Comparison · Ha Long Bay vs Hanoi · Vietnam
Ha Long Bay vs Hanoi
Two great trips, different strengths. Here is how they compare on the things that decide it.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Taewangkorea, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Choose Ha Long Bay for Limestone karsts, Overnight cruises and beaches; choose Hanoi for Old Quarter, Hoàn Kiếm Lake, lower day-to-day costs and nightlife. Hanoi is generally less expensive, and the two are about 139 km apart.
Key facts
- Distance apart
- 139 km
- Less expensive
- Hanoi
- Best time for Ha Long Bay
- April–May and October–November
- Best time for Hanoi
- March–April and October–December
Side by side
| Ha Long Bay | Hanoi | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Vietnam | Vietnam |
| Known for | Limestone karsts, Overnight cruises and Sea caves | Old Quarter, Hoàn Kiếm Lake and Phở |
| Best time to visit | April–May and October–November | March–April and October–December |
| Ideal stay | 3 days | 4 days |
| Mid-range budget per day | $100–$220 | $60–$120 |
| Cost level | Affordable | Very affordable |
| Warmest month | July, 32°C (90°F) | June, 33°C (91°F) |
| Coldest month | January, 20°C (68°F) | January, 19°C (66°F) |
| Free sights in our guide | 2 | 9 |
| Day trips in our guide | 4 | 5 |
| Beaches | Cat Co beaches | — |
| Airports | HAN, VDO | HAN |
Which one is right for you?
Choose Ha Long Bay for…
Limestone karsts, Overnight cruises and beaches. Ha Long Bay is a UNESCO-listed seascape of roughly 1,600 limestone islands and islets in Quang Ninh province, about 160 km east of Hanoi. Most visitors see it from a boat: day cruises and overnight junks leave Bai Chay and Tuan Chau for caves, kayaking…
Choose Hanoi for…
Old Quarter, Hoàn Kiếm Lake, lower day-to-day costs and nightlife. Hanoi has been Vietnam's capital, on and off, for about a thousand years, and it shows: a dense Old Quarter of guild streets and narrow tube houses, French colonial boulevards around the 1911 Opera House, and the Confucian Temple of Literature founded in…
Top sights compared
| # | Ha Long Bay | Hanoi |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Overnight bay cruise | Hoàn Kiếm Lake and Ngọc Sơn Temple |
| 2 | Sung Sot Cave | Old Quarter guild streets |
| 3 | Ti Top Island | Temple of Literature |
| 4 | Luon Cave kayaking | Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Ba Đình Square |
| 5 | Thien Cung Cave | One Pillar Pagoda |
Food compared
| Ha Long Bay | Hanoi |
|---|---|
| Ha Long squid cake | Beef phở |
| Rice rolls with squid cake | Bún chả |
| Mantis shrimp | Chả cá Lã Vọng |
| Ngán clams | Bánh cuốn |
Which is cheaper?
Hanoi is usually the less expensive of the two: a mid-range day costs about $60–$120 per person there, against $100–$220 in Ha Long Bay (AMZBooking estimates, excluding flights). Hanoi on a budget.
Can you visit both?
Yes. Ha Long Bay and Hanoi are about 139 km apart, so they combine well in one trip: allow 3 days in Ha Long Bay and 4 in Hanoi.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Ha Long Bay or Hanoi cheaper?
Hanoi is usually less expensive: about $60–$120 a day mid-range against $100–$220 (estimates).
+Is Ha Long Bay or Hanoi better for a first trip?
Pick Ha Long Bay for Limestone karsts, Overnight cruises and beaches, or Hanoi for Old Quarter, Hoàn Kiếm Lake, lower day-to-day costs and nightlife.
+How far is Ha Long Bay from Hanoi?
About 139 km in a straight line.