Hai Phong right now
HaiPhongstreet buzz,hot bowls,sea breeze.
Start with a steaming bowl of bánh đa cua, then see where the day goes. Find out what to eat right now, how to get to Cat Ba and which month suits your trip.
Lan Ha Bay, Cat BaA day in port - suggested plan
A suggested plan for one day starting in Hai Phong, not a transport timetable. Coming down on the morning train from Hanoi (arrives 8:25), join at 9:00; taking the 18:40 train back, skip the evening snails. For ferry and boat times to Cat Ba, see our Cat Ba guide and confirm with the operator before you travel.
01Food by the hour
What to eat now?
Crab noodles in the morning, ginger rice balls late at night. Pick a time of day to see what is worth eating.
6am - 10am
Crab noodle soup (bánh đa cua)
Flat red rice noodles in a broth made from paddy crabs. The good ones are often at the mouth of an alley, low plastic stools and all.
Spicy fish noodle soup (bún cá cay)
Perch or mackerel, fish cake and crispy fried fish in a sour, chilli broth. Pavement stalls get busy at breakfast.
Chrysanthemum tea (trà cúc)
What locals drink after breakfast: bittersweet flowers, liquorice root and a little tannic tea.
02Beaches, islands, bays
Which stretch of coast suits you?
Hai Phong has both a city beach and a bay full of limestone islands, and each comes with its own water and its own way of getting there. Pick a spot to see what the water is like, how to reach it and what to watch for.
Lan Ha Bay
Forested limestone islets, flat calm water and the blue-painted floating houses of Cai Beo fishing village.
- Getting there
- Boats leave from Ben Beo pier, about 2.5 km from Cat Ba town. Shared boats cost VND350,000-380,000 per person for 2-3 hours, usually including the bay fee.
- Bay fee
- From 1 Jan 2026: VND120,000 per adult, VND60,000 for children aged 6 and over, free under 6. Ask whether your boat price includes the bay fee.
- Best months
- October and November. December to February is cold, better for the views than for swimming.
Cat Co beaches
Three sandy coves tucked behind the hills, about 1 km from Cat Ba town.
- The water
- Clearer than Do Son, though the waves still change with the wind from day to day.
- Getting there
- A walk over one hill from town. Cat Co 1 is the biggest and busiest.
- Swim season
- Mostly summer; October still has days warm enough to get in.
If a no-swimming flag is up, the waves are big or there is a weather warning, stay out of the water.
Do Son beach
The beach closest to the city: silty water, breezy afternoons, seafood and buffalo fighting season.
- The water
- Murky and reddish-brown with river silt; do not expect the turquoise of central Vietnam.
- Getting there
- About 21 km to Zone 2, roughly 30 minutes by car when traffic is light.
- Swim season
- The main season is May to August, inside the buoy lines in Zone 2 while lifeguards are on duty. Zone 1 is rocky and not for swimming.
- Festival
- The buffalo fighting final is on the 9th day of the 8th lunar month, after a qualifying round on the 8th day of the 6th; in 2026 the final fell on 19 September.
Hon Dau island
A small island off the tip of the Do Son peninsula, with a lighthouse working since 1898.
- Getting there
- About 10 minutes by boat from the pier inside the Hon Dau tourist area.
- What to do
- Climb the 125 spiral wooden steps to the lamp room and look out over the river mouth.
- Pair it with
- A swim or a seafood lunch at Do Son on the same day.
Before you pay, ask whether the price covers the return boat, the island fee and the lighthouse. It is still a working lighthouse, so check whether visitors can go up that day.
Sea temperature by month
19-32°C
Main swim season at Do Son: May to August
Main swim season at Do Son: May to August
Modelled sea surface temperature (MeteoFrance via Open-Meteo) offshore from Do Son, averaged Nov 2022 to Dec 2024. A rough guide, not the temperature at the water's edge.
03Pick your day
What's the plan?
City streets, food stalls, beaches or forest? Pick what sounds good and find a guide.
04Just docked
Read this next
05When to go
Pick your month
Northern Vietnam has four real seasons and Hai Phong changes with each month. The highlighted square is the current month.
Great for city and sea Good for one or the other Think twice
Softer sun, getting good
Gentler sun and far less rain than September. One of the most comfortable months to combine the city with a trip out to Cat Ba.
- Avg high
- 29°
- Avg low
- 23°
- Rain (mm)
- 132
2015-2024 averages for the city centre, ERA5 data via Open-Meteo. Not a forecast.
Hai Phong weather, month by monthNo need to fall for Hai Phong at first sight. Pull up a plastic stool and give it a little time.
Frequently asked questions
How many days do I need in Hai Phong?
One day covers crab noodles for breakfast, a walk around the French quarter by the Opera House and an afternoon at Do Son. Lan Ha Bay works as a day trip, but if you also want the Cat Co beaches or the national park without rushing, stay a night on the island: with the trip to the pier, the wait and the crossing, getting there can easily take half a day.
What is the best month to visit Hai Phong?
October and November: softer sun and much less rain than summer. May and June bring flamboyant blossoms and swimming weather, but they are hot and showery, and August is the wettest month of the year.
What is the easiest way from Hanoi to Hai Phong?
If you are staying near Hanoi or Long Bien station, take the train: 2h25-2h45, straight into central Hai Phong. There are four regular departures each way, with an extra afternoon return to Hanoi on Sundays; book ahead for weekends and check times and seats on dsvn.vn. Buses and limousine vans run far more often and take 2-3 hours depending on pickup. Driving the expressway takes about 1.5 hours when the road is clear.
Cable car or ferry to Cat Ba?
Without a vehicle, the Cat Hai - Phu Long cable car is convenient if its times fit your plans. From 19 October 2026 it is closed on Tuesdays. The published final operating window is 2:30-2:45pm on weekdays and 3:30-3:45pm at weekends. Confirm the last departure from Phu Long separately. A standard ride costs VND70,000. The Plus ticket bundles the cable car and the shuttle into town; confirm the current price when booking. With a motorbike or car, or for an early start or late return, take the Dong Bai - Cai Vieng ferry: from 5am, with the last boat leaving Dong Bai at 6pm and Cai Vieng at 5:30pm (1 September-31 December 2026 schedule). Both can be suspended for storms or sea closures.
Where should I stay for one night in Hai Phong?
To walk to breakfast and the old streets, stay around the old centre, but check the hotel's exact location against the places you want to eat rather than choosing by street name. For an early flight, ask about the journey to Cat Bi Airport and whether you can get a car at that hour.
I only have one evening. What should I eat?
Start with crab noodle soup at a stall that opens in the late afternoon, move on to a pavement snail place, and finish with a few spicy banh mi, or ginger rice balls if the night is cold. Pick all three in the same neighbourhood so you are not crossing town.
Is Hai Duong part of Hai Phong now?
Yes. Under National Assembly Resolution 202/2025/QH15 (12 June 2025), Hai Duong province and Hai Phong city were merged into a new Hai Phong city, whose government began operating on 1 July 2025. That puts sites such as Con Son and Kiep Bac inside Hai Phong too.