Magnificent Halong Bay – UNESCO World Heritage site has charmed many people before, during and after their visit to this wonderland. But maybe because of its dreamlike beauty, travelers sometimes feel being let down when visiting other places. Well, don’t worry, Vietnam has many to offer. Right here, we will introduce to you some places you might need to put on your plan after Halong Bay.
1. Cat Ba Island:
A peak mountain in the shape of a turtle divides the beach into 2 small beaches, Cat Co One and Cat Co Two. On the right hand is fabricated rock mountain, while on the left hand is the clear and blue sea water, white and smooth sand. The beauty of the beach has been changing side by side with the flying time. Yet, never would it lose the natural luring power. The national park is a good place for a close-to-nature trek among the mangroves and freshwater lakes.
You can also explore Hospital Cave on the main island, enjoy the views from Cannon Fort or just cruise the island on a rental bike (or a motorbike if you want more adventurous) to visit incredibly beautiful countryside and small villages where life in Cat Ba has gone on, largely untainted by the decades-long boom in tourism.
Most of the year Cat Ba Town is a laid-back place, and an excellent base for activities around the island, or sailing and kayaking around Lan Ha Bay. On summer weekends Cat Ba turns into a roaring resort, filling up with vacationers. Weekdays are saner, but still busy between June and August.
Cat Ba’s best weather is from late September to November, when air and water temperatures are mild and the skies are mostly clear. December to February is cooler but pleasant. From February to April is still good, but you can expect some rain. Summer (June to August) is hot and humid with occasional thunderstorms. This is also peak season.
To get to Cat Ba islands from Halong Bay, the easiest and most economical way is by Tuan Chau/Cat Ba Ferry. The trip is going to take approximately 1 hour with the ticket falls around USD 4-5. Depend on the weather and the season, there are usually 3-5 trips per day with the earliest starts at 7:30 AM from Tuan Chau wharf and 9:00 AM from Gia Luan wharf (Cat Ba islands). The last ferry of the day departs at 3:00 PM from Tuan Chau and at 4:00 PM from Cat Ba.
As the service depends on demand, it’s best to ask for a ferry schedule at the ticket counter. First and last ferry of a day will always go. Cat Ba minibus from the ferry terminal, which is on the north of the island, leaves to the main town to the south after every ferry and takes around 30 minutes costing USD 1– 2/person/way.
You can also explore Hospital Cave on the main island, enjoy the views from Cannon Fort or just cruise the island on a rental bike (or a motorbike if you want more adventurous) to visit incredibly beautiful countryside and small villages where life in Cat Ba has gone on, largely untainted by the decades-long boom in tourism.
Most of the year Cat Ba Town is a laid-back place, and an excellent base for activities around the island, or sailing and kayaking around Lan Ha Bay. On summer weekends Cat Ba turns into a roaring resort, filling up with vacationers. Weekdays are saner, but still busy between June and August.
Cat Ba’s best weather is from late September to November, when air and water temperatures are mild and the skies are mostly clear. December to February is cooler but pleasant. From February to April is still good, but you can expect some rain. Summer (June to August) is hot and humid with occasional thunderstorms. This is also peak season.
To get to Cat Ba islands from Halong Bay, the easiest and most economical way is by Tuan Chau/Cat Ba Ferry. The trip is going to take approximately 1 hour with the ticket falls around USD 4-5. Depend on the weather and the season, there are usually 3-5 trips per day with the earliest starts at 7:30 AM from Tuan Chau wharf and 9:00 AM from Gia Luan wharf (Cat Ba islands). The last ferry of the day departs at 3:00 PM from Tuan Chau and at 4:00 PM from Cat Ba.
As the service depends on demand, it’s best to ask for a ferry schedule at the ticket counter. First and last ferry of a day will always go. Cat Ba minibus from the ferry terminal, which is on the north of the island, leaves to the main town to the south after every ferry and takes around 30 minutes costing USD 1– 2/person/way.
2. Yen Duc Village:
If the sea tires you, then our next destination may refresh your trip with its uniqueness. Yen Duc village is in Dong Trieu town of Quang Ninh province, in the Northeast Vietnam. The village ideally locates on the way between Hanoi and Halong Bay, just a short drive of 60 km from Halong Bay and 100km from Hanoi. Yen Duc Village is a typical Vietnamese agricultural village which is rich in culture and traditions, it is also granted with beautiful landscape. The village is surrounded by the historical mountains which are mirrored themselves in the Kinh Thay river. Also, similar to other typical traditional Vietnamese village in the North of Vietnam, Yen Duc Village has charming golden rice fields in the harvest time, a lot of lakes and ponds, colorful garden, especially the ranges of areca trees in the sunshine.Since the village is only 60km from Halong Bay, car and motorbike are the most obvious choices. Only one little problem may get you down is that there is no public transport to this destination. So if you are exhausted after your cruise and not an adventurous type, travelling car is the answer for you. There are rental car (it comes with a driver which can be easily arrange with your hotel/your cruise company) and tour bus (which obviously comes with a tour to Yen Duc village). For daring travelers, you may test your driving skill with Vietnamese traffic, but we do not recommend this since even Vietnamese are scared of our own traffic.
A visit to Yen Duc village may come in many forms. There are the 5 hour trip, the day trip and the overnight trip which also like your cruise with 2 options: 1 night and 2 nights. The itineraries of the 5 hour trip and the day trip have large similarities with each other which consist: a quick tour of the village and some surroundings and a chance to try some daily activities with the local people. But since you are mostly tired after the cruise if not the hour long drive, the smart choice would be an overnight trip. The overnight trip will share some activities with the day trip but mostly it will have its own unique itinerary. For the night stay, you could choose between “Vietnamese traditional style resort” which is a typical country home dedicated to traditional culture and homestay. Of course, homestay would be the best option if you want a total submersion in the rural life style. However, the first option is also worth to considerate if privacy is your concern.
What activities can you expect from this trip: Gardening, Fishing, Cycling, Sight-seeing, Traditional cooking, Water puppet show,…This place is a perfect stop after Halong Bay cruises for families with small children.
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