Enhancing the tourism brand in Ha Long Bay

In the fall of 2025, Ha Long Bay seems to be waking up in the "golden season" of sea tourism. Giant cruise ships are constantly docking, new superyachts are launched, the international market is growing strongly, high-end entertainment and resort tourism products are blooming... Each piece is creating a new look for Ha Long Bay, where the World Natural Heritage is elevated by investment, creativity and the desire to reach out to the world.

"Busy season" for cruise tourism

Ships are busy docking at Ha Long International Passenger Port.

In the last days of 2025, Ha Long International Cruise Port was filled with a bustling atmosphere. In just the past month, giant cruise ships such as Westerdam, Star Voyager, Blue Dream Melody... have continuously docked, bringing thousands of tourists from Europe, Hong Kong, and China. Autumn in Ha Long has never been so brilliant and the cruise tourism season has officially entered its peak time of the year.

“I have been to Vietnam many times, but this time I want to see Ha Long from the sea. The scenery is so beautiful, the weather is wonderfully pleasant” - tourist Sky Koh Boon Chong from Singapore shared. He could not hide his excitement when talking about pho, bread, coffee and especially squid rolls - a “must-try specialty” of Quang Ninh .

From October 2025 to April 2026, Quang Ninh is expected to welcome about 60 cruise ships, carrying 70,000 passengers, mainly international tourists with high spending capacity. Since the beginning of the year, nearly 50 cruise ships, equivalent to 60,000 passengers, have arrived. Many cruise lines return from 4 to 6 times a year, each trip carrying about 1,000 passengers, a number that clearly shows the attraction of the World Natural Heritage.

International tourists eagerly prepare for their trip to Ha Long.

Mr. Phan Xuan Anh, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Viet - Tan Hong Travel Company, commented: "The demand for exploring local culture is very high. Many experiential tours in Ha Long are exploiting the service very well, helping tourists stay longer and spend more."

These tourist flows not only bring in significant tourism revenue, but more importantly, they affirm Ha Long's position as a four-season cruise destination, an important link in Southeast Asian sea tourism.

Not only international cruise ships, the cruise fleet in Ha Long Bay has witnessed a strong "transformation" in recent years. Superyachts with modern design, large scale and service quality approaching European standards are continuously launched. One of them is Dolphin Halong Cruise, a newly opened superyacht with a total area of ​​over 1,800 m² and a 180 m² floating dome stage - an ideal space for unique art shows on the water.

Mr. Le Anh Quan, Creative Director and Co-founder of Dolphin Halong Cruise, shared: “We want to bring completely new products, contributing a small part to make tourism in the province more attractive. Tourists do not just sightsee, they need top-notch entertainment experiences and truly different services.”

The new Dolphin Halong Cruise will go into operation in early November 2025.

With this trend, the fleet on Ha Long Bay is increasingly modern, many ships have a capacity of 500 - 700 guests, fully integrated: international standard culinary area, spa - health care, art performance stage with professional artists, party spaces, bars, events on the bay.

Tourist Raphael Grisoni (France) commented: “I was impressed not only by the beautiful scenery, but also by the quality of the super yacht. Modern design, friendly service, delicious food. We had a memorable experience and enjoyed every moment on Ha Long Bay”.

In early 2026, Ha Long Bay will continue to welcome a series of new cruise ships such as: 99-seat cruise ship with the highest safety coefficient in the bay of Viet Thuan Company; The largest 6-star super yacht in the bay of Hong Phong Cruise Joint Stock Company. To prepare for this boom, Ha Long International Passenger Port has upgraded its passenger reception infrastructure, increased berths and optimized passenger pick-up and drop-off flows. "The infrastructure has been improved to ensure convenient, safe and professional cruise ship operations. The terminal and wharf are all being upgraded" - Mr. Bui Quang Tuan, Deputy Director of Port Operations, said.

Not only relying on Natural Heritage, Quang Ninh is making efforts to reposition itself with a new - unique - classy product ecosystem. High-end tourism products are continuously launched, such as: Live show "Finding the pearl" at Vung Duc cave, Night cruise on Ha Long Bay, tours to explore pristine islands, unique tours to Bai Tu Long Bay, resorts with international brands: Hyatt, InterContinental... These products contribute to enhancing the experience of tourists and extending the length of stay - key factors to enhance the brand.

Towards a global tourism brand

In the first 10 months of 2025, Quang Ninh welcomed 18.5 million visitors, including 3.6 million international visitors. Total tourism revenue reached 48,400 billion VND, an impressive figure in the context of increasingly fierce tourism competition. In 2025, Quang Ninh set a target of 14% economic growth, in which tourism continues to be one of the key industries. It is undeniable that Ha Long Bay possesses a rare advantage, having been honored by UNESCO three times. However, to turn that value into sustainable competitive strength, Quang Ninh has been implementing a series of strategic solutions.

Tourists experience rowing bamboo boats on Ha Long Bay.

That is, investing in international standard tourism infrastructure with Ha Long International Passenger Port - the first specialized port in Vietnam; a synchronous and modern cruise ship system; complete connecting traffic infrastructure including: highways, airports, coastal roads. In particular, Quang Ninh has made efforts to diversify products, focusing on tourism experiences, such as: Organizing art shows on yachts, journeys to explore local culture and cuisine, resort tourism, healing...

Ha Long Bay currently has 12 tourism products and services, of which 4 products are organized by the Ha Long Bay - Yen Tu World Heritage Management Board (touring by cruise ship/yacht, experiencing fishing village culture, visiting archaeological relics, swimming at Ti Top beach) and 8 products are implemented by enterprises (selling souvenirs, trading on rafts; rowing boats; kayaks; speedboats; tourist transport services on the bay; coastal restaurant ships; pearl farming model; sightseeing spots combined with seafood trading).

In addition, the Ha Long Bay - Yen Tu World Heritage Management Board is implementing the project to restore the Cua Van Floating Cultural Center and Vung Vieng fishing village, creating authentic cultural experience spaces where visitors can learn about the lives of fishermen, participate in traditional activities such as rowing bamboo boats, night squid fishing or learning how to weave nets. Incorporating indigenous cultural elements into the journey to explore nature will help Ha Long Bay become a destination with depth, not only beautiful in landscape but also rich in human values.

International tourists enjoy kayaking.

The bustling flow of cruise passengers, the continuous launch of modern cruise ships, the expansion of the international market and the new product ecosystem are helping Ha Long Bay gradually raise its class. It is not only a picture of developing tourism, but also an image of a heritage that is being awakened by systematic efforts and great aspirations.

With the innovations in 2025, Ha Long Bay is not only a summer destination but also aims to become a four-season tourist destination, where each time of the year has its own unique experiences. In spring, visitors can explore ancient fishing villages and learn about the culture of coastal fishermen. Summer is the ideal time to enjoy the blue sea, white sand and water sports activities. In autumn, cruises through the rocky islands will bring a sense of peace, while winter is a great time to experience resort tourism on the bay.

Ha Long today is not only beautiful because of its natural landscape, but also because of serious investment and the right strategy. A younger, more modern Ha Long is being upgraded to step out into the world with its own value. The current results will also be a lever for Quang Ninh to successfully achieve the goal of welcoming more than 20 million visitors by 2025, including 4.5 million international visitors. Ha Long is becoming an international tourist center, a world-class destination.

Hoang Yen-Hoang Quynh

Source: https://baoquangninh.vn/nang-tam-san-pham-du-lich-tren-vinh-ha-long-3387422.html