Beyond Ha Long Bay: Van Don's Best-Kept Secret

Ha Long Bay draws millions of visitors a year and rightly so. However, just beyond its famous limestone karsts lies a quieter, equally striking stretch of coastline that most travellers pass straight through on their way somewhere else: Van Don.

Rather than a stopover en route to Ha Long, Van Don is worth treating as a destination in its own right, home to Bai Tu Long Bay's less-crowded waters, untouched island beaches and a slower pace of travel that Ha Long left behind years ago.

Bai Tu Long Bay: Ha Long's Quieter Twin

Bai Tu Long Bay sits directly alongside Ha Long Bay, sharing the same limestone karst scenery, emerald waters and dramatic seascapes, but with a fraction of the crowds. Where Ha Long Bay has become synonymous with large cruise fleets and packed viewpoints, Bai Tu Long remains comparatively undiscovered, offering the same natural drama without the queues.

For guests based at Centara Hotel & Residences Van Don, this bay is effectively the resort's backyard, making it one of the easiest "hidden gem" experiences to reach in northern Vietnam.

Ngoc Vung Island: The "Glowing Pearl"

Further into the bay lies Ngoc Vung Island, a quiet, lightly populated island surrounded by eight smaller inhabited islands and countless rocky islets. Its name translates to "Glowing Pearl," a nod to the pearl oysters once harvested in its surrounding waters. Unlike more developed island destinations nearby, Ngoc Vung has stayed close to its roots, with local life still centred on fishing, aquaculture and small-scale farming.

It's this kind of destination, quiet, working and largely untouched by mass tourism, that defines what makes Van Don different from its more famous neighbour.

Why "Best-Kept Secret" Won't Last Forever

Quang Ninh province's tourism authorities have made clear that growth in the region is accelerating, with visitor numbers to the wider province expected to climb sharply in the coming years. Van Don, positioned as the calmer alternative to Ha Long Bay, is likely to see that same shift over time.

For now, though, it remains one of the few places in northern Vietnam where you can experience Ha Long-calibre scenery without the Ha Long-calibre crowds, best explored while it still feels like a discovery rather than a destination.