Ha Long Bay is located in the Northeast of Vietnam, belonging to Quang Ninh Province. It is in the coastal area. To the west and northwest, Ha Long Bay stretches from Yen Hung District, and includes the large urban areas of Ha Long City and Cam Pha Town, as well as Van Don Island District. To the south and southeast, it is adjacent to the western Tonkin Gulf and to the west and southwest lies Cat Ba Island in the province of Hai Phong. On the world map, Ha Long Bay borders to China in the north and in the east it is adjacent to the East Sea.

 

In 1962, the Ministry of Culture and Information classified Ha Long Bay as a National Landscape Site, covering an area of 1,553 km2 with 1,969 islands. Ha Long Bay has been recognized twice by UNESCO as a World Heritage Area for its universal values of landscape, geology and geomorphology, respectively in 1994 and 2000, an area of 434 sq. km. including 775 islands

 

Climate is featured humid tropical charactor, including two distinct seasons: hot, humid with much rainning in summer and cold, dry in winter. The average temperature ranges from 150 to 250C with annual average rainfall of 2,000 to 2,200mm/year. Ha Long Bay has a typical tidal time (tidal amplitude ranges from 3.5 to 4.0m). The degree of salt in the sea water ranges from 31 to 34.5% in the dry season and decreases in the rainy season.

Getting there and away
Bus: In Ha Long bay, you can catch Hanoi-bound buses from Mien Tay bus station in Bai Chay, close to the Bai Chay bridge, every 15 minutes.
Buses to Hai Phong take you 2 hours and leave every 20 minutes from a bus station across the road from Mien Tay. Buses to Northeasten destination leave from Hon Gai bus station.
Car and motorbike: Ha Long city is 170km from Hanoi, 55km from Hai Phong and 45 km from Cam Pha. The one way trip from Hanoi to Ha Long bay takes about 3 hours and a half by car.
Boat: There are daily slow boats connecting with Hai Phong (about three hours). There is also a daily boat connecting Hon Gai and Cat Hai Island but its departure times depend on the season and the number of visitors. There are occasional direct boats from Hon Gai to Cat Ba Island.
There are also services from Hon Gai and Bai Chay to Mong Cai (Chinese border) by hydrofoil.
Current types of tourism
- Travelling by boat: tourists can go to Ha Long Bay to view the landscape, visit the caves and grottoes and relax and go swimming on the sandy beaches of the limestone islands.

- Kayaking: a romantic and adventurous kind of tourism. A large boat carries small inflatable canoes or kayaks to deserted, almost unknown areas of the Bay. Visitors can paddle by themselves to explore remote wild islands and caves.

- Cultural-historical tourism: tours for people interested in culture and archaeology. They stay a longer time in Ha Long to visit archaeological remains, study tangible and intangible culture and experience the beautiful land and seascapes, along with the outstanding geological and historical sites.

- Eco-tourism on Ha Long Bay: visitors can visit isolated ecosystems with beautiful sandy beaches, tidal flats, mangroves, coastal wetlands and coral reefs.

 

+ Route 1: Tourist Wharf – Thien Cung Grotto– Dau Go Cave – Dinh Huong Islet – Ga Choi Islet (3-4 hours)
+ Route 2: Tourist Wharf – Thien Cung Grotto– Dau Go Cave – Dinh Huong Islet – Ga Choi Islet– Sung Sot Grotto– Ti Tov Beach (7-8 hours).
+ Route 3: Tourist Wharf – Me Cung Cave – Sung Sot Grotto – Ti Tov Beach  (7-8 hours).
+ Route 4: Tourist Wharf – Tam Cung Cave – Sung Sot Cave – Luon Cave (7-8 hours).
+ Route 5: Tourist Wharf – Bai Tu Long – Ngoc Vung Island – Quan Lan Island (two days, one night).