Vietnam Places To Visit

Choose Bai Tu Long Bay or Lan Ha Bay

Many people hear it before they even arrive in the country: Halong Bay is overcrowded. Whether this statement is true or not depends on your own view on the term ‘overcrowded', but it is true that there are many more tourist boats there than were in recent years gone by. With this in mind, travellers are starting to turn their attention towards a question that is beginning to take form in Hanoi: Bai Tu Long Bay or Lan Ha Bay? If you’ve not heard of either of these Halong Bay alternatives, you now have two more reasons to visit the Gulf of Tonkin in the northwest corner of Vietnam.Overview of Bai Tu Long BayThe most northwesterly corner of this northwest corner is occupied by Bai Tu Long Bay, claimed to be the place where the mother dragon’s many children rested after they helped her defeat the foreign invaders in Halong Bay. Lan Ha Bay, by comparison, is relatively new in terms of tourism and has yet to develop a mystical backstory to aid the influx of wide-eyed visitors. Both areas contain hundreds of the exact same rugged limestone mountains that Halong Bay sports, with caves, beaches and fishing villages to boot. If Halong Bay is truly off the table for you, then let Incredible Asia Journeys guide you through the battle of the alternatives: Bai Tu Long Bay, or Lan Ha Bay?BeachesBai Tu Long BayBan ChanNgoc VungQuan LanMinh ChauTra GioiLan Ha BayBa Tra DaoCat Co BeachesTung ThuVan BoiOne of the biggest draws to Halong Bay is the perception of castaway beaches with uncombed white sand and rugged casuarina pines poking out of the bases of cliffs. This, unfortunately, is not an accurate portrayal of beach life in Halong Bay, but both Bai Tu Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay contain stretches of sand with much more of a resemblance to that idyllic scene.The scene in question can be found best at Ban Chan Beach, Bai Tu Long’s most stunning beach and the absolute paragon of a castaway spit of sand. While, like most of Bai Tu Long Bay’s beaches, Ban Chan is lacking a bit in the size department, the small stretch of golden sand is flanked on three sides by perfect tree-topped mountains, with one eye open onto the shimmering sea stretching to the horizon. If it’s a longer beach you’re after, head to Quan Lan, which doesn’t usually feature on Bai Tu Long Bay tours, but can be reached independently. This accounts for the fact that it is so ridiculously quiet, and remote homestays on the island can keep you in utter paradise for days at a time.Ban Chan BeachYou could not find a more opposite scene at the Cat Co Beaches on the major island of Cat Ba in Lan Ha Bay. These beaches are close to the main town and receive droves of tourists and locals, who sometimes completely eclipse the sand when viewed from atop the neighbouring cliff. Avoid these, but don’t be disparaged. Ba Trai Dao (Three Peach Island) is a beautiful sandy offering in Lan Ha Bay, set amongst three plump limestone rocks (or “peaches”). Kayaking is highly popular in this area, as is lying in the shade of the peaches on the secluded beach. There’s not a lot of space for other tourists, but being the complete antithesis of the Cat Co Beaches, it is hard to feel overcrowded here. Bai Tu Long Bay or Lan Ha Bay?• Bai Tu Long Bay has to be the winner here for overall serenity and wealth of choice.Cruises that go to Bai Tu Long Bay: Signature Cruise, Signature Royal Cruise, Huong Hai Sealife Cruise, Starlight Cruise, Dragon Legend Cruise, Emperor Cruise, and Calypso Cruise.CavesBai Tu Long BayThien Canh SonLan Ha BayDark and Bright CavesHospitalTrung TrangThien LongIf Bai Tu Long Bay is looking a bit outnumbered in this round, that’s because it is. There is only one cave available for visiting here, whereas Lan Ha Bay’s prolific Cat Ba Island houses three of its interesting systems, with one out in the water. Neither Bai Tu Long Bay nor Lan Ha Bay enjoys the same depth of cave options as Halong Bay, but you’re certain to find more freedom from tourists here.It’s not hard to know where to start in Bai Tu Long Bay. There isn’t a single standard itinerary of the region that doesn’t go to Thien Canh Son Cave, translating to the impressive-sounding ‘Mountainous Landscape in Heaven’ for the stone staircase that leads from inside the cavern to a viewing platform outside. The stalagmite and stalactite formations within the cave are impressive, and some do indeed bare small resemblances to the animals they purport to, but the general size of the cave is a little small and tours that try to spend half an hour here are really stretching the limits of imagination by the end.Thien Canh Son CaveIn stark contrast, you could easily fit a swimming pool and a cinema in the cavernous Hospital Cave in Lan Ha Bay. The Viet Cong who operated this cave from 1963 thought much the same thing, as this is exactly what they did. The cinema room and swimming pool were abandoned after the war in 1975, as were all of the other medical rooms in this hidden hospital, which went completely undiscovered by the Americans for the duration of the war. While Hospital Cave covers the history of the region, the Dark and Bright Caves cover the beauty. These two caves of contrasting light levels are beautiful wet caves, traversable by kayak or local sampan boat, which emerges onto in enclosed lake shimmering with light and protected by high-rising streaked mountains on all sides.Bai Tu Long Bay or Lan Ha Bay?• By virtue of having more than one cave, Lan Ha Bay wins this one.Cruises that go to Lan Ha Bay: Perla Dawn Sails, V'Spirit Premier Cruise, Maya Cruise, Era Cruise, and Mon Cheri Cruise.Fishing VillagesBai Tu Long BayVung ViengLan Ha BayCai BeoA bit sparse on both sides here, and a foreboding sign considering that if this article was written just 20 years ago, we wouldn’t have had space to list even half of the floating villages around both bays. Fishing communities around the Gulf of Tonkin have declined to the point where the only ones permitted to visit are showcase villages, where a few locals remain to display to tourists the ancient way of life that used to prevail in these seas.Vung Vieng Fishing VillageThat offering in Bai Tu Long Bay is Vung Vieng Fishing Village, a small, colourful commune of houses, schools and shops floating in the placid waters on huge buoyant drums. Locals make their money by showing tourists around the various waterways, pointing out a rural way of life that still exists around the country, just not authentically in Bai Tu Long Bay anymore. Still, it is a very interesting place to learn of this completely different way of life, and a very beautiful one too.Cai Beo in Lan Ha Bay is perhaps one a bit more representative of the other fishing villages in the region. From the top of Cat Ba Island, you can see many fishing villages still resolutely plying the waters in search of food and a livelihood, with many utilising the same techniques that their ancestors did hundreds of years ago. Cai Beo is the only one that’s viable to visit and archaeologists believe it to be the oldest fishing villages in the country.Cai Beo Floating VillageBai Tu Long Bay or Lan Ha Bay?• For proximity to Cat Ba Island’s harbour, as well as a more genuine feel, Cai Beo and Lan Ha Bay take this round again.KayakingBai Tu Long BayCap La and Tra SanCong DoCong DamLan Ha BayBa Trai DaoTra BauViet Hai VillageAll that water in the Gulf of Tonkin is just begging to be explored by kayak. Both bays feature many wide-open spaces, a few of which are accessible to tourists who want to explore the placid waters and forested mountains at a touchable distance. Kayaking in Bai Tu Long Bay or Lan Ha Bay is one of the most tranquil activities that you can do in the Gulf of Tonkin.Kayaking in Bai Tu Long BayOf course, a lot of this tranquillity owes itself to the area in which it is found. For Bai Tu Long Bay, it is probably found best in the areas of Cap La and Tra San, twinned bodies of water with wide expanses and the constant backdrop of an undulating mountain seascape. There is much to explore here and tour companies will often allow you the leisure of half a day to fully get acquainted with its wonders. Nearby Cong Do is a beached area with serenity at its heart. Many an hour can be spent relaxing in the calming waters here, and you’ll probably find yourself drifting, enraptured by the scenery, more than you will actually paddling.There’s not much difference in the area of Tra Bau in Lan Ha Bay. This is another wonderful example of the Gulf of Tonkin at its best and goes some way to helping Lan Ha Bay get the UNESCO World Heritage recognition for which it is currently applying. Ba Trai Dao is a nice place to kayak, but lack of things to look at makes this a maximum 30-minute activity. There is also some kayaking to be done around the village of Viet Hai on Cat Ba Island, but waters aren’t far from the ferry port, meaning scenes can be a little busier than a relaxing kayaking journey should be. Ba Trai Dao is a nice place to kayakBai Tu Long Bay or Lan Ha Bay?• The persistent beauty of Bai Tu Long Bay just about nips Lan Ha Bay in this round.Tourists numberRecent overcrowding in Ha Long Bay led tour companies to open cruises in Bai Tu Long Bay. As Bai Tu Long Bay begins to fill up in the same manner, companies have begun to fix Lan Ha Bay in their sights. It’s not hard to see an ominous pattern forming here.Despite the beautifully secluded image of Bai Tu Long Bay that the Quang Ninh Tourism Board like to promote, the reality is that tourist levels between here and Halong Bay have almost reached an equilibrium. That isn’t to say that Bai Tu Long Bay is a write-off; far from it. Moments of quiet contemplation are not hard to come by in the bay, as there are fewer day trips here than in Halong Bay. Overnight stays in Bai Tu Long Bay still yield an engrossing silence during the night, and a visit during one of the many months of the off-season mean clearer waterways for a lower price.Tourists in Lan Ha BayHowever, it’s impossible to refute that Lan Ha Bay sees much fewer tourists than Bai Tu Long Bay. At this time, it is Lan Ha Bay’s biggest asset and the reason why the question of Bai Tu Long Bay or Lan Ha Bay has cropped up so many times in recent years. The waters are much less congested and beaches and caves away from Cat Ba Island contain a very pure serenity, not one as easily found in the bays of Quang Ninh. Hai Phong Province realises the potential of Lan Ha Bay and full-scale construction efforts are currently in place to build a harbour that can accommodate the ships of the many tour companies that will be operating here soon. If there’s any time to visit Lan Ha Bay, it’s now, while its tranquillity is still fully intact.Bai Tu Long Bay or Lan Ha Bay?• Peace can certainly be found in both bays, but it will come much easier in Lan Ha Bay.3 to 2 in favour of Lan Ha Bay overall, but of course, experiences are subjective. If you’re not particularly looking for tranquillity, but more of an itinerary full of activities like cave visits, beach visits and kayaking, then Bai Tu Long Bay might be the bay for you. Potential passengers looking for a relaxing time will probably find it in Lan Ha Bay, but don’t delay for a few years, because the outcome of this little contest could be very different by then.

Top Natural Things to See in Da Lat

You’d be forgiven for thinking you’d entered one of the colonial hill stations of Sri Lanka or India upon stepping foot in Dalat. The city in Lam Dong Province in the south of Vietnam has more than a hint of relaxation about it; it is one of Vietnam’s most amazing natural treasures and more tourists yearly are clocking on to the wealth of nature in and around the city. A six-hour drive from Ho Chi Minh City makes Dalat too far for a day trip, but the attractions of the city are so numerous that this is probably a good thing, as tourists typically stay for 2 or 3 days before moving on. We’re focusing on just the natural sites in this blog, so here are Incredible Asia Journeys’ top natural things to see in Dalat.Tuyen Lam LakeBeing one of Vietnam’s few well-known inland attractions, Dalat finds itself without any coastline to claim, but the various lakes and rivers around its vicinity more than make up for a lack of sea. Tuyen Lam is its largest and one of its most picturesque bodies of water, with an area of 350 hectares that juts out dramatically to form the shape of a nerve cell. This provides it with several corners and mini-inlets that lead to fantastic views on all sides, with Dalat’s iconic gently sloping hills and, in keeping with Dalat’s colonial charm, an attractive European feel.Getting out onto the lake is the most popular activity and constitutes one of the best natural things you can do in Dalat. Motorboats can be rented for 300,000 VND ($13 USD), while those ubiquitous swan pedalo boats floating in lakes around the country can be hired for 60,000 VND ($2.75). Obviously, you’d need some serious leg muscles to explore all 350 hectares via pedalo, so maybe opting for a kayaking tour might be a better idea. These can be booked at any tour company in Dalat and will take you around the popular sites of the lake like Truc Lam Zen Monastery, starting at around the $50 mark for a full day including transport and lunch.Alternatively, there is cycling, horse riding and trekking available around the perimeter of the lake, the bottom part of which is tended to by a few hotels and resorts that can facilitate your sightseeing by renting bikes and providing rooms with fantastic views over the beautiful scenery.How to get to Tuyen Lam LakeFrom the centre of Dalat, Tuyen Lam is about 6km south. Any kayaking tour companies will take you the whole way and back, but solo travelling will require a 15-minute motorbike or taxi ride to the entrance of Truc Lam Zen Monastery, from which you can begin exploring. There are two piers nearby where you can rent boats.Elephant WaterfallsThe power of nature can truly be felt at Elephant Waterfalls, one of the many waterfalls of Dalat, but probably its most impressive. After the rains, a thick sheet of water cascades down 30m from the river above, creating an awe-inspiring scene that can be viewed best by the viewing platform set amongst the wild greenery of trees and bushes. For a true sense of the power of this most impressive natural attraction in Dalat, there is a small path that leads behind the falls where wind and deflected rain cause a mini typhoon, one easily powerful enough to whip hats off the tops of tourists’ heads if they stand too close.Walking the hand-railed path down to the falls is a little adventure in itself. The stones that make up the path become very slippery when wet and the handrail needs to be held with both hands when there’s a gap between two stones in the path. Some handrails lead seemingly to nowhere, so have some patience when visiting.How to get to the Elephant WaterfallsAs one of the more popular natural things to see in Dalat, public transport from the city, 30km away, is fairly good. The local bus that reads ‘Da Lat – Phu Son’ will take you from the bus station on the north side of the central market to Nam Ban Village for 20,000 VND ($0.90 USD), from which you can walk to the falls. Make sure to mention ‘Thac Voi’ (pronounced “tack voy” – meaning Elephant Waterfalls) to the driver to make sure you are dropped off at the right junction.Lang BiangThe local legend of Lang Biang tells of how two lovers from rival tribes committed suicide because of their forbidden relationship, with the graves growing into the twin peaks of Lang Biang, 20km north of Dalat. Most visitors make it as far as the Hollywood-style entrance sign before snapping their selfies and heading straight back to town. If this isn’t quite your idea of adventure, feel free to take the 3-hour hike up the 2,169m pedestrianised peak, which cuts through beautiful (and questionably signposted) pine forest, wild grass and open plains on the way to a splendid panoramic view of some other of Dalat’s natural sites.A private jeep will take you to the non-pedestrianised peak for 300,000 VND ($13 USD), but grouping together with other solo travellers will reduce the cost of your seat to around 60,000 VND ($2.75). Be careful of changing weather atop the mountains as altitude and wind magnify the feeling of the cold; you certainly won’t want to end your challenging 3-hour climb with just 3 minutes at the top; so make sure to bring warm clothes.How to get to Lang BiangIts location just 10km away places Lang Biang as one of the closest of Dalat’s top natural attractions to the city itself, accessible even by bicycle if you feel like a 3-hour climb isn’t challenging enough. A motorbike is the easiest option as parking at the site is ample, but buses provide another simple alternative. The orange FUTA bus or local green #5 bus will take you to Lac Duong, the final stop and the site of Lang Biang.Cau Dat Tea HillOf the colonial hill stations around the world, it’s the tea plantations that really get cameras clicking. These beautiful arrangements of contoured hedges hugging the sloping hills have inspired many romantic images, and, are thus a favourite of Vietnamese selfie aficionados. The Cau Dat Tea Hill is one of the most effortlessly attractive natural things to see around Dalat and it provides opportunities for wonderful photographs with the hilltop houses of Dalat lying in the background.Sitting 1650m above sea level gives Cau Dat the perfect climate for tea production. Up to 400 tonnes of oolong, black and green varieties are grown every year and exported to countries like Germany and France. There is a café with a panoramic view on site as well as a souvenir shop and much English information on tea production throughout.How to get to Cau Dat Tea HillThe 40-minute ride by taxi or motorbike from Dalat is a scenic one uphill. You will pass pink cherry blossoms as well as small fruit orchards before reaching the main entrance to the park. Walking and cycling from here are the main ways to get around.Strawberry and Giant Pumpkin GardensAs well as tea, the altitude of Dalat gives the city the perfect climate for growing strawberries, a popular fruit around Vietnam, but one not attainable to a large amount of the population living in tropical climates. Places like the Biofresh Strawberry Farm and Japanese Strawberry Garden sit high in the hills, making use of the perfect climate to grow big, juicy strawberries, many of which can be picked by tourists before being weighed, paid for and enjoyed.Natural farms are certainly one of the top things to see in Dalat, and none garner more photos than Le Huu Phan’s giant pumpkin farm. This is a spectacle of pumpkins weighing up to 100kg, grown from American seeds but utilising the hydroponic farming techniques of Dalat. Le Huu Phan sells his most giant pumpkins for upwards of 2 million VND ($90 USD) and has plans to grow pumpkins in the future that weigh upwards of 150kg. Other farms sporting lettuce, tomato and many other vegetables are available for touring and picking.How to get to the Strawberry and Giant Pumpkin gardensMost strawberry farms are around the city centre and are easily accessible. The Biofresh Strawberry Farm is about 10 minutes from the very centre of Dalat, and you will pass the giant pumpkin farm on the way. Both are easily accessible by motorbike, or even by walking, but if you are looking to buy a pumpkin the weight of a large adult, you may want to consider a taxi or maybe a truck.Flower GardensThe many natural things to see around Dalat have bestowed unto it various nicknames. ‘City in the Fog ’, ‘City of a Thousand Pine Trees’ and ‘City of Eternal Spring’ are three of them, but the one most applicable to its amazing array of flora is ‘City of a Thousand Flowers’. Peach blossoms, jacarandas, orchids, pansies and the eponymous ‘Da Lat rose’ make up much of the colour of the vibrant city around its parks and lakesides.Many gardens specialise in individual flowers, including the Lavender Garden, Sunflower Garden and Orchid Garden. For the first one, head to Van Thanh Flower Village, where a field of a lavender will transport visitors to the Provence in France. Lavender is always in season, but sunflowers only bloom during the end of November and start of December, so dedicated fans of the flower will have to book their trip accordingly. Orchids can be seen best at Anh Quynh Orchid Farm, where the owner, Mr. Quynh, will be hard at work planting seeds for new species of flowers he wishes to start growing in Dalat.How to get to the flower gardensWhile sunflowers tend to grow throughout the city and are available to view in most places, you will need to head to Van Thanh Flower Village, just 15 minutes by car southwest of the central lake in Dalat. For Anh Quynh Orchid Farm, 10 minutes north of the lake by car or 50 minutes by walking will see you there.