Should I spend 1 or 2 weeks in Halong Bay?
Should you spend 1 or 2 weeks in Halong Bay?
Not sure how much time you'll need in Halong Bay, Vietnam? Most people spend two to three days in Halong Bay during their visit. After all, the dramatic bay will let you admire the wonderful scenery, swim at the beach, discover the nearby hiking trails, and tour the famous sights and museums.
Hạlong Bay is often visiting as a side trip from Hanoi. It's a world-class destination that is regularly recognized for its spectacular beauty. The limestone karsts make for a dramatic setting, that most visitors explore as part of an overnight boat tour. Most trips including hiking, kayaking, and some time at the beach.
Do you have one or two weeks to visit Halong Bay? Here's our comprehensive breakdown of how much time you might need for your trip along with some suggestions for things to do.
Is one week enough time in Halong Bay?
One week provides ample opportunity to explore the entirety of the bay at your own pace to admire the wonderful scenery, swim at the beach, discover the nearby hiking trails, and tour the famous sights and museums. Then you can use the city as a convenient base for venturing into nearby destinations where you'll discover exciting day trip options.
How to spend a week in Halong Bay
Don't miss Cat Ba Island during your trip to Halong Bay, as it's one of this destination's most well-known attractions. You should make sure to set aside enough time to see it.
Halong Bay is known to be such a beautiful destination, so just exploring and taking it all in should be one of the top things to do on your list. Halong Bay has been voted one of the new Seven Wonders of the World and it is regularly listed as one of the most beautiful places in the world.
A few tour suggestions include:
- Full Day Boat Tour in Halong Bay, Cat Ba Archipelago & Lan Ha Bay ($24)
- Lan Ha - Ha Long Bay 1 Day boat trip - Kayaking from Cat Ba, avoid the crowds. ($38)
- From Cat Ba island: full day boat tour to Lan Ha bay - Ha Long bay ($32)
The beautiful beaches await you in Halong Bay, so spend the day (or several, if you can) relaxing on the sand or swimming in the water. Many boat tours spend a day or half day hanging out on a beach. The setting is stunning with emerald blue water and dramatic limestone karsts climbing out of the water.
A few tour suggestions include:
- Full Day Boat Tour in Halong Bay, Cat Ba Archipelago & Lan Ha Bay ($24)
- Lan Ha - Ha Long Bay 1 Day boat trip - Kayaking from Cat Ba, avoid the crowds. ($38)
- Lan Ha Bay day tour from Cat Ba Town - Serenity Premium Cruise ($35)
You can't miss out on tasting the fantastic cuisine at one of the best restaurants in town, so make sure you find somewhere special for lunch or dinner. Because most visitors travel to Halong Bay as part of an overnight boat tour, meals are usually included in the package. The dishes are usually local Vietnamese dishes, and the luxury level varies depending on the tour you book.
A few tour suggestions include:
- Luxury Aspira Cruise from Halong with kayaking,cave,cooking class ($175)
- 1-day private Hanoi city tour with fun and night street walking food tour ($101)
Known for it's hiking, Halong Bay sees plenty of visitors looking to get outdoors. Spend a day exploring the natural beauty and scenery on a nearby hike. Most tours stop off at Cat Ba Island and lead travelers through spectacular hikes. You'll take a guided walk through jungles and reach spectacular viewpoints.
A few tour suggestions include:
- Half Day Trekking Cat Ba National Park ($40)
- One Day Trekking Cat Ba National Park ($45)
You'll find a few good museums and historic landmarks here, so it's worth your time to spend a day exploring a few of them. While the bay is really about its stunning natural beauty, you can also visit the Quang Ninh Museum, which will give you some insight into the area. The Cai Bau Pagoda is also impressive, as is the Vung Vieng Floating Village.
After you've explored most of Halong Bay, take a day trip to one of the many beautiful destinations nearby.
A few tour suggestions include:
- Cozy Luxury Halong Full-Day Trip with Buffet Lunch,Limousine Bus ($53)
- Cozy Bay Premium Halong Day Trip, 5 Star Cruise with Buffet Lunch ($53)
- From Hanoi with Expessway Transfer to Halong Bay 1 Day Trip ($42)
With so much time here, you should absolutely take another day trip to one of the many nearby destinations around Halong Bay. Plenty of amazing options are available.
Another fun day at the beach awaits, so spend more time relaxing and swimming. After all, a beach vacation usually calls for plenty of time to have fun on the sand and in the waves.
Is 2 weeks enough time in Halong Bay?
With two weeks at your disposal, you'll have more than enough time to take in all that this bay has to offer, giving you the flexibility spend extra time checking out the beautiful scenery, the beaches, the hiking, and the museums and landmarks. You can move at your own pace and take time to relax, too. We have some suggestions of things to do below.
Halong Bay, Vietnam
How to spend 2 weeks in Halong Bay
With 2 weeks in Halong Bay, you'll have plenty of time to enjoy everything the bay has to offer at your own relaxed pace. You'll want to spend plenty of time relaxing on the beach and hiking. You can also relax at your hotel, or casually explore this bay looking for hidden gems. Also, consider taking some day trips to nearby destinations where you can explore more of the region.
A few trip suggestions:
- Cozy Luxury Halong Full-Day Trip with Buffet Lunch,Limousine Bus ($53)
- Cozy Bay Premium Halong Day Trip, 5 Star Cruise with Buffet Lunch ($53)
- From Hanoi with Expessway Transfer to Halong Bay 1 Day Trip ($42)
- STANDARD CRUISE Halong Bay 1 Day Trip from Hanoi by Expressway ($44)
- Wego Cruise Halong Bay Standard 1 Day Trip for Budget Travelers ($45)
More Info
If you're looking for more information about Halong Bay, we have even more advice to help you plan your journey.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.
Some of the links on this website are sponsored or affiliate links which help to financially support this site. By clicking the link and making a purchase, we may receive a small commission, but this does not affect the price of your purchase.