Is Ha Long Bay Worth Visiting? Pros, Cons + Who Should Skip It

Ha Long Bay is a place that I had heard plenty of negative things about before visiting.

I had heard stories that it was overcrowded, dirty and did not live up to expectations.

Because of all these negative stories, we had crossed it off our travel list. That was until we spent 3 months in Vietnam, and some of our good friends asked us to meet them there, so we thought we might as well give it a go!

We decided to stay on Cat Ba Island and do a day cruise of Lan Ha Bay. So we picked up some great tips for those of you looking to travel on a budget.

After visiting, I can now confirm that many of the stories I heard were true. There are problems with over-tourism, pollution and ugly developments.

Despite all this, I still think Ha Long Bay is worth visiting. The key is to manage your expectations and plan your trip the right way.

This article will break down the pros and cons of Ha Long Bay, what type of traveller should visit, and what type of traveller should stay away.

What Is Ha Long Bay?

Ha Long Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Northern Vietnam that is filled with thousands of limestone karsts and islands.

The sheer number of them is mind-blowing, and they just keep going forever.

When we first arrived we were confused because we saw signs for tours to Lan Ha Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay. But they are essentially all part of the same greater area.

On a map, you will see that it’s part of a larger bay system that includes:

• Ha Long Bay – the most famous and busiest area
• Lan Ha Bay – located near Cat Ba Island, quieter and more budget friendly
• Bai Tu Long Bay – area to the northeast of Ha Long Bay also with fewer tourists

Many travellers do not realise that all these areas are connected.

Until tourism started in the mid-20th century, the area was just called Ha Long Bay.

But once it started to get busy with tourists, the local governments started to rebrand different areas to spread visitors around.

When UNESCO decided to award Ha Long Bay heritage status, they only decided to give status to the central part of Ha Long Bay.

But the truth is, no matter which bay you visit, you will still see the same spectacular scenery. What changes is the experience in each region, which is mainly due to the number of visitors and activities offered.

Pros Of Visiting Ha Long Bay

1. A Unique Landscape Found Nowhere Else

The Unique Landscape is, of course, what draws all travellers to Ha Long Bay. There is no denying that it is a truly unique place.

There are limestone karsts and cliffs all over Southeast Asia. But there is nowhere that compares to the sheer size and vastness of Ha Long Bay.

In the rest of South East Asia, you will see pockets of amazing limestone cliffs. But in Ha Long Bay, you are in a sea of limestone cliffs and islands that seem to be endless.

Some people complain on their tours that the scenery all looks the same after a while.

Personally, I never got sick of the sea of cliffs. Every island looks slightly different, and if you are a true admirer of nature, I am sure you will not get bored and appreciate the scenery.

But if you are not a big fan of limestone cliffs, then Ha Long Bay may not be for you.

2. Affordable Tours

Vietnam is one of the cheapest countries on earth to travel to. So this also means that tours of Ha Long Bay are relatively cheap.

• Day Tours From Cat Ba Island – starting from 35 USD
• Overnight Cruises In Ha Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay– starting from $100 to $200 USD inlcuding meals

The prices are not super cheap for overnight tours if you are on a shoestring backpacker budget. But when you compare it to what you would get in Western countries, it is a bargain.

You can get luxury cruises for about $200 but you need to really check reviews. The quality of boats varies dramatically. So you may end up paying $200 for a mouldy, loud boat if you do not check the reviews properly.

3. Cat Ba Island – Explore Away From Tours

For us, visiting Cat Ba Island was a highlight during our time in Ha Long Bay.

It is the largest island in the bay and one of the only ones where you can stay the night.

What I really liked about Cat Ba Island is that it is one of the few places you can explore by yourself. Nearly everything else in Ha Long Bay you can only visit on a tour.

We hired a scooter in Ha Long City, then took it on the ferry across to Cat Ba Island. As soon as we left the ferry, we were surrounded on all sides by spectacular limestone cliffs.

Because you need to take the ferry to the island, there is not much traffic on the island. So I thought it was the perfect place to go cruising and take in the scenery.

There are also some quite cool caves to explore and a nice hike to the top of a mountain with great views at the top.

If you have the time, I highly recommend staying the night on Cat Ba Island. It is the perfect place for travellers who like to do their own thing without needing a tour guide.

TIP : If you choose to stay on Cat Ba Island, I would try and stay outside of the main town. It is a cramped, noisy and rather dirty town. Plus the town used to be next to the water and they are filling the main bay with sand! So try and find accomodation more in the middle of the island. We stayed on Cat Ba Countryside Homestay It is a great option for budget travellers.

Cons Of Visiting Ha Long Bay

1. Pollution

The Pollution of Ha Long Bay has long been an issue that has been talked about by tourists online.

Many people go to Ha Long Bay and expect crystal clear blue waters. They are usually disappointed to see rubbish floating by and water that is far from crystal clear.

The first thing to note is that the water will never be crystal clear in Ha Long Bay. This is because the limestone formations dissolve in the water and make it a little cloudy.

As far as rubbish in the water, we definitely did notice some floating past while we were on a tour.

There are over 20 million people who live near the rivers that empty into Ha Long Bay. So, because Vietnam is still a developing country a lot of rubbish flows from these rivers into Ha Long Bay.

Unfortunately, ocean plastic is a huge issue in the whole of South East Asia. Since my first trip there in 2012 I have noticed a big increase in plastic all across the region.

But the rubbish was not as bad as what I was expecting based on what I had read online.

We saw rubbish float by every once in a while. But we had no problem jumping in the water for a swim in Lan Ha Bay.

Just be prepared that if there has been a lot of heavy rain before you arrive there could be a lot of rubbish in the water.

2. Uncontrolled Housing And Tourism Developments

This is one of my biggest cons of visiting Ha Long Bay that I could rant all day about!

All over Ha Long City, there are ugly property developments that look poorly planned and thought out. The result is an ugly city with no soul, full of faux European buildings that look terrible.

There are also amazing beaches to the north of Halong City with amazing views. But the buildings all along the road are ugly, empty, or old factories.

Everywhere you look, there are half-built hotels and poorly planned housing developments.

But the worst in terms of uncontrolled development is reserved for Cat Ba Island.

They have decided to fill in the main bay in front of the town on Cat Ba Island with sand. So they can build a shopping centre, luxury apartments, a golf course and luxury villas.

It is a development by Sun Group, and they have claimed it will be Vietnam’s first net-zero tourism development. Which is totally bizarre because it is a clear ecological disaster!

I know that this development is the result of over-tourism and that we are part of that problem.

But there are many places around the world that face the same issues with over-tourism that do a much better job than Vietnam.

Unfortunately, I think they are one of the worst countries in the world when it comes to dealing with over-tourism.

3. Weather

The weather in Ha Long Bay is cloudy and gloomy for a large part of the year. In fact, Ha Long Bay gets slightly less sunshine than London each year!

From January to March, the weather is very cloudy and foggy, with barely any sunshine and daytime temperatures only reaching around 20 degrees.

If you visit during this time of year, you will most likely be wasting your time because the cliffs will be covered in clouds and mist. Some people like all the mist because it makes the cliffs more mysterious. But i think sunshine is always best.

The best times to visit are from March to May and September to November. This is when the weather is not too hot, and you have the best chance of clear skies.

4. Ha Long City

Whether you just come for a day trip or want to stay longer in Ha Long Bay you have to pass through Ha Long City.

Considering it is the largest tourist attraction in the whole of Vietnam, I thought Ha Long City might be quite nice.

But it turns out I was completely wrong!

When we arrived, it looked like a total bombsite. What didn’t help was that a typhoon had come through and blown out windows all over town. But even without the damage, the city feels ugly and soulless.

Up until recently, the main industry in town was coal mining, and it really feels like it.

The city feels very industrial, grey, and does not have the relaxed coastal vibe you would expect.

We ended up staying in Ha Long City for a week because we wanted to wait for some good weather for our tour of Ha Long Bay.

What was frustrating is that the City should be so nice. There are amazing beaches with spectacular views of Ha Long Bay from land.

But the buildings all along the beaches are so rundown that it really distracts from the beauty of the area.

TIP : Even though I do not like the city of Ha Long. If you have a scooter, it is worth driving North along the coast away from the city center of Ha Long. There are some beautiful beaches around this area, and when we went, it was totally empty.

5) Too Many Boats

One of the biggest complaints about visiting Ha Long Bay is that there are too many boats.

We did not have this problem because we did a cruise on Lan Ha Bay. But I can totally see how it could be a problem.

Because we visited during a quiet time, we saw many boats anchored that were not in use, and there were a lot of them!

If you take a stereotypical tour in Ha Long Bay, all the boats follow the same schedule and anchor in the same location at night. So you will almost feel like you are in a giant queue the whole time.

But it is easy to avoid this problem. Simply take a tour in Lan Ha Bay or Bai Tu Long Bay and there will be far fewer boats but very similar scenery.

Things To Do In Ha Long Bay

This is not a complete list of all of the possible things to do in Ha Long Bay. But rather my list of the few things that I think are absolutely worth doing for travellers on a budget.

1) Go On A Boat Cruise

Going on a cruise in Ha Long Bay is a non-negotiable. But your experience will dramatically change depending on which area you choose to take a tour and with which company.

Unfortunately, fake reviews are a huge problem in Vietnam. So if you don’t choose one of the tours I recommend, make sure you really research the company you pick.

Always check reviews on multiple platforms and look at the lowest reviews to see the main complaints.

Lan Ha Bay

If you want to keep it as cheap as possible, then I highly recommend Lan Ha Bay.

We booked this Lan Ha Bay Tour, which is great for budget travellers.

The tour costs around 35 USD and is a full 8-hour trip around Lan Ha Bay. Lunch is included, and you will also get to go kayaking and swimming.

We really enjoyed the boat trip, and it was the highlight of our trip to Ha Long Bay. It had just the right mix of cruising past beautiful scenery, good food and activities to get you moving, such as swimming and kayaking.

The Lan Ha Bay boat tours attract a younger crowd. But there were still older people in our group.

So if you are older but still want to get active and go swimming and kayaking, then head to Lan Ha Bay.

None of the locations we visited was overcrowded. So it is a great option if you want to avoid the masses of people in Ha Long Bay.

What I particularly liked about the Lan Ha Bay trip was the kayaking. You paddle through caves to reach bays unreachable by large boats that are incredibly beautiful.

Bai Tu Long Bay

If you want more of a luxury cruise then I recommend booking a cruise of Bai Tu Long Bay.

There are a limited number of boats that are given licences to operate in Bai Tu Long Bay. So you will not wake up surrounded by hundreds of other boats.

Indochina Junk is a solid company that does tours of Bai Tu Long Bay. Their tours start from $160 per person for an overnight trip. But if you want to go all out a 3-day 2-night trip will cost around $400.

2) Explore By Motorbike

One of my favourite things to do in Vietnam is to rent a scooter and go exploring. Driving on Vietnamese roads is a crazy experience, though. So I recommend renting a scooter only if you are a confident driver.

On the mainland, I recommend renting a scooter and driving to Hon Gai beach. We were really surprised by the scenery along the coastal road by the city.

There are limestone cliffs very close to shore and traditional fishing boats bobbing around in the water in front of them.

It is a super pretty area, and the beach is very nice, but just not the best for swimming. It is very muddy and rocky, but a great place to relax under a tree.

I can also highly recommend renting a motorbike from Minh Motor. The owners were super friendly, and they gave us a high-quality bike for a very good price.

As I mentioned previously, I also recommend taking your motorbike over to Cat Ba Island, going for a cruise there. It was my second favourite motorbike trip in Vietnam behind Phong Nha.

3) Hike and Visit Caves In Cat Ba Island National Park

On Cat Ba Island, we really enjoyed visiting the National Park, where you can climb a mountain for great views and visit a cave.

A ticket to the national park costs 80,000 VND, about $3.50 and includes entrance to the Đỉnh Ngự Lâm hike and the Trung Trang cave.

The views from the top of the hike are spectacular, but the cave is just ok. It is worth checking out because it is included in the ticket, but we just didn’t find it to be the most amazing place.

Visiting the National Park is only really possible if you stay the night on Cat Ba Island, which is another reason I recommend staying there.

Why You Shouldn’t Do A Day Trip

If you are short on time, then you can visit Ha Long Bay on a day trip from Hanoi. But I would not recommend doing this.

It is a 3-hour drive from Hanoi, so you will spend a large part of the day on the ugly highways between Hanoi and Ha Long Bay.

Then once you are on the boat, you will be visiting all the attractions at peak business.

Our friends did a day tour of Ha Long Bay, and the lines to get into the caves were huge! It looked like Disneyland.

So if you really want to do the traditional tour of Ha Long Bay, I recommend doing a multi-night cruise. But if you want to just spend the day on a boat, head to Lan Ha Bay or Bai Tu Long Bay.

Is Ha Long Bay Worth Visiting?

The short answer is that I think Ha Long Bay is worth visiting. But only for certain travellers.

If you want a pristine environment with crystal clear waters, then Ha Long Bay is not the place for you.

But if you are a traveller who does not mind a place that is a bit rough around the edges, then I think you will enjoy your time in Ha Long Bay.

You just manage your expectations before you arrive. If you have travelled to other parts of South East Asia, such as Palawan in the Philippines. Then Ha Long Bay may be a let-down.

The water is not crystal clear; there will be some rubbish in the water, and the towns surrounding the bay are ugly.

However, if you just put the negatives to the side. It is one of the most unique landscapes you can see anywhere on earth, and it is still one of the natural wonders of the world for me.

If you are planning on visiting other places during your time in Vietnam, make sure to read our articles on Hanoi, Ninh Binh, Hoi An, and more.