Things to do · Ha Long Bay · Vietnam
15 best things to do in Ha Long Bay
15 sights and experiences ranked for a first visit, with honest notes on time, cost and crowds.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: AnhTuan Le, Public domain
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Quick answer
The essential sights in Ha Long Bay are Overnight bay cruise, Sung Sot Cave and Ti Top Island. Of the 15 picks below, 2 are free, 4 work on a rainy day and 6 suit children. Allow about 3 days to see the highlights without rushing.
Key facts
- Top sight
- Overnight bay cruise
- Free sights
- 2
- Good on a rainy day
- Sung Sot Cave
- Time to see the highlights
- 3 days
At a glance
| Sight | Area | Time needed | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overnight bay cruise | Ha Long Bay | 2 days, 1 night | Expensive |
| Sung Sot Cave | Bo Hon Island | 1 hour | Low cost |
| Ti Top Island | Central Ha Long Bay | 1–1.5 hours | Low cost |
| Fighting Cocks Islet | Central Ha Long Bay | 15 minutes | Free |
| Luon Cave kayaking | Bo Hon Island | 45 minutes | Low cost |
| Thien Cung Cave | Dau Go Island | 45 minutes | Low cost |
| Cua Van fishing village | Central Ha Long Bay | 1 hour | Low cost |
| Lan Ha Bay by kayak and boat | Lan Ha Bay | Full day | Mid-priced |
| Cat Ba National Park | Cat Ba Island | 2–3 hours | Low cost |
| Cannon Fort | Cat Ba Town | 1–1.5 hours | Low cost |
| Hospital Cave | Cat Ba Island | 45 minutes | Low cost |
| Bai Tho Mountain | Hon Gai | 1.5 hours | Free |
| Sun World Ha Long | Bai Chay | Half a day | Mid-priced |
| Quang Ninh Museum | Hon Gai | 1.5 hours | Low cost |
| Bai Tu Long Bay | Van Don and Bai Tu Long Bay | Full day or overnight | Expensive |
The 15 best things to do
Experience · Ha Long Bay
1.Overnight bay cruise
An overnight cruise is the classic way to see the bay. Boats leave Bai Chay or Tuan Chau around midday, sail among the karsts, stop for a cave and kayaking, anchor for the night and return late the next morning. Routes vary by operator: some stay in the central Ha Long Bay, others head to Lan Ha or Bai Tu Long for fewer boats.
Ask which route the boat takes and how many hours are spent cruising rather than at stops; quieter routes through Bai Tu Long or Lan Ha are worth a slightly longer transfer.
- Time needed
- 2 days, 1 night
- Cost
- Expensive
- Book ahead
- Book a few weeks ahead for weekends, Vietnamese holidays and July–August; check the cancellation policy for weather.
- Iconic
- Couples
- Views
- Photo spot
- After dark
Nature · Bo Hon Island
2.Sung Sot Cave
Sung Sot, or Surprise Cave, is one of the largest caves in the bay, reached by steps up the side of Bo Hon Island. Lit walkways lead through two vast chambers with stalactites and rock formations that guides compare to animals and figures. The terrace at the exit looks over a busy anchorage of cruise boats.
Go with an early or late cruise departure; around midday the walkway inside becomes a slow-moving queue.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Rainy day
- Kids
- Nature
Viewpoint · Central Ha Long Bay
3.Ti Top Island
Named after the Soviet cosmonaut Gherman Titov, who visited in 1962, Ti Top has a small crescent beach and a stairway of around 400 steps to a summit pavilion. The view from the top looks across dozens of islands and the anchored boats below and is one of the best-known panoramas of the bay.
Climb first and swim after; the steps are in full sun and slippery when wet.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- Active
- Photo spot
- Iconic
Landmark · Central Ha Long Bay
4.Fighting Cocks Islet
Hon Trong Mai, two rocks facing each other like a rooster and hen, is the most photographed formation in the bay and was once used on Vietnamese banknotes and stamps. Cruise boats slow down or circle it rather than landing.
Stand on the side of the boat facing the islet before it comes into view; the best angle lasts only a few minutes.
- Time needed
- 15 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Photo spot
- Free
- Views
Experience · Bo Hon Island
5.Luon Cave kayaking
A low sea tunnel through Bo Hon Island opens into an enclosed lagoon ringed by sheer cliffs, where monkeys are sometimes seen in the trees. Visitors paddle through in kayaks or are rowed in bamboo boats by local boatwomen, which is the most peaceful part of many day cruises.
Choose a kayak if the tide allows; the bamboo boats are better for young children and nervous paddlers.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Active
- Nature
- Kids
- Outdoors
Nature · Dau Go Island
6.Thien Cung Cave
The Heavenly Palace cave on Dau Go Island has a single large chamber of stalactites and flowstone lit in bright colours. It is on the classic day-cruise route from Bai Chay together with nearby Dau Go Cave, and is one of the closest major caves to the port.
If your cruise visits Sung Sot, you do not need both; pick whichever is on the quieter route that day.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Rainy day
- Kids
- Nature
Historic site · Central Ha Long Bay
7.Cua Van fishing village
Cua Van was one of the largest floating villages in the bay, with houses on rafts between the islands. Most families were resettled on land from around 2014, but some houses, fish farms and a small cultural centre remain, and visitors are rowed around the village by local boat operators.
Ask your cruise whether the visit includes a rowed boat tour or only a pass-by; the rowed tour gives the better sense of village life.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Photo spot
- Outdoors
Experience · Lan Ha Bay
8.Lan Ha Bay by kayak and boat
Day boats from Cat Ba harbour take you into Lan Ha Bay to kayak between karsts, through low caves and into lagoons, with stops at small beaches only reachable by sea. The area is calmer and greener than the main Ha Long anchorages, and many trips include lunch on board.
Book the trip in Cat Ba Town the evening before and ask for an itinerary that includes at least two kayaking stops.
- Time needed
- Full day
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Active
- Outdoors
- Nature
- Couples
- Off the beaten path
Park · Cat Ba Island
1.Cat Ba National Park
The park covers much of Cat Ba Island's forested interior and is home to the endangered Cat Ba langur. The most popular trail climbs to the Ngu Lam peak lookout tower in about an hour from the headquarters; longer guided treks cross the island to Viet Hai village.
Wear proper shoes; the path to Ngu Lam is rocky and steep near the top. Bring water, as there are few stalls on the trail.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Nature
- Active
- Outdoors
- Views
Historic site · Cat Ba Town
2.Cannon Fort
A hilltop fortification above Cat Ba Town with gun emplacements and tunnels used by French and later Vietnamese forces. The viewpoints look over the harbour, the Cat Co beaches and Lan Ha Bay, and it is best at sunset.
Walk up from the town or take a motorbike taxi to the gate, then save energy for the steep paths inside.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- History
- Photo spot
Historic site · Cat Ba Island
3.Hospital Cave
A natural cave reinforced with concrete during the American War to house a secret hospital and shelter, with operating rooms, wards and a small cinema spread over three levels. It lies on the road between Cat Ba Town and the national park.
Combine it with the national park on the same morning; a local guide at the entrance explains how the rooms were used.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Kids
Viewpoint · Hon Gai
4.Bai Tho Mountain
The limestone hill above Hon Gai is named for a poem carved into its rock by King Le Thanh Tong in the 15th century. A steep path climbs to a summit with views over the bay, the Bai Chay Bridge and the port, and it is the easiest way to see the karsts from land without a boat.
Go in the late afternoon for softer light, and ask locally which path is open, as access has varied over the years.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Views
- Free
- History
- Active
Theme park · Bai Chay
5.Sun World Ha Long
A large entertainment complex in Bai Chay with the Queen Cable Car crossing the water to Ba Deo hill, the Sun Wheel observation wheel, a mountain theme park with rides and a Japanese-style garden, plus a water park on the seafront.
Ride the cable car late in the afternoon to see the bay at sunset from the Sun Wheel, then eat in Bai Chay.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Views
- After dark
Museum · Hon Gai
6.Quang Ninh Museum
A striking black-glass building on the Hon Gai waterfront that covers the bay's geology and marine life, the province's coal-mining history and the cultures of its ethnic communities. It is the best rainy-day stop in Ha Long city.
The marine floor with skeletons and models is the part children enjoy most.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Rainy day
- History
- Kids
- Architecture
Nature · Van Don and Bai Tu Long Bay
7.Bai Tu Long Bay
North-east of Ha Long, Bai Tu Long Bay has the same limestone islands with a fraction of the boats. Cruises here visit Thien Canh Son Cave, the Vung Vieng fishing village and quiet kayaking spots, and the islands of Quan Lan and Co To lie further out.
Pick an overnight cruise that specifically routes through Bai Tu Long if crowds at the main anchorages worry you.
- Time needed
- Full day or overnight
- Cost
- Expensive
- Nature
- Couples
- Photo spot
- Off the beaten path
Pick by interest
| Interest | Best picks |
|---|---|
| Art and museums | Quang Ninh Museum |
| History | Cua Van fishing village, Cannon Fort, Hospital Cave and Bai Tho Mountain |
| Views | Overnight bay cruise, Ti Top Island, Fighting Cocks Islet and Cat Ba National Park |
| Outdoors and nature | Sung Sot Cave, Luon Cave kayaking, Thien Cung Cave and Cua Van fishing village |
| After dark | Overnight bay cruise and Sun World Ha Long |
| With children | Sung Sot Cave, Luon Cave kayaking, Thien Cung Cave and Hospital Cave |
| On a rainy day | Sung Sot Cave, Thien Cung Cave, Hospital Cave and Quang Ninh Museum |
What to book ahead
- Overnight bay cruise: Book a few weeks ahead for weekends, Vietnamese holidays and July–August; check the cancellation policy for weather.
Plan the rest of your trip
Questions travellers ask
+What is the number one thing to do in Ha Long Bay?
Overnight bay cruise. An overnight cruise is the classic way to see the bay.
+What can you do for free in Ha Long Bay?
Fighting Cocks Islet and Bai Tho Mountain. More free things to do.
+What is there to do in Ha Long Bay when it rains?
Head indoors to Sung Sot Cave, Thien Cung Cave, Hospital Cave and Quang Ninh Museum.
+What is there to do in Ha Long Bay at night?
Overnight bay cruise and Sun World Ha Long are best after dark.