Clipper Race picked Halong Bay as 2021-2022 racing destination

On August 5^th, the Quang Ninh government and Clipper Venture from the United Kingdom had signed a cooperation agreement about yacht racing around the world “Clipper race” will take place in Quang Ninh province in 2021 – 2022 period. 

About the news

Clipper Race or Clipper Round the World Yacht Race is a sailing race around the world in eight legs with bot-trained and amateur sailors. The race was conceived in 1995 by Sir Robin Knox – Johnston – the first person to sail alone around the world and he is also the person who founded Clipper Venture as the company to run the race. Clipper Race is the biggest challenge against nature and an endurance test like no other which takes place every 2 years. Teams can either sign up for the whole race around the world or just one or more legs. The Clipper Race is the only race in the world where organizers supply a fleet of 11 identical racing yachts, fully equipped with qualified skippers and first mate to safely guide the crew.

The Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Van Thang chaired a working session to consider the proposal of the hosting of the 2021 – 2022 race. During the session, the Director of Tourism Department presented a report on the media effect of the hosting, along with the province’s infrastructure and funding for the hosting of the event. It is clear that being the host for The Clipper race 2021 – 2022 will have play a huge role in improving Quang Ninh’s image to international visitors. The hosting of the race will foster the tourism promotion of UNESCO – recognized world heritage site of Ha Long Bay and Quang Ninh province in general. This is a great chance for the province to develop tourism in Vietnam even quicker.

What to do during The clipper race?

If you are a visitor from the outside of Vietnam, it will be a waste if everything you do here is just to attend the Clipper Race ceremony and watch the teams for a couple of hours right? There are tons of better ideas about how to spend your time in Vietnam. Here are some ideas:

Book an overnight cruise

It will be a complete waste if you come to Ha Long and miss the glorious bay. Halong Bay is a UNESCO world heritage site and super popular destination to both Vietnamese and foreign visitors. With over 1.553 square kilometers of crystal clear water and more than 2.000 limestone islets, you will have the chance to indulge in one of the most beautiful bays in the world and maybe watch the race teams offshore.

A relaxing luxury cruise

A full day on a cruise exploring the bay with a lot of swimming, kayaking, and sunbathing is a great way to relax. At night the will be a cooking class – you will learn how to cook some famous Vietnamese dishes such as Pho, Spring rolls, etc. Or you can go squid fishing, karaoke, or just grab a drink and chill on the sun deck. Booking an overnight cruise is a great way to relax after an intense yacht race.

Visit the capital of Vietnam – Hanoi

Actually, you can visit Hanoi on your arrival day, but if not, you should come back because no one should miss the capital of Vietnam. The Ly dynasty moved the capital of Vietnam from Hoa Lu (Ninh Binh) to Thang Long (Hanoi) in 1010, which means Hanoi has been the capital of Vietnam for over 1000 years. Time has made Hanoi the most beautiful and elegant city in Vietnam. There are many historical destinations which are still actually living today like the Old Quarter, Long Bien Bridge, etc. Hanoi is a city from which you can learn a lot from. You will be stunned when trying the food here too. It’s foodie heaven. It is best for you to book a walking food tour with an experienced English-speaking local tour guide. And it's cheap, only 20 - 22USD. Going with the pro, you can avoid troubles and fully enjoy your trip.  

Go explore Northern Vietnam

The Clipper Race will take place at Ha Long city, but it won’t stay there for long. If you have a couple of days to spend, it is ideal to spend it on exploring the North of Vietnam. As a sports lover, you will probably enjoy the amazing mountainous area with lots of challenging off–the-beaten tracks waiting for the toughest explorer. The higher you go, the cooler and fresher the air will be. Northern Vietnam consists of many ethnic minority groups like Giao, H’mong, Thai, Kinh, etc. The social life here is very interesting with a lot of festivals.

Northern mountainous area

There are many places you should visit like Sapa, Ha Giang, Mai Chau, etc. You can either book a tour or rent a motorbike and travel alone. But whenever you are in a different country, it’s better to have a guide.

It's great news that Quang Ninh province will host The Clipper Race in 2021, this is very important for the tourism growth of the country. So if you are a sports lover, you should not miss this event and also a very good chance to visit the most special country in South East Asia.

Hoang Nguyen

(Images source: Internet)