Ha Long Bay

As one of the most beautiful and appealing caves in Ha Long Bay, Sung Sot is a dazzling work of nature, astonishingly vast in size, despite its inconspicuous appearance from the outside. The rocky entrance down into the cave, coated in dense vegetation, leads to two large limestone-laden chambers, each meticulously decorated with a millennia-old ceiling of delicately formed stalactites. The impressive rock formations are colourfully lit up and can be admired from the comfort of a smooth walking path that traverses the cave.

Just east of Ha Long Bay is Bai Tu Long Bay. Both of these places share many of the same geological characteristics, the exception being that Bai Tu Long is a bit of a hidden gem and has a lot fewer tourists. This is what makes Bai Tu Long such an interesting alternative to northeastern Vietnam's most popular destination. With limestone karst islands just as impressive as those in Ha Long Bay, Bai Tu Long doesn't have as many grottos but is equally beautiful.

Some of the most scenic vistas in Vietnam can be admired from a bird’s eye view aboard a plane that takes off from the capital city of Hanoi. Flying over the green landscape of northeastern Vietnam, this aeroplane tour is possibly the best way of seeing the limestone karst formations of Ha Long Bay. Hai Au Aviation offers this service, and although somewhat pricey, the sights you can see from the plane are absolutely astonishing. This is most likely one of the best ways there is to see the natural wonders of the bay.

Lan Ha Bay is located just off of Cát Bà island. With a whole archipelago of its own, it receives far fewer visitors than Ha Long Bay and is a particularly pretty little spot in this unique limestone karst island landscape. Around 300 green islands lined with sandy white beaches stand tall in the bay. Discover the area in all its natural splendour by booking a cruise to Cát Bà which includes Lan Ha Bay. You can explore the ins and outs of this itinerary with Cát Bà Island Cruises. They also offer activities that involve trekking in Cát Bà and kayaking in the bay.

Enjoy some absolutely staggering vistas from the viewpoints of Cannon Fort, a military construction built by the Japanese during WWII amongst the thick tropical vegetation of the green hills of Cát Bà island. Explore the tunnels and the historic gun emplacement used by Japanese, French, and Vietnamese soldiers throughout the past century. There is even a small museum, a café and mannequin gunmen loading and firing the weaponry.