Ha Long: Culture, Bay and Experiences

Ha Long combines coastal moments with distinctive cultural sites and a wide variety of experiences. At Bãi Cháy Beach, you can swim or go for a walk; in the centre, temples and Bài Thơ Mountain tell the story of the area. There is also a floating cultural centre, water attractions and an evening programme at the museum. Which of these aspects you choose to focus on can also guide your search for a suitable holiday rental in Ha Long.

Temples, mountains and history

Bài Thơ Mountain is in the centre of Ha Long and, together with Long Tiên Pagoda and Đức Ông Temple, forms a group of historical, cultural and scenic monuments designated at national level in 1992. According to a traditional account of its name, in 1468 Emperor Lê Thánh Tông had a poem carved into the southern face of the rock; the mountain has borne this name ever since. Those interested in the city’s history will find concrete points of reference here for planning their trip.

Đức Ông Trần Quốc Nghiễn Temple in Hồng Gai ward has been designated a national historical and scenic monument since 1992. The temple houses two stone steles and five ancient statues dating from the 13th century. For travellers especially interested in history and traditional works of art, these details add to the picture of the group of monuments around Bài Thơ.

Water, leisure and discovery

In Bãi Cháy, Dragon Park features the Lightning Dragon roller coaster. Its track is up to 1.1 km long; it is described as Asia’s longest high-speed roller coaster. Typhoon Water Park offers twelve water attractions, including a lazy river, a wave pool and several spiral slides. Ha Long therefore offers a range of leisure activities side by side: a long roller-coaster track and water attractions offering different experiences. Bãi Cháy Beach also gives you the chance to combine time by the water with swimming or a walk.

Dragon Park and Typhoon Water Park, along with Sun Hill, are part of Sun World Ha Long; the areas are connected by the Queen Cable Car. The cable car crosses the water and offers panoramic views over Cửa Lục Bay. It connects Bãi Cháy across the bay to Ba Đèo Hill. If you include these attractions in your plans, you can use Bãi Cháy and the areas mentioned as practical reference points when comparing locations for a holiday rental.

Culture by the water and in the city centre

The floating Cửa Vạn Cultural Centre displays artefacts and photographs from the fishing village of Cửa Vạn across six themed sections: nature and people, livelihoods, material ways of life, life on the water, spirituality and intellectual life. The exhibition offers insights into the daily livelihoods, cultural features and customs of a fishing community living on Ha Long Bay. In the past, themed exhibitions were also held there on the daily lives of fishermen and their traditional, simple fishing equipment.

In central Ha Long, the Quảng Ninh Museum and Library stand on the shore of Ha Long Bay. Since 30 May 2026, their evening programme has included artistic light installations, special nighttime photo spots and art and music performances at weekends. It also features film screenings for children and visitors, a reading area with more than 2,200 books, and areas for experiences, food and drinks, and showcasing regional OCOP products. When choosing where to stay, you can weigh up whether the programme in the city centre or the beach and leisure activities in Bãi Cháy will play a bigger part in your trip.

Choosing the right location

Route 01 connects central Ha Long with the Bãi Cháy tourist area. When looking for a holiday home or apartment, you can therefore first consider which of these two areas better suits the places you plan to explore. Tuan Châu International Passenger Port has a travel information centre and an integrated online ticket booking system. On 1 June, the Yacht Night Street tourism product also began operating there.

In the vicinity of Ha Long, children can sow, plant and harvest vegetables at Tuan Châu Farm. If you would like to include more destinations in your research, you can also find Tp. Móng Cái, Thành phố Cẩm Phả.

For the wider travel overview: Quảng Ninh.