Ha Long Bay is famous for its limestone karsts and almost two thousand islands and islets that dot the turquoise-green waters. While the majority of these islands are nothing more than massive rocks that rise out of the water without any place to land, several of them are fantastic climbing locations or caverns that can be reached by boats.

About 40 of the islands in Ha Long Bay are inhabited, and just a few of those, like Cat Ba Island, where the majority of cruise ships dock, are developed sufficiently to provide hotels, restaurants, and recreational options for tourists. Even so, many cruise passengers who travel to Ha Long Bay spend their nights onboard while utilizing the days to go swimming, kayaking, or sunbathing.

Our thoughtful list of the top attractions in Ha Long Bay will guide you through all the activity that you can experience when having a trip in the area.

There’s no better way to see the beauty of Ha Long Bay than sailing across countless little islands and enormous limestone cliffs. There are hundreds of boats, ranging in size from very little to extremely huge, expensive to inexpensive, from day boats to multi-day boats. So, there is always a cruise in Ha Long that suits you, no matter you need.

The majority of Ha Long Bay ships have air conditioning and provide sun loungers with a clear view of the ocean as you approach and tour around Ha Long Bay. You may also have the choice to stay at a resort on an island if you book a cruise for two to three nights (usually Cat Ba).

Ha Long Bay is located just over 150 kilometers from Hanoi, so a one-night cruise leaving from there might be just about enough. There are even longer vacations available if you just want to unwind without having to make any plans on your own as meals, lodging, and sightseeing are all included in the cruise ticket.

Every visitor visiting Ha Long Bay should definitely include kayaking on their bucket list of things to do. This has been by far the most enjoyable method to appreciate the bay’s splendor up close and a the best way to explore all that the bay has to offer in a leisurely manner. You and your partner can independently paddle a kayak through well-known kayaking destinations including the Luon cave, the fishing town of Vung Vieng, the Tung Sau pearl farm, Cong Do island, the Ba Trai Dao region, the Ao Ech area, and many others. This activity is scheduled for almost all-day and overnight cruises. Alternatively, you can leisurely sit on a bamboo boat rowed by a local and enjoy the bay’s view.

While you can see the whole environment from a cruise, a kayak allows you access to areas that are inaccessible to boats. You may paddle through caves to reach a completely hidden area of the bay. This is a fantastic activity that takes place on calm water without waves or much current. For that reason, kayaking is one of the top activities to do in Ha Long Bay.

It should come as no surprise that Ha Long Bay has a large number of caverns given the abundance of cliffs and mountains around. and Driftwood Island is a great location to visit and explore some of them.

There are two caverns on this island to the southwest of Ha Long Bay: the enormous Thien Cung cave and the high but shallower Dau Go grotto. With several magnificent chambers, both caverns are at least two million years old. For instance, the highest dome within the Dau Go grotto, despite the entrance being just 12 meters high, the highest dome inside reaches 25 meters tall, and covered in stone pillars and stalagmites.

Thien Cung Cave is home to three ponds, and it is illuminated with colorful lights. When tourists pass by, the dancing ghostly pictures can be seen on the cave’s walls. Natural light is also provided via openings in the ceiling, and for those who are more daring and wish to explore further, there are little passages that link the various chambers.

There is no need to be concerned about getting lost since the tour guides are always available and artificial lights arranged all around the caves to illuminate certain areas and even a deep well of clear, blue water.

The island got its name in 1962, when When Uncle Ho and the Soviet astronaut Gherman Titov passed here, Uncle Ho chose the name Titov to name the island with the purpose of preserving memories and imprints of the friendship between Vietnam and the Soviet Union.

With a beautiful lovely sloping shore, white sand beach, and crystal-clear water, Titop Island is a stop that must be made on the journey of discovering Ha Long. Titop features a long, flat sandy beach, a steep bank, and an angled slope when seen from above. The beach envelops the legs of the island in a moon-like form. For travelers en route to Ha Long Bay, this is a great site to stop and also referred to as “paradise” for those who love to travel.

This crescent-moon-shaped beach might not be the largest in Ha Long Bay, but it’s definitely one of the most stunning. In contrast to other places on the bay, Titop has a wild, stunning, and incredibly calm natural setting.

The first thing to do when visitors arriving to Titov Island is swimming in the sea. Although the area is not too large, this beach’s appeal is due to the stunning natural beauty, spaciousness, pleasant and clean atmosphere. There are few places in Ha Long Bay’s network of islands and seas that can maintain the same level of clarity as Titov Island. The daily variations in tide help keep the sand beach always perfectly white by washing away any dirt. Your desires for resting and relaxation will be fully satisfied when swimming in this region during a calm time.

Sleeping on a cruise is one of Ha Long Bay’s most exciting activities, and visiting it would be incomplete without it. You have the option of booking a 1-night, 2-night on board, or even longer cruise.

In addition to a luxurious night’s sleep, an overnight cruise provides you a lot of fun-filled nighttime activities such as playing board games, night squid fishing, singing karaoke, watching movie night, and so on. In the early morning, there is a tai chi or yoga session on deck before breakfast.