Review of an extremely exciting 3D2N Ha Long travel itinerary for you

1 How to get to Ha Long

MIA.vn's starting point was in Hai Phong, so it did not take too much travel time; the transportation for this trip was a coach on the Hai Phong - Mong Cai route. The ticket price was around 80,000 VND/person, and it took only 1 hour to set foot in Ha Long.

In case you are from other localities, you can choose to travel by plane, train, or coach; if you like exploring, you can go backpacking by motorbike. It must be said that transportation in Ha Long in particular and Quang Ninh in general is very well developed, with airports, railways, and expressways serving you on every journey. 

Depending on your exploration itinerary, you can stop at different destinations. If you go to Ha Long Park, you can stop at Bai Chay. As for our journey, MIA.vn stopped at the entrance gate of Tuan Chau Island to visit Ha Long Bay.

2 Means of transportation during your days in Ha Long

According to MIA.vn's self-guided travel experience, the sightseeing and check-in spots in Ha Long are quite close to each other, so for convenient travel, you should choose a motorbike. MIA.vn is confident that you will have the most exciting experiences and can freely admire the breathtaking coastal roads. Hotels in Ha Long also provide motorbike rental services, with prices ranging from only 120,000 VND - 150,000 VND/day.

See more: Review of Ha Long tourist attractions you definitely must visit

3 Best time to visit Ha Long

The period from June to July is the time when Ha Long is most crowded with tourists because it is summer; most students are on vacation, so families also take the opportunity to take their children out to play and swim in the sea. For MIA.vn, traveling to Ha Long in August, September, and October is the best because the weather during this time is quite cool, sunny, and has little rain. In particular, this is the time when amusement parks and sightseeing attractions offer promotions and discounts for visitors, so you can save even more on costs.

4 Accommodation in Ha Long

When traveling to Ha Long, there are 2 main areas for you to comfortably stay:

- Tuan Chau Island: This area is famous for the Tuan Chau Peninsula amusement park and the International Passenger Port for visiting Ha Long Bay. In this location, there are many luxury hotels and resorts for those who are financially well-off and want to indulge themselves.

- Bai Chay: Famous for the Sun World Complex entertainment area and the artificial beach lined with straight rows of coconut trees. In Bai Chay, there are many very cheap guesthouses and hotels. Good and reputable hotels to mention are those located on Anh Dao Street.

- Hon Gai: As the administrative center of Ha Long, this area is densely populated. Coming to Hon Gai, you can experience the Sun Wheel amusement area and Vincom Plaza shopping center. Despite its prime location, hotel and guesthouse prices in Hon Gai are quite cheap.

On MIA.vn's journey, MIA.vn chose a small hotel located on Anh Dao Street, Bai Chay.

5 What to eat when traveling to Ha Long for 3D2N

5.1 Ha Long specialty dishes

Once traveling to Ha Long, you definitely must not miss the famous delicacies here. Some delicious dishes can be mentioned such as:

- Steamed rice rolls with squid patties: The filling is made of minced meat and wood ear mushrooms, served with extremely delicious squid patties. The thin, soft rolls paired with a bite of crunchy-chewy patty and dipped in sweet and sour sauce are absolutely fantastic. Two delicious steamed rice roll spots you should save for your journey are: Banh cuon Goc Bang and Banh cuon Ba Yen.

- Acorn barnacle porridge: Tiny, inexpensive acorn barnacles are prepared into acorn barnacle porridge with extremely high nutritional value. When eating the porridge, you should have it with some scallions, herbs, and sprinkle a little pepper to bring out the aroma. A small tip is that acorn barnacle porridge is tastier when hot and served with fried dough sticks. A delicious acorn barnacle porridge spot you should note down is Co Hang porridge eatery at No. 42 Tran Hung Dao, Bach Dang. In addition, seaside seafood restaurants or long-standing eateries in Bai Chay also offer it.

- Horseshoe crab: Fresh horseshoe crab meat can be prepared into many extremely appetizing dishes such as: sweet and sour stir-fried horseshoe crab legs, horseshoe crab porridge, horseshoe crab salad... This dish may be an acquired taste, but once you try it, it will be very addictive. Horseshoe crab meat is as tender as crab meat, but much tastier and more fragrant. If you want to enjoy delicious horseshoe crab, just head to Ha Long markets to buy it—both cheap and close by.

5.2 Delicious restaurants in Ha Long

When visiting Ha Long, you should try dining at the restaurants below:

- Sen Á Đông Buffet: 

Address: No. 01, Ha Long Street, Bai Chay. (800m from Ha Long Park) 

Here there are many very fresh and delicious seafood dishes. You should book a table in advance to avoid full bookings. Prices at Sen Á Đông are also very reasonable, at only 280,000 VND/serving; on weekends, the price is slightly higher at 310,000 VND/serving.

-  Royal Lotus Ha Long Hotel Buffet:

Address: Royal Lotus Ha Long Hotel, Peninsula 2, Hung Thang Urban Area, Hung Thang Ward.

This restaurant is famous for its extremely diverse food menu featuring over 100 dishes, with ticket prices around 320,000 VND/person. Prices vary depending on the season and the time you book your table.

- Novotel Hotel Buffet: 

Address: Novotel Ha Long Bay Hotel, No. 160 Ha Long Road, Bai Chay.

The hotel offers a stunning swimming pool view combined with an impressive waterside sightseeing area right after meals. The buffet ticket price at Novotel Hotel is only around 599,000 VND/person, and 799,000 VND/person on weekends.

6 Summary of the 3D2N Ha Long travel itinerary

6.1 Day 1

After boarding the bus and departing early, MIA.vn arrived in Ha Long at 8:00 AM. The first destination for this journey was Tuan Chau International Amusement Park with an admission fee of 250,000 VND/person (prices subject to change). You can watch art performances and try thrilling rides here.

Continuing the journey in Ha Long Bay with sightseeing route No. 2, which includes many stunning caves. After finishing the tour, MIA.vn returned to Sen A Dong Restaurant for lunch and headed back to the hotel to rest until afternoon. In the evening, we continued to explore Ha Long Night Market with more than 100 large and small stalls.

6.2 Day 2

Ending the first day of fun, on the next day, MIA.vn chose to check in around the city at super "chill" spots such as: Hon Gai Fishing Port, Quang Ninh Museum, Quang Ninh Library, Clock Tower, 3D Flower Garden, Dolphin Palace, Hai Dang Coffee, and Bai Chay Bridge. In the late afternoon, we watched the sunset and swam in the Skylight infinity pool.

6.3 Day 3

On the final day of fun, MIA.vn checked out of the hotel early and continued exploring Bai Tho Mountain, Bai Chay Beach, and Sun World amusement park. From MIA.vn's experience at Sun World, we advise you to try gentle rides first. Many people enter the park and immediately line up for Dragon's Run and Rhinoceros, which guarantees you won't want to play anything else afterward. After having fun to your heart's content, find an eatery to have lunch and rest. Around 2:00 PM, MIA.vn boarded the bus to return to the starting point.

And so, MIA.vn's 3D2N Ha Long travel journey has come to an end. Hopefully, these brief shares will be helpful for your upcoming trip to Ha Long. Wishing you meaningful youthful moments here.