Haiphong or Hai Phong is one of the important commercial and industrial centers in northern Vietnam. The province is also one of the most popular destinations in Vietnam since it is a tourist center in the north located on the east coast.
General Information
Area: 1,520.7 square kilometers
Population: Approximately 1,300,000 people
7 administrative divisions: Hong Bang, Ngo Quyen, Le Chan, Kien An, Hai An, Duong Kinh, Do Son
Ethnic groups: Viet (Kinh), Hoa, Tay, Nung
Haiphong Attractions
Haiphong is one of the most popular destinations in Vietnam. Haiphong has the potential to develop tourism as there are many historical monuments, natural attractions from Do Son Beach, which has been a resort town since the French colonial era with beautiful white sand beaches, to Cat Ba Island that attracts tourists with its proximity to Ha Long Bay.
The most popular attractions in Haiphong are listed below.
Du Hang Pagoda
Du Hang Pagoda is an ancient Buddhist temple in Haiphong that was built in the 17th century under the Ly dynasty. During the Le Gia Tong dynasty, Nguyen Đinh Sach donated his property for buying the land to renovate this pagoda. Later Du Hang Pagoda has been restored by Buddhist believers and monks over the years to make it more beautiful. Inside the premises of the temple there is a pagoda, a bell tower and many precious Buddha images.
Nghe Temple
Nghe Temple is located not far from Haiphong’s opera house. This temple is not just a place of religious significance as it is also an important historical symbol of Haiphong. Nghe Temple is dedicated to a woman named Le Chan, the founder of Haiphong city. Previously, Nghe Temple was just a small shrine but in 1919 the monastery was built and expanded many years later.
Tam Bac Lake
Tam Bac Lake is located in Haiphong city center. It's a perfect place to relax. The lake is lined up by the trees on both sides, making it a very enjoyable place for a walk. You will also see many locals fishing at Tam Bac Lake.
Do Son Beach
Do Son Beach is one of the most popular beaches for local people. The beach is located to the south-west of Haiphong, about 20 kilometers away from the city. The coastline of Do Son Beach is 2,450 meters long and is filled with fine sand, shade from trees and wonderful views of the surrounding mountains. There are many things you can do at Do Son Beach such as swimming, doing water sports and eating fresh seafood that is sold at many good restaurants found by the beach.
An Lao Elephant Mountain
Elephant Mountain is a complex rocky mountain, located about 20 kilometers from Haiphong in An Lao district. The mountain is shaped like an elephant lying down. Elephant Mountain is quite a unique place as it is surrounded by Lach Tray and Da Do rivers. There are many interesting caves in the mountain such as Mong Voi Cave, Nam Cao Cave, and Bac Dau Cave. Elephant Mountain is also one of the most important archeological sites on the northeast coast and used to be one of the Buddhist centers in the 11th – 12th century. You can still see the ruins of the pagoda on the top of the mountain.
Cat Ba Island
Cat Ba is the most famous archipelago in the area, located on the northeast side of Haiphong. Cat Ba Island covers an area of more than 20,000 hectares, making it the largest island of the 366 islands in Lan Ha Bay.
Traveling from Haiphong to Cat Ba Island is easy and the journey normally takes only about 1 hour. For more information about getting there check How to travel from Haiphong to Cat Ba Island.
If you are interested in traveling to Cat Ba, it is recommended to book your hotel in advance as accommodation on the island is quite limited and many local tourists visit Cat Ba, especially during the hot season. The most popular activity on the island is taking an inexpensive tour to Ha Long Bay.
Cat Ba National Park
Cat Ba National Park is one of the greatest national parks in Vietnam. It is located in the northwest of Cat Ba Island.
There are more than 745 species of plants, including many rare trees such as Tri Ly, Lat Hoa, Lim Set, Gie Hoa, and Kim Giao. Kim Giao is said to be the material used to make chopsticks for the king because this wood should turn into red color when exposed to toxic food.
Cat Ba National Park is also a habitat for many species of animals and some of them are also listed in the Vietnam Red Book for conservation.
In addition, while exploring Cat Ba National Park, tourists can also visit other small islands in Cat Ba such as Cat Ong Islet, Cat Duoi Islet, May Islet, Quai Xanh Islet, and Tai Keo Islet.
Haiphong Transportation
Flights to Haiphong
Cat Bi International Airport (HPH) is located only about 8 kilometers away from Haiphong city center. This airport receives direct flights from Bangkok making a trip to Haiphong from Thailand really easy. Low cost carrier Vietjet Air offers international flights to Haiphong from BKK airport. Flight deals for this route can be found here:
Flights from Bangkok to Haiphong
If you will be flying to Haiphong, check for the options you have when traveling from Cat Bi Airport to Haiphong City.
Domestic Travel
The most popular domestic routes to/from Haiphong:
From Haiphong to Cat Ba Island
For more transportation options for a trip to/from Haiphong, use this search form.
Weather in Haiphong
Haiphong is close to the East Sea so Haiphong's weather is affected by the tropical monsoon. The average temperature is between 23-24 degrees Celsius.