halong bay from hanoi. Observation deck and the largest cave. Standard tours: excursion from Hanoi, Ha Long, Cat Ba
halong - amazing creation nature, which is located in the north of Vietnam. On the territory of this picturesque bay there are about 3,000 thousand rocks and islands that create a breathtaking landscape.
Ethnic galleys sail in the bay of the bay, in traditional Vietnamese style. Very often these ships have scarlet sails, and you tack on it, as if in a fairy tale. dissecting unforgettable beauty surrounding cliffs and breathtaking views.
To see these beauties, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, millions of people travel to Vietnam for this purpose alone.
From the article you will learn how it is more profitable and more convenient to get from Nha Trang to Halong. To see everything with my own eyes.
Excursion from Nha Trang to Halong
For those who are interested in an excursion to Ha Long from Nha Trang and for whom it is easier to pay money and not think about organizing a trip, but just to relax, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the price and description of this excursion in more detail at the link “Excursion to Ha Long from Nha Trang“
Our plan
We will offer you a plan on how to go on an excursion from Nha Trang to Halong for only 95 USD. Roundtrip. Provided that the excursion from Nha Trang to Halong costs more money.
Almost every travel agency in our city can offer an excursion from Nha Trang to Halong.
It is important to note that they may not be able to organize a tour for you, simply because the group is not enough.
There are few people who want to go to Ha Long from Nha Trang for 3500-550 USD per person (the average price of an excursion).
If you are in Nha Trang and dream of getting to Halong Bay, but you don’t really want to pay 350-500 USD for an excursion, then our recommendations will help you.
direct available ordinary tourist, there are no ways from Nha Trang to Halong.
The most convenient way would be to get there with a stopover in Hanoi.
Now let's look at the most profitable way to go to Halong.
How to go to Halong from Nha Trang for only 95 USD?
Bus Hanoi - Ha Long.
The most accessible, and relatively convenient way to get from Hanoi to Halong - tourist bus.
The ticket price is around 10 USD per person. Feel free to buy travel cards at offices travel agencies, in the old district of Hanoi.
The bus ride from Hanoi to Halong takes at least 3 hours. Buses leave every hour.
If you bought tickets in advance, at a travel agency, on the territory of the old quarter of Hano, I and your hotel are located there, then you will be taken to the bus from the hotel. If you decide to do without intermediaries, then go to the My Dinh bus station in Hanoi.
About 40 buses a day to Ha Long depart from it. The cost is in the region of 50-100 thousand dong. Because of a large number stops, your journey will take more than 5 hours.
Rent a car from Hanoi to Ha Long– about 80 USD. It's on both sides.
One way car costs 70 USD.
If you want to see Ha Long in one day, then the option of renting a car will be more convenient for you.
By car it takes about 3 hours. After that, upon arrival in Halong city, you need to take a 4-hour tour of the bay of the same name.
At the end of the tour, the same car will pick you up and take you back to Hanoi.
If you want to stay overnight, then in addition to your hotel, you will need to pay for the hotel and meals for the driver. This is plus 15-20 dollars for 1 day of downtime.
Excursion from Hanoi to Halong.
Very good option to consider a trip to Ha Long from Hanoi, is a guided tour. The all-inclusive program costs approximately 25 USD per person. With lunch, all transportation and guide.
Therefore, if your goal is to see the bay from the ship, then it makes sense to take an excursion, since independent transfers will turn out to be not much cheaper. And sometimes more expensive.
See the description and cost of the excursion for 1 day here:
As a result, an excursion from Nha Trang to Halong can cost you only 95 USD.
You need to get on your own from the bus, for 35 USD one way. After, take a tour for 25 USD, in one of the travel agencies, the old district of Hanoi.
Upon returning to Hanoi, return to Nha Trang for 35 USD.
Total: 95 USD.
This price does not include only food and souvenirs (with the exception of one lunch during the tour).
You will spend 4 nights and 3 days on this trip.
See almost all of Vietnam and get an unforgettable experience of a lifetime!
Profitable excursion to Halong from Nha Trang
If you want to visit Ha Long from Nha Trang, but time and resources are limited, then go on an excursion to Ha Long with Uncle Vanya. The excursion program is maximally balanced and perfected for Nha Trang tourists in order to save their time and budget, while maintaining the quality of impressions from legendary bay Halong!
Square
Halong (also known as Hong Gai, Hon Gai or Hongay) - picturesque city on north side Vietnam, the capital of Quang Ninh province. Halong Bay is a UNESCO site. Majestic cliffs, cliffs, caves and more than 3,000 islands, it is no wonder that this place attracts tourists from all over the world. "Han Long" is Vietnamese for "the place where the dragon descends into the sea." The metaphorical name creates many mythological images in a person who finds himself among the rocks and valleys.
The city is large industrial center in North Vietnam with one of the largest seaports that receive imported fuel and oil for the entire North Vietnam. During the war it was an important object of the American Air Force (of American air force), so it was partially damaged and not completely restored.
It is believed that the island was created by a majestic red dragon who lived in a cave in the mountains, but one day he left his choir and went to the sea, breaking rocks with his huge tail and creating deep valleys that filled with water and only small islands and islands remained. awkward rocks. Yes, in Halong there is a feeling that the rocks are artificially broken by giants or huge creatures, which adds to this place fabulousness!
Many tourists buy tours to Ha Long to save money, because air tickets are much more expensive than offers. travel companies. There are several ways to get to Halong.
From Moscow to Hanoi (the capital of Vietnam), the cost of a one-way plane ticket is about 17 thousand rubles.
By minivan
You can buy a ticket for the Gia Lam bus station, the ticket price is $ 7, bus number 34 runs to the station. Travel time is 4 hours.
By bus
From My Dinh station (Hanoi) to Bai Chay station (Halong) can be reached by bus, the cost is about $ 5, they go faster than minivans.
By taxi
A more expensive pleasure will cost about $80 per car from Hanoi Airport.
Public transport
It is popular to ride a motorcycle in Halong, you can rent it at an affordable price for everyone.
Tourist Ferry Pier is the main local bus station. Connects to destinations directly through Vietnam, as well as Vientiane in Laos and Nanning in China.
A huge number of slow tourist boats depart from Hanoi to the islands and go to Cat Ba Island. You will be approached by carriers who want to make a quick buck by selling you premium tickets: avoid these guys. All you have to do is buy your ticket at the box office inside the building near the waterfront. Tickets for 80,000 dong for 1 trip.
Fast ferries depart from the pier for mainland island Tuan Chau Island 3 times a day: 9:30, 11:30 and 15:30. Cost - 50,000 VND; Travel time is just over an hour.
On local bus you can get to the city (for 10,000 dong per person) or take a motorbike taxi.
Where to eat?
Near the beach there are many restaurants offering Vietnamese rice dishes and seafood.
Local delicacies include chả mực (fried squid pie), Su fish found only in Ha Long Bay, shrimp and mussel dishes. 
- Emeraude Cafe. Restaurant on the coast of Bai Chay about post office. The only restaurant on the coast where you can enjoy the usual European cuisine.
- Co Ngu Restaurant tel. Address: Premium Villas, Halong Road, Bai Chay, Halong City, Quang Ninh. European cuisine and Asian delicacies.
- Four Seasons Restaurant, Ha Long Plaza Hotel. Address: 8 HaLong Road. Restaurant in four star hotel offers the best dishes Halong seafood. The restaurant is located inside the hotel, but only hotel guests can enjoy it. +84 333 845810( [email protected]).
- Dung Anh Bakery. Address: 150 Le Thanh Tong Street or 306 Cai Dam Road. Delicious French pastries and pizza. +84 168 781 2667.
What to see in Halong?
Halong Bay is one huge natural attraction. Travelers note that having been here once, they want to stay in this picturesque corner forever.
Bai Chay Beach
Big beautiful beach. 100 meters wide and over 500 meters long.
Bai Chay Bridge
A bridge connecting two parts of the city on both sides of the bay. You can take the elevator to the observation deck, unimaginable views of the surroundings will open before you (cost - 2,000 VND). At night, the bridge is adorned with thousands of colorful LED lights.
Nha Tho
The only Roman church in the city, built in 1933, partly damaged during the war.
Climb Bai Tho Mountain (Núi Bài Thơ), Long Tien Street
Climb the limestone mountain, how to get there, ask the locals, some will even gladly guide you. From here opens scenic view to the city. This mountain is also historical place where the Vietnamese army hid telecommunications equipment during American bombing raids.
Important information for tourists
- Most beautiful pictures are obtained at sunset or dawn, which last just a few minutes due to the wayward fall of the sun's rays. Try to catch this moment during your vacation in Halong!
- In Halong Bay you can go diving, there are not only picturesque landscapes, but also unimaginable beauty of the sea.
- The Vietnamese often try to deceive tourists. For example, you will definitely be offered a trip to the floating village, it's worth it, but pay in advance. Because at first I will tell you that the trip will cost $ 2, and upon arrival the cost will rise to $ 6.
- If you are going on a cruise on a ship or yacht in the area, be careful with alcohol. If the staff notices you have a bottle that was not purchased on the boat, you will need to pay a fine. Alcohol on the ship costs fabulous money, so carry it unnoticed.
Halong Bay Overview
Halong bay (Vịnh Hạ Long) - a picturesque bay South China Sea in the north . It is located in the eponymous city of Halong ( Halong), the capital of Quang Ninh Province ( Quảng Ninh). The bay is on the list world heritage UNESCO. This is one of the most beautiful places on the planet and the most popular tourist place Vietnam, his business card.
Halong impresses with its natural beauty. This is a place of accumulation of more than 3000 islands, many cliffs and caves. Most big Island– catba ( Cat Ba), which is well equipped for tourists, and half of the island is reserved for the National Park ( Cat Ba national park ). The island is striking in its beauty, it has a lot amazing lakes, seething waterfalls, mysterious grottoes.
It is difficult to describe the bay in words, but the photo still does not convey half true beauty this locality. It seems as if this is an unfinished exhibition of the artist who scattered three thousand islands in the middle azure waters bay. The most impressive are numerous caves, the stay in which is breathtaking.
How to Get to Halong Bay
Airplane. The nearest airport to Halong Bay is in the city of Hai Phong - "Hai Phong Catbi" ( cat bi International Airport ) at a distance of 73 kilometers. Although this airport is considered international, in fact it only accepts domestic flights. It can be reached directly domestic flights from Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Nha Trang, Da Nang, Phu Quoc Island. A ticket will cost 30-50 USD one way. Nearest international Airport located in the capital of the country - the city of Hanoi. This is Noi Bai International Airport. Noibai International Airport). It is located 160 kilometers from Halong Bay.
Public transport. You can catch the bus from the bus station right outside Hanoi Noi Bai Airport Terminal. The bus will proceed to Mien Tai Station ( mien tay) in Bai Chay District ( Bai Chay) of Halong City. The bus ride costs from 6 USD, the travel time is about 4-5 hours. Keep in mind that almost no one speaks English, so try to learn at least basic words in Vietnamese. It has not been accessible by train since 2010.
Halong Bay: Life Hacks
Tours may also include cave visits. If you are already in Halong Bay, you should definitely visit inside the cave! There are many caves to see here, but the most popular of them is Sang Sot Cave ( Sun Sot), or as it is also called - "Surprise". It is considered the most colorful, most amazing and interesting. At first, it seems to people that the cave is very narrow, small and unremarkable, but as you get closer, it gets bigger and bigger, and before your eyes it turns into a gigantic one. Everything inside seems fantasy and fabulous, and the bizarre forms of growths can be considered forever.
Visit national park Cat Ba, on the island of the same name. There are many ways to get there, like public transport, and private, or as part of organized tour. The price can vary from 8 to 30 USD. The entrance ticket costs about 8 USD, you will also be offered various excursions in the park. There you can go hiking, walk looking at multiple lakes and waterfalls, you can swim to neighboring islands and caves on kayaks or boats (rental from 21 USD). The island also has many cafes, hotels and restaurants for tourists where you can relax and dine.
Photos of Halong Bay (Vietnam) adorn all guidebooks around the country. It is a kind of visiting card of the state. Halong is also included in the Top 5 most beautiful bays on the planet. It is also on the UNESCO List as a natural heritage of mankind. And finally, in 2011, when they chose the New Seven Wonders of the World, the inhabitants of the planet voted for the inclusion of Ha Long in this list.
Why is Halong Bay so interesting? How to get to it? And is it even possible to get to Ha Long on your own from the popular among Russians Vietnamese resort Nha Trang? What excursions are available in the bay itself? We will explain all this in this article.
Why go to Halong Bay
The name of the bay is translated as "The place where the dragon dived into the sea." Indeed, thousands of islets and smaller rocks sticking out of the water suggest a comparison with the dorsal crest of a huge monster. The sea element drilled into these karst formations caves overgrown with stalactites and stalagmites. Some of the islands are inhabited, and there are luxury hotels on them. In particular, these are Cat Ba and Tuan Chau.
The last tiny islet was recently connected to the mainland. long bridge. Cat Ba is the largest piece of land in Halong Bay. Photos of many beauties of the bay were taken from here. Cat Ba Island is rocky and attracts lovers of mountaineering and trekking.
Some caves and grottoes are only accessible from the sea. Tourists swim up to them in kayaks. There are in the bay and wonderful beaches. You can live in a bungalow right on the coast of a beautiful bay on the islands of Nam Kat, Monkey, Kuan Lan.
Junk cruises under scarlet sails are very popular in the bay. These ships, like hotels, are classified by stars. The 3 * junk is small, with three or four cabins, with unpretentious service on board. Ships of the 4-5 star category are richer and bigger. Cruises are practiced from morning to evening, two days and night, three days. And the simplest entertainment in the bay is independent kayaking or a trip on a tourist boat (an hour sightseeing tour without mooring to the coast).
Where is Halong Bay
It's bewitching magical place, whose beauty is breathtaking, is located in the northeast of Vietnam. It is much easier to get here from the capital of the country, Hanoi. Halong Bay has been on the UNESCO List since 1994.
Under the administrative protection of the organization was not only part of the water area of the Gulf of Tonkin of the South China Sea, but also more than three thousand islands (about two-thirds of them have names), as well as a bunch of nameless rocks, cliffs and grottoes. The bay is so beautiful that you just can't take your eyes off it.
It is for admiring the scenery that excursions from Hanoi come here. And some independent travelers specially come to the city of Halong (except for the bay, nothing particularly remarkable) to stay for a couple of days in a hotel overlooking the bay.
There are also tourists who dream of exploring this heavenly place in more detail. You can rent kayaks on the beach to go to mysterious caves and grottoes. There is also an opportunity to visit the islands in the bay on a ship or a traditional Vietnamese boat - a junk.
When to visit Halong
The question should be reformulated as follows: what period is not suitable to visit Halong Bay? Vietnam is a very elongated country from south to north. And if you are relaxing in Nha Trang or Phu Quoc in winter or early spring, and there is tropical heat, this does not mean at all that the weather will be the same in Ha Long.
After all, the city is located in the north of Vietnam. And there is such a season as winter, even if it is very mild by Russian standards. Of course, Halong Bay is beautiful even in inclement weather. The grisaille of the gray sky, the leaden sea and the blackening islands also looks impressive. But under drizzling rain and gusts of wind, it is not very comfortable to make excursions.
Therefore, you should refrain from traveling to Ha Long from late January to early April. At any other time, the bay will delight you with postcard views and comfortable weather for excursions.
Halong Bay (Vietnam): how to get there on your own
Tours from Hanoi and other cities in the north of the country are often sent to the attraction, included in the list of "Seven New Wonders of Nature". But you can come here on your own for less money. To do this, go to one of bus stations Hanoi - "Gia Lam Terminal" or "Mai Dinh Bus Station". Routes depart from them to the city of Halong. The ticket costs 50 thousand dong (137 rubles). Travel time - 5 hours.
To get to the largest island in the Gulf of Cat Ba, you need to get to the capital to the station "Luong Yen Terminal" and take a bus to the port of Haiphong. Tourist Express is a great alternative local species transport, because it does not make stops along the way, and you will arrive in Halong city in three hours.
Besides Shuttle Buses come to a station far from the sea. You will have to take a taxi to the bay. And expresses have their own final stop Tuan Chau pier, from where they depart sea excursions along the bay. From Hanoi, such buses start from the office of their company Singh Tourist, which is located in historical center city, close to most hotels. The fare to the pier costs $10 (622 rubles).
From Hanoi to the islands
Some travelers book a hotel in Cat Ba to stay. If you are one of them, then in the same company "Singh Tourist" ask for a "connect ticket". It costs 13 thousand dong (35 rubles) more than the previous one. This ticket includes a bus ride to Hai Phong Pier and a boat trip to Cat Ba, as well as entrance to the national park. Consider that for that kind of money you got a free tour. After all, on the way to Cat Ba Island, the boat bypasses all the significant sights of Halong Bay.
How to get to the bay from Hanoi by air? Unfortunately, there are no domestic flights connecting the capital and Ha Long city. But every Saturday, the Northern Airport Flight Service Company invites you to a helicopter ride over the most beautiful bay in the world. Departure is scheduled for 8 am from Gia Lam Airport, maximum amount passengers in a helicopter - six people. The cost of participation in such an air walk is 175 dollars (10,888 rubles).
Halong bay: how to get from Nha Trang
Vacationing in the south of Vietnam, but the beaches are tired, and the local attractions have already been explored? Then go to beautiful bay country and world - halong. Tour buses depart from Nha Trang.
The fare depends on the company. But the main catch is that travel in such buses will stretch for 22 hours. Quite a bit of time will be allocated for exploring the bay itself. The cost of excursions to Halong Bay from Nha Trang starts from $250 (15,550 rubles). They last two days and a night. The program includes travel there and back, as well as skiing. motor boat across the bay. Sometimes sightseers have little time for kayaking. It is much more convenient to make such a trip on your own or with an individual tour. What? We will tell.
What are private tours
Solo travelers come to the city of Halong and already book excursions there. The shortest lasts 5 hours. It includes lunch, a visit to Monkey Island, swimming near about. Catba. At the request of tourists, instead of the macaque beach, you can go to grottoes and caves.
The cost of such an excursion to Halong Bay is 15-45 dollars, or 933-2800 rubles (depending on the size of the group). There is also a tour more interesting than the first. It lasts 9 hours. In addition to Monkey Island, tourists visit a cave and one of the floating villages. lunch and drinking water included in the price (20-80 dollars, or 1245-4977 rubles).
But most the best tour, during which you can get acquainted with almost all the sights of Halong Bay, is a two-day trip on a Vietnamese junk with an overnight stay on board. The cost of such a tour starts from $ 50, or 3110 rubles. (if there is a group of 8 people).
The most high price for the tour will be when you charter a junk for two - $ 260 (16,174 rubles). The price includes two lunches, breakfast and dinner. The tour program includes a visit floating village, Monkey Islands, cave exploration, rock climbing and fishing.
Airplane and bus
The distance between Nha Trang and Halong Bay (Vietnam) is serious - 1400 kilometers. And if you want to get to the place as quickly as possible, air transport is indispensable. Airliners of JetStar, Vietnamairlines and VietJet fly to Hanoi from Nha Trang Cam Ranh Airport several times a day. They land in the capital air harbor Non Bai, from where buses run to the city. We have already described the route from Hanoi to Ha Long above. IN capital airport you can rent a car or hire a taxi.
A one-way trip by car will cost $70 (4,355 rubles). Drivers from the center of Hanoi to the bay should drive in eastbound roads QL5B and ĐCT04. The journey will take three and a half hours one way.
Train and bus
The railway line to the city and Halong Bay is not extended. Therefore, from Nha Trang, you must first get to Hanoi. Train tickets should only be purchased at railway ticket offices at the station. The price depends on the class of the wagon. In the same train, passengers ride on wooden benches, on soft seats, as in a bus, in three- and two-seater compartments. But the trip from Nha Trang to Hanoi railway suitable only for those tourists who have enough time, want to travel in comfort and want to see the beauty of Vietnam along the way.
Per day to the capital from southern resort eight trains leave. But they all go to Hanoi 24 hours. This option is preferred by travelers vacationing in Nha Trang who have a flight home from Hanoi Airport. Why not take a last look at the most beautiful bay in the world?
From Nha Trang, whatever one may say, the round trip will cost one hundred dollars (6221 rubles). But sightseeing buses are three times more expensive. The same can be said about air transport. Express bus Nha Trang - Hanoi - the cheapest and fast way be in the capital. A ticket costs $35 (2178 rubles) one way.
In Hanoi, you can book an excursion to Halong Bay at any travel agency. It costs $25, or 1555 rubles (including lunch). Solo travelers can use public transport. Then the way from Hanoi to Halong and Catba will cost them only 7 dollars (436 rubles).
As for buses, tourists recommend taking a blanket or a warm sweater. Air conditioners there work at full capacity, in the cabin - at most +15 degrees. Otherwise, the service on board the buses is highly praised. The cars are new, comfortable, they do not get sick at all.
Where to stay
If you are traveling to Halong Bay from Nha Trang on your own, you should take care of your accommodation. There are several options here:
- night bus,
- train,
- accommodation on board the ship (cruise),
- island hotel,
- hotel in the city.
The last option is the cheapest. You can stay in hostels and small pensions in Hanoi. The city of Halong also has a choice of cheap accommodation, if you look in the blocks away from the main attraction - the bay. In these places, the price for a double room in a 2-star hotel is about 1430 rubles.
A more expensive pleasure is living in a small cabin on a junk. Wealthy tourists can afford cruises on big yachts, stylized fishing boats, or book one of the luxury hotels on the islands.
But even a budget traveler can stay in an inexpensive bungalow right on the beach or in a house that has stuck like bird home to the cliff.
