Quan Lạn is a small island in Bai Tu Long Bay's Van Don District, in the province of Quang Ninh. The island is only about 11 km2, but it has many long beaches with white sand and clear blue water. Quan Lạn is ideal for families with young children or the elderly who are prone to motion sickness because the road to the island has almost no large waves and a short travel time due to its location in the bay.
What is the most lovely season?
Quan Lạn, like Cô Tô, is most beautiful in the summer, particularly from April to the end of June when it is not too hot and there are no storms. Autumn in Quan Lạn is lovely, but the air is colder and it rains a lot. Pay attention to the weather forecast from July to September to avoid rainstorms and tropical depressions.
Move
Visitors will need to take one of two routes to reach Quan Lat Island:
Leg 1: Travel to Quang Ninh
Visitors from the South or Central will fly to Hanoi or Hai Phong in Quang Ninh, then drive to Hon Gai pier in Ha Long City or Cai Rong port in Van Don district.
If you do not have a car or a motorcycle, you can take a limousine or bus from Hanoi to Ha Long or Cua Ong, Cam Pha at My Dinh bus station, Giap Bat. The price ranges from 150,000 VND to 200,000 VND per transaction. The travel time is nearly four hours.
Travel time from Hai Phong is approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes. Limousines cost around 150,000 VND per turn, while passenger cars cost around 120,000 VND per turn.
Leg 2: The journey from the port to the island
The speedboat ride lasts approximately 45 minutes. Tourists frequently choose to depart from Cai Rong port to reduce their time at sea. When making your reservation, you can request that the hotel assist you in booking speedboat tickets and shuttles from the port for your convenience.
How to Get Around the Island
The average cost of renting a motorcycle on the island is 150,000 VND per day (without gasoline), and 200,000 VND with gasoline. Because many guests have encountered this controversy, you must ask clearly to avoid annoyance and misunderstanding.
A tuk-tuk costs approximately 700,000 VND per day, while a tram costs approximately 1,200,000 VND per day. It is appropriate for large groups of people, such as families.
Where can I play?
Beach
Because Quan Lạn Island has a narrow width, is not large, but is quite long, it is home to many beautiful beaches.
Quan Lạn Beach is the beach closest to the port and the market. Quan Lạn beach is more deserted than Minh Chau beach; it has white sand, but not as white as other beaches; it has a clear blue sea and moderate waves.
Minh Chau Beach has the most beautiful white sand and is always crowded with tourists. To get a good photo on the empty beach, you only need to walk about 1 km further towards The Minh Chau harbor. There is a beautiful beach here, and almost no one bathes.
The beach is very comfortable, with a hard background and the clearest water of any beach on the island. However, because of its location in the wind's direction, Minh Chau can become a "reluctant dumping ground" for waste from the sea.
Viet My Beach is close to the wharf, which is a wild project, so people rent seasonally for business; it is the only place where the food area overlooks the sea; it has a beautiful view and an affordable price, and many bars have karaoke. The beach is gentle and the coastline is long. The sand is not as smooth as in Minh Chau.
Son Hao beach is located between Quan Lạn and Minh Chau beaches. The most striking feature of Son Hao beach is that when the water level rises the most, the beach area shrinks.
Robinson Beach is located between the beaches of Son Hao and Minh Chau but is closer to Minh Chau. This beach, like the desert island, has only one beachfront motel and no other services. I looked around because the access road was small and bumpy, and there was no signage. But this is the most beautiful beach, with a lovely lodge in the middle of a pine forest.
Pavilions for temples
Quan Lạn Pavilion was constructed in the post-Le period (around the 17th century) and was renovated several times during the Nguyen period to worship the village emperors, the Tien Cong who founded Quan Lạn commune, and Tran Khanh Du.
The Quan Lạn Pagoda and Nghè Quan Lạn Temple are located next to the Quan Lạn family and are dedicated to Pham Cong Chinh, a local who died in the historic Battle of Van Don. The Quan Lạn Family Festival is held from June 10 to June 20 of the lunar calendar (the festival itself is June 18).
Wind Stream Strait
The Wind Strait, located near Cau Temple, Cua Dong, the end of the island, about 6 km from Quan Lạn pier, is a difficult place to visit in Quan Lạn. You can travel by motorcycle or tuk-tuk. Because so many trucks pass by, the road is quite dusty. You can see the island from above or look out over the blue sea, which is splattered with white foam from the waves. Take note that the climbing path is quite dangerous; be cautious and avoid allowing small children to follow.
The river has two banks of white sand
This river is located directly on the island's main road, about 100 meters from the road to Son Hao pier, with white sand sides that sparkle in the sun. However, if you look closely, you will notice that this is the wastewater flow from a nearby factory, but the photo still has a shimmer to it. For the best photos, shoot in the late afternoon near sunset.
Grassy field
A grassy field next to the river appears to transport visitors to a European country. Posing is easy, and shooting from above will help you take more impressive photos.
The island's main thoroughfares
The island's main road is straight and flanked by pine trees. Simply stand in the middle of the road and pose as naturally as possible, and you'll have a photo that looks like the European sky. Because the island is not densely populated, the main road is mostly deserted. However, you must remain cautious of the tuk-tuks, which frequently travel at high speeds.
What should I eat?
Curses, pins, and tickling dishes seafood Delicious with an unusual name, many visitors to Quan Lạn are intrigued and want to try it.
You can eat at hotels and beaches, but ask for prices carefully to avoid being "chopped." You can also eat in the residential area of Quan Lạn beach. The shop serves based on capacity, such as 1,000,000 VND for 4 people. If you want to eat cheaper food, you can get up early and go to the market, or you can buy from the food stores opposite Quan Lạn house, where you can buy by kilograms.
Hotels and motels
There are motels, hotels, stilt houses, villas, and resorts to choose from. Room rates range from 300,000 to 3,500,000 VND per night, depending on the type of room and the time of year. Some of the best hotels in Minh Chau include the Phoenix Minh Chau, Minh Chau Pearl Hotel & Spa, Minh Chau Beach Resort, Grandpearl Resort...
Source: Du Hy