Titop Island

In the 1,550km2 expanse of Halong Bay, a tiny speck acts as its verdant heart, offering the best of the UNESCO World Heritage Site on one dragon fang-shaped island. Titop Island has grown immensely in popularity during the period of tourism in Halong Bay, mainly for its wealth of activities and the luxuriant beauty of its tree-clad karst structure. Titop’s location in the middle of Halong Bay has certainly helped this, but its massive appeal has been largely born of its own making, sprouting from the perfect encapsulation of paradise that the island presents to its guests.

The majority of Halong Bay tours feature a stop on Titop Island on a day trip, 2-day or 3-day cruise. Given the volume of cruises in the bay, this means Titop Island can get very busy and space can be at a premium, but tourists who can learn to look past this will experience an attraction representative of the bay’s wild heart. The beach, ocean and a viewing platform at the peak provide the perfect trio of activities for visitors looking to savor Halong Bay through its various and gorgeous features.

From Space to Heaven

The distinguished name of Titop Island, sometimes called Titov Island, is down to one man – a friend of Vietnam’s beloved leader, Ho Chi Minh. Gherman Titov, a Russian cosmonaut was the second man to orbit the earth in 1961, returning to the planet afterward and accepting an invitation from fellow communist Ho Chi Minh to the then-unknown Halong Bay. After boarding a local boat and sailing around the bay, the pair found Cat Nang Island, which Uncle Ho wasted no time in naming after his cosmonaut friend.

During the course of tourism in the bay, the name Titov was made more Vietnamese-friendly, changing to Ti Tốp and commemorating its namesake with a plaque and a statue at the foot of the central mountain. Gherman Titov returned once more to the island in 1997, expressing his gratitude to the Vietnamese people and their former leader for immortalizing his legacy on one of Halong Bay’s and Vietnam’s most beautiful outcrops.

Statue of Gherman Titov on Titov Island

The Active Island

Part of the reason for Titop Island’s immense popularity is because of the trove of activities available across its small frame, each bestowing the feeling of paradise on passengers during their one-hour excursion here.

Beach Relaxing – The white sands of Titop Island may have been imported from elsewhere, but they create a beautiful and incredibly authentic-looking scene on the island’s southern and eastern shores. Passengers can find a spot on Titop beach as it curves outward into the bay, looking out into its center and the gentle sailing of cruises before a background of limestone pillars.

Relaxing on the beach on Titov Island

Swimming and Kayaking – In the aqua blue water surrounding Titop, many opportunities for swimming and kayaking abound. Such activities help to get away from the occasional busyness on the beach and discover the verdant scene of the island from further out. Kayaks can be rented on the island and taken around its borders while swimming in the placid ocean lapping at the golden shore will be an experience not soon forgotten.

Taking in the View – For the more active of visitors, a 20-minute hike up to the peak of the island can be a great way to stretch the legs. 427 steps through the forest lead to a panoramic viewing platform at the top, offering exquisite vistas of Titop’s surrounding areas including Luon Cave and Sung Sot Cave.

View from Titov Island

The Best Time to Visit Titop Island

There aren’t many places to hide in Titop Island if the weather turns sour, so it is usually the best idea to aim for a visit during the peak seasons of tourism to the bay.

The Peak Seasons (March-May and October – December) – Excellent temperatures and exquisite sunshine hours provide the perfect weather conditions for enjoying Titop Island during spring and summer. Any pictures taken from the viewing platform atop the island at this time capture the bay in its best light.

The Wet Season (May – September) – A huge spike in temperature and rain arrives in May and continues, with varying intensities, to September. This is the wet season in Halong Bay, where rainstorms can amass in minutes and put a real dampener on visits to Titop Island.

The Cold Season (December – February) – The relatively cold temperatures don’t do much for tourists trying to enjoy the beach or the sea, but views from the top are outstanding on account of the prevalent mist that surrounds the bay during its winter months.

Titop Island

How to get to Titop Island

A Halong cruise which many of the companies offering tours of Halong Bay will feature a stop at Titop Island, and these are really the only ways to access it. Check the itinerary of the cruise with which you are sailing to see if they feature it, though quieter alternatives around the bay – including Ban Chan, Ba Trai Dao and Van Boi beaches are also fantastic options.

For booking a cruise in Halong Bay to vissit this island you can book 2 day 1 night cruise or 3 day 2 night cruise Halong Bay.

For more detail please contact Vietnam Escape Tours Travel travel consultant. We are happy to be your trustful tour operator in Vietnam arranging services for your group.

Ti Top Island