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Private tailor-made journeys of a life time
Mar 14, 2023
By Mia
Halong Bay or Lan Ha Bay? Which one do you choose? One of the most well-liked tourist locations in Vietnam is Halong Bay, which is renowned for its abundance of limestone mountains and breathtaking seascapes. The "forgotten paradise," or Lan Ha Bay, which is near to Halong Bay, is a rough gem with hidden beauty and serves admirably as a stand-in for Halong Bay. Based on your travel choices and timetable, Best Vietnam Tour Packages can assist you in choosing the one that is perfect for you.
Halong Bay and Lan Ha Bay are identical in terms of geography. A number of limestone karsts, gorgeous islands, and stunning terrain and seascapes may be found in each of them. Beaches abound in both of them. Because of the way the islands are scattered throughout the ocean, Lan Ha Bay probably has a greater island density than Halong Bay.
Halong Bay, in Vietnam's northeastern province of Quang Ninh, is a part of the Gulf of Tonkin. There are about 2000 islands and islets in the bay, which is around 1553 km2 in area and is known for the story of the "descending dragon," giving the impression that dragons are landing all over the place. Halong Bay is well-known across the globe and attracts a lot of tourists since it has obtained recognition from UNESCO for both its aesthetic value (recognized in 1994) and its archeological importance (recognized in 2000). This place is a must-visit destination in your Vietnam trip.
The second-largest tourist archipelago in Vietnam and neighbor of Halong Bay, Lan Ha Bay, is situated to the east of Cat Ba island in Hai Phong Province. Several of the mountains in Lan Ha Bay have been given different names by tourists, like Hon Quoc Islet (Wooden Shoe Islet), Dao Khi - Monkey Island, and others. Lan Ha Bay is 7,000 hectares in size and boasts 139 magnificent sandy beaches, 5,400 of which are partially managed by Cat Ba National Park, a Biosphere Reserve declared by UNESCO. In the bay, there are about 400 breathtaking limestone islands in different shapes. In May 2020, Lan Ha Bay officially joined the list of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World (MBBW), despite its tiny area of 70 km2. This was made possible by the bay's untainted and lyrical beauty.
In addition to the fact that a lot of package cruises include transportation from Hanoi Central, you'll discover that getting to both Halong Bay and Lan Ha Bay is simple and convenient.
The first route you can choose from is Hanoi - Halong Bay tour. Halong Bay is around 174 km from Hanoi City. You just take nearly 3 hours to travel from Hanoi to Halong Bay along the highway. There are some options you can choose. The first one is traveling by road. You can take a bus from My Dinh Station or Gia Lam Station to Bai Chay Station with the ticket fee ranging from 100,000 CND to 250,000 VND per person per one way.
The shuttle bus is provided by a Hanoi neighborhood tour provider. Anywhere in the Old Quarter district is a convenient location to pick up and drop off tourists. After that, the guest is taken by car to Halong Bay. One-way tickets cost $10 to $20 per person on average. It could be included if you book a cruise or a vacation to Halong Bay.
The next form of transportation is air travel. It takes around 45 minutes to fly from Noi Bai International Airport to Tuan Chau Port (Halong City). You'll also be granted a 15-minute opportunity to take in the seaplane's aerial tour over Halong Bay. In Vietnam, Hai Au Aviation has been the only company offering seaplane services up to this point. For one journey, adults typically pay around VND 9,300,000.
To go to Halong Bay, you may take a direct flight from Ho Chi Minh City, Danang City, Buon Ma Thuot, and other cities to Van Don International Airport (Quang Ninh Province).
Unlike Halong Bay, which is accessible immediately from Halong City, Lan Ha Bay requires a speedboat or ferry voyage to Cat Ba Island. After that, you can continue your journey to Lan Ha Bay. Visitors have several alternatives for getting to Lan Ha Bay, much as they have for getting to Halong Bay
By boarding a tourist bus/shuttle bus to Dinh Vu Port, which is provided by several enterprises, such as Good Morning Cat Ba (VND 340,000/person/1 trip). Cat Ba Express (VND 590,000/person for a roundtrip combining bus and speedboat); Hoang Long (VND 225,000/person for a one-way trip); and Inter Bus Lines (VND 150,000/person for a one-way journey) are the three options. It can pick up tourists from hotels in the Old Quarter and drop them off at Cat Ba Island hotels. After that, take a 30-minute speedboat voyage from Dinh Vu Port to Cai Vieng Port on Cat Ba Island. This approach takes 3.5 hours to complete.
Private van transportation is strongly advised for large parties or families with children. Take a motorboat from Got Harbour to Cat Ba Island's Cai Vieng Port. A single journey in a private automobile will cost you VND 2,600,000.
The island of Cat Ba is served by Cat Ba International Airport. Binh Harbour - Cat Bi Airport (Haiphong) (35-minute drive) - Cat Ba Island's Cai Vieng Pier (by speedboat, 10 mins) - City of Cat Ba (by bus, 40 mins) Lan Ha Bay is a Vietnamese bay.
Heritage Cruises operates out of Got Harbour and offers one-of-a-kind cruises to Cat Ba Island and Lan Ha Bay.
Visitors may fly to Cat Bi International Airport from a variety of locations. Next you evaluate the regular routes to Lan Ha Bay stated above.
With good reason, Halong Bay is one of Asia's most popular tourist sites. Visitors come to see the towering limestone karsts that are closely packed in this location, giving the impression that they are sailing through a stone forest. Ti Top Island, Soi Sim Beach, Tuan Chau Beach, and Bai Chay Beach are some of the most beautiful beaches in Halong Bay. The beach's allure endures, most likely as a consequence of its recent expansion and the installation of beautiful thatched-roof umbrellas in a variety of styles. These beach is definitely where you shouldn’t miss during your Vietnam Beach Holiday.
Sung Sot (Surprising Cave), Thien Cung (Heavenly Palace Cave), Trinh Nu (Virgin Cave), Me Cung (Maze Cave), and other caves in Halong Bay are the largest in the area. The beautifully carved roof of the cave, which is shaped like a sea wave, the glittering stalactites and stalagmites, and the opportunity to ascend to the top for a bird's-eye view of the harbor may all wow visitors as they enter.
Halong Bay is the finest spot to go if you want to be able to say that you have been to a site that has been designated a world heritage site and have seen its majesty.
There are several wonderful locations in the area that lure tourists to Lan Ha Bay. The beaches in Lan Ha Bay are less developed and farther away than those in Halong Bay since they are farther from the ocean's mouth and can only be reached by boat when the weather is good. Around Lan Ha Bay, there are a number of unnamed beaches with white sand, clear water, and excellent kayaking, swimming, and sunbathing spots. These beaches are joined by others including Ba Trai Dao and Van Boi Beach.
The caves located in Lan Ha Bay were formed millions of years ago and include exquisite stalactites, although not being as big as those in Halong. Most of the caverns are flooded. You won't regret hiring a kayak or sampan to explore the cave and take in the magnificent lagoon surroundings, even though you can't go inside the cave or up to the top. It is unquestionably necessary to see Dark and Light Cave, the most well-known cave.
Lan Ha Bay is a choice for those looking to explore the Halong Bay region through a range of pursuits and singular encounters.
The natural surroundings of both bays are perfect for a range of water activities, however kayaking is by far the most popular form of recreation. Undoubtedly, day visits to Lan Ha Bay or Halong Bay as well as longer stays there involve kayaking sports in the gulf. From a plastic boat, tourists may see the benefits of spending more time in nature.
On the one hand, spots like Cua Van Fishing Village and Luon Cave may offer kayakers some of Halong Bay's most amazing and unusual views. During a 30-minute kayak trip, Ho Dong Tien provides the peace needed for guests to completely immerse themselves in the spectacular landscape.
Similar to Halong Bay, there are several locations in Lan Ha Bay where kayaking is possible, including Ba Trai Dao Beach, Tra Bau, and Viet Hai Village. Unquestionably, kayaking around Ba Trai Dao Island will be a delightful experience. At Tra Bau, where mountains rise steeply from the clear water and gigantic kite birds swoop overhead, kayaking is a fantastic form of exercise. It is obvious that Viet Hai, a former fishing community on Cat Ba Island, is closer to the water and provides travelers with the opportunity to partake in kayaking activities. At Lan Ha Bay, popularly known as Halong Bay, kayaking is unquestionably a fantastic hobby.
You may choose any length itinerary for Halong Bay and still be amazed by what you see. Naturally, the more time you have to take in your surroundings, the better.
Although Lan Ha Bay is too far away to be reached in a single day, it also needs at least two days and one night to get there. We'd have more time and flexibility to accomplish more things if we had three days and two nights.
You may choose a few Halong Bay cruises to include in your itinerary through the Best Vietnam Tour Packages.
