How to spend 3 days in Halong Bay? On your holiday in Vietnam, Halong Bay is one of the must-visit destinations that you cannot miss. The World Heritage Site shines bright like a diamond with its emerald water, lovely green rows of coconut trees shading under the sun, rare coral reefs and cool weather with fresh winds that will blow your mind on your 3 days in Halong Bay!
Halong Bay – the muse of Vietnam
How to Get to/ around Halong Bay?
Getting to Halong Bay
Halong Bay is 170 km from Hanoi, a 3.5-hour drive away. There are many options for you to go to Halong Bay according to your budget, your travel plan, and your personal purpose.
By bus
The cheapest way to get from Hanoi to Halong Bay is by local bus. This option allows you to discover in depth the daily life of the inhabitants. However, there is still the disadvantage of this transport. Bus seats are not numbered and drivers may stop several times to welcome more passengers on the road.
By private car
This is the best option for a family holiday in Vietnam with a lot of luggage, a group of friends who want to sit comfortably and chat with each other without disturbing anyone else. Indeed, the price of booking a private car is not fixed because it depends on the quality of the car. You can contact a travel agency in Vietnam for more information.
By seaplane
Seaplane over Halong Bay
In 2014, Hai Au Aviation officially launched a new type of tourism in the Halong Bay – Seaplane Tour in Vietnam. Travelers will be transferred between Hanoi and Halong Bay by Hai Au seaplane for 45 minutes. You will have the opportunity to enjoy a panoramic view of Halong Bay from the height of the Hai Au seaplane in 15 minutes on 3 days in Halong.
Getting around Halong Bay
The best way to scroll around and admire the stunning scenery across the roads while in Halong Bay is renting a car with a driver. This way will allow you to master your time, have your freedom and know the destinations as well as the routes in summary under the guide of the driver on your trip.
Where to Stay for 3 Days in Halong Bay?
Halong Bay is one of the most attractive and majestic tourism destinations in Vietnam. Therefore, there are various kinds of accommodation at this site such as hotels, resorts, homestays, etc. You will especially not want to miss a chance to relax on an overnight cruise while in Halong Bay.
Here comes the list of places that you can stay on your tour to Northern Vietnam:
1. Wyndham Legend Hotel
Address: 12 Ha Long Street, Bai Chay Ward, Ha Long City, Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam
2. Ha Long Plaza Hotel
Address: 8 Ha Long Road, Bai Chay Ward, Halong City, Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam
3. Grand Halong Hotel
Address: 138 Ha Long Street, Bai Chay Ward, Ha Long City, Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam
4. Novotel Halong Bay
Address: 160 Ha Long Road, Bai Chay Ward, Ha Long City, Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam
5. Saigon – Halong Hotel
Address: 168 Ha Long Road, Bai Chay Ward, Ha Long City, Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam
6. Asean Halong Hotel
Address: Bai Chay (Hau Can) Road, Bai Chay Ward, Ha Long City, Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam
7. New Star Halong Hotel
Address: Cai Dam – Bai Chay Ward – Halong City – Quang Ninh Province – Vietnam
Best Places to Visit for 3 Days in Halong Bay
Halong Bay
Kayaking at Halong Bay – an amazing experience to try!
The spot is on the list of 100 must-visit destinations at least once in your life, according to Business Insider, an economic and commercial information site. This bay is renowned for its harmonious beauty between water and sky, its invaluable biological and geological values. A cruise in the bay will be an unforgettable experience during your Vietnam tour.
Bai Tu Long Bay
Cruise at beautiful Bai Tu Long Bay
This site extends North-west of Halong Bay to the Chinese border. This destination will satisfy all tourists, even the most demanding travelers. Traveling to the off-the-beaten-track Bai Tu Long Bay will offer many unique and interesting experiences as well.
Lan Ha Bay
Stunning Lan Ha Bay, Vietnam
It is located off Cat Ba Island, Southeast of Halong Bay. This beautiful bay is the smallest on the whole Halong Bay, intended for those who want to escape from the bustling suburb of Cat Ba. Therefore, you should make your decision to visit this stunning place on your 3 days in Halong Bay.
Titov Island
Titov Island
About 10 km from the pier, Titov island is a small haven of peace in the beautiful bay of Halong maritime. This island offers a breathtaking view of the bay and has a lovely white crescent-shaped beach. If you desire to admire the view of a large part of the bay and swim in the sublime waters, you should spend time visiting this special isle on 3 days in Halong Bay.
Surprise Cave (Hang Sung Sot)
Inside of Surprise Cave
Located on Bo Hon Island, this cave is one of the most beautiful and broad caves in Halong Bay. Surprised by its fairy beauty, the first French people who went there named it Surprises cave. Today, this cave attracts many national and international tourists to visit and explore during their visit to Halong Bay.
Heavenly Palace Cave (Hang Thien Cung)
Located near Wooden Piles cave, North of Dau Go Island, the palace is famous for the splendor of its 4 pillars of stalagmites carved by the elements and supporting the “roof of paradise”. From the base to the summit, its pillars seem to represent scenes of life: birds, fish, and scenes of daily life. On the walls, a natural fresco offers the spectacle of a group of fairy singing and dancing. It is one of the largest and most beautiful caves to visit on your 3 days in Halong Bay.
Wooden Piles Cave (Hang Dau Go)
This cave was nicknamed Wonders cave by the French in the early 20th century. It is also known as Wooden Tips cave. It has several pillars and stone columns and is home to a wide variety of animal and plant species. With its mysterious beauty, this cavern is one of the most beautiful caves in the country that you cannot miss on your 3 days in Halong Bay.
Top 10 Best Food to Try for 3 Days in Halong Bay
Fried squid (Cha muc)
In the top 10 of the ranking of the best food in Asia, squid is a proud specialty of the people here. Coming to Ha Long, although going to any restaurant, I am introduced to this dish by the owner. From a distance, you can smell the intense aroma of fried meat from lying on the frying pan. When enjoying each of these natural yellow rolls, you will see the crispy, chewy and juicy taste of fresh squid.
The famous delicious Halong fried squid
Spring rolls with fried squid (Banh cuon cha muc)
Still the dough rolls are cleverly coated and minced meat with mushrooms and the atrium inside, but when eaten with squid rolls, it creates a very special flavor. The aroma of spring rolls, spring rolls, fried onions mingled with the freshness of squid and dipping sauce makes a great combination!
Sam
You will not want to miss this nutritious dish on your trip to Halong
Sam beach is the same as the crabb family, also has shells and is bigger. Interestingly, the sam often comes in pairs, the female piggyback on the male so when caught, people often catch a pair. Sam can be processed into many different dishes such as steamed sam, fried stir-fried sam, grilled sam cartilage, sam salad, stir-fried sam with lemongrass, fried sam eggs, etc.
Peanut worms (Sa sung)
Peanut worms are also known as ginseng or sea worms. Although the price is a bit high, sá devotees are preferred by many on the list of certain delicious dishes to try of Ha Long cuisine. Sá devotees have a very sweet and fresh taste when stir-fried with garlic it wakes up to the rich aroma of the sea.
Nodding cake (Banh gat gu)
The cake with this strange name has a controversial shape, some people think that nodding like a noodle cake, others think it is wet. The cake is rolled into a long roll, when picked up to eat, just nod so it is called nodding cake. Served with fish sauce served with chicken fat and fried onions, the shop also sells bread with braised meat stock thoroughly marinated.
Mantis shrimp noodles (Bun be be)
You will find a complex combination of flavors at this food
The mantis shrimp is also known as the crayfish by Southern people. Fresh mantis shrimp meat is taken from Quang Ninh beaches. After pre-processing, people take the shells of mantis shrimps cooking with pork bones to make broth. In a bowl, there are other ingredients such as choy sum, tomatoes, shrimp and other herbs to enhance the flavor of the dish.
Banh tai long ep
This cake is a specialty made from the skillful hands of San Diu people. Despite its extremely simple appearance, how to make this type of cake is quite meticulous and thorough. The aromatic, sweet, fleshy taste of the talent confectionery will surely make you miss forever remembering Ha Long.
Austriella corrugata noodles (Bun xao ngan)
The austriella corrugata is very strange to eat. But when used with mushrooms and wood ear, it increases the delicious taste. The food means “boring” in Vietnamese but the flavor is not boring at all!
Tien Yen hill chicken
Chicken in Tien Yen were released on the hillsides to find food for themselves, every day they had to walk and wander, so the meat was very tough, firm, sweet-smelling, greasy without being bored.
Bubbles yogurt
This is the yogurt for the soul!
When ordering this specialty, you will get a small cool yogurt jar and a bowl of hot coconut milk with bubbles inside. Mix and try a spoonful of cold yogurt mixed with coconut milk and hot effervescence, you will have a pretty interesting experience with this dish!
Suggested Itineraries for 3 Days in Halong Bay – 2 options
Itinerary 1 – Option 1: Two days relaxing on cruise and one day having fun at Sun World
Cruise organizers offer different routes and you can choose the one that you prefer the most. Here is a list of routes for your cruise on 3 days in Halong Bay:
- R1: Halong Bay – Surprise Cave (Hang Sung Sot) – Titov Island (from Tuan Chau Harbor)
- R2: Halong Bay – Cave of Heavenly Palace (Dong Thien Cung), Cave of Wooden Stakes (Hang Dau Go, from Tuan Chau Harbor)
- R3: Halong Bay – Bai Tu Long Bay – Surprise Cave (Hang Sung Sot) – Titov Island (from Hon Gai Harbor)
- R4: Lan Ha Bay (from Got Pier, Hai Phong)
There are a variety of choices for your overnight cruise on Halong Bay. Here are some of the best Halong Bay cruises, noted by our customers and suggested by us to our customers as well during their trip to Northern Vietnam:
- La Regina Legend Cruise
- Swan Cruise
- Mon Chéri Cruise
- Ancora Cruise
- Bellezza Cruise
- Era Cruise
- Emperor Cruise
Read more: 7 steps to choose your perfect Halong Bay cruise: Master Guide 2019
On 3 days in Halong Bay, visitors can also combine the cruise with a visit to the Sun World Entertainment Zone.
As the first entertainment complex in Vietnam, Sun World Halong is a small world full of entertainment, relaxation and shopping in the heart of Ha Long City. Here, you will participate in a lot of fun games for all ages, including many exciting and unprecedented ones in Vietnam. There are also many wonderful experiences of Sun World such as the Ha Long Dragon Park, the Halong Typhoon Water Park, the Sun Wheel, etc.
A romantic dinner while chasing the sunset on Halong Bay Cruise
Itinerary 2 – Option 2: One day on cruise and two days joining exciting activities & nightlife in Halong
Each junk offers a different program, consisting of multiple activities of different types. Generally, there is a mutual program for these actions:
- In the morning, you will have a welcome drink, take the first meal while passing the beautiful scenery of the bay.
- For the afternoon, you will arrive back to visit the caves, beaches and fishing villages, or go kayaking.
- In the evening, you will participate in the Vietnamese cooking class, go fishing at night, enjoy a movie, etc. The next morning, if you get up early, you can take a Tai Chi, then have breakfast and continue your visit through the bay sites.
If you are not a cruise person, then you can stroll and discover the seaside at night. There are some interesting places for you to visit such as Bar de Blue Note, Flightless Bird Bar, Noble House, etc. and you will have an unforgettable evening on your 3 days in Halong Bay.
Visiting Halong Bay is a perfect idea for your holiday in Vietnam. Hopefully, our suggested itinerary will help you make your 3-day trip as enjoyable as possible. Customize your Vietnam tour so that we can help create long-lasting memories of yours in Vietnam!
Read more:
