Bai Tu Long Bay

Bai Tu Long is a beautiful area protected by hundreds of islands. The scenery is tranquil and out of this world. I have never seen anything quite like it. I highly recommend a longer 3-day - 2-night cruise to escape the massive crowds within Halong Bay.

Less tourisy than Halong Bay. If you want to get away from the busy and hustle Halong bay, this is area to come. Hundreds of islands here that has no one around and very few boats. Limestone islands shooting up from the calm Emeral color ocean, whether it’s day or night, the beauty of this area is spectacular.

Bai Tu Long Bay is a coastal bay located in Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam. It consists of hundreds of small and large islands and is situated within the Gulf of Tonkin, in the northeastern region of Vietnam. Bai Tu Long Bay encompasses a sea area belonging to the cities of Halong and Cam Pha, as well as Van Don island district. The bay is bordered by Halong Bay to the southwest, Cam Pha city to the west, the sea to the east, and Co To island district to the northeast.

The history of Bai Tu Long Bay is closely intertwined with the heroic chronicles of the Vietnamese people. It is associated with the place name Van Don, a bustling seaport since the time of the Ly dynasty. Nearly 900 years ago, it was a lively trading hub attracting merchants from Champa, China, Japan, India, and other places for exchanging goods.

Bai Tu Long Bay is also a place to commemorate the glorious achievements of General Tran Khanh Du and the three Pham brothers (from Quan Lan village), who defeated the fleet of the Yuan Mongol invader Truong Van Ho in 1288.
In addition, there is the Cua Ong Temple (also known as Suot Temple) located on the bay, dedicated to Hung Nhuong Vuong Tran Quoc Tang, the third son of the revered Hung Dao Vuong Tran Quoc Tuan.

Our visit to Bai Tu Long was an engaging experience. We had a meet up with the management. We also met the rangers and get to talk to them. The rangers guided us through a jungle trail to explore old mangroves, and we took a swim in the bay. Additionally, we participated in a coastal cleanup on one of the islands, making it a well-rounded and impactful visit.

The food and beers are amazing too! Also, the lady who cooked our food looked fresh than us. 😂

Bai Tu Long Bay is part of the famous Halong Bay. It is located northeast of Vietnam, at 165 km from the capital Hanoi. The bay comprises approximately 1,600 islands and islets, which forms a remarkable panorama of limestone pillars. Most of the islands are uninhabited. The site’s outstanding scenic beauty, the area is rich with geological magnificence.

I suggest everyone not to let local travel agents confuse you about Halong Bay vs Bai Tu Long Bay. They are both part of Bai Tu Long National Park and both part of the pristine Heritage, both bays stand right next to each other and they shared outstanding beauty. Bai Tu Long Bay occupies ¾ of Ha Long Bay.

The natural views were magnificent, I loved every minute of it, going from island to island, and enjoying nature! Loved it; we were even allowed to go ashore for a little while to enjoy swimming and relaxing in a small but beautiful beach.

In the evening, i truly enjoyed a stunning sunset.

This is the Bay to visit instead of Halong Bay.

We had an unforgettable experience on on overnight voyage on the Treasure Junk. We had one of the two suites, which aren’t much more expensive than a normal cabin but totally worth it. Regardless of the tour company and boat you chose it’s a similar itinerary of kayaking, cooking class, tour of floating village and plenty of time to soak up the stunning views. What sets Bai Tu Long Bay aside from Ha Long bay is that it’s quieter, with less boats taking the standard route, and so you are more likely to get some amazing photos without another Junk sneaking into your picture. We found the food to be amazing with several courses in each meal, as well as friendly boat staff and a totally brilliant tour guide, booked through Hand Span tours in Hanoi. We did the one night trip and it felt about right... we wanted more but might have found day 2 to be repetitive, although I could have sat on deck and enjoyed the stunning views all day!
Book this and you won’t regret it ;-)

Bai tu long bay was amazing. There were so many islands to see and we went to the Thien Canh Son cave which has 100 steps to climb. There was also a beach which is beautiful. We travelled by Huong Hai Life sea cruise which is one of the best to go by TripAdvisor reviews. We enjoyed our stay and hope you'll too.

This place is so beautiful and I love it!

I love Bai Tu Long Bay

Gorgeous, quiet, fishing village is awesome if you can get a tour there.

Much less congested than HaLong bay and just as magested. Having so few boats in the area made it feel like you're the only ones there.
A MUST SEE.

Bai Tu Long Bay

TL;DR Version - Bai Tu Long Bay is a stunning natural wonder famous for its limestone cliffs, emerald water, and thousands of islands and islets. Unlike its more popular neighbor Halong Bay, it's significantly less crowded, making it a perfect destination for travelers seeking a serene and peaceful experience.

Honestly though it was quite difficult to find a cruise that does a day trip to BTL bay but after reading scores of blogs and reviews, we finally found the amazing folks at @indochinajunk
Their La Muse cruise was perfect also because we pretty much had the full boat to ourselves.

Standing on the deck, our clothes fluttering in the strong breeze while soaking in the beauty of these uniquely shaped limestone cliffs was a once in a lifetime experience. 😎

Our itinerary also included a visit to a cave (over hundred years old) with intricate rock formations and stalactites.
But the best part was the kayaking. 🛶
Slowly paddling on the calm waters, seeing the sealife on the cliffs from close and admiring the picturesque landscape, it was truly magnificent. 😍

As we started heading back to port, we witnessed a stunning sunset. The colors of the sky were breathtaking, and the reflections on the water made the experience even more magical. We'd highly recommend spending a night in the bay on a cruise to relax and enjoy the spectacular views. 🌅

P.S. - The cruise had a delicious 8-course vegan lunch prepared fresh exclusively for us. 😋

Surrounded by beautiful limestone kayst every where. Awesome!

I loved the nature!

Bai Tu Long Bay is beautiful, clean, bustling city of Cam Pha, lovely life

Its a place that you can left behind your all sorrows,sadness,and you can bring your life a new era,a new life to live,a new world that exist in this world where you can relax

Smaller scale & less visitors-- but spectacular!
This Bay, with its 40 "islands/Karsts", is near the better know and much larger Ha Long Bay. Its "National Park" has been designated an "Asian Heritage attraction" ... and, is ranked as the #1 attraction in the Ha Long Bay region, and, has been awarded TripAdvisor's "Certificate of Excellence". It is much less crowded than Ha long Bay--- and is not as "overpowering"!! "Experienced Travellers" find that, while it is "off the beaten track" it is every bit as beautiful! Its definitely very worthwhile for those who appreciate the nature and serenity!

I hope that this Review has been helpful!

Beautiful is just not enough to say about this place

Largely untouched, over some 50 million years (or was it 500m years?)
Northern small sister of the famed Halong Bay.
Seafood is simply out of the world.
Beautiful island folk.
.
Unmissable, if u in the region.