On your next vacation, you can kayak the clear blue waters of Ha Long Bay, Lan Ha Bay or the sunny waters of Phu Quoc.
Kayaking is gradually becoming popular in Vietnam, to serve tourism, visiting rivers, lakes and seas. While sailing, you will be free to admire the natural beauty, enjoy the fresh air instead of traveling by car or train.
Here are my suggestions for the best kayaking spots in Vietnam (from north to south)
1. Tu San–Nho Que – Ha Giang
Located on the Nho Que River in Ha Giang Province, Tu San is the deepest canyon in Southeast Asia. Located between Dong Van and Meo Vac, the canyon stretches 1.7 km with cliffs reaching 700 to 800 m.
To reach Tu San alley, from Dong Van, you can go to Ta Lang point. From there on the Google map there will be directions to the Nho Que River. There are host families here who rent kayaks for 50,000 VND per person and motorboats for 100,000 VND.
It is advisable to call ahead to reserve a boat. The road going down to the river is zigzag and difficult to navigate, travel time is around 40 minutes to 1 hour. It’s dark without street lights, so I recommend going early.
Kayaking along the emerald green Nho Que River, you will see the majestic limestone canyon and enjoy the fresh air. In February and March, both banks of the river are painted with the red color of rice flowers, contrasting with the green color of the water, like an ink painting.
From Hanoi, you can travel by private vehicle along the route Highway 2A – Vinh Yen Town – Highway 2C – Tuyen Quang Town – Viet Quang Town – Ha Giang Town. From the city center to Dong Van town, there are about 130 km of mountain road with many turns.
2. Ba Be Lake
Ba Be Lake in Bac Kan province is one of the largest natural freshwater lakes in the North. Located 150 meters above sea level and surrounded by mountains that are 450 million years old, the lake is recognized by UNESCO as one of the 20 beautiful freshwater lakes that need protection and development.
By kayak, you can admire the clear blue water, decorated with mossy rocks and ancient forests on the lakeside. The lake also has many attractions such as Puong Cave, where large stone blocks are stacked hundreds of meters high or Ba Gao Island, associated with folk tales.
During the trip, you can experience the culture of the mountain villages of the Tay and Dao people such as Pac Ngoi, Coc Toc, Po Lu…
The entrance ticket price is 45,000 VND per person. In addition to kayak rental, priced at 50,000 VND per person, you can rent a boat to visit the lake from 500,000 to 800,000 VND per boat, can register to reduce costs.
There are 4 boat stations here: Buoc Luom (Nang River), Keo Sluu Pier, Choch Steel Pier and a ferry pier opposite Keo Sluu. In which, Keo Sluu Pier is the busiest place, but you need to book kayaks with the boat owner in advance. In addition, Choc Thep Pier at Lake 1 is where most places to rent kayaks are located.
Ba Be National Park is located 70 km from Bac Kan city and about 200 km north of Hanoi. You can come here by private vehicle heading to National Road 3 through Thai Nguyen. At My Dinh bus station, there are buses going from Hanoi to Cao Bang, via Bac Kan. From the city, you can rent a motorbike or take a taxi to the lake.
3. Halong Bay
Ha Long Bay, in Quang Ninh province, is one of the 25 best destinations in the world, voted by THE magazine National Geographic and the first destination for kayak enthusiasts by Wanderlust.
Sailing the clear blue bay, calm water, airtight with more than 1,600 large and small islands, you can admire the imposing limestone mountains up close or visit the caves.
In which, the suggestions are Sung Sot Cave, Paradise Cave, Luon Cave… More specifically, you can observe schools of fish swimming under the creek or colorful coral reefs, while rowing near the rocky mountains that have never been seen before. known the name.
In Ha Long, there are many places to rent kayaks. Specifically, in Hang Luon area, the price of renting a boat is 50,000 VND per person, and in Ba Hang area, the price is 40,000 VND per person. In addition, there are Lom Bo, Cua Van, Hang Co, Cong Dam, Vung Vieng and Hon Ban Chan islands.
Currently, overnight Ha Long Bay cruises include kayaking experiences.
From Hanoi, there are many routes to Ha Long, convenient if you wish to travel by private vehicle. For cars, the shortest route is via the Hanoi – Hai Phong – Ha Long highway, the connection point with National Highway 1A, Long Bien district. From the highway exit, continue straight on QL18 to Cai Lan, passing through the city center. Travel time is approximately 2 hours.
If you are traveling by motorbike, the suggested route is to follow Route 5 – Sai Dong, turn into Bac Ninh – National Route 18 – Pha Lai – Chi Linh – Dong Trieu – Uong Bi – Ha Long. This is the shortest route, easy to walk and there are detailed signs along the way, it takes around 4 hours for this journey.
4. Lan Ha Bay
Adjacent to Ha Long Bay to the south, Lan Ha Bay surrounding the Cat Ba archipelago, Hai Phong is a destination not to be missed in summer.
Covering an area of more than 7,000 hectares, the arc-shaped bay has more than 400 large and small islands, covered with trees. As you skirt the water and twist through the small islands, you will see coral reefs and seaweed below as the water is clean and clear.
From Cat Ba, there are 2 options: take a boat to explore the bay from Monkey Island or to the Ba Trai Dao Island area. Here you can combine visiting Cua Van fishing village or Ha Long Bay sites such as Luon Cave, Sung Sot Cave, Sang Dark Cave.
If you are traveling in a small group, you can go to Beo Wharf, rent a fisherman’s boat, or take a pair of boats to the bay to rent a boat, priced from 100,000 to 300,000 VND per person. If you are going with a group of more than 15 people, you can rent a boat for around 1,000,000 to 4,000,000 VND.
From Hanoi, you can take the highway or National Road 5 to Hai Phong. Then connect to Tan Vu sea bridge to go to Got ferry. From there you can take a ferry to Cai Vieng to go to Cat Ba Island. Ferries generally operate from early morning until late evening.
5. Chay River – Grotte Toi – Phong Nha Ke Bang
Chay River – Toi Cave is a destination in Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park, Quang Binh province. The Chay River with many beautiful rapids and many aquatic animals is one of the tributaries of the Son River, originating from the Chay Creek.
By kayak, you will fully capture the emerald green river, nestled next to the magnificent limestone mountains. At the same time, you will also pass through ancient forests or corn fields of local people. Additionally, the river will take you through ancient riverside villages such as Ha Loi, Phong Nha, Na, Tram, Me, Chay Lap…, where the cultural beauty of indigenous people is preserved.
In particular, you can play ziplining or visit Toi Cave (Dark Cave), a pristine cave with thousands of stalactites and home to many animals such as swallows and bats. In the cave you can take a natural mud bath, swim in Thuy Tien Lake or learn about cave plants.
The ticket price for the above 2 places package tour is 450,000 VND for customers from 1 m3 height with lots of games, kayaking, mud bath. Child ticket 150,000 VND. To explore these 2 landmarks, you have 2 options: start from Phong Nha wharf or vice versa from Tro Mong wharf.
The national park is about 45 km from Dong Hoi, from here you can rent a car, taxi and motorbike to the national park. If you choose a guided tour, the tourist bus will pick you up from Dong Hoi.
6. Tuyen Lam Lake – Da Lat
The Tuyen Lam Lake National Tourist Area is surrounded by pine forests and has many oases. Kayaking on the lake is a new experience, enjoyed by many tourists in Da Lat. October – December, when the maple leaves turn red, is also the best time to visit the lake. Additionally, you can experience strawberry picking, persimmon picking, and exploring Tuyen Lam Forest.
Currently, travel agencies in Da Lat often sell boat tours, departing at 8:30 a.m. and ending around 12:30 p.m., in the afternoon starting at 1:30 p.m. and ending at 5:00 p.m. They generally cost between 250,000 and 300,000 VND per person.
Da Lat is approximately 350 km from the center of Ho Chi Minh City. Besides flying directly here, the popular choice is the sleeper bus from Ho Chi Minh City with a ticket price of 150,000 to 350,000 VND.
If you travel by private vehicle, you go on Highway 20, through the town of Bao Loc, about 100 km further to Da Lat. This is one of the beautiful routes, but the pass has many potential dangers.
7. Phu Quoc
Located in the town of An Thoi, in the south of the island, Bai Sao with a stretch of 7 km of fine white sand is known as the most beautiful beach on Pearl Island. It is also one of the destinations with many water activities, including kayaking.
You can paddle in the middle of the blue sea, under the warm afternoon sun, listen to the sound of the waves and watch the sunset. When there is only white sand and a huge sea around, you will be immersed in nature, temporarily forgetting the hustle and bustle of the city.
Additionally, in Phu Quoc, you can also go kayaking at Bai Dai. The boat rental price is 100,000-150,000 VND per boat.
From Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, you can choose to fly directly to Phu Quoc Airport. Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet have reopened flights here since May.
Additionally, from Ho Chi Minh City, you can take a bus to Rach Gia town to save money. The ticket price is around 110,000-150,000 VND. From here you continue to move from Rach Gia Pier to Phu Quoc Island. The train ticket price is 250,000 VND per person. On the train, you can buy bus tickets from An Thoi Port to Duong Dong Town, Phu Quoc.
