Halong Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay - Which one is better?

Are you thinking of taking a trip to Vietnam and considering Bai Tu Long Bay instead of Halong Bay as a possible destination? In contrast to Halong Bay, which is well-known to tourists in Vietnam, Bai Tu Long Bay is less well-known, particularly to visitors from outside of Vietnam. With the help of this brief comparison between Halong Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay from Best Vietnam Tour Packages, you can choose the option that best meets your travel requirements and price range.

Halong Bay

Located directly off the coast from Ha Long City, it covers an area of 43,400 hectares and incorporates more than 1,600 individual islands and islets, most of which are uninhabited.

Not only is Halong Bay internationally recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the ‘Bay of the Descending Dragons’ also plays an important role in Vietnamese folklore and spirituality. It’s the country’s most popular attraction for international and domestic tourists alike, and for good reason – the landscape is truly surreal.

How to get to Halong Bay?

Getting to Halong Bay from Hanoi is straightforward. In conjunction with day trips and overnight excursions, a lot of travel agencies offer transfers to and from the city.

Cruises departing for Halong Bay leave from Tuan Chau Marina and take a two to three hour voyage from Hanoi. In addition, boats go to Halong Bay from Halong City.

Things to do in Halong Bay

There are many beautiful sites in Halong Bay as well. The two most well-known ones are Surprise Cave and  Island. The journey inside will lead you to a deserted section of one of the islands, as the cave's name suggests, where you'll have an amazing experience.

You'll be in a state of shock once you've taken in the stone, brightly lit inside of the cave. The spectacular 360-degree views of the lake from this point will astound you, especially in light of the Titov Island, which is also known as Titop Island or Ti Top Island. One of the highest hills in the harbor, it provides the best vantage point for seeing various islands from above.

The majority of Halong Bay excursions make it a point to demonstrate to tourists the way of life of the locals in the bay. The ancient industry of fish farming is explained on cruise visits to the fishing villages of Cua Van and Ba Hang.

Renting a kayak or row boat and exploring the bay's caverns up close is another well-liked pastime. The well-known and convenient for individual exploration are the Bo Nau and Dau Go caves.

There is, nevertheless, a discernible degree of tourism-related activity. Due to the islands' close proximity to one another, there is limited space for the hundreds of cruise vessels that crowd the major sites. The peace and enjoyment are, however, diminished as a result of the congestion in some bay regions. You may regularly notice trash from passing boats floating by your window due to the dirty nature of the water.

Who should visit Halong Bay?

Halong Bay is the ideal vacation spot for all types of travelers since it is conveniently accessible from Hanoi and offers a variety of day tours and overnight boat choices. But, be aware that it could become busy, especially during the busiest time of year.

If you want to be able to say that you have been to the real Halong Bay, a designated UNESCO Site, taking a boat here is your only choice.

For a multi-night trip with a reliable operator, the more expense is reasonable. I also strongly advise choosing a trustworthy company that supports social and environmental sustainability programs, such as restricting the number of tour groups, managing waste ethically, and employing locals.

Bai Tu Long Bay

Along the shore, Bai Tu Long Bay lies northeast of Halong Bay. The karsts are less frequent, but the formations are the same size and shape. When comparing images of the two bays side by side, it could even be challenging to tell Bai Tu Long Bay from Halong Bay.

Activities and advertising pertaining to tourism have not yet been created. Bai Tu Long Bay's beauty is more tranquil and less crowded than Halong Bay's since numerous cruise ships are permitted to pass through it.

Less crowds of visitors also contribute to a fresher, more pleasant atmosphere that is ideal for families and couples looking for some alone time.

How to get to Bai Tu Long Bay?

Compared to Halong Bay or Lan Ha Bay, Bai Tu Long Bay is a little farther away. Boats leave from the same port, Tuan Chau, although it takes a little longer to get to the karsts on the lake.

Things to do in Bai Tu Long Bay

Bai Tu Long Bay has less sights to see (due to the potentiality of tourism and exploitation). Bai Tu Long National Park, Quan Lan Island, Minh Chau Island, Vung Vieng Fishing Village, Ba Mun Island, Tra Ngo Lon Island, and others are some of the things to see.

To visit Bai Tu Long Bay you can take a cruise in Bai Tu Long for admiring the beauty of the bay.

Bai Tu Long National Park 

Vung Vieng and Cong Dam, two fishing communities in Bai Tu Long Bay, provide comparable opportunities to watch fish aquaculture in operation and daily life on the sea. There are restaurants in these towns where you may eat fish that has just been caught.

There aren't many services at Bai Tu Long Bay, so it could be difficult to locate a place to stay, eat, or find things to do, but the sensation you have when you enter a spotless cave or explore Bai Tu Long National Park is distinct from Halong Bay! Best Vietnam Tour Packages suggests that you book a cruise to explore the bay with us.

WHO SHOULD VISIT BAI TU LONG BAY?

Undeveloped and tranquility abound at Bai Tu Long Bay. Although some islands are still mostly underdeveloped, the tourism industry that has grown there is considerably more managed and sustainable.

Of course, there is a cost to this delight. Bai Tu Long Bay is the greatest option for individuals with more time and money to spend

Comparison Halong Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay

Sightseeing

For the sightseeing, there are more sightseeing in Halong Bay comparing to Bai Tu Long Bay. Yes, of course. That is the reason why Halong is named for this vast area of the bay and it is the core for this area of thousands limestone islands rising from the seas. There are many places for you to visit in this area like Thien Cung Cave, Dau Go Cave, Titop Island where President Ho Chi Minh and Russian astronaut Gherman Titov visited there in 1962 and now it is named Titov Island or Titop Island. The Ba Hang Area, Luon Cave where you can do kayaking. Fighting Cocks Islet, Sung Sot Caves. There are so many places.

There are less places for sightseeing in Bai Tu Long. Some places you may visit like Ban Chan Beach, Thien Canh Son Cave, Cong Dam Area, Monster Face Rock.

Natural Beauty

For the natural beauty, both of Halong Bay or Bai Tu Long Bay are very similar with thousand of limestone islands and islets rising from the bay. So there are not much difference here.

Cruises and Services

For the cruises and services, there are more services and there are more cruises operating in Halong Bay comparing to Bai Tu Long Bay. Because there are more sightseeing places in Halong Bay so that is the reason why more cruises choosing this area for operating. One more reason is there are more and better services there like harbour, transportation. Halong Bay is the core of the bay so from long time ago it was famous and more cruise operators chose this area.

So nowadays when you visit Halong Bay or Bai Tu Long Bay you will see there are more options for a cruise in Halong comparing to Bai Tu Long. It is easy for you to pick a good cruises in Halong Bay while in Bai Tu Long Bay there are less options. Most of the cruises in Bai Tu Long Bay are the old wooden boat and it seems there is no new boats in this area.

So for the people who may like the Halong Bay Junk Boat you may choose Bai Tu Long Bay.

Peace

As there are more services and more cruises in Halong Bay comparing to Bai Tu Long Bay so it is noisier in Halong Bay than in Bai Tu Long Bay. If you are looking for a peaceful area and Bai Tu Long Bay is better than Halong Bay. Of course, there are not many cruise options for this area.

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