Bai Tu Long Bay is an unmissable tourist attraction in Southeast Asia and Vietnam. Nestled in the famous Halong Bay area, Bai Tu Long Bay captures the imagination of travelers with the ageless beauty of its limestone islands, pristine beaches, and impressive karst mountains.
Though Bai Tu Long Bay is the laid-back alternative to Halong Bay, away from the touristy bustle, there is lots of local life and amazing destinations to explore. Let us guide you through Bai Tu Long Bay and help you have the Bai Tu Long bucket list vacation of a lifetime!
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Overview of Bai Tu Long Bay
Covering an area of roughly 158 km2, Bai Tu Long Bay houses a variety of ecosystems and is made up of hundreds of islands and islets. The population of this area is approximately 320,000 people, who mostly reside in the Cam Pha district, Quan Lan Island, and Ngoc Vung Island.
While Ha Long Bay has the attention of tourists, the grand majority of its islands are still as pristine as when Mother Dragon and her children created them with their emerald teeth (well, at least according to the traditional lore).
For travel-hungry tourists, Bai Tu Long Bay is home to many amusing destinations such as Bai Tu Long National Park, Vung Vieng Fishing Village, Cong Do area, Da Xep Park, Thien Canh Son Cave, Cong Dam area, and Tra Gioi Beach.
If you like to keep things off the beaten track, this is an ideal destination for you.
Top Bai Tu Long Bay Attractions
Cong Dam Area
With karsts that formed as long as 340 million years ago, Cong Dam Area is considered an ‘outdoor geological museum’. Cong Dam is also home to a fishing village with a population of 120. Deep-rooted traditions of fishing culture make Cong Dam a great place for tourists to talk with fishermen and listen to their interesting stories about daily life. Kayaking, boat rowing, and fishing with fishermen are all thrilling experiences that you should not miss when visiting the village.
Hon Co Island
Hon Co Island, also known as Grass Island, is located in the Cong Do Area and is often visited by cruises to Bai Tu Long Bay. The island still retains its pristine and unique beauty. With white sand beaches and calm waters, Hon Co Island is the perfect place to enjoy thrilling activities like kayaking, swimming, and exploring caves.
Tra Gioi Beach
Tra Gioi Beach offers tourists crystal clear water, white sand, and the wonderful natural scenery of Bai Tu Long Bay. On the top of the mountain, tourists can admire the whole bay including hundreds of islets and the expansive blue sea. Cruises and guided tours often set up a beach BBQ lunch while their guests frolic in the pristine natural landscapes.
Vung Vieng Fishing Village
One of the last remaining of its kind, Vung Vieng Fishing Village is an important stop-off point for any visitors hoping to get an insight into traditional Halong culture and life. Although Vung Vieng fishing village is no longer inhabited full-time, the floating village is preserved for tourists to walk around and learn about the deep-rooted Halong traditions.
Ban Chan Beach
Very much an “off the beaten track” area, the white sand fringed by the idyllic sea at Ban Chan Beach makes this one of the most coveted beaches in the entire region. Surrounded by rugged rocks and lush green forests, Ban Chan Beach is a wonderful setting to enjoy a swim, kayaking, or a beach barbecue.
Thien Canh Son Cave
A large cavern with three main chambers on Thien Canh island, access to Thien Canh Son Cave is via a hidden path through a dense forest canopy next to a cliff face. The formations inside the Thien Canh Son cave are commonly likened to various everyday items; lotus blooms, a baby elephant, or seals. There’s a nice beach here as well, making the Thien Canh Son Cave an ideal stop-off point for a few hours of exploring while on a cruise.
Bai Tu Long National Park
A flourishing forest and marine conservation area, the Bai Tu Long Bay National Park covers 61.25 km2 and an even larger aquatic area of 96.58 km2. It is home to an impressive array of flora and fauna, including the leopard cat and the large Indian civet. Cruises to Bai Tu Long Bay will inevitably travel through the national park. So keep your eyes peeled for exotic fish and animals around every corner!
Cap La Island
Cap La Island is a wonderful attraction where visitors can find pristine natural landscapes and white sand beaches. Below the evergreen rainforest ecosystem, there are plenty of offshore locations for diving, kayaking, or fishing. For those looking to explore Vietnamese culture, stopping off at Cap La fishing village shows the simple and tranquil daily life of the locals as they go about their fishing activities.
Cong Do Island
Cong Do Island has many similar geological characteristics to its surrounding neighbors, but what makes this island and area unique is the variety of caves that stretch beneath its towering mountains. Visitors on an Indochina junk boat can explore the caves by kayak, or relax in the surrounding lagoons and beaches. Whether you want adventure or relaxation, Cong Do has something for everyone.
