1) Quan Lan Beach
Quan Lan beach is one of beaches near Hanoi which attracts tourists not only by the wild beauty but also by fresh seafood, which is one of the beaches chosen by tourists in recent years. In order to enjoy the full charming of Quan Lan, you should choose the ideal time when traveling to this beach. For young people or families who want to avoid the heat of the summer, Quan Lan is the perfect place. When traveling to Quan Lan in the summer, visitors may feel the beauty of this attractive sea and participate in outdoor activities. Period from June to July every year is an ideal time to visit Quan Lan. In addition, if visitors coming to Quan Lan on the occasion of the 18th June (lunar calendar), we will have the opportunity to participate in the famous Quan Lan festival known as racing pool (swimming or rowing) held annually on the island. You should avoid going to Quan Lan between August and December, because at this time, storms often occur.
Quan Lan is located in Van Don island district, Quang Ninh province. From Hanoi to Quan Lan, you may have to take a distance of about 220km. Tourists can choose one of the following directions:
– From Hanoi, you follow Highway 5 through Hai Duong city. From there, you follow the direction of Sao Do town, to Dong Trieu (Quang Ninh). Then go to Uong Bi to come to Van Don.
– Follow the Highway 1 about 30km to Bac Ninh city, then turn right for another 35km to Pha Lai. From here to Dong Trieu, Uong Bi and on the way to Van Don.
You can take the coach to Cua Ong, Van Don then arrive at Van Don 3 junction and then take the bus number 01 (Bai Chay – Van Don) to Van Don Post Office, from here, about 1km more, you will go to Cai Rong port, you can walk or take a motorcycle taxi. Another option is that you can choose Van Don limousine service. The advantage of these cars is that you will be taken straightly to Van Don without transfer.
From Cai Rong (Van Don) port to Quan Lan, it takes about 1 hour. Everyday, there are many trains coming to the island to serve the needs of people. On each weekend, the number of trips will increase to meet tourists’ demand. The main means of transportation for visitors to the island is the tuk tuk. Additionally, you can rent a motorbike or get in a taxi to visit the island.
The first impression makes the difference of Quan Lan with many other northern beaches are blue water color and attractive white sandbank. Quan Lan island is not large but quite long, so it owns many charming beaches, which are: Minh Chau and Viet My. Between the two beaches are soft winding roads on the island and along with the fresh air, you will feel the smell of the sea breeze.
Being different from the famous tourist attractions, Quan Lan is a really peaceful place. The beaches in Quan Lan do not have too many people, the beach is wide and airy, which is very suitable for swimming activities, sports, teamwork. The huts are well laid out, creating the most spacious space possible for guests to play comfortably.
In addition to the attractive beaches, Quan Lan also has other famous attractions, such as: Quan Lan Temple, Ba Mun National Park, Ngoc Vung Island,… On the last day of the trip, you can walk to Quan Lan market and buy seafood. The market is located in the center of Quan Lan, most seafood is caught by the local people. Furthermore, coming to Quan Lan, you can enjoy the shrimp, crab cooked deliciously.
2) Tuan Chau Island
Tuan Chau beach is also one of beaches near Hanoi, Tuan Chau is a graceful beach located in Tuan Chau island tourism, about 8km from the tourist port, this is an artificial beach with stretching sandy beach about 2 km long. Although this is an artificial beach, Tuan Chau is in a very convenient position – a relatively large and magnificent tourist area of Ha Long. Tuan Chau tourism area is formed from gentle rolling hills and a road connecting the island to the shore. Many visitors coming to this beautiful island are impressed with the high-rise buildings and the modern and luxury villas.
The best time to visit Tuan Chau is from April to October, when the weather is cool and pleasant. However, you should go in the middle of the week to avoid the rush and expensive services. Tuan Chau Island is located in the north-east of Ha Long Bay, 8km south-east of Ha Long City. Tuan Chau is the main gateway to Halong Bay. There are many ways to travel to Tuan Chau, from Hanoi, you can take passenger car or motorbike. If you want to travel by local buses, there are several operators for you to choose, which are: Kumho Viet Thanh, Phuc Xuyen,… When you arrive Bai Chay, you can move by taxi or motorcycle taxi to Tuan Chau island.
The seawater in Tuan Chau is blue and clear, along with white sand beach and light waves… all these facilities will make Tuan Chau be a suitable place for both children and adults. In addition, the air of Tuan Chau beach is extremely clean and fresh.
Tuan Chau Island is only 3 square metres, near the shore with villages, sparsely populated. Many archaeological relics of Ha Long culture have been found here. In the past, residents here mainly living by fishing, their life is quite fortuneless. Until 2001, when a large road was built connecting the island, the appearance of Tuan Chau has changed day by day and the people’s life has been improved.
Traveling to Tuan Chau beach, visitors not only enjoy the appealing scenery here, but also immersed in the delightful natural scenery in the early morning, and in the evening when the sun disappearing from the sea. The scenery seems like a familiar acquaintance became shimmering illusion at the beach. Besides, you have many choices of famous attractions in Tuan Chau from swimming to participating in exciting games. Tuan Chau International Entertainment Center and Tuan Chau water music performance area are places that you should not miss when traveling to Tuan Chau. After experiencing all the entertainment activities on the island, you can rent boats to view the sea landscape on Ha Long Bay or experience mountaineering and camping.
In addition to the fun activities at the beach, when visitors here also enjoy with a rich culinary culture, where no where else to be. The seafood is always fresh, nutritious, hygienic and processed in a very unique way. Especially, to serve the needs of international travelers, the first-class chefs have been invited to Tuan Chau to cook specialties.
3) Cat Ba Island
Cat Ba Island is located in Hai Phong City, 30 km from the port city center and 25 km from Ha Long city, which is known for its enormous tourism potential thanks to the elegant beaches and many pristine islands. Cat Ba is one of the beached near Hanoi that easy to reach with daily buses from Hanoi.
You can go to Cat Ba Island at any time of the year because the climate here is cool and fresh all year round. However, the most appropriate time is around May to Aug. This is considered to be the ideal time for your stay to avoid the hot and sultry summer, be immersed in the blue seawater. However, foreign visitors often want to travel Cat Ba between November and March, while domestic travelers love coming to Cat Ba from April to August every year.
From Hanoi, you have two ways to go to Cat Ba, the first one is by train or bus to Hai Phong and then you travel by hydrofoil in Ben Binh or ferry boat in Got harbour to come to the island. The second way, which is more convenient is that, you drive straight from Hanoi to Cat Ba, now there are many coach operators offering straight route to Cat Ba. With this type of transportation, it will not take you time to buy tickets or be crowded on the ferry. There are some options for you to consider, such as: Hoang Long, Goodmorning Cat Ba, Vietnam Transports, Cat Ba Express, Inter Bus Lines. When you come to Cat Ba Island, you can walk to visit the town, but if you want to go sightseeing around the island, you need to rent motorbikes to travel. Or, if you want to visit the small islands around Cat Ba Bay, then you need to rent a boat or join a cruise tour, it will be better for you to contact your hotel for a boat ride.
The tourist spots that you should not miss at Sandy are Monkey Island, Cannon Fort, Cat Co 1-2-3 beach, Military hospital cave, Cat Ba seafood market,… Additionally, Cat Ba cuisine is really delicious and attractive, like other famous tourist destinations, with many specialties attached to the sea such as shrimp, crab, oyster, squid, geo-duck … All the seafood here is fresh, greasy, with a reasonable price in any seasons. Coming to Cat Ba Island, you can choose to eat at a seafood restaurant or street stalls, which is cheaper than eating at a hotel.
4) Sam Son Beach
Traveling to Sam Son, you will have the opportunity to drop yourself in the clear and blue seawater, the gentle waves and stretching beach. Sam Son beach is nearly 6 km from Lach Hoi to the foot of Truong Le Mountain, this is an attractive and clean place, which is famous for its golden sandy beaches, clear water, and moderate salt concentrations. With the cultural and historical relics associated with the formation and development of the city, Sam Son tourism is worth exploring the hidden beauty of the mountains, the sea and the people here.
Sam Son is a famous seaside tourism place, swimming and relaxing are the main activities when visiting Sam Son. With tropical monsoon climate, the weather is divided into cold and hot seasons. In summer, the average temperature fluctuates within the 23 ° C range. However, in the cold season, temperature is also 20 ° C – the suitable temperature for recreational activities, outdoor sunbathing without fear of excessive sun conditions hurting the skin. Therefore, the ideal time to Sam Son is from April to August. Traveling Sam Son at this time, you will be immersed in the water and enjoy the fresh air here. Especially in the evening, you will have fun by going camping or walking along the beach. Sam Son is one of the beautiful beaches near Hanoi that you should consider to explore at weekend.
Sam Son is about 170 km from Hanoi, you can take a passenger car at My Dinh, Luong Yen, Gia Lam bus stations. The travel time is about 5 hours. Another option for you is that you can travel to Sam Son by train. You have to go to Hanoi Railway Station or Long Bien Railway Station to catch the train to Thanh Hoa, then when coming to Thanh Hoa Railway Station, you take the bus or taxi to Sam Son.
Thanks to the favorable conditions offered by nature, Sam Son tourism always gives visitors here a feeling of comfort and ease. When opening your eyes to welcome a new day, you may have chance to enjoy the blue sky with the sunrise on the sea or admire the lively picture of local people fishing. In the afternoon, tourists can comfortably bathe in the sea, walk along the beach, see colorful kites in the sky, and even enjoy the glamorous moments of sunset,…
Beside bathing and relaxing at the high-class hotels, you can discover the famous places in Sam Son such as: Co Tien Temple, Doc Cuoc Temple, Doc Cuoc God tourism site, Truong Le Mountain, Quang Cu ecotourism site,…
After hours of enjoyment, visitors can also enjoy the cool coconut, or fresh seafood. Especially, Sam Son – Thanh Hoa is famous for fermented pork roll (nem chua) – the most famous delicacy of Sam Son travel and the indispensable gif in each bag of visitors. In addition, in Sam Son, there is pure and delicious fish sauce with characteristic flavor, making tourists want to return Sam Son.
Besides, Sam Son is also famous for many festivals and cultural activities such as the annual festival on the 12th lunar year and the square glutinous rice cake (banh chung) and round sticky rice cake (banh day) festival. A wide range of relics and festivals has brought the opportunity to develop Sam Son tourism so that this is the destination of many visitors from many places.
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