Top 8 Ultimate Things to Pack for Your Halong Bay Cruise
After you’ve succeeded in solving the issue of when to book a Halong Bay cruise, it is time for the next question: what to pack
No trip to the north of Vietnam can be considered complete without a visit to the absolutely stunning Halong Bay region.
But it’s not that simple:
Ha Long Bay, undeniably, is recognized as the New 7 Wonders remaining its very own evergreen charm.
But how about Bai Tu Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay, the nearby stops that have been being recommended more and more by the international tourists nowadays?
Gives you a little more to consider now, right?
This guide is going to give you all the info you need to decide which place is the one for your next visit, and how to decide between Lan Ha Bay or Halong Bay/Bai Tu Long Bay or Halong Bay.
Halong Bay is by far the most well known by tourists, who come from all over the world to check out its stunning beauty.
But here’s the catch:
Lan Ha Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay have the same scenic beauty as Halong Bay, in fact some people say more so.
If you have time and the opportunity to take in the whole region, don’t miss out.
But what if you haven’t got time? Which should you choose?
This infographic basically sum up major points about the 3 bays. Below that is my personal experience, which may help you to choose the destination most ideally suited your vacation needs in the entire region.
Here we go:
Thien Cung cave
Dau Go cave
Rocky Dog
Fighting Cock islet
Ba Hang fishing village
Dinh Huong islet
Hoa Cuong fishing village
Surprise Cave
Titop or Soi Sim beach
Me Cung cave
Ho Dong Tien cave
Trong Cave
Trinh Nu cave
Bo Nau cave
Luon water cave
Tung Sau pearl farm
Overnight anchor at Trong cave area
Cua Van fishing village
Tien Ong Cave
Ho Ba Ham water cave
Overnight anchor at Trong cave area
or Ho Ba Ham area
Thay cave
Vong Vieng fishing village
Cap La cave
Thien Canh Son cave
Cong Dam fishing village
Tung Ang area
Cong Do Island
Overnight anchor at Cong Do Island
Da Chong islet with French lighthouse
Con Vit islet
Cat Ba island – Thoi Quyt Area
Bright & Dark water cave
Da Chong islet with French lighthouse
Con Vit islet
Cat Ba island – Thoi Quyt Area
Ba Trai Dao beach
Tra Bau area
Ho Ba Ham water lake
Viet Hai village
Hospital Cave
Hundreds of boats and tourists, especially in the peak season, sailing everyday
More crowded and getting polluted
Less visited thanks to its harder-to-reach location and fewer accessible caves.
Still remains pristine, unspoiled
Small bay
Not crowded, unspoiled
Cruising overnight cruises, boats, junks:
Kayaking
Swimming
Canoeing
Fishing
Diving
Swimming
Dining in cave
BBQ on beach
Exploring many undiscovered and wild caves:
Kayaking
Swimming
Cycling
Tuktuk riding
Screen reader support enabled.
Exploring bay yourself on rent boat:
Kayaking
Rock climbing
Trekking
Stay in bungalows
Day Cruise / 2D1N / 3D2N
2D1N / 3D2N
Day Cruise / 2D1N / 3D2N
Ha Long Bay earned the title as the New World Wonder for a reason.
Its unique gracefulness.
Which obviously is hardly to find elsewhere.
So consider pleasing your eyes with the dazzling scenery of Ha Long Bay from a deck of a stylish cruise is already your joyfulness. Isn’t it?
Since Ha Long Bay has been acknowledged by the whole world, you may well guess the tourist population here. Reportedly, it might reach millions during its peak season and getting more crowded, year by year.
Accordingly, services including entertainment, restaurants and accommodation have also risen to satisfy the needs. Now Halong City and the bay have become busier than ever.
Regardless you are a solo, couple or family traveler; exciting activities are always ahead. Group activities such as canoeing, kayaking or fishing are all on offer in this part of the bay; even for solo travelers, this provides opportunities to meet many interesting people and make new friends.
Despite you join alone, or in a group, there is always something to discover about Ha Long Bay around the clock.
Islands, beaches, caves, fishing villages: they are bright and shine.
Recommended visits:
…and many more
Those tourist attractions appear in their own nuances and are unmistakable. Their beauties and behind-the-scenes stories might make you “wow” continuously. Witnessing them by your own eyes, and you will know why Ha Long Bay is listed on New 7 Wonders scroll.
A further reason that I think people enjoy Halong Bay more than Lan Ha and Bai Tu Long is that the nightlife here is fantastic. Nowadays, there are plenty of cool bars and pubs ready to serve foreign visitors and locals alike.
In case you’re wondering:
You can find these both on land and on special cruise boats. A party night out on board would be absolutely amazing. A wide range of beers, wines, soft drink and cocktails are served on these cruises.
But that is not all the party is about.
Sport-lovers will find themselves enjoying off-the-cruise activities and happy to make friends with on-board companies, while actively blending in the heaven-like nature through moderate exercises.
And let’s not forget about the food:
Giving a little hint to food-lovers, you can easily find a long list of fresh cooked sea foods, as well as typical Vietnamese dishes in our menu, both offshore and onshore. How wonderful it may be when you can dine in a cave, or have a BBQ on a beach during your travel schedule?
Thanks to the widely reputation and easily accessibility of Ha Long Bay, cruising’s traffic here is heavy the most. And it is agreeable to say this is the safest and most convenient area to visit, where you can hardly find yourself in boredom awhile.
So if you are a person who enjoys the leisure and doesn’t mind the crowd, Ha Long Bay fits you very well.
P/s: For your information, Ha Long Bay is where the mighty Mother Dragon has landed from the sky, by its mythology of Vietnamese.
Recommended activities:
This is something really different:
The whole bay area occupies three quarters of Halong Bay World Heritage site – but it seems that people hardly know of this place.
However, the bay has the most magnificent views out of all three bays, earning itself a reputation as one of the top off the beaten track destinations in North Vietnam.
If you’re not good with crowds and want to experience a private and peaceful atmosphere, it’s an easy choice between Halong Bai or Bai Tu Long Bay.
Here’s why:
The local tourism industry hasn’t exploited this destination yet, meaning it still carries a quiet, wild beauty.
When I went there, there were almost no other travellers or tour boats anywhere. When you meet locals out on the islands, or in the floating fishing villages, they look genuinely amazed because they hardly ever see any tourists.
Another reason may be because Bai Tu Long, by literally translation of Vietnamese, is just where the Child Dragon has landed – that nearby the place the Mother Dragon touched down (Ha Long Bay)…
Indeed, Bai Tu Long is a hidden gift for tourists who are eager to discover a wild land without requiring intensively traveling assistances.
From a comparison of drama, if Ha Long Bay is the Earth, then Bai Tu Long Bay is the Moon that was left very few footprints of human.
But the best thing is:
Bai Tu Long Bay boasts a strong connection with local people in non-tourist areas, and of course, you will find more interesting stuff in these rural areas.
Exploring the lesser-known caves in this bay area was the most exciting experience for me. You never know what you’ll find and it’s hard to imagine just how beautiful and breathtaking they are. Check out Sung Sot Cave or Thien Cung Cave, for example.
You have to figure it out yourself! If you’re on your own now you’ll feel like a professional explorer- it really is great fun. Of course, this area is pretty large so there are many caves waiting to be discovered.
Recommended visits:
…and many more
The bay is also home to the large Bai Tu Long National Park, one of seven Vietnamese national parks, which has both a terrestrial zone and an aquatic zone.
Recommended activities:
Need not to name out exactly what type of travelers should be here, as long as you treasure the nature and appreciate the tranquility, as well as the peacefulness of Bai Tu Long Bay.
Not many foreign visitors are aware that the limestones karsts and islands go beyond the actual “Ha Long bay park”.
From an administrative point they account for three separate parks, each one with its own tourist fees, but from a geological and geographical standpoint they are treated as a whole!
If you don’t mind the Ha Long bay “brand” but care about the experience you will start to see the bigger picture.
What’s happening now?
People now tend to switch from Halong Bay to this place in increasing numbers. This place is firmly in the developing phase; everything is just getting started.
As being called “A forgotten Eden”, Lan Ha Bay shows itself energetically in green covering the entire area. And although being the smallest bay among three, it actually owns the strongest character over the rest.
Lan Ha is tiny, and an amazing thing is that you can rent a cruise boat to explore the bay by yourself. This is excellent for those people who are self-confident and experienced and want a whole new kind of adventure.
It’s not all plain sailing though:
I tried it once and almost lost my way! But it’s well worth the effort. Maybe in these circumstances, you’ll learn some survival skills. You should invest more time and money to visit Cat Ba island, one of the best spots for outdoor adventure activities.
For example:
You can go trekking in the island’s national park operated by local travel agents, climbing to the top of Bai Tho Mountain or take a look at Height 177, formerly a French military observation and defense point.
When choosing between Lan Ha Bay or Halong Bay- if you’re an adventurous traveler- I would highly recommend Lan Ha Bay.
Why?
You’ll have the chance to try out some trekking, deep water bouldering, and rock climbing- this place is the perfect destination for these kind of activities.
Lan Ha Bay is also called “Kayaking Paradise”. You can even paddle through a cave!
I am quite an introvert and found that I really fitted in, here. Lying on the deserted beach on Nam Cat island area and watching the clouds blown by the wind, I really felt an inner peace. Memorable, to say the least.
Recommended activities:
Recommended visits:
…and many more
To sum up, you may now be well aware of the differences among those three bays, and figure out which destination suits you best then. However, besides those, they still have two things in common: irresistible natural attractions and excellent cruising service, which are promised to preserve at the highest standard by both Vietnamese authority and Halong Hub.
So, if time and budget permit, I strongly suggest you experience all, to capture the entire pictures of what formed the renown Ha Long Bay – the New 7 Wonder.
Need any more advice deciding between Lan Ha Bay or Halong Bay, or Bai Tu Long Bay or Halong Bay? Get in touch for advice, itineraries, and bookings.
After you’ve succeeded in solving the issue of when to book a Halong Bay cruise, it is time for the next question: what to pack
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