The Northern Coast Hå Long City

The gross and unbridled commercialism of this grimy city acts as a serious turn-off to travelers looking for the quiet beauty of Hå Long Bay. Though 15-story neon hotels and an entire artificial beach testify to the city’s tourist boom, the vulgar ostentation of this port city serves to dampen the appeal of its tourist infrastructure. It’s a shame that the nearby polluting coal mine, chorus of honking trucks and megaphones, and pushy xe ®m drivers ruin what is otherwise a wonderful location in the middle of the world’s most amazing land formation. Hå Long City should be used only as a transportation hub to reach the more appealing towns along the northern coast. Tours from Hà Nÿi run through the city, but for the independent traveler, Cát Bà might be a better bet.

Transportation. Buses depart from Bãi Cháy Bus Station, 600m south of the Hòn Gai pier on Hå Long Rd. Buy tickets from the station itself; drivers are tough to bargain with. Buses go to: à N{ng (24hr.; 7am; 152,000); H=i Phòng (2hr.; every 30min. 6am-5pm; 25,000); Hà Nÿi (3-4hr.; every 15min. 5:30am-6pm; 40,000); HCMC (48hr.; W, Th, Su 7am; 280,000); Vinh (7-8hr.; 6:30am; 80,000). Minibuses leave from across the street and can be flagged down along Hå Long Rd., especially in front of the GPO. They head to: H=i Phòng (2hr.; 6am-5pm; 20,000), Hà Nÿi (4hr.; 6am-5pm; 38,000), and Móng Cái (6hr.; every 30 min.; 42,000). Foreigners may be charged up to three times these rates; bargain hard. Ferries leave from Bãi Cháy to Hòn Gai (every 10min. until 10pm, then every 30min.; 500). A new bridge is under construction which should make the journey much faster by motorbike. The Hòn Gai pier (B\n Tàu Hòn Gai), 1.5km down Lˆ Thánh T®ng from the bridge, at the end of the road to the right at the first small roundabout, has ferries to: Cát Bà Island (2hr.; times vary; around 80,000); Càt Hái (2hr.; 11:30am; 35,000); ñn Ti_n (5hr.; 6am; 28,000); H=i Phòng (2hr.; 6am, 1pm; 60,000); Móng Cái (3hr.; 8am, 1pm; US$14); Quán Lån (4hr.; 9am, 2pm; 80,000). Since many companies offer ferry services at Hòn Gai pier, it may be confusing to find the right boat and the right time; check in advance. Also, be prepared to wait until the boat fills up. The more convenient Tourist Hydrofoil runs to Cát Bà (40min.; 7:30am, return 4:15pm; US$8) and to Móng Cái (3hr.; 8am, 1pm; US$13). Get tickets at the counter 100m down Hå Long Road from the bus station (away from the center of Bãi Cháy) and catch the boat at the dock 400m back toward town. If you stay near the post office, the market and cafes are at your fingertips. However, getting anywhere else (including the ferry) is possible only with a motorbike driver. A xe ®m should take you anywhere for 6000-7000, but drivers in Hå Long City are notorious for trying to charge US$2 for a 3-block ride.

Orientation. Hå Long City lies 165km east of Hà Nÿi and 55km northeast of H=i Phòng. The city is divided up the Ca Lƒc Strait into two districts: the more tourist-oriented Bãi Cháy on its western shore, and the more industrial Hòn Gai on its eastern shore. A new bridge, under construction at publication, should soon alleviate ferry congestion between the two. Bãi Cháy stretches out along the coast of Hå Long Bay and is basically composed of two roads. Its main road is ™ng Hå Long (Hå Long Rd.), which runs along the entire bay from the tourist boat pier in the west to ferry pier, 4km east. All chartered boats to the grottoes leave from the tourist boat piers, all the way in the west. In the center of Bãi Cháy, “Restaurant Row” and the GPO crowd the intersection of V™n ào (“Hotel Alley”) with Hå Long Rd., which continues 2km farther northeast to the bus station and local ferry.

Practical Information. The Hå Long Tourist Company (☎846 272), at the tourist pier, organizes boat trips (4hr.; US$30-35) and gives useful information. (Open M-Sa 7:30-11:30am and 1-5pm.) Vietcombank (☎825 297), on Hå Long Rd. down the road from the tourist pier, changes major currencies and traveler’s checks. An ATM is accessible during banking hours. (Open M-F 8-11am and 1-5pm.) Call ☎825 486 for local emergency assistance; the national numbers are slower. Qu=ng Ninh Provincial Hospital, 651 Lˆ Thánh T®ng (☎825 494), is 1km beyond the Hòn Gai GPO on the road that forks to the right. The director of the hospital, Mr. Hanh, speaks English. (US$53 per visit.) Internet access is available at Emotion Cyber Cafe, 500m from the GPO (☎847 354; 300 per min.), Dilmah Cong oán (see Nightlife; US$1 per hr.), and various cybercafes (3000-4000 per hr.) on Anh ào (up V™n ào; take a right just before Restaurant Asia). Internet phone is also available on this street. The Hå Long City Post Office or GPO (☎846 201), at V™n ào intersection has telephones, but you must purchase a phone card (150,000) first. Internet access is also available. (3000 per hr. Open daily 6:30am-9:30pm.)

Accommodations And Food. To catch a sight like no other, veer off to the left from the GPO and walk 400m up the hill on V™n ào, the notorious “Hotel Alley.” Mini-hotels line this street with a vengeance—there are over 75 on this small hill alone, none of which ever fill up. Be aware that the nicer your view of the bay, the noisier your room will be. All ask US$7-18 depending on amenities, and rooms include two beds, hot showers, and air-conditioning. Few owners speak English. Anh Duy 2, across from the ferry dock, has private balconies and the best views in town, but is near the noisy bay. Walk under the sign saying “Vñn Anh,” and then veer right at the crest of the hill. (☎847 817. Rooms 120,000, with A/C 140,000.) H™£ng Tr<m Hotel 2 is a comfortable mini-hotel overlooking the bay, probably run by the local military police. From the GPO, walk down Hå Long Rd. and take the 3rd left, where a dirt path leads up the bluff. (☎846 365. Doubles 120,000-150,000.) H·ng Minh Hotel 2 has clean rooms in a great central location. Rooms include air-conditioning, TV, fridge, and phone. (☎847 643. Doubles 150,000, with balcony 180,000.) B· Lai Hotel 3 is 100m down the dirt path from H™£ng Tr<m Hotel but offers a slightly better view—and more noise. Pretty rooms include TV, phone, and balcony. (☎846 378. Doubles US$10.)

Seafood is the specialty in Hå Long Bay, but it doesn’t come cheap. “Restaurant Row,” around the GPO, is the culinary hub for tourists. Live lobsters, crabs, fish, and clams await customers in water tanks outside each eatery. (Seafood entrees 35,000.) Basic Western fare is also available. Keep in mind that the farther you walk away from the row, the cheaper the food becomes. Street stall Ph™óng Oanh is recommended for its cheap prices. A small market hides in the shadow of the hotels. From the GPO, head up V™n ào; the first road branching right ends at the market. As with urban markets all over the country, this one has various street eateries, offering seafood dishes alongside the usual ph and c£m. The market is also great for an afternoon glass of chè. A third alternative is the small Restaurant Asia 3, 24 V™n ào, featuring a mean ph (15,000-25,000) and many simple seafood dishes (45,000-60,000). The operation is run by Quang Vinh, a friendly former Berliner who speaks fluent German. (☎846 927. Up Hotel Alley, on your right. Open daily 7am-11pm.)

Entertainment And Nightlife. The beachfront is the place to go for entertainment. At the artificial “beach,” there are wooden chairs under palm trees and stands every few meters offering sodas (10,000), beer (15,000-20,000), and snacks from 8am to 11pm. Though the beach itself is small and a little dirty in places (due to the nearby port), Hå Long City tries to compensate: on the beachfront, travelers can rent jet skis (US$17-20 per 15min.), parasailing gear (US$100 per hr.), speedboats (US$100 per hr.), and a variety of other aquatic paraphernalia.

All nightlife in Hå Long City centers around the beachfront and along Hå Long Road. Don’t expect too happening a scene, as tourists are scattered and locals wake up early. Dilmah Cong oán, about 500m west of the GPO is a small cafe-bar with an Internet corner and a relaxed terrace overlooking the bay. (☎848 309. Beer 15,000; soda 7000. Open daily 7am-11pm.) Trung Nguyˆn, up a few stairs from Hå Long Rd., is a popular bar under a bamboo ceiling and fake grapes. (☎844 338. Coffee US$1; juices US$1; ice cream US$2. Open daily 7am-11pm.) Oh La La Bar is a huge bar on the beachfront blasting music from Tchaikovsky to the Titanic theme song in bamboo-decorated bliss. (Beer 17,000-20,000. Open daily 3-11pm.)