Hai Phong, Vietnam: travel guide
Vietnam's third-largest city and most important port, gateway to Cat Ba Island and Lan Ha Bay. Known for French colonial architecture, vibrant seafood and proximity to Cat Ba National Park.
- Country
- Vietnam
- Currency
- VND
- Time zone
- Asia/Ho_Chi_Minh
- Nearest airport
- HPH
Top places to visit in Hai Phong
Cat Ba Island
Nature · 4.7 rating · about 8 h · entry VND 80,000
The largest island in Halong Bay, Cat Ba Island is 45 minutes by ferry from Hai Phong. It harbours a UNESCO World Heritage national park with trekking trails, Cat Ba Beach, spectacular kayaking, and the famous Cat Ba langur monkey.
Do Son Beach
Beach · 4.0 rating · about 3 h
A string of seven connected beaches on a forested peninsula 20 km south of Hai Phong city. Popular weekend escape for Hai Phong and Hanoi residents. Known for the ancient buffalo fighting festival held here each August.
Hai Phong Opera House
Heritage · 4.6 rating · about 0.8 h
One of the finest examples of French colonial architecture in Vietnam, built 1904. The pale yellow neoclassical building dominates Quang Truong Square in the city centre and hosts regular performances.
Hai Phong French Quarter Colonial Streets
Cultural · 4.3 rating · about 1.5 h
Hai Phong preserves some of Vietnam's finest French colonial urban planning, with tree-lined boulevards, ornate villas, and public buildings concentrated around Tran Hung Dao and Hoang Van Thu streets.
Hang Kenh Communal House
Heritage · 4.4 rating · about 0.8 h
A 300-year-old communal house containing Vietnam's largest collection of ancient wood-carved dragons — 308 in total. A masterpiece of Vietnamese folk carving rarely visited by foreign tourists.
Hai Phong Cathedral
Church · about 0.5 h
Neo-Gothic Catholic cathedral in the city centre.
Du Hang Pagoda
Temple · about 0.5 h
One of Hai Phong's oldest Buddhist pagodas.
Things to do
- Cat Ba Island Day Trip: Caves, Beach & Kayaking Outdoor · 8 h · from VND 689,000 per person
- Hai Phong Colonial Quarter Walking & Food Tour Cultural · 2.5 h · from VND 193,000 per person
- Cat Ba National Park Trekking & Lan Ha Bay Kayak Adventure · 8 h · from VND 900,000 per person
- Hai Phong Opera House & French Quarter Walking Tour Cultural · 2 h · from VND 200,000 per person
Where to stay in Hai Phong
- City Centre / French Quarter about VND 900 per night
Colonial-era architecture, the best banh mi sandwiches in north Vietnam and the Tam Bac River make for a pleasant base. Ferry to Cat Ba Island departs from Ben Binh port.
Hotels
- Avani Hai Phong Harbour Hotel 5-star · VND 2,500,000 to VND 7,000,000 per night
- Sheraton Hai Phong 5-star · VND 1,500,000 to VND 3,200,000 per night
- Pullman Hai Phong Grand Hotel 5-star · VND 1,600,000 to VND 3,400,000 per night
- Somerset Central TD Hai Phong City 4-star · VND 900,000 to VND 1,900,000 per night
- Mercure Hai Phong 4-star · VND 900,000 to VND 2,200,000 per night
- Haiphong Backpacker Hostel 2-star · VND 220,000 to VND 500,000 per night
Where to eat
- Hana Kim Noodle House vietnamese, noodles · about VND 80,000 per person
- Trung Thanh Banh Mi street_food, vietnamese · about VND 30,000 per person
- Nha Hang Thanh Lich vietnamese, seafood · about VND 250,000 per person
- Cafe Pho Co Hai Phong cafe, vietnamese · about VND 80,000 per person
- Banh Da Cua Co Yen vietnamese · about VND 80,000 per person
- Banh Da Cua Lach Tray vietnamese · about VND 80,000 per person
- Banh Da Cua Phan Chu Trinh vietnamese · about VND 80,000 per person
Getting around
- Ride Hail main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Taxi main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Walking
Every city has walking. 2.5 km ceiling is a placeholder default, not a researched per-city figure -- Singapore is sheltered and air-conditioned, Bangkok often has no pavement.
Best time to visit Hai Phong
- May 31°C · World Bank CCKP, CRU TS 1991-2020 climatology, Hai Phong admin1 (city is the admin1 unit, not a proxy). Precipitation normal for May: 172.82 mm. Average daily maximum temperature: 31.38 degC.
- Jun 33°C · World Bank CCKP, CRU TS 1991-2020 climatology, Hai Phong admin1. Precipitation normal for June: 245.9 mm. Average daily maximum temperature: 32.49 degC.
- Jul 33°C · World Bank CCKP, CRU TS 1991-2020 climatology, Hai Phong admin1. Precipitation normal for July: 299.49 mm. Average daily maximum temperature: 32.52 degC.
- Aug 32°C · World Bank CCKP, CRU TS 1991-2020 climatology, Hai Phong admin1. Precipitation normal for August: 318.09 mm. Average daily maximum temperature: 32.04 degC.
- Sep 31°C · World Bank CCKP, CRU TS 1991-2020 climatology, Hai Phong admin1. Precipitation normal for September: 204.38 mm. Average daily maximum temperature: 31.21 degC.