Haiphong: Island Nature, Cultural Heritage, and Local Cuisine

Haiphong offers a range of options to shape your travel plans: a vast seascape, archaeological and historic sites, festivals, and local dishes. Part of the Ha Long Bay–Cat Ba Archipelago lies within the city of Hai Phong. It covers 65,650 hectares and includes 1,133 islands and islets—a scale that makes this natural area a defining feature of the destination.

Island Nature and Coastal Scenery

The seascape consists of vegetated limestone islands and tall limestone pillars that rise from the sea in a variety of sizes and shapes. The Cát Bà Archipelago was designated a national park in 1986 and a marine protected area in 2010. Its wildlife is also remarkable: the golden-headed langur (Trachypithecus poliocephalus) is found only on Cát Bà Island and nowhere else in the world.

On Hòn Dấu, old trees and rocky shores are part of a largely untouched natural landscape. The island is also home to the Temple of Nam Hải Thần Vương, which preserves the religious traditions of coastal communities, and the Hòn Dấu Lighthouse. The lighthouse is associated with the history of resistance to foreign invasions during the Vietnam War. In Lan Hạ Bay, visitors can swim and observe coral. Other activities mentioned there include boating and climbing; specific offerings may vary by provider.

Archaeology and History

Núi Voi–Xuân Sơn is an archaeological site. Tools and weapons found there and displayed at the Núi Voi Museum provide evidence of a period in the development of the Đông Sơn culture. Facilities in the Núi Voi area have been prepared for visitors and those interested in research, including Họng Voi Cave, Nam Tào and Bắc Đẩu caves, and a museum.

Hang Quân Y also brings the site's history to life: between 1963 and 1965, during the Vietnam War, the cave was converted into a field hospital inside the mountain. It is a tourist destination on exploration trips through the Cát Bà Archipelago. The Hai Phong Museum takes a broader approach: in 17 permanent exhibition rooms, it presents the public with the natural environment and the historical, cultural, and social development of Hai Phong.

Another historic monument is Gắm Temple, which was designated a national historical and cultural monument in 1992. On Hòn Dấu, the Temple of Nam Hải Thần Vương preserves the religious traditions of coastal communities. These historic sites highlight different aspects of the past, from archaeological finds and the history of war and resistance to religious heritage.

Festivals and Local Cuisine

The traditional Núi Voi Festival takes place annually over three days in the middle of the first lunar month: the 15th, 16th, and 17th. The festival features cultural and sporting activities. At the annual Đồ Sơn Buffalo Fighting Festival, an incense ceremony and a water procession take place at Đền Nghè. The festival is recognized as national intangible cultural heritage.

Food tours in Hai Phong introduce visitors to local dishes, including bánh đa cua, bún cá, nem cua bể, and seafood. The range of offerings continues to develop. If food is one of your travel interests, these examples give you a concrete sense of the dishes you might encounter on such a tour.

Getting Around Cát Bà

The visitor routes in Cát Bà National Park include the 12-kilometer Ao Ếch–Việt Hải trail. As route conditions may change seasonally, it is advisable to check the latest conditions before setting out. The Đồng Bài–Cái Viềng ferry terminal is a transport facility in the Cát Bà tourism area in Hải Phòng. Check the current ferry schedule before traveling.

Regulations for the bays of the Cát Bà Archipelago cover sightseeing, leisure, and sports services, as well as passenger transport on inland waterways. To plan your trip, it helps to first identify your priorities: coastal scenery and bay activities, history and cultural heritage, or local cuisine.

Discover more destinations: Lê Chân, Trân Châu, Hai Phong, Nghệ An, Lạng Sơn, Phu Yen, Hải Dương, Vĩnh Phúc.

For the broader travel overview: Vietnam.