1 Bai Tu Long Bay – A vast seascape stretching across the horizon
Located in the Gulf of Tonkin, Bai Tu Long Bay is home to some of the most beautiful natural scenery in Quang Ninh, a province known for its mining industry. The vast bay stretches across the horizon, encompassing part of Ha Long City, part of Cam Pha City, and the rest of Van Don Island District.
See also: Leaving the bustling, crowded city behind, I head to Hon Gai in search of peace and quiet!
Bai Tu Long Bay truly proves that its mountains, waters, and skies are every bit as beautiful as those of its “neighbor,” Ha Long Bay. With hundreds of islands of all shapes and sizes, Bai Tu Long Bay harmoniously combines enchanting natural scenery with the majestic, pristine beauty of rocky peaks scattered across the region.
Bai Tu Long Bay, with rocky islands scattered across its waters
The peaceful scenery of Cong Dam fishing village in Bai Tu Long Bay.
2 Bai Tu Long Bay and the legend of the dragons who helped the Vietnamese defeat their enemies
Few would imagine that Bai Tu Long Bay, with its enchanting mountains and waters, is also tied to the heroic history of our people.
According to ancient legend, “when the Vietnamese people had just established their nation, they were invaded by foreign enemies. The Jade Emperor sent the Mother Dragon and her brood of young dragons down to earth to help the Vietnamese fight them. As the enemy ships sailed in from the sea, the dragons spewed countless pearls and jewels, which swiftly transformed into thousands of rocky islands, forming a sturdy wall that blocked the ships’ advance. The enemy fleet, charging forward at full speed, was brought to an abrupt halt and crashed into the rocky islands or into one another, breaking apart. After the enemy was defeated, the Mother Dragon and her young dragons did not return to heaven but remained on earth, where the battle had taken place.” It is said that the Mother Dragon settled where Ha Long Bay lies today, while the young dragons came down at what is now Bai Tu Long Bay. The splashing white water churned up by the young dragons’ tails was named Long Vi—today’s Tra Co Peninsula, with its smooth sandy beach stretching for more than a dozen kilometers.
Beyond its connection to the legend of the divine dragons who helped the Vietnamese defeat their enemies, Bai Tu Long Bay is also associated with other tales from the country’s past. The bay was once a place honoring the heroic victories of General Tran Khanh Du and the three Pham brothers from Quan Lan Commune. In 1288, these distinguished figures destroyed the supply fleet of the Yuan-Mongol general Truong Van Ho.
In addition, there is a site on the bay known as Cua Ong Temple, also called Suot Temple. It is dedicated to Hung Nhuong Vuong Tran Quoc Tang, the third son of Hung Dao Vuong Tran Quoc Tuan. This shows that Bai Tu Long Bay is not only a seascape of enchanting natural beauty, but also a place of great historical significance in our ancestors’ struggle to build and defend the nation.
Bai Tu Long Bay is associated with the ancient legend of the Mother Dragon and her young dragons helping the Vietnamese defeat their enemies
According to legend, the bay became home to the young dragons after they defeated the enemy
The enchanting scenery of Bai Tu Long Bay leaves a lasting impression on visitors
Wooden boats and kayaks seem tiny amid the endless waves
3 How to get to Bai Tu Long Bay, and when is the best time to visit?
If you’re exploring Ha Long and would like to visit this beautiful bay, summer is the best time to go. The weather is relatively cool and dry, making it ideal for swimming and taking in the scenery on a cruise around the bay.
In autumn, from around August to October, the waters of Bai Tu Long Bay are also clearer, and the air is pleasantly cool—perfect for sightseeing around the bay. However, try to avoid visiting between June and August, when thunderstorms are common and can interfere with sightseeing and swimming.
You can easily travel to Ha Long from Hanoi or Saigon by coach, motorbike, or plane. Once in Ha Long, head to Hon Gai Port to buy a ticket for a boat to Bai Tu Long Bay.
Cruise ships and wooden boats are the most common ways to get around the bay. A wooden boat can easily navigate narrow, dark caves
The peaceful scenery of Bai Tu Long Bay as the sun sets
4 Unforgettable experiences in Bai Tu Long Bay
4.1 Explore Bai Tu Long National Park
Address: Ha Long Commune, Van Don District, Quang Ninh Province
If you love exploring the wild natural world, Bai Tu Long National Park is a destination you shouldn’t miss. The park is a national-level biosphere reserve, home to an exceptionally diverse range of plant and animal life, as well as many rare genetic specimens listed in the Red Data Book.
At the park, you’ll have the chance to admire the pristine, majestic beauty of its many islands, including Hon Tra Ngo Lon, Hon Ba Mun, Hon Sau Nam, and Hon Dong Ma, among others. The dramatic limestone mountain ranges surrounding the valleys are also home to many rare plant and animal species. If you love wild bats, don’t miss Bat Cave on Tra Ngo Island. Thousands of bats of various sizes live there, along with other animals such as otters, civets, foxes, and monkeys.
If you have time during your visit to Bai Tu Long National Park, you can also stop by the villages of the Tay, San Diu, or Red Dao people on the islands. Rest assured—the locals are incredibly friendly and welcoming.
Hon Thien Nga, a rocky islet rising from the waters of Tra Than Bay (part of Hon Tra Ngo Lon) in Bai Tu Long National Park
Bai Tu Long National Park’s geological formations date back around 300 million years. Limestone mountain ranges surround its valleys, creating a rich habitat for a wide variety of plant and animal life
Mangroves on Tra Ngo Island
Dense orchids cling to the limestone, branches, and trunks of mangrove trees in the Cai Lim valley
Fiddler crabs in the mangrove forest of the Cai Lim valley
The marine animal rescue center on Ba Mun Island is currently the largest marine animal rescue center in northeastern Vietnam
A radiated tortoise cared for at the marine animal rescue center in Bai Tu Long National Park
Triton’s trumpet shell in Bai Tu Long National Park
4.2 Take a cruise around Bai Tu Long Bay
Want to take in all the beauty of Bai Tu Long Bay? Why not go on a cruise? From the deck, you can enjoy sweeping, unobstructed views of the bay.
As you explore Bai Tu Long Bay by cruise ship, you’ll slowly pass majestic limestone formations such as Hon Ga Choi, Hon Dinh Huong, and Hon Mai Nha, among many others. The bay is also dotted with countless limestone islands of all sizes, sure to surprise and delight you at every turn.
Cruise tickets around the bay currently cost between 100.000 VNĐ and 300.000 VNĐ / person, while a 6-hour boat rental costs between 150.000 VNĐ and 200.000 VNĐ / person.
Taking in Bai Tu Long Bay from a cruise ship is an unforgettable experience. Photo: @roosa_s
4.3 Visit Cong Dam fishing village
One of the most popular attractions in Ha Long, Cong Dam fishing village lies peacefully at the foot of a majestic limestone mountain range. Here, you can enjoy authentic experiences of northern Vietnamese fishing life, such as fishing and riding in a traditional basket boat, or listen to locals share fascinating tales of the sea, which still holds many mysteries waiting to be explained.
Cong Dam fishing village, with floating farms for raising seafood
4.4 Go kayaking
Kayak rental: 60.000 VNĐ / person
To experience the full majesty of Bai Tu Long Bay’s natural landscape, with its caves and imposing rocky peaks, hop into a kayak. You can easily paddle through caves, admire thousands-of-years-old stalactites, or watch flocks of birds perched precariously on rocky outcrops.
Kayaking is an activity best suited to those in good physical condition. Photo: @shawolmeu
5 What to eat in Bai Tu Long Bay
After spending hours exploring the bay, why not refuel with some of Ha Long’s delicious local specialties, such as cobia, grouper, swimming crabs, shrimp, crab, squid, spotted babylon snails, ivory snails, or geoduck clams? And if you visit Bai Tu Long Bay, be sure to try the wonderfully unusual banh gat gu—a local cake that’s sure to win you over!
Banh gat gu—a cake so delicious that everyone nods in approval!
Bai Tu Long Bay has truly shown that it is every bit as impressive as its “neighbor,” Ha Long Bay, with attractions such as Luon Cave, Thien Cung Cave, Dau Go Cave, and Hon Gai. With its enchanting mountains and waters, reminiscent of a celestial paradise, the bay is the perfect destination for anyone who loves exploring and admiring the beauty of Vietnam’s landscapes.
