Ha Long Bay is renowned as one of Vietnam’s most spectacular natural wonders. Covering over 1500 square kilometers, this remarkable limestone bay is home to over 1960 islands and limestone formations. Ha Long Bay is Vietnam’s premier tourist destination, with over a hundreds thousand visitors, both foreign and Vietnamese, visiting every year. As such, tours are easy to find, accommodation is plentiful and English is widely spoken.

Formed by millions of years of tropical rain, Ha Long Bay offers a unique look into Vietnam’s natural scenery and stunning sea civilizations. Similar to the rock formations found in south Thailand, Ha Long Bay is made up primarily of limestone cliffs and rock formations, worn down from constant heavy tropical rain. During the winter season the bay is relatively cold and dry, however visitors during the summer time may find that rain kicks in occasionally in the afternoon.

There are really two parts to Ha Long: the bay itself and Ha Long City. Ha Long City is a relatively commercial tourism city, supported primarily through accommodation and tours to the bay. You’ll have absolutely no trouble booking a tour from Ha Long City, or anywhere else in Vietnam. Hanoi is a popular point for entering the area, and day trips and overnight voyages are available from Hanoi’s many travel agencies.

What to see:

The vast majority of visitors to Ha Long Bay are there to take a cruise through the bay, possible staying overnight on one of the many junks that slowly trawl through its waters. There are thousands of boats out on the bay, so it’s very unlikely that you’ll have difficulty finding a tour that can meet your needs. Ranging in price from as little as $10 for a day trip all the way up to $200+ for multi-day luxury tours, there’s a huge amount of tour options available.

Almost all tours will include the option to visit sea caves and spend time on some of the bay’s stunning islands. However, some operators are more interested in rushing people through the bay than allowing them to spend any time at the attractions. When booking a tour be sure to get a copy of the itinerary, and make sure that adequate time is spent at each stop. It’s much better to spend more time at fewer attractions than to zip from one to the next at top speed.

Finally, for adventure travelers, kayak tours around the bay are available, typically as part of an overnight junk tour. Ask around at tour operators and you’ll undoubtedly be able to find a tour package from as little as $25 that includes one nights accommodation, kayaks and paddles and a quick stop at a cave or fishing village. Make sure to check out potential tours online before booking — since there are so many different tour operators around it can be difficult to know which is really worth the money.

Where to stay:

Most visitors to Ha Long Bay will end up staying overnight on a junk. With overnight packages ranging from $20 all the way up to $200, there are accommodation options to fit anyone’s budget. As a general rule, accommodation in Ha Long Bay will be the same quality as guesthouses elsewhere in Vietnam that cost half as much. For example, a $15 room in Hanoi will have roughly the same level of comfort as a $30 tour in Ha Long Bay may. This is just a guideline, not a total rule, however it tends to hold true on low-end accommodation.

For those staying in Ha Long City there are many guesthouses around, with prices ranging from $10 for a very basic double bed and bathroom up to $30 for a more comfortable twin bedroom or hot water bathroom hotel. Luxury hotels are around, however the prices certainly aren’t on the budget end of the scale. A night at a 5-star hotel will end up costing anywhere from $150-300, depending on the options and location.

Many junks will stop for overnight accommodation on Cat Ba Island, a large island in Ha Long Bay. If you’re booking a tour that visits Cat Ba, make sure to check whether it simply visits the island temporarily or whether it provides accommodation for the night. Many ‘Cat Ba’ tours simply visit the island temporarily and leave you to find accommodation once they return to the town, so be sure to investigate and research before booking a tour.

Finally, since Ha Long City is a popular stopover for people traveling to and from the Chinese border, visa services are available in the town itself. For those using the hydrofoil boat to visit China, be sure to source your visas from Hanoi. While Chinese visas are available in Ha Long City, the border guards are notoriously picky and may turn you around if your visa is issued from the ‘wrong’ location.

How to get around:

Ha Long City isn’t particularly large, and the major tourist areas are very close together. Travel agents are everywhere, and all are very eager to book bay tours, overnight boat trips and other activities for you. As is usual in Vietnam, motorcycle taxis are everywhere, very inexpensive, and willing to take you to almost any destination. Always bargain with the drivers before hopping on the bike, and aim to get every quoted fare down to 50% of the initial price.

Costs, Customs and Extras:

Ha Long City is very much supported by tourism, and the bay is by far the largest draw for the town. Remember that there are a huge amount of tourist businesses around, so if you’re quoted a price that seems to high, don’t hesitate to walk down the road to the next place. While on the bay you’ll undoubtedly be pitched by some of the boat-vendors, who are eager to sell their products and refreshments. Make sure to check sell-by dates on anything bought from them, as products occasionally sit on the boats for longer than they should. Otherwise, sit back, enjoy your cruise, and soak up scenic Ha Long Bay.