Halong Bay Dining: Unique Experience You Should Try Once

Halong is not only a bay with stunning landscapes but also a food paradise, especially for seafood lovers. The bay is well-known for its abundance of nutritious and scrumptious forms of seafood like crab, prawn, fish, and sea snail. The cruise chefs with their expertise use the freshest ingredients from the locals to make the best dishes. They can be traditional Vietnamese dishes like Spring Roll, Pho… or European dishes. If you are vegetarian or have a special diet, they can do that for you.

It is a great experience savoring the exquisite Vietnamese and international cuisines while the cruise will slowly passes by beautiful islets in Halong Bay. If you are not on a cruise, you can come to eat at some restaurants near the bay. You still have a chance to eat great food in Halong Bay and enjoy one of the most interesting things to do in Halong Bay at night.

Dining on the sundeck in Hera cruise

1. Dining in the cave

Dining in the cave is a special activity mostly arranged by some luxury cruises on Halong Bay. It is a lifetime experience when you are lost in a different world with mystery and romantic scenery with enchanting candles and a welcoming space. Outside is the spectacular natural scenery of islands and emerald green waters. Drum Cave (Trong Cave) or Maze Cave (Me Cung Cave) are beautiful caves that are suitable for dining.

Besides the honeymoon, people look forward to dining in the cave on some occasions like conferences, wedding anniversaries, birthday parties, or company holidays, and a small group of friends or family. There are a few cruises that arrange this kind of activity, you had better check with our travel consultant in advance.

Dining in the cave in Halong Bay

2. Dining on a cruise

Dining when you are cruising in Halong Bay - a Nature World Heritage site is another wonderful experience. The chefs on cruises are talented, professionals who can combine Vietnamese cuisine with different cuisine from different countries. There, you will be able to taste delicious traditional Vietnamese dishes in western style. If you are looking for special food like Halal or Kosher, 5-star chefs on the Moncheri cruise can arrange for you, while Michelin star chef John Burton-Race on the President cruise can create an imaginative a la carte menu with over 40 dishes in European and Asian style.

Almost Halong Bay luxury cruises have a cooking class before or while you are dining. You will have a chance to learn how to cook some traditional dishes like Spring Roll or make cake such as Banh Cuon. Orchid cruise plays traditional instruments serving meals while customers on Heritage cruise can dress like kings and queens, having dinner, you’ll feel like royalty.

The dining room on Paradise cruise

The dining room on the Orchid cruise

3. Dining in the restaurants

If you are not on a cruise but stay at hotels or hostels in Halong Bay, there are many good restaurants in this area. Papa’s BBQ which is close to the beach offers an extensive international menu that has something for everyone. Steak and chips, or schnitzel with imported German beer are among the best dishes in this restaurant.

Golden Crab is another famous seafood restaurant with fresh food, excellent service, and friendly staff. When coming to this restaurant, you can pick up live seafood, then ask the chef to cook for you. There are some floating restaurants on Cat Ba island where you can also pick up live seafood from floating cages and cook what you have picked up on the spot. It is much fresher than the food elsewhere.

Green Mango Restaurant in Halong Bay

You may be interested in the Top 5 Recommended Restaurants in Halong Bay

Even though seafood in Halong Bay is fresh and delicious, there is always a risk of food poisoning. Below are some safety tips to avoid trouble with dining in Halong.

Happy customers on the cruise during their breakfast

• Do not eat raw seafood

Raw seafood or unprocessed seafood may contain the Vibrio parahaemolyticus bacteria which is harmful to the digestive system. Therefore, all the seafood should be cooked under high temperatures. Crab is highly recommended to be fully cooked for at least 20-30 minutes.

• Seafood shopping tips

If you buy your own seafood in a market to bring back to your hotel and ask the chefs to cook for you, remember to choose ones that are still alive and fresh. Because dead seafood contains a high level of bacteria or poisons.

• Avoid drinking excessive beer while eating seafood

Drinking beer while eating seafood is not good for your health. It may increase the probability of having gout or arthritis disease. So do not drink too much alcohol consumption when being served seafood.

• Do not have fruits or tea after having seafood

Having fruits or tea after having seafood can lead to stomachache and vomiting. Because the acid inside sour fruits may negatively affect the process of absorbing protein from seafood into your body, the tannin from fruits may react with calcium and protein from seafood to stimulate your digestive.

Hope that the above information about dining in Halong Bay is helpful for your upcoming trip to Vietnam. If you have not had any plans for the trip to Vietnam, do not hesitate to contact us.

You may also like Halong Bay Tourist Information for First-time Visitors

Jenny Tran

(Image sources: Internet)