How to Get to Halong Bay from Hanoi

Halong Bay, situated in northeast Vietnam, around 165 kilometers from the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi, is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Vietnam, and a unique UNESCO World Heritage site of outstanding natural beauty. The bay, with more than 1,600 islands and islets, is famous for the limestone islands and karst formations that rise up from the emerald green waters, which are the top attraction for tourists, both domestic and international.

The karst formations of Halong Bay have been a popular destination for local tourists for several decades, and since the bay became part of the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1994, it has become an integral part of any trip to Vietnam for foreign tourists. This stunning landscape is one of pure, natural beauty, and there are several legends about how the bay was created. The most popular tells how the gods sent dragons down to protect the country from an attack by sea, and as they descended, the dragons spat jade and jewels into the waters of the bay, which turned into rocky islands that created a protective wall. The invaders’ ships hit the rocks and sank, never managing to land and conquer the country. The name of the bay, Ha Long, is Vietnamese for “descending dragons”.

Traveling to Halong Bay

Getting to Halong Bay from Hanoi is a trip of between 165 and 185 kilometers, depending on the route you take. traveling can be done by flight or by land using bus, train, car, or shuttle, and which you use can depend on how much you are willing to spend. Because of the increasing number of tourists that are traveling from Hanoi to Halong Bay, traffic conditions and roads have been upgraded in recent years, making the land journey smoother and more comfortable. And the land transportation means are the cheapest, for those traveling on a budget.

Overland

Local Buses and Coaches

Local buses and coaches are the most popular and convenient way to travel from Hanoi to Halong Bay, and probably one of the cheapest. Coach travel is simple, yet relaxing, and there is plenty of time to rest and relax while traveling by comfortable coaches. It takes away the stress of driving yourself, and can give you a good look at the local Vietnamese landscape and people along the way, making it one of the most popular forms of transport in Asia.

Local buses are just as quick and easy to ride, although they are not nearly as comfortable, and do not have the air-conditioning that you will get on the coaches. More popular with locals than with foreign tourists, the local buses have been used by backpackers in Vietnam for decades, and are the perfect way to experience how the locals travel, and even get to chat with some along the way.

The normal route for coaches and buses from Hanoi to Halong is through Hai Phong, and the journey takes around 4-5 hours. Tickets can cost from US$ 3.50 to as much as US$ 7.00, and there is no surcharge for weekend travel as on local buses. The coaches depart from five stations in Hanoi, with the earliest leaving at around 6:00am, and then every two hours throughout the day, with the last one leaving at 8:00pm. Return trips from Halong to Hanoi start at 12:00 noon, and the last coach leaves Halong Town at 9:30pm. The five stations in Hanoi for coaches to Halong Bay are: My Dinh Station, Nuoc Ngam Station, Giap Bat Station, Yen Nghia Station, and Gia Lam Station.

Tickets can be bought online through any of the travel agent websites for Vietnam, or you can purchase them form any local travel agent or bus/coach station office. There are currently five major coach companies plying the route, which are: Dai Phat Coaches, Duc Phuc Coaches, Kumho Viet Thanh, Phuc Xuyen Coaches, and Xuan Truong Coaches. However, while the coaches are fine for getting to Halong Bay for your stay there, they are not ideal for a day trip, as they will not leave you with much time at the bay.

Shuttle Bus

The shuttle buses from Hanoi to Halong Bay are known as the “tourist bus”, and they mainly convey foreign tourists to Halong Bay from Hanoi. They are more comfortable and compact, and normally have between 9 and 16 seats. These small, high-quality shuttles run straight to Halong Bay with no stops, and can make the trip in around three hours. The shuttles normally have Wi-Fi as standard and many provide free bottled water for the journey. The drivers mostly speak a little English, so there should be no problem with the normal language barrier, although the cost of the shuttle is much higher than the coaches. Costing around fifteen US dollars for a one-way trip, the shuttles are a more expensive but faster way of getting to Halong Bay, and most depart between 7:30am and 8:30am daily, seven days a week.

Since the shuttles mostly cater to foreign tourists, they will normally pick up travelers in the Old Quarter of Hanoi, which is the main center for foreign travelers to stay. Some can be found at the local coach stations around the city, and pick-up time starts around 30 minutes before departure. If you are uncertain of where to get the shuttles from, you can get all the information from the local travel agents, and even book your tickets through them, for a small fee.

Again, while the shuttle is great for traveling to Halong Bay for your vacation, they are still not ideal for day trips, as they do not leave as early as the coaches, and still take 3-3.5 hours, although this can be longer if there is a traffic problem or unexpected incident along the way.

Private Car Service or Taxi

If you are not happy using the local coach or shuttle services, then a private car service or taxi is the next best option. While they are not very economical for traveling such a distance, they are much faster, and the car can leave whenever you want, so you can leave Hanoi as early as you like to give you more time in Halong Bay.

More space and privacy are also benefits of using a private car service, and it is a good choice for flexible travelers and families. the private cars have plenty of space for luggage, and are large enough to accommodate four adults comfortably. Larger cars, such as MPVs and People Carriers can also be hired for the trip, and can carry up to 8-9 people comfortably.

Getting a taxi or private car service is normally quite easy, and there are many taxi offices throughout the city that offer this service. Prices can vary from company to company, and while some insist on using the meter for the trip, others will be happy to make a deal on the price before you leave. bargaining for the price is the best option, and if you do, always make sure the price is understood by both sides before you travel. On average, private cars and taxis normally cost between 43 and 57 US dollars each way, and if you want a return trip, you should check if the taxi company has cars in Halong Town that can bring you back.

You can also get in touch with private hire car companies in Hanoi that offer deals on hiring a car with driver for the day, at very competitive rates. There are a large number of firms offering private cars and drivers, and you can find out more information from the local travel agents in Hanoi. Drivers of these services can normally speak good English, so communication is definitely not an issue, since they are designed to cater for foreign travelers and businessmen. Most cars have Wi-Fi and complimentary water, as well as TV sets and DVD players for your entertainment. Spacious and comfortable, they are the best way to travel if you have the budget. Private cars with drivers cost around 80 to 100 US dollars for the day’s round trip, which includes all the parking and toll fees.

Train

The last of the land route to Halong Bay from Hanoi is the train service. Trains are a good way to travel in Vietnam, since they have a fairly good rail network and the cost is not as high as car rentals. Traveling by train also gives you the opportunity to watch the scenery go past, and you can see plenty of the stunning natural landscapes and small villages as the train cuts through the countryside. Travel by train is very safe, and there are very few problems when traveling on the trains.

There is only one train per day from the Yen Vien Station in Hanoi, and the journey is around 5-7 hours. The average cost of this route is around US$ 4.50 per person, and you can choose from hard seats or soft seats. There is also an Express Service from Gai Lam Station, which costs around fifteen US dollars per person for an individual one-way ticket. Group tickets are cheaper, costing around US$ 10 per person with groups of four and over. Trains depart between 5-6am daily. tickets can be booked through a number of local travel agents, or you can go straight to the stations to book and pay for the tickets.

Trains are actually the least popular means of transport to Halong Bay from Hanoi, so there is little chance that the tickets will sell out, even in the peak tourist season. The long travel time is what puts most people off, but if you love to travel by train, it is an experience that is worth the long travel time. Schedules can sometimes be a little inconsistent, and trains can sometimes be delayed by several hours and even cancelled in some instances. Moreover, the train does not take you all the way to Halong Town or Halong bay. Halong Station (Ga Cai Lan) is outside the town and you will need to take a taxi to the center or the bay area once you arrive.

Car/Motorbike Hire

Renting a private hire car without a driver is a complicated affair in Vietnam, and requires an international driving license with an international driving permit that must be obtained from your home country prior to traveling. Prices vary from 25 to 65 US dollars per day, which does not include the cost of gasoline and insurance, which is extra, and there is often a deposit required of several hundred dollars. The same can be said of the motorbike hire, which is touted all over Hanoi, and although cheaper at around 5-10 US dollars per day, the requirements are just as strict, and copies of passports, international driving permits, international driving licenses, and other documents are required, as well as the high deposit and insurance costs.

As of December 2016, it is now illegal for foreign nationals residing outside Asia to drive in Vietnam without a local, Vietnamese driving license. The former allowance of using the International Driver’s Permit has been disallowed, and foreign nationals caught driving without a license are subject to strict enforcement, which means high fines and even imprisonment.

Flights

With so many options for long overland journeys to Halong Bay, flights from Hanoi to Halong Bay are often preferable for foreign tourists with limited time to spend at the bay. There are two options for flight to Halong Bay, the helicopters and the seaplanes, and both are pretty economical for their means.

Helicopter

Helicopters make the trip from Hanoi to Halong Bay in around 45 minutes, making it a great way to travel for a day trip to the bay area. The service is becoming increasingly popular with foreign tourists, as the cost of the one-way ticket is around US$ 440 per person, one-way from Hanoi to Halong Bay. A round trip will cost around US$ 770 per person, and the helicopter carries 12 people in comfort for the 45 minute flight.

Flights depart from the Gai Lam Airport in Hanoi, and though it is a great option for fast travel, the helicopters only fly with 6 or more passengers, so your flight may be cancelled if there are not enough passengers on that day.

Seaplane

The seaplane is the other flight option from Hanoi to Halong Bay, and the flights leave from Noi Bai Airport in Hanoi daily. The one-way flight takes around an hour and costs from US$ 175 per person to as much as US$ 385 per person depending on the season. The advantage of taking the seaplane is the spectacular views from the plane as you fly over the islands in Halong Bay prior to landing, and the view of the bay’s stunning waters and amazing karst formations makes the trip worth the high price tag.

Provided by Hai Au Aviation, the flight attendants and ground staff all speak perfect English, and the flight crew consists of well-trained foreign pilots with years of experience and Vietnamese co-pilots.

If the flight from Hanoi is too expensive, but you still want to see the islands from the air, there are local charter trips that will take you around the bay by seaplane daily, which cost from around US$ 99, and which give you a 25-minute tour of the Halong Bay islands and karst formations.