You need all the turquoise shades in the palette to paint a picture of Quang Ninh. Jade lagoons and Vietnam’s iconic limestone karsts, reaching to the skies like giant uncut emeralds, define this Vietnamese gulf. It’s best explored by boat. That way you’ll see every side of this captivating coastal province.
WATER
Halong Bay, part of the Cat Ba Archipelago, is a UNESCO-protected wonderland. And it lies at the heart of Quang Ninh. Timber junk boats cut through the aquamarine seas here, their curving routes taking in sea grottoes and tiny inlets that lie beneath the karsts. Aladdin had nothing on Dau Go Cave, that feels like being inside a kaleidoscope – or Sung Sot Cave, the stuff of Vietnamese legend. Fighting Cocks islet is a must-photograph too. Here, rocks have formed into a hen and a rooster going head-to-head.
CULTURE
Life revolves around the water in Quang Ninh. Follow your guide to Cua Van Fishing Village, where a spiderweb of interconnected, brightly coloured homes bob on the surface of the sea. The scent of BBQ drifts through the air, carrying the catch of the day on the breeze. Visits to Vung Vieng and Ba Hang also shine a light on these floating nautical communities.
BEACHES
Prefer your beaches hard-to-reach and blissfully untouched? Quang Ninh is for the hidden cove crew. Ti Top Island is the castaway isle you’ve always imagined, a forest-covered fin shape emerging from the ocean with a half-moon of irresistible pale sand. Though you’ll want something sturdier than flip-flops for the (worth it) 400 steps up to the viewpoint. Meanwhile, Trinh Nu Beach is both glorious beach and gateway to the romance of Trinh Nu Cave – where star-crossed lovers once met.
Perfect your paddle on kayaking journeys across Lan Ha Bay, where novices will find calmer waters – and adventurers have around 400 islands to explore
