How to choose between Bai Tu Long Bay vs Lan Ha Bay vs Ha Long Bay?

First of all, it is necessary to explain to you the differences between the bays of the Gulf of Tonkin and of course why we chose to take a  cruise to Bai Tu Long bay. Ha Long Bay attracts millions of visitors every year and is home to thousands of boats. This is due to the site’s deserved notoriety and the imagination it arouses. However, what about its “neighbors”, Lan Ha Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay? Many tourists have considered these bays as the must-visit destinations in Vietnam. Unfortunately, you don’t have enough time to explore all three. Wondering how these bays are different from Ha Long bay and if you will miss anything in Lan Ha Bay, or Bai Tu Long bay if you choose Ha Long bay and vice versa?

This article provides you with all the information about the 3 bays and will help you make your final decision and our experience at Tu Long Bay Bay.

Activities

Ha Long Bay

Ha Long Bay is recognized as one of the 7 wonders of nature and still retains its charm. It is a place of exceptional beauty. However, the hundreds of boats and tourists, especially in high season, are in the bay every day. So she is the busiest among the three. You can consult the additional information on “link”  https://horizon-vietnamtravel.com/visiter-le-vietnam/baie-Ha Long/

Lan Ha Bay

Called “forgotten paradise”, Lan Ha Bay is the smallest bay in the trinity. It is located south of its famous neighbour. It is less touristy, less populated, and as beautiful as Ha Long Bay itself. With around 400 beaches, it is very easy for you to find your own ideal swimming, and snorkeling spot.

If you love adventure and hiking, when choosing between Lan Ha Bay, Bai Tu Long Bay and Ha Long Bay, Horizon Vietnam Travel highly recommends Lan Ha Bay. As a kayaking paradise, Lan Ha Bay even allows you to paddle in a cave!

Bai Tu Long Bay

Located east of Ha Long Bay and near the Sino-Vietnamese border, Bai Tu Long Bay brings unexpected and original wonder.

There is a peaceful atmosphere for a more independent visit to the islands and caves, it is Bai Tu Long Bay. A landscape similar to Ha Long Bay with remarkably clear waters and less touristy attractions, Bai Tu Long Bay has its own magic. You’ll never know what you’ll find there and it’s hard to imagine how beautiful and breathtaking it is.

The pleasures and attractions of this bay are many: the fishing village of Vung Vieng, Da Xep Park, Thien Canh Son cave, Tam Cung cave and Ban Chan beach,….

Horizon Vietnam Travel introduces you to some of the activities that we favor in Bai Tu Long Bay.

Our cruise to Bai Tu Long Bay

It is with great pleasure that we take you to discover Bai Tu Long Bay, one of the natural wonders of the world, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Located about 4 hour drive from Hanoi, this site is located in the Gulf of Tonkin in the China Sea. This vast sea bay is the largest in the world. It continues to attract travelers who are always amazed by the exceptional landscapes that Bai Tu Long Bay can offer. Very similar to Ha Long Bay, it is however less touristy, which makes the trip all the more pleasant.

On board the Junk Renea, we spent two days and one night for our cruise to Bai Tu Long bay. On the way to arrive at the port of Ha Long he told us anecdotes about Vietnamese culture, he also explained the program to us in detail.

Finally arrived on the junk, beautifully decorated, we hasten to drop off our belongings to go and taste the freshly prepared seafood for lunch. The food was outstanding from start to finish. The meals were very hearty, tasty and very varied (meat, fish, salads, fruit, seafood, etc.). The comfort of the cabins is very good, and they were very clean.

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Now let’s talk about what interests you the most: the landscapes! Leaving the port we discover little by little the many karst peaks of the bay, it’s very impressive, it’s like being in a movie set (The guide named Nam told us that one of James Bond should have been filmed on this site but the Vietnamese government refused at the last moment). We were lucky because the weather was clear, but even with overcast weather, we have no doubt that the landscapes must be just as beautiful!

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Stunning scenery on Bai Tu Long Bay

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After this very hearty lunch, we take advantage of the junk to relax and admire what nature offers us to see. It’s very pleasant because Bai Tu Long Bay is not full of other tourist junks. We certainly see some of them, but surely less than in Ha Long Bay. After a little calming time, it’s time to go kayaking! So we put on the appropriate clothes and climb on the boats. It’s very hot but we know that at the end a little swim awaits us so we paddle well to have this little comfort. After 20 minutes of effort, we arrive on a small cove with fine sand and crystal clear waters. We are looking forward to this little fresh break! The weather is starting to cloud over so we hope to see the sunset all the same.

At around 5 p.m. we return to the junk to take a hot shower and get rid of the sea salt. On deck, the team has prepared a small aperitif for us before dinner, to be enjoyed before sunset! Watermelon juice, fruit platter and little shrimp crackers were waiting for us.

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Our fears about the weather were quickly dispelled as we saw the karst peaks at the bottom of Bai Tu Long Bay illuminated by the setting sun. The sky was magnificent. Dinner was as delicious as lunch and just as filling! Some therefore decided to rest to digest and others tried their hand at squid fishing, without much success but it was a pleasant moment (although frustrating because we did not catch anything despite our motivation!)

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In the morning the guide offers to do Tai Chi on the bridge around 5 am and see the sunrise. You don’t have to, you can sleep rocked by the waves (that’s what we did, the kayaking and the hearty meal exhausted us). Around 7 am, breakfast is served as a buffet: fruit, bacon, eggs, croissants, coffee, tea, jam, there is something for everyone! So once again we ate very well. Right after we went to Bai Tu Long bay cave. The cave is small but filled with stalactites and stalagmites. It is also an opportunity for the guide to tell us the legend of Ha Long Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay. The Mother Dragon would have descended to Ha Long Bay, and she would have sent the baby dragons to Bai Tu Long Bay to help the Vietnamese defend themselves against invaders. This dragon family would have spat out jewels and precious stones which would have turned into islets (karst peaks).

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After a few climbs, we arrive at the cave, the entrance offers a beautiful view of Bai Tu Long bay. A little lower, a pretty beach and there is a small white sand beach to cool off and take pictures.

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After this little activity, the boat takes the direction of Ha Long Bay. The landscapes remain magnificent and we never get tired of them, despite the weather being a little more overcast this day.

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We’re gathering our things, but we still have time to attend a spring roll preparation class! The chef of the junk settled in the dining room and showed us his little techniques for decorating the pretty plates he served us! Then he showed us how to prepare the spring rolls. We all tried it, and they were all more or less successful, of course, we tasted them.

Following this fun little cooking class, lunch was served. We had already arrived at the port, so the junk was at a standstill. But we once again ate like kings.

Our Bai Tu Long Bay cruise ended after lunch, we returned to the mainland to catch our bus back to Hanoi.

We really appreciated the services of this junk and we recommend it to you! It is of course integrated into our circuits so don’t hesitate to take a look!