These are the best places to travel this summer

Halong Bay

Shop

Get even more with a Lonely Planet guide.

Shop Book
Young Caucasian blonde woman in a straw hat enjoying the boat ride at Lan Ha Bay, Cat Ba island, Vietnam; Shutterstock ID 1466647397; your: ClaireN; gl: 65050; netsuite: Online ed; full: Vietnam with Elsewhere
1466647397

© leonov.o / Shutterstock

LONELY PLANET’S RECOMMENDED eSIM

Stay connected in Halong Bay

with

Saily is an affordable eSIM service that helps you stay connected and secure, anywhere in the world.

Get your eSIM

Overview

Towering limestone pillars and tiny islets topped by forest rise from the emerald waters of the Gulf of Tonkin. Designated a World Heritage Site in 1994, Halong Bay's scatter of islands, dotted with wind- and wave-eroded grottoes, is a vision of ethereal beauty and, unsurprisingly, northern Vietnam's number one-tourism hub.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • Unoccupied beach at the Lan Ha Bay in Vietnam

    Lan Ha Bay

    Cat Ba Island

    Lying to the south of Halong Bay off the north-eastern coast of Vietnam, the 300-or-so karst islands and limestone outcrops of Lan Ha are just as…

  • Cannon Fort, Cat Ba Island.

    Cannon Fort

    Cat Ba Island

    For one of the best views in Vietnam, head to Cannon Fort, where there are astounding panoramas of Cat Ba Island's jungle-clad hills, the harbour and the…

  • Cat Ba National Park.

    Cat Ba National Park

    Cat Ba Island

    Cat Ba's beautiful national park is home to 32 species of mammal, including most of the world's 65 remaining golden-headed langurs, the world's most…

  • The hospital cave of Cat Ba Island in Vietnam

    Hospital Cave

    Cat Ba Island

    Hospital Cave served both as a secret bomb-proof hospital during the American War and as a safe house for Viet Cong (VC) leaders. Built between 1963 and…

  • Hang Trong Cave also known as Drum Cave – The most beautiful cave in Ha Long Bay.

    Hang Trong

    Halong Bay

    Hang Trong has wide-arched entrances on either side and a ceiling clustered with stalactites. It's so named because when the wind blows through its…

  • Cat Co Cove

    Cat Co Cove

    Cat Ba Island

    A 10-minute walk southeast from Cat Ba Town, the three Cat Co Cove beaches boast the nearest sand to town, though all are being developed with hotel…

  • Sunworld

    Sunworld

    Halong City

    Vietnamese and cruise-ship tourists flock to this cable car that spans the Cua Luc inlet, offering dramatic views over Halong Bay. The views are…

  • Hang Dau Go

    Hang Dau Go

    Halong Bay

    This huge cave consists of three chambers reached via 90 steps. Inside, ceilings soar up to 25m high, while some rather disco-festive lighting illuminates…

Plan with a local

Get a book. Get inspired. Get exploring.

in partnership with getyourguide

Book popular activities in Halong Bay