Bai Tu Long Bay

Bai Tu Long Bay lies in the Gulf of Tonkin north-east of Ha Long Bay and takes in the sea of the Vân Đồn special zone in Quảng Ninh, with Cô Tô to the east and the mainland around Cẩm Phả and Cái Bầu island to the west. Hundreds of islands, large and small, belong to its Vân Hải chain, and they are of limestone and of schist. Ha Long Bay, Bai Tu Long to its north-east and Cát Bà to its south-west form one larger area with similar geology, landforms, climate and culture, and the name comes from the legend of the dragons: where the mother dragon came down is Hạ Long, and where her children attended upon her is Bái Tử Long. The Bái Tử Long National Park, set up in 2001 on the former Ba Mùn Nature Reserve and an ASEAN Heritage Park since 2016, protects about 40 islands and islets together with the sea around them, and part of it lies within the Ha Long Bay World Heritage Site. The bay is known for its long white beaches, and the people of islands such as Quan Lạn, Bản Sen and Ngọc Vừng live mainly from fishing and fish farming.

Background

Bai Tu Long Bay lies to the north-east of Hạ Long Bay in Vietnam, and the Bái Tử Long National Park is contained within it.

Source: Wikipedia, "Bai Tu Long Bay"

What you'll find

• Hundreds of islands - the limestone and schist islands of the Vân Hải chain.
• Bái Tử Long National Park - about 40 islands and islets in the Ba Mùn, Trà Ngọ and Sậu groups.
• Long white beaches - among the reasons the bay draws visitors.
• Lý dynasty temples - among the historical sites of the national park.

When to go

October to April; summers are hot and humid, winters dry and cold. Two days.

Practical notes

Bai Tu Long is part of the same larger area as Ha Long Bay, with similar geology and climate, and part of its national park lies within the Ha Long Bay World Heritage Site.

Nearby

Cô Tô lies to the east; Ha Long Bay is to the south-west.

Key facts