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No need to travel too far, Northern Vietnam tourists can discover beautiful beaches in the North such as Cat Ba Island, Hon Dau Island (Hai Phong), Co To Island (Quang Ninh), Hai Thinh Beach (Nam Dinh)...
1. Cat Ba Island Beach – Hai Phong
Nature on Cat Ba Island remains untouched with forests, sea, rivers, streams, mountains, hills, valleys, sandy beaches, caves, all interconnected to create many fascinating landscapes. Cat Ba National Park, covering 15,200 hectares, features a 570-hectare primeval tropical forest with a rich and diverse plant and animal system, including the endangered White-headed Langur and the Cephalotaxus Gracilis tree.
When in Cat Ba, you can rent a tourist boat to cruise around Lan Ha Bay, visit beautiful beaches with amusing names like Cat Co Beach, Ben Beo Beach, Fairy Beach, or explore caves like Trung Trang Cave, Hoa Cuong Cave, Thien Long Cave to discover the fascinating nature. Afterwards, stop at any small bay, enjoy fishing and relish fresh seafood with a sip of wine amidst the lush green mountains and azure waters.
2. Hon Dau Island Beach – Hai Phong
Rarely does any island near the mainland receive as much favor from both nature and legend as Hon Dau Island (Do Son, Hai Phong). In just about 20 minutes riding on the winding waves from Nghieng Wharf – Do Son, you find yourself lost in a pristine mountainous area, witnessing the lighthouse – a century-old structure – amidst the refreshing sea breeze.
Hon Dau Island boasts forests and seas, creating a majestic scene amid the vast ocean. Even though it's in Do Son, a visit to Hon Dau Island adds a lot more delight to your journey.
3. Dong Chau Sea – Thai Binh
Dong Chau Sea tourist area is located in Tien Hai district, 35km from Thai Binh city via the provincial road through Kien Xuong – Tien Hai. When you come to Dong Chau Sea tourist area, you'll enjoy the fresh air of the sea and the breezy beach.
The entire tourist area covers an expansive area of tens of km2, with the central point being the 5km-long Dong Chau Beach. Interestingly, from Dong Chau Beach, you can take boats to visit and swim at Con Thu, Con Vanh, just 7km from the mainland.
4. Co To Island – Quang Ninh
Co To boasts two stunning beaches. Van Chai Beach, located on the west side of the island, is rugged with a curved coastline, fine and clean white sand, and just the right-sized waves for relaxing. Hong Van Beach, on the east side, features calm, serene waters, reminiscent of a lake due to Thanh Lan Island stretching along, blocking the winds from the sea. The soft sandy shore is adorned with intense purple seaweed carpets.
To reach Co To from Hanoi, take a bus from Hanoi Bus Stations (Ha Dong, My Dinh, Luong Yen) to Cai Rong town (Van Don – Quang Ninh). From Cai Rong port, there are 2 daily boats to Co To and vice versa. The boat will navigate within Bai Tu Long Bay, passing Quan Lan Island to reach Co To, with each journey taking from 3 to 3.5 hours depending on the weather.
5. Tra Co Beach – Mong Cai – Quang Ninh
Tra Co is situated in the northeastern part of the country, in Quang Ninh province, near the Chinese border, about 8-9 km from Mong Cai town and Mong Cai border gate. Tra Co Beach is dubbed the 'most romantic beach in Vietnam' with its wide and flat sandy beach, fine white sand blending into the azure sea all year round. Here, if you want to savor fresh seafood, you can buy it right on the beach when fishermen's boats return from fishing.
By canoe or boat from Hai Phong to Mong Cai covering a distance of 206 km, or from Hong Gai with a route of 132 km, you will reach Tra Co Beach. If traveling by road from Hanoi, take Route 18, Hanoi – Hon Gai to Tien Yen, then turn onto Route 4 to Mong Cai town to reach Tra Co Beach.
6. Ha Long Bay – Quang Ninh
Apart from being twice recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1994 and 2000, Ha Long Bay is also one of the seven new natural wonders. Famous landmarks such as Thien Cung Cave, Dau Go Cave, Surprising Cave (Sung Sot), Bai Chay Resort, Tuan Chau Island, Ti Top Island, Trong Mai Islet, and more never fail to enchant any traveler, whether domestic or international. With numerous small and large islands, the Ha Long Bay area boasts a series of beautiful beaches with crystal-clear water.
7. Cua Lo Beach – Nghe An
Cua Lo Beach, located in Cua Lo town, is 16km away from Vinh city. With a length of 8.2km, Cua Lo Beach is divided into three areas to serve tourists. However, beyond the beauty of the silver-haired waves and the smooth, stretching sandy shores, this place attracts more visitors with a unique seaside activity everyone wants to experience at least once: squid fishing by boat in the night.
8. Cua Hoi Beach – Nghe An
Cua Hoi Beach is situated between Cua Lo Beach (Nghe An) and Xuan Thanh Beach (Ha Tinh), where the Lam River flows into the East Sea. Cua Hoi captivates tourists with its white sandy stretches, the subtle green hue of both the sky and water, the serene atmosphere during deserted noon hours, or the lively scene of the spontaneous fish market when boats dock.
9. Xuan Thanh Beach – Ha Tinh
Xuan Thanh Beach (Nghi Xuan district, Ha Tinh) features expansive stretches of fine white sand, clear seawater, and a gently sloping beach, making it safe to walk for hundreds of meters. Notably, this beach is marked by the Mỹ Dương freshwater river flowing from the Hong Linh mountains. The water is not too deep but never runs dry...
10. Thien Cam Beach – Ha Tinh
Thien Cam Beach (Cam Xuyen district, Ha Tinh) is adjacent to the Thien Cam tourist area and Tron mountain, 26km south of Ha Tinh city. The name is associated with an ancient legend when King Ho Quy Ly surveyed the defensive land, arriving here to hear the sound of the wind, waves, and leaves echoing against the mountain walls, creating a melodious symphony. Hence, this area was named Thien Cam (Heavenly Harp). Besides the beauty of an excellent sandy beach, Thien Cam sea is also blessed with islands, winding mountain ranges, creating a rare picturesque landscape.
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Source: Mytour Travel Handbook
MytourJanuary 2, 2014
