Inside Asia Tours: Vietnam, Cambodia & Laos

Halong Bay

The colonial French first opened up Halong Bay to tourism, and it remains an indisputed highlight of any visit to Vietnam. You may have to share the beautiful karst scenery with a few more fellow visitors than the first tourists did, but the majesty of this unique seascape remains undiminished.

Halong Bay Map

“When I visited Halong Bay I was blown away by the scale and beauty of the whole area - the calm waters and islets seem to just go on and on. If you can spare the time to extend to a two-night cruise I'd whole-heartedly urge you to so, you'll savour every minute!”

Enfys Maloney, Team Leader

Halong Bay lives up to its reputation as one of the world's most unique and beautiful locations. Steeped in legend, the islets and limestone formations found in these tranquil waters are staggeringly beautiful. Halong translates as 'where the dragon descends into the sea' and locals tell a tale of how the bay was formed. Myth has it that the islands were created long ago when a celestial dragon and her children were sent to Earth to fend off invaders. As the mother dragon protected the land she breathed out a thousand beautiful pearls which turned into a wall of islands to protect the mainland. As the baby dragons followed their mother and ran into the sea, their thrashing and flailing tails gouged out valleys in the earth and the final pinnacles were created. The dragons then plunged into the sea leaving the still waters lapping at the newly formed islands.

There are many cruise companies that offer day trips or overnight excursions through this wonderful scenery, and where possible we recommend those that take a slightly less-visited route into quieter corners or the bay or visiting the adjacent Bai Tu Long Bay, which is less developed but every bit as spectacular.

Make an Enquiry

For more information email us: [email protected] or call: 303 952 0379

Recommended Accommodation in Halong Bay

The following are some of our favourite accommodation options in Halong Bay.

Experiences in Halong Bay

Halong Bay offers a wealth of exciting experiences that will help you get beneath the surface of the local culture. See below for a few of our favourites

Weather in Halong Bay

The Climate Guide for Halong Bay is perfect for planning your holiday. Monthly weather averages give the best indication of what the weather is usually like for every month of the year including figures for temperature, rainfall and sunshine.

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Max Daytime Temperature (°C) 20 20 23 27 31 32 32 32 31 29 25 22
Min Night-time Temperature (°C) 13 14 17 21 24 25 26 25 24 21 17 14
Hours of Sunshine (Daily) 3 2 3 4 6 6 7 6 6 6 5 5
Hours of Daylight (Daily) 11 11 12 13 13 13 13 13 12 12 11 11
Heat and Humidity Discomfort None None None Moderate Very High Very High Very High Very High Very High Moderate Low None
Days with some Rainfall 10 11 13 13 14 15 15 16 14 11 8 7
Monthly Rainfall (mm) 27 31 43 91 168 244 267 312 206 119 55 24
UV Index (Maximum) 8 10 11+ 11+ 11+ 11+ 11+ 11+ 11 10 8 7
Make an Enquiry

For more information email us: [email protected] or call: 303 952 0379

Featured trips including Halong Bay