|
| |
|
BAI CHAY AND HONG GAI |
| |
|
|
| |
In 1994 Hong Gai and Bai Chay were amalgamated into Ha Long City ,
but locals still stick to the old names - as do ferry services and
minibuses - since this is a useful way to distinguish between the two
towns, which lie on either side of the narrow Cua Luc channel. Neon
signs blaze out at night along the BAI CHAY waterfront, advertising
north Vietnam's most developed resort, whose main business is boat tours
around the bay. HONG GAI , on the other hand, is a bustling working
harbour.
The accommodation in Hong Gai may be basic, but the atmosphere of the
town has a certain charm and the welcoming, family-run Hien Cat
guesthouse, conveniently located right by the ferry pier at 252 Ben Tau
(tel 033/827417; $5-15), has the most scenic bathrooms in Ha Long City.
Bai Chay has a bigger choice of hotels, most located along the two main
drags, Ha Long Avenue and Vuon Dao, but quality is variable. Hoa Binh (tel
033/846009; $10-15) is one of the better mini-hotels on Vuon Dao, and
has boats for hire. The Thang Loi (tel 033/845092; $10-15) is a spotless
new hotel tucked away down a dusty sidestreet, while Hai Yen, 57 Vuon
Dao (tel 033/846126; $10-15), has standard rooms and Internet access for
600d a minute. Minh Tuan on Ho Xuan Huong (tel 033/846200; $5-10) has
the only cheap beds near the bus station; rooms are small but clean.
The larger hotels in Bai Chay and both post offices change cash , but
the only place to handle travellers' cheques is Hong Gai's Vietcombank,
at the east end of Le Thanh Tong. Fresh seafood is the natural
speciality of Ha Long Bay, with excellent lobster, crab and fish on
offer at the restaurants . The restaurants on Ha Long Avenue tend to
cater for mass tourist groups, but the Van Song and Binh Minh
restaurants are worth a try, while the best eating in Hong Gai is at the
market food stalls. A welcome addition is a branch of Hanoi's Emotion
Cybercafé on Ha Long Ave (tel 033/847 354), which has fast food and
drinks, as well as Internet access.
The frequent buses between Hanoi, Haiphong and Bai Chay use the Western
bus station, at the far end of Ha Long Avenue. Hang around the tourist
bus stop near the Emotion Cybercafé at lunchtime and you can often get a
seat on an air-con bus ($5) returning to Hanoi by negotiating direct
with the driver. Buses from Mong Chai and the north use the Eastern bus
station; from here, Hong Gai centre is 1km back down Le Thanh Tong, or
you can cross over to Bai Chay on the passenger ferry that shuttles
between the two bus stations. A slower and more expensive, but far more
scenic approach is to take the train from Hanoi to Haiphong and then the
public ferry to Hong Gai (4 daily; 3hr 30min), for a total cost of
around $9. One ferry a day departs for Cat Ba, at 12.30pm.
|
| |
|
