How to get from Hanoi to Halong Bay

The distance from Hanoi to Halong Bay is around 175 km. Normally, it will take from 2 to 4 hours to get from Hanoi to Halong Bay depending on your type of transport, routes and traffic conditions. This article will help you answer the question " How to get from Hanoi to Halong Bay?

1. Route from Hanoi to Halong bay

From Hanoi to Halong bay (and vice versa) you can go by road, train or air (seaplane). For travel by road, there are 2 routes as normal road and the new Expressway (often with toll but can save up to 1-1.5 hour).

Travelling by air is also a possible option as there are companies offering seaplanes from Hanoi to Halong Bay. (depart from Noi Bai International Airport to Tuan Chau Harbour)

2. Transportations from Hanoi to Halong Bay

Usually, tourists considering a trip from Hanoi to Halong Bay can opt for one among five main means of transportation including:

• Motorbike: from $5 to $50/trip and about 4 hours.
• Local bus: from $4 to $8 per ticket and about 3.5 hours.
• Limousine: from $16 per ticket and around 2.5 hours 
• Private car: from $70 per ticket and from 1.5 to 3.5 hours  
• Seaplane: from $105 per ticket and only 40 mins

In this post, we would like to provide some specific information on these five types of transport so that you could choose the best one according to your preference.

2.2. Hanoi to Halong Bay By Local Bus

Taking a local bus from Hanoi to Halong Bay is a budget-friendly option, though it may lack privacy. It offers a great chance to interact with locals. Major bus stations such as My Dinh, Giap Bat, and Gia Lam offer tickets, usually priced between $4 to $8, depending on the company. This option is ideal for those looking to save money and enjoy a more local experience during the journey.

However, apart from not being really private as you may have to travel with 40-50 people on the bus, on weekends or special occasions such as Tet or the independence day, most buses are stuffed with up to 200% of their capacity, which may be a not really pleasant experience. Moreover, the staff of Local Bus can only speak Vietnamese, so if you can not speak Vietnamese, it would be hard to book your ticket.  Another minus point is that it may take quite a long time as the buses often stop occasionally on the road to pick up more travellers (even though it is illegal). Also, the bus would drop you off at the Halong Bus Station, so you need to take a cab to your destination in Halong

2.3. Hanoi to Halong Bay By 9-seater Limousine Van

Another choice of heading to Halong Bay from Hanoi is Luxury Limousine van. The price vary from USD 12 -  16 depend on the type of seats on the van. Usually, it will take 3 hours to get to Halong Bay but it may vary according to the traffic. The van is spacious and comfortable. You can also customize your seat as it can be reclined up to 45 degrees, which will make your journey as pleasant as possible. Rechargeable USB ports, free WIFI and water are also available. This option is perfect for a large group as there are up to 9 seats and as the van is quite spacious, you will have a great time chatting and interacting with the others. If you travel in small groups, you can also book one or two-seat and share the Van with other travellers, a good way of saving your budget while traveling. However, the van also has several drawbacks including fixed departure time and is available only in the city center.

2.4. Hanoi to Halong Bay by Private Car

Transferring from Hanoi to Halong Bay in a private car would also be an excellent choice. Although this type of transport is the most expensive, its service is undoubtedly comparable to its price. There are 3 types of cars that you can choose according to your needs including a 4-seater, a 7-seater and a Limousine D-car.

• A 4-seater would be suitable for 2 passengers as a seat would be spared for the luggage and another for the driver. The price is 70$.
• Minus one seat for the luggage and another for the driver, a 7-seater would be perfect for 5 passengers and the price is 80$.
• For bigger groups, choosing a Limousine D-car would be ideal as it can deliver up to 7 passengers excluding one seat for the luggage and another for the drivers. The price is 115$.

There are 2 different routes: One through the national route 18 which may take about 3.5 hours and another through the new expressway which will shorten the transferring up to 1.5 hours. However, you will have to pay an extra of 12$ to use the expressway route. Using a private car would be very helpful for travellers who would like to go straight from the airport as this is the only type of transport available for transferring from the airport to Halong. Private car is also ideal for people who value private space as you don’t need to share with anyone. Another advantage of a private car over other options is that you have the flexibility to travel as you’re under no fixed schedule and have the privilege to choose whenever to go. You may also get from Hanoi to Halong Bay by taxi from other taxi companies in VietNam such as Mai Linh, Thanh Cong or Thanh Nga. These companies, however, don’t support users who speak English, which can cause you difficulty booking your trip. Another minus point is that you may encounter scams as many of the taxi drivers from these companies can overcharge you or intentionally extend the trip by going around over and over to increase the cost.

Note: If you would love to go straight from the airport but find private car too expensive, it’s possible to use a mix of private cars and Limousine car. Specifically, you will be delivered from the airport by our private car to the city center and then take the Limousine car from city center to Halong.

2.5. Hanoi to Halong Bay By Seaplane

Travelling in a seaplane from Hanoi to Halong Bay may be a wonderful idea if you don’t mind the price at all. The service is provided exclusively by Hai Au- the only seaplane company in Vietnam offering seaplane service from Hanoi to Halong. See Ha Long Bay with Seaplane[/caption] Not only can you enjoy the beauty of Vietnam’s nature from such an unbelievably high point in one of the most luxurious and comfortable means of transport but also significantly cut down on the time, as it takes only 40’ to travel from Hanoi to Halong. The package also includes 15’ of flying over Halong bay. However, the price is undoubtedly costly as it costs over 105$/adult.

3. Travel tips: Getting from Hanoi to Hanoi by Joining in a Halong Bay day trip from Hanoi.

One of the good tips for cutting travel cost is to join in an organized cruise tour. This tour includes round-trip transferring ( from Hanoi to Halong Bay and vice versa), 6-hour  cruise on Halong bay, swimming on the beach, climbing up the mountain for better view, visiting Surprising Cave, Kayaking boat, all from a 5-star reviewed travel company with 2 cruise ships: Dragon King cruise and Wego Halong cruise. Everything is within one day. The price for this all-in-one tour is 45$ if you travel in a group of fewer than 4 and 43$ if you travel in a group of from 5 to 8. You may need to pay an extra of 4$ if you wish to travel back using the expressway to save time. If you only intend to visit Halong Bay for a day, the transfer cost by Limousine Van would cost you $34 USD for a 2-way ticket. In the One-day cruise tour option, with the amount of $45 USD, you can enjoy a 2-way transfer by bus between Hanoi and Halong, plus a 6-hour tour around Halong.     This option is very ideal for travellers who would like a one-day travel trip or want to find a convenient option as this already includes both transferring from Hanoi to Halong and returning back to Hanoi.

To sum up, you can compare and contrast both pros and cons of each type of transfer with the table below:

I hope that this article provides you with enough information about how to get from Hanoi to Halong Bay. You can contact us via Whatsapp at +84 96 845 00 21 or Email Address: [email protected] if you need our assistance.