Top 11 Must-Visit Islands in Halong Bay

The tourist area of Tuần Châu Island, located about 2km from the center of Halong City, covers an area of 220ha and is characterized by gently sloping hills. A concrete road approximately 2km long connects the island to the mainland. The 2km-long Tuần Châu Beach with its white sandy shore allows tourists to enjoy the gentle waves of the clear blue sea. Next to the beach is a 5-star international standard resort with 50 villas providing guests with comfortable moments. There are also over 300 other international standard accommodations.

At Tuần Châu, many construction projects are being built and developed. From the entrance, visitors will pass through a hill area with villas built to international standards. Continuing into the food street with five restaurants and round houses designed in beautiful imperial architecture, it can serve over 1000 guests with a variety of European, Asian, and ethnic dishes prepared by famous chefs from both Vietnam and abroad. The restaurant staff all wear traditional Vietnamese costumes. In the central area, visitors will be amazed by the modern and unique dolphin, seal, and lion performance club.

On Tuần Châu Island, tourists can participate in various water sports activities: high-speed jet skiing, parachute pulling, windsurfing, sea fishing in Halong Bay, rowing, hot air balloon sightseeing in Halong Bay, or mountain climbing and camping. Currently, the Tuần Châu Island tourist area is still under development. Many other projects are waiting for investors to turn Tuần Châu Island into the Pearl Island of Halong, with the hope of welcoming you to the 'Halong Tourism' year.

Emerald Isle, also known as Pearl Island, is a beautiful island nestled between two small rocky islets, Hon Net and Phoenix Island, in Van Don district. Legend has it that the island got its name, Emerald Isle, because it used to be abundant with rare and precious pearls that lit up the night sky, creating a shining spectacle.

To the south of the island is Truong Chinh Beach, with a shimmering golden sandy stretch extending about 3.5 km under the sunlight. Here, visitors can swim, relax, and indulge in delicious and affordable seafood provided by local fishermen. Emerald Isle features diverse geographical elements like rivers, beaches, harbors, and plains. The tranquil landscape makes many tourists liken it to a beautiful village in the middle of the sea. From the center, visitors can explore historical sites, including the Ho Chi Minh memorial area, enjoy panoramic views from the 12.7mm gun hill, and admire the flagpole...

Visitors feel immersed in the natural scenery of the island and savor the unique seafood dishes of Emerald Isle prepared and served by the talented hands of local chefs. Nothing beats the experience of watching the sunrise every morning and witnessing the sunset behind the rocky cliffs. The night offers a chance for visitors to gather around the red flames and participate in cultural activities such as karaoke. Engage in the local islanders' lives by fishing, netting, catching snails, and later relish the fruits of your own labor.

Quan Lan Island, a large island in Van Don district, Quang Ninh province, is approximately 195km northeast of Hanoi. Visitors to Quan Lan will be mesmerized by pristine beaches with long stretches of white sand and crystal-clear water, explore historical and cultural landmarks, and savor various rare seafood caught by local fishermen.

Quan Lan Island comprises two island communes: Quan Lan commune and Minh Chau commune. These communes are situated on the same sandy island with relatively flat terrain. The length of the island is about 20 km, with narrowest part at Con Trui Beach being only about 100 m wide. The distance from the center of Quan Lan commune to Minh Chau commune is approximately 12 km. The island has 6 beaches, including Quan Lan and Son Hao beaches in Quan Lan commune, and Chương Nẹp, Bê Thính, Nhánh Rìa, and Côn Trụi beaches in Minh Chau commune. Among them, Minh Chau and Son Hao beaches stand out as the most beautiful.

Son Hao Beach is located 6 km from the center of Quan Lan commune. It features a long sandy stretch, gentle waves, and a bay-like structure that enhances its beauty. The water here is very clear, and there is the Van Hai resort, providing convenience for beach activities and relaxation. Con Trui Beach is situated to the left of Minh Chau Beach with its white sand, large waves, and being a suitable nesting ground for turtles, making it ideal for those who enjoy exploration and adventure. With the pristine beauty of the landscape and the hospitality of the land and people in this region, Quan Lan Island has become an unmissable tourist destination in Ha Long.

Cống Tây Island is a captivating tourist destination in Ha Long, featuring a tourism system with well-equipped guesthouses and restaurants near the beach. A system of red brick roads leads from the guesthouses to the beach, surrounded by straight and tall coconut trees. Hammocks are strung under the trees, providing visitors with a relaxing space to enjoy the sea and read books. Cống Tây Island is located in Bai Tu Long Bay, approximately 40km from Bai Chay. To reach the island, visitors can take a 90-minute boat ride from Cam Pha or a 30-minute high-speed boat ride.

Cống Tây Island also preserves historical traces and cultural values, including ancient ports, the remains of 5 pagodas, and a Tran dynasty tower built on the island, namely Lam Pagoda, Cat Pagoda, Vung Pagoda, Trong Pagoda, and Vung Cay Queo Pagoda. Subsequent archaeological research has further revealed that Cống Tây was once a crucial point in the ancient trading port system of Van Don for many centuries. It served as a transit point on the 'ceramic road' through Ha Long Bay and was the administrative center of Nghieu Phong district during the Nguyen dynasty, with the place name 'Cống Đông thập bát xã' still echoing in folk traditions today.

Due to its proximity to Ngoc Vung and Quan Lan islands and its adjacency to Cống Đỏ islands, the strictly protected area of Ha Long Bay, Cống Tây is highly favorable for tourism development. In addition to its historical and cultural relics, the diverse and appealing landscape, terrain, and nature on the island make it an attractive destination.

Ti Top Island is situated in Ha Long Bay, belonging to Ha Long City, Quang Ninh Province, about 7-8 km southeast of Bai Chay tourist port. Ti Top Island boasts a crescent-moon-shaped sandy beach. The sand here is washed clean and white by the tides throughout the four seasons. In the late 19th century, the island was named Cat Nang. On November 22, 1962, President Ho Chi Minh and Soviet cosmonaut Gherman Titov visited the island. To commemorate that historic visit, President Ho named the island Ti Top.

Ti Top Island not only features beautiful natural landscapes but also possesses a stunning beach. Although not large, the beach is tranquil, spacious, and very clean, with fine white sand and crystal-clear water throughout the year. The island has steep slopes, one side sloping with a white sandy beach, flat at the foot. At the foot of the island is a beach shaped like a crescent moon embracing the island, a small but spacious and peaceful sandy beach, with clean and clear water in all four seasons.

Tourist boats often stop at Ti Top Island to allow visitors to disembark for swimming or climb to a deck halfway up and another one on the mountain peak for panoramic views. Currently, there is a bar at this beach, offering services such as swimsuit rental, lifebuoy rental, and freshwater showers. Services also include jet ski and parasailing rentals. Freshwater is transported from the mainland by the bay's management. This beach is attracting many visitors for swimming and island exploration.

Red Saddle Island is located in Bai Tu Long Bay, within the area of the world natural heritage. The island has an area of 23,363 km2 with a peak height of 172 m. It is one of the beautiful islands with many winding, curving sea basins, creating fascinating natural lakes, home to many marine creatures such as shrimp, crab, fish, squid, seaweed, algae, etc. The southwestern sea of the island has a large coral reef with thousands of colors. The coral ecosystem here is over 700 m long and about 300 m wide with many rare coral species like red coral, horn coral, etc. The coral reef in this area is almost intact, with ornamental fish and seahorses cohabitating.

The southeast of the island still bears the traces of the ancient Van Don port, albeit faint. This affirms that Red Saddle Island once held a significant position in foreign trade and commerce. A lake hangs on the mountain, which in turn seems like a miniature landscape set against the vast sea. Therefore, Red Saddle Island is a unique scenic spot in the grand panorama of Ha Long, with both biological research value and great appeal to visitors from all directions.

In addition to the dense vegetation carpeting the surroundings, Red Saddle Island also has algae, mosses, bivalve species, shrimp, crabs, fish, and squid. Hence, fishing becomes a serene and attractive pastime for many tourists, providing a sense of tranquility surrounded by nature. For those who enjoy exploration, venturing into the forest for mountain climbing is an option. The air here is regulated by the forest and sea, always cool and refreshing, making it comfortable for mountain climbers without feeling oppressive.

Soi Sim Island is situated in the southwest of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Halong Bay, approximately 11km from Bai Chay Tourist Harbor. With an area of 8.7 hectares, the island features a unique geological structure, with two-thirds covered by feralit soil and reddish-brown laterite soil. The island boasts two beautiful beaches and panoramic viewpoints overlooking the UNESCO World Heritage Site to the southeast and northwest.

In the past, locals found abundant sim bushes - a shrub with purple fruits, hence the island was named Soi Sim. With a rich ecosystem and a central location in the heritage area, Soi Sim Island has become an attractive destination for visitors seeking scenic landscapes, beach activities, and ecological tourism in Halong Bay. Although not extensive, it encapsulates all the captivating features of the azure sea, white sandy beaches, and rolling hills. The island is covered with pristine forests featuring diverse plant species, including many unique and valuable plants characteristic of the Halong Bay ecosystem.

An interesting aspect of exploring this pristine island is the opportunity to climb to its summit and enjoy a panoramic view of the surrounding scenery. In the future, Soi Sim Island is expected to be developed into an ecological tourism center with a system of small wooden guesthouses, botanical gardens, elevated viewing platforms, and attractive resorts in the central heritage area.

Located in Bai Tu Long Bay, Ba Mun Island stands out as one of the largest, most beautiful, and ecologically diverse island clusters in Bai Tu Long National Park. Today, Ba Mun Island has become a fascinating destination for those who enjoy exploratory tourism and close encounters with nature.

Ba Mun Island is the only sedimentary island with the original forest in Halong Bay. The island boasts a myriad of rare plant species such as agarwood, ironwood, rosewood, and other ancient trees that four people cannot embrace. Also known as Cao Lo Island, Ba Mun Island is situated approximately 15 km from the mainland, covering an area of about 1800 ha with a length of over 20 km, running in an east-west direction. The highest peak is Mount Quit, standing at 397 m above sea level. The island's natural forest is truly a unique ecosystem, worthy of being a tropical rainforest. The diversity of species, the richness in the composition of species, and the structure of the dense multilayered forest create a favorable environment for the increasingly strong growth of living organisms.

Bo Hon Island lies within the system of bays and islands that one cannot miss when setting foot in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Halong Bay. Particularly captivating for those who have explored Halong's tourist attractions before, they find themselves drawn to this place again and again. Bo Hon Island Halong is renowned not only for the stunning scenery of water, clouds, and deep blue sky but also for offering the most attractive, diverse, and rich Halong Bay cruise services. Bo Hon Island comprises a series of the largest caves in Halong Bay.

First and foremost are Surprising Cave, Luon Cave, Virgin Cave, Trong Cave, and Trinh Nu Cave. Here, the island features towering cliffs, mountains embracing mountains, and the sea connecting seamlessly with the land. It all forms a masterpiece of nature, perfect and incomparable. Due to the limited number of hotels around Bo Hon Island, visitors are recommended to make a day trip, enjoying lunch and a nap on the boat, and return to the mainland in the late afternoon. The next day in Halong can be spent renting a boat to explore other islands and caves.

On Bo Hon Island Halong, various plant species such as cycads, orchids, etc., are carefully cared for and cultivated by the islanders. The island's wildlife, including monkeys, deer, and sika deer, is also well managed and protected. Each cave on Bo Hon Island has its own unique beauty, whether it be the romantic love stories, the artistic photographs captured by famous photographers, or the extraordinary beauty of the stalactites in the caves. Everything seems to step out to showcase the mother nature's favor.

If a few years ago Co To, Quan Lan were the islands that many people eagerly planned to explore, nowadays Dragon Eye Island is becoming a new trend, attracting the curiosity of many groups of young friends. Traveling to Dragon Eye Island captivates tourists when visiting Quang Ninh for its impressive and majestic natural scenery. With clear blue water, emerald-colored beaches, and fine white sand, along with a cool green primeval forest.

The most special highlight of this island, and also the most attractive tourist destination on Dragon Eye Island, is a beautiful, crystal-clear lake nestled amidst limestone mountains and primeval forests. This is also the reason why people call this island Dragon Eye Island. This water lake is the dragon's eye and also the home to the most unique natural ecosystem in the Gulf of Tonkin region.

Dragon Eye Island features a spacious sandy beach stretching 300 - 400m, naturally fine white sand. You can lie on the beach and admire the beautiful island, or set up a camp, organize camping activities, and team-building, which are extremely interesting. The island covers an area of about 30 hectares, with a rich vegetation system, lush greenery, perfect for exploration. In the peaceful space, immersing yourself in nature and exploring the pristine and diverse ecosystem will undoubtedly be a memorable experience.

Co To is an archipelago located off the distant coast of Van Don Island district, with an area of about 47.3 km2 once beautifully portrayed in the work of the same name by the writer Nguyen Tuan. Traveling to Co To is always a beloved destination for its stunning natural scenery, clear blue skies, pristine white clouds, vibrant blue sea, and refreshing, pure air. The allure of Co To has captivated the hearts of countless tourists.

This is one of the hottest tourist spots chosen by many young people for taking virtual photos. Co To Island is a community of more than 50 islands large and small, such as Co To Con, Co To Lon, Thanh Lan, ... Thanh Lan has sprawling orange hills, while Co To is famous for its pearls. What could be better than stepping on the smooth white sand, immersing yourself in the cool blue water, and enjoying the essence of the land and sky.

All over Co To island, there are many ideal places for tourists to capture unique 'check-in' photos and also an ideal rendezvous for couples in love. The uniqueness of Co To Island is not only the long stretch of white sand like a crescent moon or the clear blue sea, but also the magical combination of rock and water. Along the coast are natural rock formations, with unique colors and shapes. The sea waves, eroded over millions of years, create these beaches like an incredibly majestic 'rock carpet.' Whenever tourists visit Co To, they see the changing colors of the sea.