Haiphong, or Hai Phong, is one of the important commercial and industrial centers in northern Vietnam. The province is also one of the most popular destinations in Vietnam since it is a tourist center in the north located on the east coast. Planning a trip to Haiphong in Vietnam? This detailed Haiphong travel guide with travel tips will help you discover the city and its best things to do.
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Things to do in Haiphong
Haiphong is one of the most popular destinations in Vietnam. Haiphong has the potential to develop tourism as there are many historical monuments and natural attractions. Natural attractions here vary from Do Son Beach, which has been a resort town since the French colonial era with beautiful white sand beaches, to Cat Ba Island, which attracts tourists with its proximity to Lan Ha Bay and Halong Bay.
The most popular attractions in Haiphong are listed below.
Haiphong Opera House
Along with Hanoi and Saigon, Haiphong is one of three cities that built a large theater during the French colonial period. Haiphong Opera House attracts with its unique, sophisticated relief architecture and high cultural and artistic value.
Du Hang Pagoda
Du Hang Pagoda is an ancient Buddhist temple in Haiphong that was built in the 17th century under the Ly dynasty. During the Le Gia Tong dynasty, Nguyen Dinh Sach donated his property to buy the land to renovate this pagoda. Later, Du Hang Pagoda has been restored by Buddhist believers and monks over the years to make it more beautiful. Inside the premises of the temple, there is a pagoda, a bell tower, and many precious Buddha images.
Nghe Temple
Nghe Temple is located not far from Haiphong’s opera house. This temple is not just a place of religious significance, as it is also an important historical symbol of Haiphong. Nghe Temple is dedicated to a woman named Le Chan, the founder of Haiphong city. Previously, Nghe Temple was just a small shrine, but in 1919 the monastery was built and expanded many years later.
Tam Bac Lake
Tam Bac Lake is located in Haiphong city center. It's a perfect place to relax. The lake is lined up by the trees on both sides, making it a very enjoyable place for a walk. You will also see many locals fishing at Tam Bac Lake.
Do Son Beach
Do Son Beach is one of the most popular beaches for local people. The beach is located to the southwest of Haiphong, about 20 kilometers away from the city. The coastline of Do Son Beach is 2,450 meters long and is filled with fine sand, shade from trees, and wonderful views of the surrounding mountains. There are many things you can do at Do Son Beach, such as swimming, doing water sports, and eating fresh seafood that is sold at many good restaurants found by the beach. You can take Haiphong Bus 03 to get from the city center to Do Son Beach.
An Lao Elephant Mountain
Elephant Mountain is a complex rocky mountain, located about 20 kilometers from Haiphong in An Lao district. The mountain is shaped like an elephant lying down. Elephant Mountain is quite a unique place as it is surrounded by Lach Tray and Da Do rivers. There are many interesting caves in the mountain, such as Mong Voi Cave, Nam Cao Cave, and Bac Dau Cave. Elephant Mountain is also one of the most important archaeological sites on the northeast coast and used to be one of the Buddhist centers in the 11th–12th century. You can still see the ruins of the pagoda on the top of the mountain.
Cat Ba Island
Cat Ba is the most famous archipelago in the area, located on the northeast side of Haiphong. Cat Ba Island covers an area of more than 20,000 hectares, making it the largest island of the 366 islands in Lan Ha Bay.
Traveling from Haiphong to Cat Ba Island is easy, and the journey normally takes only about 1 hour. For more information about getting there, check How to get from Haiphong to Cat Ba.
If you are interested in traveling to Cat Ba, it is recommended to book your hotel in advance, as accommodation on the island is quite limited, and many local tourists visit Cat Ba, especially during the hot season. The most popular activity on the island is taking an inexpensive tour to Lan Ha Bay and Halong Bay.
Cat Ba National Park
Cat Ba National Park is one of the greatest national parks in Vietnam. It is located in the northwest of Cat Ba Island.
There are more than 745 species of plants, including many rare trees such as Tri Ly, Lat Hoa, Lim Set, Gie Hoa, and Kim Giao. Kim Giao is said to be the material used to make chopsticks for the king because this wood should turn red when exposed to toxic food.
Cat Ba National Park is also a habitat for many species of animals, and some of them are also listed in the Vietnam Red Book for conservation.
In addition, while exploring Cat Ba National Park, tourists can also visit other small islands in Cat Ba, such as Cat Ong Islet, Cat Duoi Islet, May Islet, Quai Xanh Islet, and Tai Keo Islet.
Where to stay in Haiphong
Haiphong is a key city in many fields, so the infrastructure and services here are pretty modern and well-developed. You can easily find and book hotels on websites like Booking.com and Agoda, which are offering diverse choices and extremely affordable prices with countless incentives. The best area to stay in Haiphong is the city center, as it lets you easily reach different parts of the city and popular destinations like Cat Ba Island.
Some of the best places to stay in the city:
Luxury hotels
Meliá Vinpearl Hai Phong Rivera
Comfortable hotels
Homestays in Haiphong
How to get to Haiphong
Haiphong is a large city, which is well-connected with the main cities of the country, so you can get there by air, bus, train, or private transfer.
Flights to Haiphong
Cat Bi International Airport (HPH) is located only about 8 kilometers away from Haiphong city center. This airport receives direct flights from many cities in Vietnam, so you can easily travel to the port city by air from other popular tourist destinations.
Flight schedules for the most popular routes can be found, and flight tickets can be booked here:
Flights from Ho Chi Minh City to Cat Bi Airport
Flights from Da Nang to Cat Bi Airport
Flights from Nha Trang to Cat Bi Airport
Flights from Phu Quoc to Cat Bi Airport
Flights from Can Tho to Cat Bi Airport
If you will be flying to Haiphong, check for the options you have when traveling from Cat Bi Airport to Haiphong City.
Bus to Haiphong
Bus is the most popular choice for getting to the city from Hanoi and several other destinations in Northern Vietnam.
Most of the bus companies operating on this route offer pick-up service from Hanoi Old Quarter hotels, and their buses depart from their offices in central Hanoi. The journey by bus should take about 2 hours.
Bus routes also connect Haiphong with other popular destinations in the region, such as Ninh Binh, Sapa, and Ha Giang.
The current bus departure schedules for the most popular routes can be found, and bus tickets can be booked online here:
Bus from Ninh Binh to Haiphong
To discover other bus services in the city, explore the Haiphong Bus guide.
Train to Haiphong
Train is another popular choice for travelers coming to the port city from Hanoi due to its convenience and economy. The journey by train takes about 2.5-3 hours.
The current train departure schedule can be found, and train tickets can be booked here: Train from Hanoi to Haiphong.
Private transfer to Haiphong
If you are traveling with your family or as a group, the best option for getting from Hanoi to Haiphong is by a private transfer, as it’s the most convenient way. The price of private transfer is really reasonable and starts at around 1,300,000 VND per car.
If you are planning to use private transfer for getting to the port city, some of the best deals for this transfer can be found here: Private transfer from Hanoi to Haiphong.
Private transfer is also a reasonable option for traveling between Haiphong and other popular destinations in Northern Vietnam. You can book a private car for getting from Halong Bay to Cat Bi Airport (HPH).
Other transportation options
More transportation options for a trip can be found, and transport tickets can be booked by this search form.
How to get around Haiphong
The most important places of interest in the city and province can be reached by Haiphong bus. There are several bus routes that connect Haiphong City with Cat Bi International Airport (HPH), Cat Ba Island, and the popular Do Son Beach.
The main bus routes in the province:
Bus 03 - Haiphong City to Do Son Beach
Bus 14 - Cat Ba Town to Cai Vieng Ferry Pier
Bus 16B - Cat Bi Airport to City Center
Bus 16C - Haiphong City to Cat Hai (for cable car or ferry to Cat Ba)
Bus 18 - Cat Bi Airport to Haiphong City
Weather in Haiphong
The province is close to the East Sea, so Haiphong's weather is affected by the tropical monsoon. The average temperature is between 23 and 24 degrees Celsius.
