Haiphong, Vietnam


According to allcitycodes.com, Haiphong is a small pretty town where you can not only have a good rest, but also arrange a decent shopping, visit famous sights. There are many seaside resorts around Hai Phong and the Do Son Peninsula, the most popular of which are Cat Ba Island, Bai Tu Long Bay and Halong Bay.

Old people say that Hanoi was more authentic in the early 1990s, which is not surprising in principle. So, Haiphong today is Hanoi 10-15 years ago, that is, a cozy resort town that has retained a slight taste of antiquity. Bicycles and motorcycles scurry about here, and three-lined boulevards are filled with houses of typical colonial architecture. You should definitely take a walk in the center and enjoy its charming atmosphere.

And this is all despite the fact that Hai Phong is not only the most important port and major airport in the country, but also an industrial center and the third largest city in Vietnam. Haiphong is lulling, clean, and most importantly, less remote from the capital than other tourist centers and attractions.

Haiphong is also an ideal starting point for the route to the enchanting Cat Ba Islands or Halong Bay. You can stop here for a day or two before heading out to explore the further beauties of northern Vietnam, since the combination of all sorts of bus, boat and train routes make traveling from here economical and easy.

How to get there

Vietnam Airlines connects Hai Phong with Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang.

By train

HaiPhong is on the main railway line between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Several daily trains run from Hanoi to Hai Phong station located in the central part of the city. Daily express trains run from the city to Long Bien station (VND 75,000, two hours), there are other, slower trains, for example, from 2.5 hours on the way and with a fare of about VND 50,000.

By bus

Buses from Hanoi arrive at the station in the city center. Fare from 25,295 VND, two hours on the road, departure approximately every 10 minutes. Buses south to Ninh Binh leave from Niem Nghia bus station (address: Ð Tran Nguyen Han). To Halong city, buses run from Bai Chay bus station, the journey takes 2 hours, the fare is from 95,000 VND. In addition, several buses also leave from the suburbs of Hanoi, arriving at the railway stations of Niem Nghia (3 km from the city center) or Cau Rao (6 km).

A taxi from Hanoi to Haiphong can be hired for 1,800,000 – 2,100,000 VND.

Haiphong is the perfect starting point for your route to the enchanting Cat Ba Islands or Halong Bay.

On a ferryboat

From the port of Haiphong there are ferries to Cat Ba Island. All boats depart from the pier at Ð Ben Binh, which is a 10-minute walk from the city center. In addition, hovercraft depart to Cat Ba (VND 220,000, travel time 45 minutes), three times a day during the season: in the summer between 7 and 11 am, in the off-season, the flight is around 9 am. There are also fast boats to Mong Cai (VND 300,000, 4 hours on the way), which depart at 7.30 am daily. There is a slow ferry (VND 100,000, 8 hours) leaving daily at 6pm.

Transportation

There are several taxi operators in Haiphong with meters and air conditioning. For example, Haiphong Taxi (383 8383) or Taxi Mai Linh (383 3833). Also plentiful are cyclos (bicycle taxis) and xe om (motorcycle taxis), which will take tourists anywhere in the city for 30,000 VND, depending on the distance.

Entertainment and attractions of Haiphong

The Haiphong Theater was built in 1904 by the French, with all building materials brought directly from France. Now all the main holidays of the city are held on the square near it.

In the center of Hai Phong, 600 meters from the theater, there is the Nghe Temple, dedicated to the cult of Le Chang, the woman leader of the uprising of the three Chang sisters.

Cat Ba National Park (Vietnam’s third biosphere reserve recognized by UNESCO) is home to 15 species of rare mammals, including Francois monkeys, wild boars and deer. Cat Ba lies on the main migration route for waterfowl (ducks, geese and plovers), which feed and nest in the mangrove forests and on the beaches. There are also two caves in the park that are open to the public: one is preserved in its natural state, the other is of historical importance – it served as a secret, bomb-proof hospital during the American war.

Weather forecast

Haiphong is located in the tropical monsoon climate zone. The cold, dry winter wind blows here from November to April, while the warm, rainy summer monsoon blows from May to October. The average temperature during the year is +23..+25 °C. Typhoons happen from July to September.

Haiphong, Vietnam

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