the third bay
Bai Tu Long Bay: the neighbor bay with its own routes, and the cruises that really go there
Bai Tu Long Bay (Vịnh Bái Tử Long) is the bay of limestone islands to the east of Halong Bay in Vietnam, out towards Van Don and the islands of Quan Lan and Minh Chau. It is a bay in its own right, not a corner of Halong Bay, but it sits in the same province, Quang Ninh, and its tourist boats keep the same rulebook, Decision 43/2024. Since 19 July 2024 it has had 10 routes of its own, plus three that connect it with Halong Bay.
Is Bai Tu Long Bay worth the longer trip? If you want a cruise away from the busiest Halong routes, out among the islands towards Van Don, yes, provided the cruise really sails there. Of the 6 overnight listings that name Bai Tu Long Bay, only 2 keep every named stop in the bay. Read the itinerary, not the title.
This guide to Bai Tu Long Bay sets its ports, routes and anchorages on one board, then each Bai Tu Long Bay cruise against the stops it names.
Some links on this page are affiliate links: the guide earns a commission when you book through them. The partner sets the price; the guide adds no fee.
ports, routes, cruises
Bai Tu Long Bay on one board
Where the bay lies, where its boats board, the route list Quang Ninh published in 2024, the anchorages for the night, and every listed Bai Tu Long Bay cruise with the bays its title names set against the bays its stops lie in.
Where it is and where boats board
- The bay
- Its center lies about 20 km (12 mi) in a straight line, to the east of the middle of Halong Bay. Its routes start on the Cam Pha coast and at Van Don, the island district that runs out towards Quan Lan and Minh Chau.
- Ao Tien port
- Van Don, start of routes BTL1 to BTL6; Cai Rong port lies about 3.9 km (2.4 mi) in a straight line away. Van Don International Airport: about 6.2 km (3.9 mi) in a straight line.
- Cam Pha port
- On the mainland coast, start of routes BTL7 to BTL10.
- Halong piers
- Tuan Chau International Marina and Ha Long International Cruise Port at Bai Chay, start of the three connecting routes. Ao Tien lies about 44 km (28 mi) in a straight line to the east of the cruise port.
- Overnight
- Decision 2119/QD-UBND names the Mang Ha overnight anchorage (Điểm neo đậu nghỉ đêm Máng Hà) on routes BTL5 and BTL6. In May 2026 Lao Dong reported that the first overnight anchorage for cruise boats on the bay had opened at Hang Nha Tro, near Ban Sen island (on the Cai Rong to Ban Sen inland waterway), run by the Van Don administration.
The routes: 10 routes and three connecting routes
Quang Ninh Provincial People's Committee, Decision 2119/QD-UBND of 19 July 2024. Its sights may be used only once they are recognised as meeting operating conditions by the competent authority. Stops in the order the decision lists them.
From Ao Tien port, Van Don
- BTL1Ao Tien port → Tay Hoi island → Meo May Man islet → Ban Sen → Hang Nha Tro
- BTL2Ao Tien port → Phat Co Cave → Da Den islet pearl farm → Lao Vong → Dua islet → Minh Chau
- BTL3Ao Tien port → Hon Xep park
- BTL4Ao Tien port → Lao Vong → Tra Ngo Lon island → Thien Nga islet
- BTL5Ao Tien port → Cai De → Mang Ha
- BTL6Ao Tien port → Tra Than inlet → Cai Lim beach → Mang Ha → Cai De
Routes 5 and 6 reach the Mang Ha overnight anchorage.
From Cam Pha port
- BTL7Cam Pha port → Luong Ngoc beach → Vung Duc → Ong Cu island → Reu island → Cua Ong
- BTL8Cam Pha port → Luong Ngoc beach → Vung Duc → Ong Cu island → Reu island → Cua Ong → Tay Hoi island → Ban Sen
- BTL9Cam Pha port → Cua Ong → Reu island → Ong Cu island → Vung Duc → Luong Ngoc beach → Ngoc Vung Island → Thang Loi → Quan Lan → Minh Chau
- BTL10Cam Pha port → Vung Duc → Hon Xep park
Route 9 is the long one, out to Quan Lan and Minh Chau.
Connecting routes from the Halong piers
- K1Tuan Chau International Marina or Halong International Cruise Port → Hang Co (Thien Canh Son) → Hang Thay → Cap La Cave → Vung Vieng fishing village → Tung Ang → Cong Do island → Hon Xep park → Thang Loi → Ngoc Vung Island → Quan Lan → Minh Chau
- K2Tuan Chau International Marina or Halong International Cruise Port → Hang Co (Thien Canh Son) → Hang Thay → Cap La Cave → Vung Vieng fishing village → Tung Ang → Cong Do island → Hon Xep park → Ban Sen → Hang Nha Tro
- K3Tuan Chau International Marina or Halong International Cruise Port → Hang Co (Thien Canh Son) → Hang Thay → Cap La Cave → Vung Vieng fishing village → Tung Ang → Cong Do island → Hon Xep park → Dua islet → Vung Duc → Ong Cu island → Reu island → Cua Ong
Each follows Halong route 4 past Vung Vieng and Cong Do, then sails on into Bai Tu Long Bay.
The cruises that name Bai Tu Long Bay, set against their stops
6 overnight listings name Bai Tu Long Bay in the title or the stops. In 2 every named stop is in Bai Tu Long Bay; 2 stop in Halong Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay; 2 do not itemize their stops. One day cruise, listed last, goes there too.
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GetYourGuide, Halong Bay Lux Cruises - Marvel Travel
Hanoi/Ninh Binh: 2-Day 1-Night Halong & Bai Tu Long Bay Cruise
Title namesHalong Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay
Stops inStops not itemized in the listing
The listing does not itemize its stops, so the title cannot be set against them.
- Nights
- 2 days 1 night, 1 night on board
- Pier
- Pier not stated in the listing
- Price
- US$125 per person, as listed on 14 November 2026
-
Viator, Halong Bay Lux Cruises
Bai Tu Long Bay 2 Day 1 Night Cruise
Title namesBai Tu Long Bay
Stops inHalong Bay, then Bai Tu Long Bay
It boards on the Halong side and sails through Halong Bay first.
- Nights
- 2 days 1 night, 1 night on board
- Pier
- Pier not stated in the listing
- Price
- US$100 per person, as listed on 14 November 2026
-
Viator, Authentic HALONG
3-Day 2-Night Bai Tu Long Bay & Halong Bay Journey with Swan Cruises
Title namesBai Tu Long Bay and Halong Bay
Stops inHalong Bay, then Bai Tu Long Bay
Title and stops agree.
- Nights
- 3 days 2 nights, 2 nights on board
- Pier
- Ha Long International Cruise Port
- Price
- US$420 per person, as listed on 14 November 2026
Show 4 more cruises
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Klook, La Regina Classic Cruise
La Regina Classic 2D1N Cruise: Halong Bay & Bai Tu Long Tour
Title namesHalong Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay
Stops inBai Tu Long Bay
It boards on the Halong side but names no stop in Halong Bay.
- Nights
- 2 days 1 night, 1 night on board
- Pier
- Halong International Cruise Port, Bai Chay
- Price
- about US$118(listed asAUD 171.95) per person, as listed on 14 November 2026
-
GetYourGuide, Anh Tourist Hanoi Travel
2-Day 1-Night Cruise: Visit Bai Tu Long Bay
Title namesBai Tu Long Bay
Stops inBai Tu Long Bay
Title and stops agree.
- Nights
- 2 days 1 night, 1 night on board
- Pier
- Ha Long International Cruise Port
- Price
- US$142 per person, as listed on 14 November 2026
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GetYourGuide, Halong Bay Renea Cruise
Renea Cruises: Small Boat in Bai Tu Long & Halong Bay
Title namesBai Tu Long Bay and Halong Bay
Stops inStops not itemized in the listing
The listing does not itemize its stops, so the title cannot be set against them.
- Nights
- 2 days 1 night, 1 night on board
- Pier
- Pier not stated in the listing
- Price
- US$158 per person, as listed on 14 November 2026
-
GetYourGuide, Authentic Travel DA NANG
Day Cruise to Discover Bai Tu Long Bay
Title namesBai Tu Long Bay
Stops inHalong Bay, then Bai Tu Long Bay
It boards on the Halong side and sails through Halong Bay first.
- Nights
- Day cruise, no night on board
- Pier
- Indochina Junk, No. 01 Ha Long
- Price
- US$91 per person, as listed on 14 November 2026
Prices are per person, two sharing a cabin unless the listing states another basis, as read on the date shown. No listing above names its Bai Tu Long route code; ask the operator which route and which anchorage the boat uses.
The same routes sit in the full list of official routes of all three bays, with the Halong fees beside them, and on the interactive map, where you can zoom from Tuan Chau out to Quan Lan.
Quang Ninh, Decision 43/2024
Who runs Bai Tu Long Bay, and the rules on board
Bai Tu Long Bay is run from the same province as Halong Bay, so most rules a cruise passenger meets are the same on both. The differences are who manages the water and how far the fee is settled.
One rulebook for two bays
Quang Ninh's Decision 43/2024 covers tourist boats on Halong Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay alike. In summer boats may sail 5:00 to 20:00 local time, in winter 5:30 to 19:00 local time, and overnight boats must be at their anchorage by 18:30 winter / 19:00 summer. For Bai Tu Long Bay the decision names the Bai Tu Long National Park Management Board as the bay management board.
The route list is Decision 2119/QD-UBND of 19 July 2024, which counts 8 / 10 / 3 routes (Halong Bay / Bai Tu Long Bay / connecting). It also states that the sights on these routes may be used only once they are recognised as meeting operating conditions by the competent authority, so a listed route is not proof that every stop on it is open.
The Bai Tu Long Bay fee
Quang Ninh's Resolution 101/2026 names a sightseeing fee for Halong Bay, Bai Tu Long Bay and Yen Tu, collected by the Ha Long Bay - Yen Tu World Heritage Management Board. No per-route fee for Bai Tu Long Bay is published yet. Before you book, ask whether the bay fee is in the price: the Renea listing, for one, puts the entrance ticket under what is not included.
The board's rules for children cover both bays: no fee for children under 7 years or below the board's height limit, and 20% off for children from that age until their 16th birthday.
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which bay
Halong Bay vs Bai Tu Long Bay
The two bays share a coast, a province and a rulebook. What differs is the route list, where the boats board and how many cruises are sold on each.
What Halong Bay has
Halong Bay has the long-established routes VHL1 to VHL8 from Tuan Chau and the cruise port at Bai Chay, with the caves and viewpoints most first-timers come for, Sung Sot Cave and Ti Top Island among them, and a published fee for each route and each night. Most overnight cruises sail there; the overnight cruise guide compares them.
If you have two nights, a Halong cruise with a second day further out is the other way to reach the far end of a route; the two-night cruise page sets out what the extra night buys.
What Bai Tu Long Bay has
Bai Tu Long Bay has its own routes from Ao Tien in Van Don and from Cam Pha, out to Quan Lan, Minh Chau and Ngoc Vung, and three connecting routes that start on the Halong side, follow Halong route 4 past Vung Vieng and Cong Do, then sail on. Every Bai Tu Long Bay cruise on the board that names its pier boards on the Halong side.
For a two-night trip that names both bays, 3-Day 2-Night Bai Tu Long Bay & Halong Bay Journey with Swan Cruises boards at Ha Long International Cruise Port. How all three bays compare, Lan Ha Bay included, is on Lan Ha Bay vs Halong Bay.
read the stops
How to choose a Bai Tu Long Bay cruise
A Bai Tu Long Bay cruise is easy to buy and easy to buy wrongly: many titles name the bay for a cruise that spends most of its time in Halong Bay. Five checks settle it.
- Read the stops, not the title. The Bai Tu Long stops are the ones in the route list on the board: Ban Sen, Cai De, Ngoc Vung, Quan Lan, Minh Chau and the rest. Vung Vieng and Cong Do are Halong route 4 sights that the connecting routes pass on the way in. The board sets each title against the stops its listing names.
- Ask which route and which anchorage. No listing on the board names its Bai Tu Long route code. Ask whether the boat sails a BTL route or a connecting route, and whether it anchors at Mang Ha, Hang Nha Tro or in Halong Bay for the night.
- Check what the price includes. The bay fee, the shuttle from Hanoi and the single supplement are each in some listings and out of others. Read the included and excluded lists before you compare prices.
- Count the nights. Most Bai Tu Long Bay cruises sold from Halong are one night on board, which leaves an afternoon and a morning on the water.
- Check the cancellation terms. Storms stop boats, and refunds are as each partner states them. 2-Day 1-Night Cruise: Visit Bai Tu Long Bay, whose title and stops agree, states: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before start for a full refund (as listed).
from Hanoi
Getting to Bai Tu Long Bay
There are two ways in: to the Halong piers for a connecting route, or on along the expressway to Van Don and Ao Tien port.
To the Halong piers
Most cruises that sail Bai Tu Long Bay board at Ha Long International Cruise Port or Tuan Chau and collect you from Hanoi by shuttle, often at extra cost. Viator lists a Hanoi to Halong Bay shuttle at US$17.86 per person, as listed on 14 November 2026, and the listed shuttles state 2.5 to 3 hours on the road. Every pier, with its approach, is on Halong Bay cruise ports.
To Van Don and Ao Tien
The Quang Ninh expressway runs on past Ha Long through Van Don, 176 km from end to end. Ao Tien port, the start of routes BTL1 to BTL6, sits close to Van Don International Airport, but no cruise listed on this page boards there: every one boards at the Halong piers, about 42 km (26 mi) in a straight line from the airport. A flight to Van Don helps only with a boat that starts at Ao Tien.
people on the water
Quan Lan, Minh Chau and the villages on the routes
The far end of the Bai Tu Long route list reaches inhabited islands. Quan Lan lies about 23 km (14 mi) in a straight line from Ao Tien port; route BTL9 and the first connecting route both end at Quan Lan and Minh Chau, after Ngoc Vung and Thang Loi.
Closer in, route BTL2 stops at a pearl farm on Da Den islet and at the Lao Vong sluice, and route BTL4 at Lao Vong fishing village. The connecting routes pass Vung Vieng, a fishing village where families live on floating houses and work the fish pens, and where many Halong side cruises stop.
These are working farms and homes. Ask before you photograph people, keep to the walkways you are shown, and buy only what is offered for sale. How a village visit is run on each bay is on floating villages.
the season
Bai Tu Long Bay weather and storm stops
Bai Tu Long Bay shares Halong Bay's weather and its storm rules. The Quang Ninh Inland Waterway Port Authority stops departure permits on Halong Bay when a storm comes, and Decision 43/2024 puts Bai Tu Long Bay boats under the same port authority. Counted around the middle of Halong Bay, about 20 km (12 mi) in a straight line from the middle of Bai Tu Long Bay, the odds that a storm stop touches a one-night cruise are 4% to 8% for a September start and none recorded in 1991 to 2025 for January.
Storms are the main reason a cruise does not sail, and refunds are as each operator states them. Month by month, see Halong Bay weather; the stops already ordered are in the cruise suspension log. For a day trip from the Halong side, Day Cruise to Discover Bai Tu Long Bay spends its hours on both bays.
before you book
Bai Tu Long Bay questions
Is Bai Tu Long Bay better than Halong Bay?
Neither is better for everyone. Halong Bay has the classic caves and viewpoints, and most overnight cruises sail it. Bai Tu Long Bay has its own route list, 10 routes since 2024, reaching islands such as Quan Lan and Minh Chau, and fewer cruises sail there. Choose it if those stops are what you want, and check the itinerary names them.
Is Bai Tu Long Bay part of Halong Bay?
No. Bai Tu Long Bay is a separate bay to the east of Halong Bay, with its own routes under Decision 2119/QD-UBND. Both are in Quang Ninh province and share the boat rules of Decision 43/2024, and three connecting routes link them, so many cruises sail through Halong Bay to reach it.
Is Bai Tu Long Bay worth it?
It is worth it if the cruise really goes there. Of the 6 overnight listings that name the bay, 2 keep every named stop in Bai Tu Long Bay, while others sail through Halong Bay first or list no stops at all. Ask which route the boat sails and where it anchors for the night.
Is there a Bai Tu Long Bay entrance fee?
Quang Ninh's Resolution 101/2026 names a Bai Tu Long Bay sightseeing fee, collected by the Ha Long Bay - Yen Tu World Heritage Management Board, but no per-route figure is printed here. Some listings include an entrance fee and some exclude it, so ask the operator whether it is in your price before you compare.
How do I get to Bai Tu Long Bay from Hanoi?
Most travelers take a shuttle from Hanoi to Ha Long International Cruise Port or Tuan Chau and board a cruise that sails a connecting route into Bai Tu Long Bay; the listed shuttles state 2.5 to 3 hours on the road. Routes BTL1 to BTL6 start at Ao Tien port in Van Don, further along the expressway.
Sources
- Quang Ninh Provincial People's Committee Decision 2119/QĐ-UBND of 19 Jul 2024 announced this many sightseeing routes on Bai Tu Long Bay 10 routes. Lao Dong (state press), 24 Jul 2024, reporting Quang Ninh PPC Decision 2119/QĐ-UBND of 19 Jul 2024, 19 July 2024.
- Decision 2119/QĐ-UBND (Quang Ninh PPC, 2024) lists Bai Tu Long Bay route 1 as Ao Tien port - Tay Hoi island - Meo May Man (Meo Luoi) islet - Ban Sen island - Nha Tro Cave. Lao Dong (state press), 24 Jul 2024, reporting Quang Ninh PPC Decision 2119/QĐ-UBND of 19 Jul 2024, 19 July 2024.
- Decision 2119/QĐ-UBND (Quang Ninh PPC, 2024) lists Bai Tu Long Bay route 2 as Ao Tien port - Phat Co Cave - pearl farm (Da Den islet) - Lao Vong sluice - Dua (Du) islet - Minh Chau island. Lao Dong (state press), 24 Jul 2024, reporting Quang Ninh PPC Decision 2119/QĐ-UBND of 19 Jul 2024, 19 July 2024.
- Decision 2119/QĐ-UBND (Quang Ninh PPC, 2024) lists Bai Tu Long Bay route 3 as Ao Tien port - Hon Xep park. Lao Dong (state press), 24 Jul 2024, reporting Quang Ninh PPC Decision 2119/QĐ-UBND of 19 Jul 2024, 19 July 2024.
- Decision 2119/QĐ-UBND (Quang Ninh PPC, 2024) lists Bai Tu Long Bay route 4 as Ao Tien port - Lao Vong fishing village - Tra Ngo Lon island - Thien Nga islet. Lao Dong (state press), 24 Jul 2024, reporting Quang Ninh PPC Decision 2119/QĐ-UBND of 19 Jul 2024, 19 July 2024.
- Decision 2119/QĐ-UBND (Quang Ninh PPC, 2024) lists Bai Tu Long Bay route 5 as Ao Tien port - Cai De area - Mang Ha overnight anchorage. Lao Dong (state press), 24 Jul 2024, reporting Quang Ninh PPC Decision 2119/QĐ-UBND of 19 Jul 2024, 19 July 2024.
- Decision 2119/QĐ-UBND (Quang Ninh PPC, 2024) lists Bai Tu Long Bay route 6 as Ao Tien port - Tra Than inlet (Tra Ngo Lon) - Cai Lim beach - Mang Ha overnight anchorage - Cai De area. Lao Dong (state press), 24 Jul 2024, reporting Quang Ninh PPC Decision 2119/QĐ-UBND of 19 Jul 2024, 19 July 2024.
- Decision 2119/QĐ-UBND (Quang Ninh PPC, 2024) lists Bai Tu Long Bay route 7 as Cam Pha port - Luong Ngoc beach - Vung Duc - Ong Cu island - Reu island - Cua Ong. Lao Dong (state press), 24 Jul 2024, reporting Quang Ninh PPC Decision 2119/QĐ-UBND of 19 Jul 2024, 19 July 2024.
- Decision 2119/QĐ-UBND (Quang Ninh PPC, 2024) lists Bai Tu Long Bay route 8 as Cam Pha port - Luong Ngoc beach - Vung Duc - Ong Cu island - Reu island - Cua Ong - Tay Hoi island - Ban Sen. Lao Dong (state press), 24 Jul 2024, reporting Quang Ninh PPC Decision 2119/QĐ-UBND of 19 Jul 2024, 19 July 2024.
- Decision 2119/QĐ-UBND (Quang Ninh PPC, 2024) lists Bai Tu Long Bay route 9 as Cam Pha port - Cua Ong - Reu island - Ong Cu island - Vung Duc - Luong Ngoc beach - Ngoc Vung - Thang Loi - Quan Lan - Minh Chau. Lao Dong (state press), 24 Jul 2024, reporting Quang Ninh PPC Decision 2119/QĐ-UBND of 19 Jul 2024, 19 July 2024.
- Decision 2119/QĐ-UBND (Quang Ninh PPC, 2024) lists Bai Tu Long Bay route 10 as Cam Pha port - Vung Duc - Hon Xep park. Lao Dong (state press), 24 Jul 2024, reporting Quang Ninh PPC Decision 2119/QĐ-UBND of 19 Jul 2024, 19 July 2024.
- Decision 2119/QĐ-UBND lists connecting route 1 between Halong Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay as Halong route 4 sights (Hang Co, Hang Thay, Cap La, Vung Vieng, Tung Ang, Cong Do, Hon Xep) - Thang Loi - Ngoc Vung - Quan Lan - Minh Chau. Lao Dong (state press), 24 Jul 2024, reporting Quang Ninh PPC Decision 2119/QĐ-UBND of 19 Jul 2024, 19 July 2024.
- Decision 2119/QĐ-UBND lists connecting route 2 between Halong Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay as Halong route 4 sights - Ban Sen island - Nha Tro Cave. Lao Dong (state press), 24 Jul 2024, reporting Quang Ninh PPC Decision 2119/QĐ-UBND of 19 Jul 2024, 19 July 2024.
- Decision 2119/QĐ-UBND lists connecting route 3 between Halong Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay as Halong route 4 sights - Dua islet - Vung Duc - Ong Cu island - Reu island - Cua Ong (Cam Pha). Lao Dong (state press), 24 Jul 2024, reporting Quang Ninh PPC Decision 2119/QĐ-UBND of 19 Jul 2024, 19 July 2024.
- Dan Tri (DTiNews, 10 May 2026) reports that Quang Ninh authorities opened the first overnight anchorage for cruise boats on Bai Tu Long Bay, managed by the Van Don Special Zone administration, at Hang Nha Tro, near Ban Sen island (on the Cai Rong to Ban Sen inland waterway). Lao Dong (state press), 10 May 2026, 10 May 2026.
- The Ha Long Bay Management Board waives the Halong Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay sightseeing fee for children (Vietnamese or foreign) shorter than 1.2 m or under age 7 years. Ha Long Bay Management Board, 'Miễn, giảm phí tham quan vịnh Hạ Long', applying Resolutions 62/2017/NQ-HĐND and 131/2018/NQ-HĐND, 2 November 2024.
- The Ha Long Bay Management Board reduces the Halong Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay sightseeing fee for children of any nationality aged 7 to under 16 by 20%. Ha Long Bay Management Board, 'Miễn, giảm phí tham quan vịnh Hạ Long', applying Resolutions 62/2017/NQ-HĐND and 131/2018/NQ-HĐND, 2 November 2024.
- OpenStreetMap places Bai Tu Long Bay (bay) at (lat, lon) 20.926064, 107.25521 decimal degrees WGS84. OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), queried via Nominatim/Overpass, 14 November 2026.
- OpenStreetMap places Ao Tien port (port) at (lat, lon) 21.08024, 107.46117 decimal degrees WGS84. OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), queried via Nominatim/Overpass, 14 November 2026.
- Under Quang Ninh Decision 43/2024/QĐ-UBND, the 'Bay Management Board' for Bai Tu Long Bay is the Bai Tu Long National Park Management Board. Quang Ninh Provincial People's Committee, Decision 43/2024/QĐ-UBND of 8 Oct 2024 (in force 20 Oct 2024), Regulation on managing inland waterway vessels serving tourists on Halong Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay, 8 October 2024.
- Quang Ninh PPC Decision 2119/QĐ-UBND of 19 Jul 2024 announced, in force from signing, this many routes (Halong Bay / Bai Tu Long Bay / connecting) 8 / 10 / 3 routes. Quang Ninh Provincial People's Committee, Decision 2119/QĐ-UBND (19 Jul 2024) on sightseeing routes on Halong Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay, full text as reproduced by thuvienphapluat.vn, 19 July 2024.
- Decision 2119/QĐ-UBND (Quang Ninh PPC, 2024) names as the overnight anchorage on Bai Tu Long Bay routes BTL5 and BTL6 Mang Ha overnight anchorage (Điểm neo đậu nghỉ đêm Máng Hà). Quang Ninh Provincial People's Committee, Decision 2119/QĐ-UBND (19 Jul 2024) on sightseeing routes on Halong Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay, full text as reproduced by thuvienphapluat.vn, 19 July 2024.
- Decision 2119/QĐ-UBND (Quang Ninh PPC, 2024) states that sights and service points on the announced Halong and Bai Tu Long routes may be used only when recognized as meeting operating conditions by the competent authority. Quang Ninh Provincial People's Committee, Decision 2119/QĐ-UBND (19 Jul 2024) on sightseeing routes on Halong Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay, full text as reproduced by thuvienphapluat.vn, 19 July 2024.
- Quang Ninh Resolution 101/2026/NQ-HĐND names the body that collects the sightseeing fee for Halong Bay, Bai Tu Long Bay and Yen Tu as Ban Quản lý Di sản thế giới vịnh Hạ Long - Yên Tử (Ha Long Bay - Yen Tu World Heritage Management Board). Quang Ninh Provincial People's Council, Resolution 101/2026/NQ-HĐND (5 Feb 2026), full text as reproduced by thuvienphapluat.vn, 5 February 2026.
- Viator lists Shuttle Bus Transfer from Hanoi to Halong Bay at From US$17.86 per person. Viator product page (as listed on the read date).
- In summer (1 April to 31 October) tourist boats on Halong Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay may leave port from 5:00 and must be back by 20:00, under Quang Ninh Decision 43/2024/QD-UBND 5:00 to 20:00 local time. Quang Ninh Provincial People's Committee, Decision 43/2024/QD-UBND, Article 14(1), 8 October 2024.
- In winter (1 November to 31 March) tourist boats on Halong Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay may leave port from 5:30 and must be back by 19:00, under Quang Ninh Decision 43/2024/QD-UBND 5:30 to 19:00 local time. Quang Ninh Provincial People's Committee, Decision 43/2024/QD-UBND, Article 14(2), 8 October 2024.
- Overnight cruise boats on Halong Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay must be inside the overnight anchorage by 18:30 in winter and 19:00 in summer, under Quang Ninh Decision 43/2024/QD-UBND 18:30 winter / 19:00 summer local time. Quang Ninh Provincial People's Committee, Decision 43/2024/QD-UBND, Article 14(3), 8 October 2024.
- The expressway across Quang Ninh province (Ha Long to Van Don to Mong Cai) was completed when the 80 km Van Don to Mong Cai section opened; the whole Quang Ninh expressway is long 176 km. Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam, 'Chính thức thông xe toàn tuyến cao tốc kết nối vùng dài nhất Việt Nam', 01/09/2022, 1 September 2022.
- Storm suspensions on Halong Bay stop departure permits; they are issued by the Quang Ninh inland waterway port authority (Cảng vụ Đường thủy và Đăng kiểm phương tiện thủy nội địa, under the provincial Department of Construction) on the direction of the provincial disaster steering committee, or come as a notice of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment to that authority (Matmo 2025, Storm No.1 2026); the body that stops the permits is Quang Ninh Inland Waterway Port Authority. Ha Long Bay Management Board website, suspension notices 2025-2026 (posts 240, 268, 287, 292, 990, 1215), 3 July 2026.
- Distances in a straight line. Measured on the site from OpenStreetMap coordinates (great circle, 6,371 km earth radius). A straight line between two points, not a sailing or road distance. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
- Lan Ha Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay cruises: bay in the title against bay in the itinerary. Each partner listing's title, itinerary, pier and inclusions as read on its read date
- Partner listing details. Each partner listing page as read on its read date (pier, cancellation terms, rating)
- Storm odds and weather by month. Storm tracks: NOAA NCEI IBTrACS v04r01, seasons 1991 to 2025, systems within 150 km to 350 km of Halong Bay; a stop counted as 2 days from the board notice to the final national bulletin. Weather: NOAA Global Summary of the Day, Phu Lien (Hai Phong) and Bach Long Vi, 1996 to 2024; sea surface temperature: NOAA OISST v2.1, the grid cell south of Cat Ba Island, 1991 to 2020. Stop log: Ha Long Bay Management Board notices and the national final storm bulletins (data/suspensions.json).
Photographs
- Bai Tu Long Bay seascape. Photo: Benjamin Smith / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Bai Tu Long Bay seascape. Photo: AnhTuan Le / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
- Bai Tu Long Bay seascape. Photo: Benjamin Smith / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Bai Tu Long Bay seascape. Photo: Benjamin Smith / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0