Save this most detailed guide to visiting the caves in Ha Long right away

1 General overview of visiting Ha Long Bay

When visiting Ha Long Bay, you must purchase an admission ticket just like when participating in activities at amusement spots. Currently, Ha Long Bay has 5 main routes, each with its own itinerary. If you want to visit attractions on the remaining routes, you have to return to Tuan Chau Port and buy additional tickets or purchase them in advance. According to MIA.vn's observations, the majority of Vietnamese visitors are only interested in Route 1 and Route 2.

• Route 1: Includes sightseeing and experiential activities taking place within 4 hours, such as visiting Thien Cung Cave, admiring the scenery at Dinh Huong Islet, and rowing a boat or kayaking at Ba Hang Cave.
• Route 2: Takes around 6 hours with many activities such as visiting Sung Sot Cave, sightseeing at Ga Choi Islet, riding a speedboat, and swimming.

It can be seen that Route 2 offers many more interesting activities and forms of entertainment; therefore, MIA.vn chose this route for the journey to explore the caves in Ha Long.

2 Attractions and ticket prices for Route 2

Route 2 is named Port - Cave Park Conservation Center Area. The primary means of transportation on this route is by boat.

• Main attractions on Route 2: Sung Sot Cave, Bo Nau Cave, Luon Cave, Ho Dong Tien Cave, Trong Cave, Trinh Nu Cave, Me Cung Cave, Soi Sim Island, Ti Top Island.
• Reference ticket prices: 290,000 VND/day, 590,000 VND/2 days 1 night, and 790,000 VND/ 3 days 2 nights.
• Ticket purchase locations: Tuan Chau Port and Ha Long International Cruise Port.

Tuan Chau Port: Ngoc Chau Ward, Tuan Chau Island, Ha Long. This port is located 11km from Ha Long city center; although it is quite far and takes time to travel to, in return there are many boats here, making it easy for you to choose a vessel that suits your budget.

Ha Long International Cruise Port: No. 9, Ha Long Street, Bai Chay Ward, Ha Long. The port is located right in the center of Ha Long City with beautiful scenery and convenient transport. The boats here are also large vessels offering various services, but please note that tickets often sell out on weekends as the number of boats here is limited.

According to official information from the Ha Long Bay Management Board, when counting only the daily tickets sold, Route 2 accounts for up to 50% of the tickets, on par with and at times even exceeding Route 1. Thanks to its numerous attractions and diverse entertainment options, most tourists choose to stay overnight when booking this trip.

See more: Explore Co To Island - An interesting tourist attraction in Ha Long

3 Cost of visiting Route 2

When you choose route 2 to visit the caves in Ha Long, you need to prepare in advance for the following expenses:

• Ha Long route 2 sightseeing ticket cost: 290,000 VND/person. If you have young children or travel with kids under 7 years old, the ticket is 100% free for them.
• Boat rental ticket: 200,000 VND/person.
• Meals on the boat: Minimum 150,000 VND/person.

In total, if you book meals, it will cost around 640,000 VND/person; if not, it costs around 490,000 VND/person. If you want to save money, you can book meals yourself rather than booking through a tour.

4 Detailed itinerary

The first destination is Sung Sot Cave (Surprise Cave). This is one of the most famous and beautiful caves in Ha Long Bay; when you arrive at this spot, you can disembark to tour and admire the stunning scenery here. Leaving Sung Sot Cave, the boat will take you to Luon Cave. Arriving at this location, you can hire a local boatman to row you around to sightsee the gorgeous landscape or paddle a kayak yourself to explore the cave. In addition, adventure enthusiasts can rent a speedboat at Luon Cave to head to Trong Cave (Drum Cave) or Trinh Nu Cave (Virgin Cave) to experience the thrilling sensation of speeding along at 40 - 50 km/h.

Continuing the journey, the boat will take you to Bo Nau Cave, Trinh Nu Cave, and Trong Cave. Note that at these caves, you can only admire the views from the boat. The furthest and most anticipated stop on this itinerary is Me Cung Cave (Maze Cave). However, depending on the boat you choose, if travel time is insufficient, this stop might be skipped. After visiting Me Cung Cave, you will be taken to Soi Sim Island and Ti Top Island.

At Ti Top Island, you can freely enjoy hiking, admiring the panoramic view of Ha Long Bay, and swimming. You also need to pay special attention to health precautions as well as theft prevention because this island is quite crowded with tourists.

At Soi Sim Island, you can also hike easily because the path here was developed and put into operation in early 2019, making it well-maintained and easy to walk. The beach here is also less crowded and more poetic than Ti Top Island.

5 Concluding the journey, the boat will take you back to Tuan Chau Port

Information on destinations on route 2:

5.1 Sung Sot Cave

This is a large cave located on Bo Hon Island with a glistening stalactite system, and the pathways leading into the cave are also very mysterious. For that very reason, it is named Sung Sot Cave (Surprise Cave). The main activity here is touring and sightseeing inside the cave.

5.2 Bo Nau Cave

Bo Nau Cave is a dry cave with a magnificent view overlooking the bay. At this cave, you can only admire the scenery from the boat.

5.3 Luon Cave

Luon Cave is a tunnel-shaped cave with a submerged floor. Inside the cave, there is also a small lake, and the cave is surrounded by steep, arc-shaped cliffs. There are many activities you can experience here, such as kayaking, renting a rowing boat for sightseeing, or taking a speedboat.

5.4 Dong Tien Cave

Considered a cave located on the same Bo Hon Island as Sung Sot Cave, deep inside the cave lies a small lake nestled within the mountain. However, this cave has not yet been opened for tourism.

5.5 Trong Cave and Trinh Nu Cave

These two caves face each other, and legend has it that there was once a love story of a young couple associated with these two locations. You can learn more about Trong Cave and Trinh Nu Cave to better appreciate the story behind these two famous caves.

5.6 Me Cung Cave

Me Cung Cave has a narrow entrance just wide enough for one person to pass through, and its interior features multiple chambers. This cave boasts exceptionally beautiful and intricate stalactites. You can tour and take in the scenery inside the cave.

5.7 Ti Top Island and Soi Sim Island

Ti Top Island and Soi Sim Island are two beautiful islands ideal for mountain climbing, swimming, sunbathing, and admiring the stunning scenery of Ha Long.

Although these shares about itineraries and experiences for visiting caves in Ha Long are modest, MIA.vn hopes they are just enough to provide you with useful information for your upcoming trip to Ha Long. MIA.vn hopes you will have an impressive itinerary in this land.