Bai Tu Long Bay: It’s not exactly Vietnam’s undiscovered if compare with Ha Long Bay. But anyways it’s less tourist than Ha Long Bay.
How Bai Tu Long Bay is unique?
The rising limestone islands. Which gave birth to the bay’s magnificent islands, carries on for some 100km to the Chinese border.
The area at northeast of Ha Long Bay has known as Bai Tu Long Bay. With long and eloquent sand beaches and very clear sea water. Bai Tu Long Bay connects with the sweet and graceful beauty of Halong Bay and Lan Ha Bay. The bay also attracts an increasing number of domestic and foreign visitors to discover. It is unique because its historic and cultural sites, precious and rare specialties, and the archipelago’s unspoiled beauty.
The Legend of Bai Tu Long Bay
There’s a legend on the archipelago only in the old times when foreign invaders attacked the Vietnam. The God sent a mother dragon and her children to encourage the Vietnamese people.
The dragons instantly blew out myriad stones and pearls that turned into grand stone mountains as a citadel to defend the Vietnam. After pushing off the foreign invaders, the mother dragon and its infants didn’t return to the paradise, they chose to remain their life here.
The area in which the mother dragon landed called Ha Long Bay, and baby dragons landed called Bai Tu Long Bay. The area where the dragon’s tails tied called Long Vi and is Tra Co Peninsula now, that consists of several long and eloquent sand beaches.
There are scores of islets rising from many water quirkily formed stone mountains on Bai Tu Long Bay. Touring Bai Tu Long Bay with one day isn’t enough for visitors to detect these islets that are mysterious. Factually, Bai Tu Long National Park can bring fantastic surprises. And it is among the most desired stopovers for visitors making a visit at Bai Tu Long Bay. The Bai Tu Long National Park is previously the 20km long and 1.5km wide is in the complex of Ba Mun islands.
That island is a part of Van Don District, some 60km from Bai Chay Beach. The island serves as a solid breakwater, maintaining life for the entire region. The island is in fact a crude forest consisting of 2 vegetation layers. The primeval layer consists of forests like ironwood, teakwood, and canary wood. While the second layer includes herbs like bark and rhubarb plant. The Ba Mun forest is the habitat of a wide range of fauna. Deer and the fur are the most well-known species.
In fact, when the sun rises, and once the weather turns fine, visitors can see deer go to the forest edge is amazing. The view from afar is superb.
Visitors can reach the Bai Tu Long National Park by the road from Bai Chay Beach romantically. After tours Halong, visitors can unwind at houses close to the water supply a wide assortment of food and beverage. Visitors may also appeal to a fishing village in Minh Chau Island. Or go to Cai Lang, the oldest village on the island with its clean water Nang Tien Well. People once said that the women hair will grow longer and blacker when used water from this well to wash it. Benefiting from Bai Tu Long Bay’s attractions, lots of travel companies both in Vietnam and overseas offer tours to this bay.
Among most popular tours bring visitors to Bai Tu Long National Park, a fishing village in Minh Chau Island, Cai Lang, Thong Thien Cave, Phat Co Island. And lastly returns to the coast to call on Cua Ong Temple and Van Hoa Port. Visitors may also go through forests to get to the habitat of minority groups and enjoy authentic dishes. Cruise Bai Tu Long Bay is every bit as beautiful as its famous neighbor.
Indeed, in some ways it is more beautiful, as it’s hardly seen a tourist development. This has its positive and negative. The bay is unpolluted and undeveloped, but there is little tourism infrastructure. It is pretty difficult Travelling around and staying here, and if you don’t speak Vietnamese, it is difficult to get information.
Furthermore, charter boats can be ordered at Bai Tu Long Bay in Halong Bay, a boat appropriate for 20 passengers prices US$10 per hour. And the journey takes approximately five hours. A less costly option is to travel overland to Cua Ong pier, then take a ferry to Van Don Island and visit the distant outlying islands from Cai Rong pier.
How to get to Bai Tu Long bay?
From Hanoi: Visitor can pick a transportation of different bus companies to reach Bai Tu Long, Cam Pha city, Quang Ninh Province. The ticket price is around 120,000 – 220,000 Vietnam dong. The time on bus is around 4hours 20minutes
Here are some bus companies:
- Dai Phat bus – at Luong Yen bus station – Cam Pha bus station
- Nghia Anh Limousine: Ha Noi – Cam Pha
- Van Đon Xanh: Ha Noi – Cam Pha
- Xuan Truong (Quang Ninh): Ha Noi – Quang Ninh
- Duc Phuc: My Dinh bus station – Cam Pha bus station
- Đuc Thanh: My Dinh bus station – Cua Ong bus station
- Anh Quy: Ha Noi bus station – Cua Ong bus station
And some other bus companies.
If traveling within Halong city, visitors can use taxi company: Taxi 886 – Mong Cai (2033.886 886), Halong (203362 62 62), Hon Gai (2033.84 84 84), Mai Linh (2033.628 628)
In order visit the bay, visitor can book a cruise at Bai Chay pier (2033 844 631), Hai Au company (2033 824 779) and some others
However, it is better you book an overnight cruise in Bai Tu Long Bay to get more deeply beauties’ discovery. And the recommend is that you should book cabin in advance to avoid there is no room available. The price according each cruise you choose
From Hai Phong: It takes 2,5 hours from Cat Bi airport or Hai Phong city to reach Bai Tu Long.
From Ninh Binh: It takes 4,5 hours to reach the bay and you should leave Ninh Binh at 8.00 am to reach Bai Tu Long Bay at noon time for cruise trip
How is Bai Tu Long Bay Special?
Bai Tu Long Bay is less touristic than Ha Long Bay because it has many primary islands which make Bai Tu Long unique.
Milk cake (Banh Sua island) is an oasis in the yellow arc in Bai Tu Long Bay (Quang Ninh), ideal for those who love to explore.
Banh Sua Island (Ong To Island or Tu Hai Island) is not as famous as other tourist destinations such as Ha Long Bay or Co To Island, Quan Lan… because of its pristine location, less than 1 square kilometer. Visitor can enjoy its wild, sunset over the bay with the most amazing.
Furthermore, with that terrain, Bai Tu Long Bay has many beautiful beaches: Bai Con Beach, Van Don Beach, Quan Lan Beach, Minh Chau Beach, Co Toan Beach. All of the above beaches remain the same pristine and purity of nature.
In addition to, the beauty of nature in Bai Tu Long Bay also attracts visitors by the specialties of the region such as: Sa Sung – a kind of sea worm is very famous and high economic value. There are also many famous seafood with high economic value such as: salmon, crab, shrimp, mussel, snails, squid… are also memorable dishes. All add to the attraction and unique for your exciting journey to Bai Tu Long
What to do in Bai Tu Long Bay?
Bai Tu Long tourism is a highlight in the beach ecotourism community. It is just Bai Chay beach about 60 km far away or 1.5 hours cruise through the bay. Here you will be surprised by the sandy 2 km long white smooth, clear blue water with a space airy, clear blue. This is one of the most beautiful beaches in the North Vietnam.
Besides, you can travel with Bai Tu Long back to ancient times through temples and pagodas built during the Ly to better understand people here.
In deed, visiting Bai Tu Long National Park is a national biosphere reserve, a diverse and diverse biological environment. Here, you will be able to admire the beauty of wildlife with rocky islands. They are Ba Mun, big Tra Ngo, small Tra Ngo, Sau Nam, Dong Ma, Hon Chinh, etc. are intermingled.
In fact, there are limestone ranges that surround the vast valleys that make up the lagoons. All of these create the rich habitat of many different plant and animal species. It is notable that the Bat Cave is located in the Cat Lim area of Tra Ngo Island.
Also many places that tourists have come here should not miss. They are Thong Thien Cave, visit Phat Co island, Cua Ong Temple, Van Hoa port. Especially travel to the Lotus Island taste tea hundred years to immerse in crystal water of Uyen Uong beach.
If you have more time, you should visit the village of the Tay, Red Dao, San Diu which they are very hospitable. Or sailing boat to explore yachts, parrots,…
Is the good to chose Bai Tu Long instead Ha Long Bay?
It has no doubt that Bai Tu Long Bay is more beautiful than and wilder than Halong Bay. Therefore, there are many cruises that have itinerary route to Bai Tu Long Bay. Let choose a reasonable cruise and start the trip to discover majestic bay
Is it more expensive than Ha Long Bay?
No, whether you choose Cruise Ha long Bay or Bai Tu Long Bay, everything is same. It is different for teh cruise you choose has the itinerary to Bai Tu Long or Ha Long Bay. Even, some have the combination for both bays to discover in teh journey. And it is better to choose 3 days trip to get more discover.
Choose your Bai Tu Long cruise for travel
It is no doubt that Bai Tu Long Bay has similar landscapes as Ha Long Bay. Furthermore, it is special for the wild and nice sandy beaches. Therefore, there are less cruise companies to Bai Tu Long than Halong Bay. So that visitors can choose cruise to travel and touch places with less touristic than.
And being few cruises, the prices are also significantly different from each other. Also, some are higher than cruises in Ha Long Bay. You can reference and choose a cruise as your wish to discover Bai Tu Long Bay.
