Hai Phong: what to do, how to get there from Hanoi and why stop before Cat Ba (2026)
Hai Phong, a large port city of northern Vietnam, is mostly a gateway port to Cat Ba island and Lan Ha Bay, about 100 km from Hanoi. The city itself deserves half a day to a day: French colonial architecture, a cathedral, an opera house, Do Son beach and local food. From Hanoi, allow 2 to 2.5 hours by express bus or train, 120,000 to 180,000 VND by bus and 100,000 to 150,000 VND by train (hard seat), according to guides consulted in October 2026.
Highlights
The cathedral and the colonial centre
The area around the opera house and cathedral keeps early 20th-century French facades; a 1 to 2-hour walk is enough.
The Cam river and the city front
Hai Phong is the main port of the north. The river and its bridges show industrial, maritime Vietnam, far from the usual circuits.
Do Son beach
A seaside resort about twenty kilometres from the centre, popular with Hanoi residents; busier in summer and on weekends.
Local food
The city is known for crab noodle soup (bánh đa cua) and seafood. Local meals cost a few euros.
Practical info
Tips
- Hai Phong is a useful stopover if you are heading to Cat Ba: bus plus ferry from Hanoi to Cat Ba takes 3 to 4 hours in total. Trains leave from Gia Lam and Long Bien stations, not Hanoi's main station; express buses leave from Giap Bat and Nuoc Ngam every 20 to 30 minutes. Check the drop-off point: some buses drop on the west edge of the city. Ferries may be cancelled during typhoon season. For the rest of your trip, see Cat Ba and Lan Ha Bay.
How to get there
From Hanoi, about 100 km by Highway 5 or the expressway. Express bus (Giap Bat, Nuoc Ngam) in 2 to 2.5 hours; train (Gia Lam, Long Bien) in about 2.5 hours. For Cat Ba, continue by taxi to the Dinh Vu or Pha Binh ferry terminals, the latter being 4 km from the station.
Opening hours
Our guides that feature it
Nearby
See on the map →
Comments
No comments yet.