Ha Long Sights by How Much Effort They Take
Ha Long’s sights differ a great deal in how much they ask of you. Some are seen from a deck chair, some need a gentle stroll, and some mean a steep climb. This page sorts them by effort so you can match the list to your group. Prices are in Vietnamese dong (VND), at about 26,000 to the US dollar.
Seen from the boat
On route VHL1, three famous rocks are viewed from the water and not visited. Trong Mai is a pair of limestone islets facing each other and is the best known symbol of the bay. Dinh Huong is a single block balanced on a narrow base. Cho Da is a sea stack shaped like a dog keeping watch.
Gentle and mostly level
Quang Ninh Museum. The museum stands on Tran Quoc Nghien street in Hon Gai and was designed by the Spanish architect Salvador Perez Arroyo. Its black glass cube, completed in October 2013, is meant to recall a block of coal. Outside, a block of anthracite weighing 28 tonnes echoes the theme. Tickets cost 40,000 VND for adults, 20,000 VND for students and 10,000 VND for children. Hours are 08:00 to 12:00 and 13:00 to 17:00, and you should find out whether it closes on Monday.
Chua Long Tien and Den Tran Quoc Nghien. These stand at the foot of Bai Tho mountain. The pagoda dates from 1941. The temple honours Tran Quoc Nghien, the eldest son of Tran Hung Dao, who fought in the 1288 resistance against the Mongols. Both are in daily use for worship, so cover shoulders and knees and take off hats and shoes where signs ask.
Bai Chay Bridge and the seafront. The cable stayed bridge links Bai Chay and Hon Gai across the Cua Luc Strait, and its walkways and the Tran Quoc Nghien seafront cost nothing.
Steps and steep paths
Sung Sot cave. The cave lies on Bo Hon island and can only be reached by boat. According to the Board, no larger cave has been found in the bay. The cave mouth is roughly 20 m above the water, up a steep, tree shaded path. Inside, the first chamber has a freshwater lake and the final one a stalagmite that resembles a seated Buddha. Nothing is staged inside. It belongs to route VHL2.
Thien Cung and Dau Go. Dau Go island, the bay’s westernmost point, holds both caves and is on route VHL1. Thien Cung is a heavily decorated grotto. Dau Go is linked to the tradition that General Tran Hung Dao stored his stakes here before the 1288 battle, so treat it with respect.
Ti Top viewpoint. About 400 steps lead to the view across the bay. Ho Chi Minh named the island in 1962 after the cosmonaut Gherman Titov, who was visiting with him. Wear shoes with grip, since the steps are steep and slippery when wet. The island is part of VHL2.
When the caves are open
Thien Cung, Dau Go, Ba Hang, Sung Sot, Ti Top and Luon open at 07:30. They close at 17:30 up to 31 October and at 17:00 from 1 November to 15 April. Me Cung, Tien Ong and the Cua Van centre open at 08:00. The Board’s visiting times page lists the schedule, and the Board’s own pages for VHL1 and VHL2 name the stops.
Closed or not running
Soi Sim beach has been closed to visitors since 2020, and Bai Tho mountain is closed too. No seaplane or helicopter flights operate over the bay.
Read more: Walking tours in Ha Long shows how to see the city side on foot, and a place page on Halong Bay adds background.
Cave and bay tours can be compared on Viator .