Swimming
Another great activity you could do in Halong Bay is swimming; recommended only in some areas of the Gulf of Tonkin due to some danger zones and change in weather conditions depending on the season.
Who doesn’t like the idea of swimming along one of the 7 New Wonders of Nature and UNESCO World Heritage Site? Swimming in Halong Bay should definitely be in everyone’s bucket list before they die. The blue emerald and calm waters, rock formations, and the wonderful views are more than enough reasons for you to do this yourself. And while you’re at it, make sure you bring your sunglasses and your sunscreen as well.
Safety swimming tips
People rarely hear about accidents due to swimming in Halong Bay, but you should follow these DO and DON’T to have a totally relaxing swimming time in the cozy water of Halong Bay.
DO
- Follow your tour guide’s advices about where you can swim and where not to swim. Also you must keep in mind every swimming regulation provided at each beach or swimming zone.
- Do a few exercises to warm-up before swimming.
- Prepare big towel to keep warm after swimming (towel is usually provided by cruise for free).
- Be aware of jellyfish in Halong Bay. Refer here for detail on jellyfish in Halong Bay and First aid steps should be taken when you are stung by jellyfish.
- If caught in rip currents, relax and swim toward the shore at a 45-degree angle until you are free of the current. If the rip currents are strong, swim parallel with the shoreline in the same direction as the littoral current and then swim diagonally toward the shore. If you are not able to swim out of the currents, call or wave for help.
DON’T
- Don’t swim while intoxicated. Alcohol impairs judgment, unnecessary risks are taken and a swimmer will tire more easily, increasing the chance of an accident.
- Don’t escape swim barrier, just swim in safe area.
- Don’t dive into shallow water, or water of unknown depth.
- Don’t swim too long when there’s too much sunlight, you can easily to get sunstroke.
- Don’t swim alone.
- Don’t overestimate your swimming ability. Remember that swimming ability is severely decreased in cold water.
- Don’t jump off the cruise sundeck. This action is prohibited by Quang Ninh authorities.
Swimming areas & fee in Halong Bay
Some swimming areas in Halong Bay are free while others require a small entrance fee. In general, beaches on island are cleaner and less touristic than those on mainland. If you join a package tour/overnight cruise trip, you don’t need to care about entrance fee. If you are self- traveler or go with a day boat from Bai Chay Tourist Wharf, you can check the detail below.
- Bai Chay Beach (Halong Beach)
The beach until now is still in constructing but already opens 900 m2 to welcome guests, and will be the biggest beach in Halong Bay in the near future. This is the only on-land beach in Halong Bay for now, and totally free, so it’s always full of local people. Though, you will need to pay extra if using other services like storage cabinet, bathroom, and bamboo chair to relax on the beach.
- Tuan Chau Beach
It’s on Tuan Chau Island, but you can go straight to the island by passing a bridge. The beach’s in a resort and you can access with a low fee. Entrance fee is 40,000 VND/person (~ 1.8 USD). This fee includes swimming, storage cabinet, bathroom, and bamboo chair to relax on the beach.
- Titop Beach
It’s a very beautiful beach on an island in the heart of Halong Bay. Because of white sand and clear water, this beach attracts many local people and tours. Entrance fee here is 50,000 VND/person (~ 2.5 USD). It’s quite far from mainland, which requires you to take a cruise trip to go to. Service there cannot be compared with Tuan Chau Beach, but a natural beach has its value.
- Soi Sim Beach
Soi Sim Beach shares many characters with Titop beach from location, scenery to sand and sea water quality. With the entrance fee 50,000 VND/person (~ 2.5 USD), but further than Titop island from mainland, normally only overnight cruises take their customers to this beach. Soi Sim Beach is in a short renovating period at the moment, and promises to be the best beach in Halong Bay in the near future.
- Vung Ha Beach
Vung Ha beach is also on an island, but its sand area is really small. It’s not too far from mainland though. Interesting point of this beach is giving guest the feeling of a private beach. It’s a real natural beach, with no service, no people around the area. And, there’s no entrance fee. You just come for swimming there by joining some specific overnight cruise tours, so check cruise’s itinerary to see if it includes Vung Ha Beach or not.
- Ba Trai Dao Beach
Ba Trai Dao beach is similar to Vung Ha Beach, and there’s no entrance fee also. Ba Trai Dao is in Bai Tu Long Bay, a less touristic part of Halong Bay, so it must be an excellent place for swimming with a unique beach view and quiet atmosphere.
