Airport Near Halong Bay: Guide to Book Flight & Transfer

Among the best ways to get to Halong Bay, you can choose the airway by flying into Halong airport for the best convenience. Before you go, it is essential to equip yourself with the guideline on flight schedule and proper transfer to get to your destination in Halong.

Overview on Halong Bay airport

Situated in northeast Vietnam, Ha Long Bay is a world-famous tourist destination with an ideal location to get from different areas by air.

Although there is no airport in Halong Bay, you can land at one of 3 airports near Halong Bay: Van Don airport (Quang Ninh), Cat Bi airport (Hai Phong), or Noi Bai airport (Hanoi). Upon arrival, it is possible to take various means of transportation to the bay. Keep scrolling to get an insight into each of the three closest airports and how to transfer.

3 Airports near Halong Bay

3 Airports near Halong Bay

Up to date, there are 3 airports near Halong that you can travel back and forth without hassle. In this guide, we will take you from the closest to the furthest one.

Van Don airport (VDO) – The nearest airport to Halong Bay

• Location: Doan Ket, Van Don, Quang Ninh province
• Year of launch: 2018
• Serves: Ha Long, Van Don Economic Zone
• Hub for: Bamboo Airways

Debuted in December 2018, Van Don airport is the newest international airport in Vietnam covering a 3.6 km runway to facilitate the landing of the aircraft. It is also the nearest airport in Halong Bay and built as the first Vietnam’s privately-owned air station.

Fully-equipped with up-to-the-minute facilities and well-invested infrastructure, it has become one of the World’s Leading New Airports in 2019 as well as the most technologically advanced airport in Vietnam.

Van Don - The nearest airport to Halong Bay

Flight schedule and airfare

How to get to Halong Bay from Van Don airport

It takes almost 1 hour to transfer between Van Don and Ha Long. Normally, all flights to Van Don will be provided with free bus tickets to Halong (valid for 30 days since the flight). You can choose one out of two routes: Halong City – Van Don (via National Route QL18A) and SunWorld Complex – Van Don (via Ha Long – Van Don Expressway).

If you don’t feel comfortable with the free bus, there are rental cars, taxis, and shuttle buses with 4 – 50 seats available for you to choose from. The cost ranges from 45 to 55 USD for a one-way transfer. In spite of the high-priced journey, these ways are much more convenient and private than bus transfer.

Transfer to Halong Bay from Van Don airport

Pros & Cons of Van Don airport

Pros

• Up-to-date facilities and advanced airport: In terms of convenience, Van Don is the newest international airport near Ha Long as well as the most advanced airport to date.

• Short travel time and a free bus ticket to Halong Bay: Flights to Van Don International Airport, you will receive free tickets to Ha Long Bay, Bai Tu Long Bay, and Yen Tu. The ticket will be valid for 30 days from their flight and all these destinations are quite close to the airport.

Cons

• Limited options and high-priced airfare: Because of the newness, flights to the airport are very few, only 3 – 4 flights per day from Saigon to be more specific. Consequently, the airfares will be quite high and limited to your choice of departure time.

>> If you are a technophile and dynamic traveler, Van Don must be a brand new destination in comparison to the other outdated ones. Also, this way is quite convenient for tourists to travel around and must be in consideration for budget travelers. Unless you travel from Saigon or you have time abundance, Van Don must not be an ideal choice as well.

Cat Bi airport (HPH) – The new airport near Halong Bay

• Location: Cat Bi, Hai An, Hai Phong city
• Year of launch: 2016
• Serves: Hai Phong, Ha Long
• Hub for: VietJet Air

Cat Bi airport is a medium-sized aviation port located in the southeast of Hai Phong city. The relatively new airport offers a comfortable waiting lounge and innovative amenities for great experiences.

The airport is able to serve 3 – 4 million passengers per year with a wide range of popular domestic and international flight routes. Until now, there is a total of 85 flights on 14 different routes connecting Hai Phong to large cities in 6 different countries.

The most popular routes consist of Bangkok, Seoul, Shenzhen, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh, Phu Quoc, Nha Trang, Da Lat, etc.

Cat Bi - the new airport near Halong Bay

Flight schedule and airfare

How to get from Cat Bi airport to Halong Bay

With a distance of 60 km, you can take a bus, taxi, or shared car from Hai Phong to Halong Bay. It will take around 1.5 hours at the cost of 10 USD for a bus and 35 – 50 USD for a car/ taxi ride.

If traveling by bus, tourists need to take a taxi to Lac Long Station, catch the bus to Hon Gai, and transfer to Ha Long.

Also, there are various choices of shared car services and transportation companies providing shuttle bus and private car transfers at the airport. They will pick up enough people for a ride and you can share the ticket money.

Transfer from Cat Bi airport to Halong Bay

Pros & Cons of Cat Bi airport

Pros

• A transport hub for many international flights to Halong Bay: Cat Bi has direct flights to many international airports such as Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Beijing, Seoul, Tokyo, Hong Kong, etc.

• The top-ranked airport offering high-quality services: According to a survey of the 6 largest airports in Vietnam, Cat Bi has been highly ranked for the most pleasant services and great customer experiences.

Cons

• Small-scale and lack of flights compared to Hanoi Airport: generally, Cat Bi is still a small airport and not yet connected with many other airports in comparison to Noi Bai Airport.

>> For those traveling from some Asian countries to Ha Long Bay, it is quite convenient to fly into Cat Bi airport thanks to different means of transportation.

Noi Bai airport (HAN) – The biggest airport near Halong bay

• Location: Phu Minh, Soc Son, Hanoi city
• Year of launch: 2001
• Serves: Hanoi & Northern Vietnam
• Hub for: Bamboo Airways, Pacific Airlines, Vietnam Airlines, VietJet Air

Set location about 27 km from Hanoi city center, Noi Bai is Vietnam’s second-largest airport which receives millions of passengers annually. Despite a long distance of 180 km, Noi Bai Airport is still the most favorable destination for Halong Bay visitors to land in before getting to the bay.

It connects Hanoi to many international destinations all over the world: Seoul, Singapore, Bangkok, Taipei, Kuala Lumpur, Tokyo, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Busan, Siem Reap, etc. and the most frequent domestic flights include Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Nha Trang, Phu Quoc, Da Lat, etc.

 Noi Bai - The biggest airport near Halong Bay

Flight schedule and airfare

How to get from Hanoi airport to Halong Bay

From Noi Bai, you can smoothly travel to Halong Bay without stopping over in Hanoi. Let’s refer to one of the following suggestions for the best transfer.

• Shuttle bus: The most affordable and convenient way costs you around 10 – 15 USD for a one-way trip.
• Taxi/ Private car: It costs you approximately 80 – 100 USD/ one way to hire a rental car or take a cab to Halong.
• Seaplane: Only from Hanoi Airport, you can hop on a Halong seaplane to Tuan Chau Marina. It is such an extraordinary experience but costs an arm and a leg, ranging from 175 USD to 385 USD.

Seaplane from Hanoi airport to Halong Bay

See our guide to transfer from Hanoi airport to Halong Bay

Pros & Cons of Hanoi airport

Pros

• Frequent flights and various air carriers: there are more than 20 international airlines operating out of Noi Bai. It is effortless to find a flight from your city to Hanoi Airport.

• Smooth transfer from the airport to Halong: Among the three closest airports to Halong Bay, Noi Bai is a central transport hub with the flexibility and availability of airport transfers. Also, it would be a great chance to experience Halong Bay by seaplane.

Cons

• Long hours to transfer to Ha Long: As mentioned above, Noi Bai is the furthest airport which takes more than 2 hours to get to Ha Long by road. Sometimes, the travel time from Noi Bai to Ha Long is longer than the flying time to Cat Bi and Van Don Airport.

>> Noi Bai is highly recommended for every traveler to get from different regions globally and domestically. Due to the further distance, Noi Bai – Halong excursion is not suitable for those who have car sickness.

Book flight and transfer to Halong

Flight to an airport near Halong Bay

To book a flight to Halong, you can book yourself or ask for help from a local travel agent. In most cases, you should stick with a travel consultant who can check out frequently and give the best flight deal at a fairly reasonable cost. Please visit our Vietnam flights website to see the best rate and detailed schedule.

Transfer from the airport to Halong

With regard to airport transfer, there are hundreds of transportation companies and Halong Bay cruises that provide various ways including shuttle bus, limousine bus, private car, taxi, train, and seaplane. For the most part, you have to find a reliable provider, find their contact, and make a reservation. It is advisable to book ahead with the operator, or else, take a Halong Bay tour.

To sum up, you need to consider the budget, destination, itinerary, and way of transfer as to choose the most convenient airport to Halong Bay. Let’s take everything into account and give thought to our guided information. Hopefully, this article will help you out to decide on the best transfer. If you have any concerns, don’t hesitate to contact us.

Nhung Dang

(Images source: Internet)