Haiphong
Viet NamCfa
© OpenStreetMap, CARTO
Chào mừng đến Hải Phòng | Welcome to Haiphong (Vietnamese)
Why visit
Haiphong is the gateway to Halong Bay and Cat Ba, most visitors stop here briefly en route. The city itself rewards a half-day with its Opera House, the colonial-era Cathedral, the central Tam Bac Lake, and the famously fiery Haiphong banh da cua (red rice noodle crab soup). Use as a base for the limestone karst islands of Lan Ha Bay (a quieter alternative to Halong) and Cat Ba National Park. October through April is the dry season. Spring (March to April) is best.
When to avoid
Summer (May to August) is very hot, humid, and typhoon-prone. The city center is industrial and traffic-snarled, don't expect Hanoi's old-quarter charm. Most international visitors transit straight to the boat docks. Tap water isn't safe. Drink bottled. Crossing streets requires the standard Vietnamese trick: walk slowly, predictably, and the motorbikes flow around you.