Day trips

The 8 Best Day Trips from Hạ Long

Drive times, distances, what to see, and a sample day plan for every place worth the trip.

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There are 8 good day trips from Hạ Long, Vietnam, led by Hanoi, Haiphong, Bắc Giang. The closest is Haiphong, about 50 min by car, and 1 of them fit into half a day. Below: drive times, distances, what to see, and a sample day plan.

Day trips from Hạ Long at a glance

Destination	Distance	Drive time	Best as
Hanoi	128 km W	2 hr	Full-day trip
Haiphong	42 km W	50 min	Half-day trip
Bắc Giang	98 km W	1 hr 30 min	Full-day trip
Nam Định	109 km SW	1 hr 40 min	Full-day trip
Thái Nguyên	146 km NW	2 hr 15 min	Long day or overnight
Bắc Ninh	107 km W	1 hr 40 min	Full-day trip
Thị Trấn Đông Triều	60 km W	1 hr 10 min	Full-day trip
Hải Dương	77 km W	1 hr 30 min	Full-day trip

Drive times are estimates from the distance. Check live traffic before you leave.

The best day trips from Hạ Long

1
Hanoi, Vietnam
Full-day trip
About 2 hr by car128 km west of Hạ Long4 hr round trip
Known for Tháp Bút.
Also nearby: Đống Đa, Long Bien, Bắc Từ Liêm, Gia Lâm, Hai Bà Trưng, Thanh Xuân, Cầu Giấy.
2
Haiphong, Vietnam
Half-day trip
About 50 min by car42 km west of Hạ Long1 hr 40 min round trip
Known for Chè Cô Hương.
3
Bắc Giang, Vietnam
Full-day trip
About 1 hr 30 min by car98 km west of Hạ Long3 hr round trip
4
Nam Định, Vietnam
Full-day trip
About 1 hr 40 min by car109 km south-west of Hạ Long3 hr 20 min round trip
5
Thái Nguyên, Vietnam
Long day or overnight
About 2 hr 15 min by car146 km north-west of Hạ Long4 hr 30 min round trip
6
Bắc Ninh, Vietnam
Full-day trip
About 1 hr 40 min by car107 km west of Hạ Long3 hr 20 min round trip
7
Thị Trấn Đông Triều, Vietnam
Full-day trip
About 1 hr 10 min by car60 km west of Hạ Long2 hr 20 min round trip
8
Hải Dương, Vietnam
Full-day trip
About 1 hr 30 min by car77 km west of Hạ Long3 hr round trip

A sample day trip: Hạ Long to Hanoi

A realistic pace for Hanoi, 128 km from Hạ Long. Packy AI builds this for any place on the list, with a route, opening hours and timings you can edit.

07:30Leave Hạ Long
09:30Arrive in Hanoi (2 hr drive)
09:45Tháp Bút
11:45Lunch
13:00Explore the old town, markets and cafes of Hanoi
15:30Head back to Hạ Long
17:30Home in Hạ Long

Good to know

Frequently asked questions

What are the best day trips from Hạ Long?: The best day trips from Hạ Long are Hanoi, Haiphong, Bắc Giang, Nam Định, Thái Nguyên. The closest is Haiphong, about 50 min away by car.
What is the closest day trip from Hạ Long?: Haiphong is the closest, 42 km west of Hạ Long, roughly 50 min by car. Best as a half-day trip.
Where can I go within an hour of Hạ Long?: One place is within about an hour's drive of Hạ Long: Haiphong (50 min).
What is the biggest city near Hạ Long for a day out?: Hanoi is the largest city in day-trip range, 128 km west of Hạ Long and about 2 hr by car. With that much to see, start early or stay the night.
How far is too far for a day trip from Hạ Long?: Up to about two hours each way keeps the day relaxed. The farthest place on this list is Thái Nguyên at 146 km, around 2 hr 15 min by car, which is better as a long day or an overnight stay.

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