also where you can take advantages of the extended experience for kids on vacation.
    • Open all weekdays (except Monday)
    • Opening hours:
      • Morning: 8h00 - 11h30
      • Afternoon: 13h30 - 17h00
    • Ticket price: 30,000 VND/person (1.3$)

10. Shopping

Finally, an experience that you should not miss when visiting Halong is shopping. Buy lovely souvenirs for family and friends but do not forget to shop for yourself. One of the ideal spots, not to be missed is the Halong night market. Located in the Marine Plaza commercial and entertainment complex (Hung Thang Urban Area, Hung Thang Ward, Halong City). So, besides shopping and dining, visitors also participate in many recreational activities and sports including watching the movie, billiards, bowling, video games and children's play areas.

After this article, you may have decided on some interesting what-to-do activities in your trip in Halong Bay. Wish you have a fun trip!

Jim Liang

"A young & wild Asian wanderer who love traveling, writing and sharing his travel experience to audiences who are planning to Asia. To him, life is about traveling and his journey has just started."

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