Hai Phong, often known as “the city of red phoenix flowers,” is a well-known northern port city. This city offers travel experiences range from street cuisine to beaches and islands. Let’s take a look at what you should know before visiting Hai Phong.
Where is Hai Phong?
Hai Phong is a port city in northern Vietnam, roughly 120 kilometers from Hanoi. It is not only an important economic center, but also a popular tourism destination for both local and international visitors.
How to go to Hai Phong?
There are numerous ways to go to Hai Phong from Hanoi. The Hanoi-Hai Phong highway is the most convenient way to travel by car. The trip time is approximately 1.5 hours.
Trains with hard and soft seats, with or without air conditioning, are available, with prices ranging from 100,000 to 130,000 VND. Tourists taking the train can send motorbikes to go around actively in Hai Phong. You can book the ticket right on Vietnam Railway’s Corp website.
By bus, Hoang Long and Anh Huy companies are good choices, with prices ranging from 120,000 to 135,000 VND. Choose Hai Phong Travel for a limousine for additional privacy and a drop-off service in the city, priced at 230,000-250,000 VND.
Consider hiring a private car service from Hanoi to Hai Phong if you want to travel in comfort and privacy.
Bamboo Airways, Vietnam Airlines, and Vietjet Air all have flights from Ho Chi Minh City. Vietnam Airlines, in particular, departs from Ho Chi Minh City in the afternoon, while Bamboo Airways departs in the morning. You can also fly to Hanoi and then take a car trip to Hai Phong.
When is the best time to travel to Hai Phong?
Best time to visit Hai Phong is year-round, with hot street food to warm you up during winter, and the beach and coconut jam to cool you down during summer. Plus, experience the stunning phoenix flowers blooming along the central streets and road to Do Son during summer.
What to do in Hai Phong?
There are numerous amazing things to do here, such as exploring the city’s distinctive buildings, relaxing with islands and oceans, or taking a fantastic gastronomy tour. Some of the more well-known activities are listed below:
Check in at Hai Phong Train Station
This is the first stop for travelers taking the train from Hanoi to Hai Phong. The station has French architecture and is regarded as one of the most beautiful train stations left by the French in Vietnam.
Visit City’s Opera House
The City’s Opera House was built in 1904 on the foundation of a historic market in An Bien ancient town and completed in 1912. This work is based on the Paris theater prototype, with construction materials imported from France.
During the French colonial period, the Opera House was a hub of political and cultural events for both French and wealthy indigenous. Only troupes from France or famous troupes from the country can perform here, and only the wealthy can afford to buy tickets. Currently, it is a tourist emblem of the city, located in the center, and serves as a meeting spot for groups of young people in the evening.
See the bridges
Aside from being renowned as “the city of red phoenix flowers,” Hai Phong is also recognized as the city of bridges. They are especially lovely at night. Binh Bridge, which connects the inner city of Hai Phong with Thuy Nguyen district and goes to Quang Ninh, was designed with curves to produce architectural and beautiful shapes.
Crossing the Cam River, the Hoang Van Thu Bridge, with its unique “Sea Bird Wings” architecture, connects Hong Bang and Ngo Quyen districts with Thuy Nguyen district. Hoang Van Thu Bridge is illuminated at night by a system of creative LED lights in a variety of colors. Tourists and locals alike frequently visit to enjoy the breeze and take photographs.
Another bridge worth seeing is the railway bridge, which spans the Tam Bac River. It was built in 1901 by the French. The bridge was built with a center section that can rotate 90 degrees along the riverbank, ensuring that boats do not face any obstructions when crossing the river.
The restored Rao Bridge is the most recent bridge. The bridge’s summit is adorned with three steel red phoenix flowers, the city’s symbol.
Visit Do Son Beach
Do Son beach is separated into three zones, with zone 2 specializing in swimming and zone 1 specializing in eating and walking.
Along the coastal road, travelers may see Hang Pagoda, which is regarded as the first spot in Vietnam where Buddhism was established; Jade Emperor Temple; and Van Ngang Temple.
Tuong Long Pagoda is positioned at the top of Do Son’s highest peak, offering a panoramic view of the gorgeous sea. On the route to Do Son, the Ba De Temple, which worships Trinh King’s wife, is also well-known.
Don’t miss visiting Bao Dai home on the hill with views of four windy and cool directions right in the heart of summer. The property is filled with flowers, giving visitors a nice sense. You can hire regal attire for photographs here for 30,000 VND per turn.
In addition to the locations mentioned above, Cat Ba is the jewel of Hai Phong tourism that you should not miss if you want to explore the bays, Monkey Island, and eat seafood.
This is merely a selection of our recommendations for a fast trip to the city; if you have more time to explore, see our previous post on places to see in Hai Phong.
What to eat in Hai Phong?
Hai Phong is well-known for its street food. During the day, you can go on culinary tours and sample wonderful Hai Phong delicacies like banh beo, red noodle soup with crab, spicy bread, coconut jam, spicy fish vermicelli, snails, chrysanthemum tea, and steamed rice cakes.
Banh Duc Tau is a cuisine that may sound weird to folks from other provinces, as it consists of chopped cake, diced papaya, shrimp, and fried beef. Then they’re tossed in a sour and spicy fish sauce.
Hai Phong is also well-known for its spicy mini bread. Despite its diminutive size, the chilly sauce and unique paste pack a punch in just one small bite. People love to buy this tiny bread to take with them and munch while driving.
Some recommended addresses for delicious restaurants are:
Fried crab spring rolls at 92 Tran Nhat Duat, 32 Phan Boi Chau
Banh beo at 41 Le Dai Hanh
Spicy bread at 28 Dinh Tien Hoang and 57 Le Loi.
Don’t miss the snails at Thuy Duong restaurant, lane 263 Lach Tray, which serves a variety of snails and sauces with salted egg, garlic butter…
Biting sunflower seeds or chestnuts while enjoying a cup of cold jasmine tea in the evening is also a cool experience.
How to move around Hai Phong?
Renting a motorbike is a good option if you want to explore Hai Phong on your own. Motorcycles will allow you to take the initiative, explore new roads, and enjoy a variety of exciting adventures. The cost of renting a motorcycle ranges from 80,000 to 150,000 VND per day.
Taxis are ideal for families with elderly members and little children. Traveling by taxi is more convenient and comfortable, and it is not affected by the weather. The cost of a taxi in Hai Phong is around 10,000 VND per first kilometer for a four-seater car and 15,000 VND per first kilometer for a seven-seater car.
Some taxi firms’ phone numbers are:
- Mai Linh Taxi: 0225.3.833.833
- Dat Cang Taxi: 0225.3.567.567
- Do Son Taxi: 0225.3.864. 864
- En Vang Taxi: 0225.3.777.999
- Hai Phong Taxi: 0225.3.73.73.73
Bus: Has a low cost, starting at 7,000 VND per ticket. Although traveling takes some time, this will be an interesting experience for guests who have plenty of leisure.
Hotels in Hai Phong
If you want to stay in the heart of Hai Phong, choose Hotel Nikko, Mercure Hai Phong, or Vinpearl Hotel Imperia. These opulent hotels are in ideal locations, making it easy to go around the city. These hotels’ room rates range from 1.2 million to 2.5 million.
Rooms at Vinhomes and Hoang Huy are more inexpensive, as are homestays such as Dreamland – Chihouse and Vancao Green Homestay, which start at 250,000 VND per night.
Hai Phong features a number of high-end seaside resorts, primarily in Cat Ba. Some good options are the Flamingo Cat Ba Beach Resort, Hôtel Perle d’Orient Cat Ba – MGallery, Nam Cat Island Resort CatbaBay, and Monkey Island Resort.
Overnighting onboard a cruise in the middle of Lan Ha Bay is another alternative, costing between 3,000,000 and 6,000,000 VND per person per night.
How long should I stay in Hai Phong?
A two-day, one-night excursion is sufficient to explore the best of Hai Phong. However, if you enjoy islands and bays, we recommend staying an extra day. You can spend one day exploring the inner city and two days doing aquatic activities.
ATM and Money Exchange in Hai Phong
There are several ATMs in the city, so getting some cash will be no problem. If you want to exchange money, you should go to the following official locations:
| No. | Agent name | Address | Phone number |
| 01 | HP Tourism Joint Stock Company | No. 60 – Dien Bien Phu, Hong Bang | 0225 3842 957 |
| 02 | GS-HP Huong Duong International Village Co., Ltd | No. 35A – Van Cao, Ngo Quyen | 0225 3892 000 |
| 03 | H&H Co., Ltd (Pearl River Hotel) | Km8 – Pham Van Dong, Anh Dung, Duong Kinh | 0225 3880 888 |
| 04 | Harbor View Joint Stock Company | No. 4 – Tran Phu, Ngo Quyen | 0225 3827 827 |
| 05 | Nam Cuong Travel Service Joint Stock Company | No. 47 – Lach Tray, Ngo Quyen | 0225 3828 555 |
| 06 | Hyundai E&C Vina Song Gia Co., Ltd | Song Gia Resort – Luu Kiem, Thuy Nguyen | 0225 3963 900 |
| 07 | Somerset Central TD . Co., Ltd | Tower A, TD Plaza, Lot 20A – Nga Nam New Urban Area – Cat Bi Airport, Dong Khe, Ngo Quyen | 0225 3670 888 |
| 08 | Ba Nhu Private Enterprise | No. 98, street, Cat Ba town, Cat Hai district | 0225 3888 795 |
| 09 | Branch of Song Viet Joint Stock Company in HP | Cat Bi International Airport – Le Hong Phong, Hai An | 0225 3273 669 |
| 10 | Hai Phong Branch- Vinpearl JSC | Vu Yen Island, Nguyen Binh Khiem Street, Dong Hai 2, Hai An | 0225 3968 555 |
Local Emergency Contact for Tourists
- Hai Phong Department Of Tourism: (0225) 2299 799
- Emergency Rescue: Dial 112
- Police: 113
- Fire Department: 114
- Ambulance and Medical support: 115
- Remember to save your hotel/homestays phone number in case of emergency
Other notes before going to Hai Phong
- Summer is prime tourist season; if you choose to visit at this period, remember to plan ahead of time and reserve flight tickets, rail tickets, bus tickets, and hotel rooms to avoid sold out tickets.
- During the peak season, the prices of all services are more than usual; if you don’t want to be overcharged, check the price first and bargain while purchasing!
- Pack proper clothing (in the hot season, you’ll need a hat, jacket, sunscreen, sunglasses… and in the cold season, you’ll need warm clothes and gloves)
- Always keep backup charges, shooting equipment and photography aids, basic medicines… in your luggage.
- If you wish to camp by the sea or in the forest, bring extra warm clothing, tents, mosquito repellant, insect repellent.
2 Comments