Area: 1 503 sq. Km.
Population(2001): 1 711 100.
Ethnic groups: Viet (Kinh), Hoa.
Main towns: Hai Phong city.
Districts: Do Son town, Thuy Nguyen, An Hai,
An Lao, Kien Thuy, Tien Lang, Vinh Bao, Cat Hai,
Bach Long Vi.
 

Known as the City of Flower Lined Streets, Haiphong is the third largest city of Vietnam, after Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi city, and the second most important port in Vietnam. Haiphong also has many French colonial houses.

Visitors can very easily travel around the city to shop, stopping at some famous sites along the way. Hang Kenh Communal House is located right in the city. The communal house is rather long and built with a strong long-lasting wood frame. The exhibits inside are for worshipping the Village God and Ngo Quyen, a Vietnamese hero who fought against the Chinese enemies on the Bach Dang River. Du Hang Pagoda is one of the most ancient pagodas in this city. It was built three centuries ago. The decorations on the pagoda are exquisite. This pagoda houses a school for monks and stores many ancient furnishings.

The Bach Dang River is famous as it is the place where the Vietnamese succeeded in defeating three Chinese feudal invasions. The third victory over the Chinese Mongolians was known all over the world. Many of the teakwood pointed spikes that were used in the battles have been discovered in this river.

Do Son Beach is located 20 km from Haiphong. This beach has a small white sand strip good for bathing. However, during the monsoon season, the Red River's alluvial sands cause the water to turn yellow. The hotels on this beach are suitable for foreign travelers.

Do Son Beach
(Haiphong City)

Do Son is one of the well-known seaside resorts in North Vietnam, 20-km southwest of Haiphong and 105 km from Hanoi. Do Son is a small peninsula located between the Lach Tray and Van Uc rivers. Do Son beaches are shaded by thousands of sandalwood trees and surrounded by mountains and pine hills.

Immediately upon setting foot in Haiphong, the French turned Do Son into a summer resort for their expatriate community and the Vietnamese upper class.

On summer days, Do Son is alive with tourists from all over the world. They mainly come here to spend time on the beach, relax, and hike.

 

Cat Ba Island - an attractive beauty spot

Taking a ride on a car or train for two hours from Hanoi to Hai Phong, then on a high-speed vessel for another hour, you will arrive at Cat Ba Island, the biggest island (100 sq. km) out of the 366 islands on the Lan Ha Bay. It is a tourist spot, attractive for its natural beauty and wonders endowed by nature.

Right from the moment you set foot on Cat Ba gangway, looking afar to contemplate the enchanting scenery of immense sky and magnificent mountains and breathing the fresh air from the sea, you will feel comfortable and your tiredness after a long trip will disappear. Surely, you want to go on with your journey at once.

You should hire a Minsk motorbike, out of 400 motorbikes and cars here, to ride to any place you want to visit. First of all, you should rent a room in a hotel, because the hotels on this island are often overcrowded due to the ever-increasing number of visitors to Cat Ba Island, although more hotels and hostels are being built. It is very pleasant to stay in a hotel, whose back leans against the mountain and its face looks towards the sea, and enjoy the fresh air and beautiful scenery around.

Visiting the large beaches of Cat Co and Cat Dua, which are separated by a small range of mountain, you can swim in the blue and warm water, so clear that you can see the golden sand beneath. 

If you do not want to swim at this crowded place, you can hire a motor boat to sail to the small islets, where there are calm and clean beaches, such as the Cat Trai Gai, Duong Gianh and Hien Hao. The mountain adjacent to Cat Co Beach has a tunnel and fascinating caves and grottoes, such as Hang Luon, Khe Sau, Trung Trang, Gia Luan and Kim Cuong. Visiting these caves and grottoes you will get the feeling of the explorers, discovering the wonders and mysteries endowed by nature.

Coming out of the caves and grottoes you should spend a little time to contemplate the sunset over Lan Ha Bay. On the golden background of the horizon and the dark blue of the sea, the heaving islets become multiform, the white sea-gulls hover and sea-eagles make circles in the sky, all beautifying the immense and fascinating space, and enchanting the visitors.