Ha Long Bay from Above: A Seaplane Adventure to Remember

Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, recently made a surprise visit to Hanoi, Vietnam! During his whirlwind trip, he connected with Vietnamese culture, met local celebrities, and announced exciting new investments in the country.

With a 25-minute flight, visitors can experience the core of the Ha Long Bay heritage and the city of Ha Long from a different perspective. The experience of admiring Ha Long Bay from a seaplane has been available since 2014. Currently, there are 8 flight schedules per day, from 9 am to 4:10 pm.

The seaplane used for the service is the Cessna Grand Caravan 208B-EX – one of the safest aircraft capable of landing on water, according to AOPA, a pilot community in 75 countries. When first launched, the tour cost between 2.4 and 2.9 million VND. The current price is 2 million VND for each 25-minute tour.

Before the flight, visitors are briefed on safety regulations and weight checks to ensure a maximum allowable load of 800 kg for passengers. Each journey carries a maximum of 12 guests along with two pilots.

From the parked position at Tuan Chau Port, the seaplane will run down onto the bay’s water surface, choose a suitable and safe imaginary runway before accelerating and taking off. The moment the seaplane takes off can startle some visitors due to the sudden movement.

The underside of the seaplane is equipped with floats to operate like a boat in case it is not in flight mode. Although called a “seaplane” or amphibious aircraft, this type of vehicle can take off or land on both water and land.

On this journey, visitors have the opportunity to admire many notable spots in Ha Long Bay, including Dau Be Island, Cong Do Island, Bo Hon Island – a large archipelago where many famous caves such as Sung Sot, Luon, Dong Tien Lake, and Trinh Nu Cave are located, from an altitude of about 300 m.

The image shows the scenery of the Ha Long Bay heritage core area after the seaplane flew past Ti Top Island.

The scenery in front of visitors after the seaplane flew over Vung Vieng fishing village in the Bai Tu Long Bay area, heading towards Hon Gai. During the 25-minute journey, visitors will have about 15 minutes to enjoy the scenery of the Ha Long Bay heritage core area.

The Sung Sot Cave area, the core of the heritage site. From above, visitors can see many cruise ships operating in this area.

Hoang Anh, a visitor from Hanoi, said the experience was “quite satisfying” when admiring Ha Long Bay from above, something she had only seen from cruise ships before. However, she noted that the loud engine noise, without headphones, made it difficult for visitors to hear the pilot’s commentary when flying past various points during the journey.

After admiring the heritage core area, the seaplane takes visitors closer to the Ha Long City area.

The seats inside the seaplane are a bit small, divided into three rows, with four seats per row. Visitors sitting far from the windows have a harder time observing. As the seaplane enters the city, it flies higher, making it more difficult to observe the sights on the bay.

A view of Ha Long City, with a glimpse of the Bai Chay Bridge and the amusement park area

A representative from the Hai Au Aviation, the operating unit, stated that on flight days, pilots are required to self-evaluate their emotions, physical condition, and mental state with their family members and fellow pilots. This is known as “mutual monitoring,” contributing to a safe flight.

Currently, in addition to the Ha Long Bay sightseeing tour, the operator also offers a flight service from Noi Bai Airport to Tuan Chau Port, priced at 10.8 million VND for 60 minutes (45 minutes of transport and 15 minutes of sightseeing). Hai Au Aviation plans to open an additional Tuan Chau – Quan Lan route in the near future.

If you wish to experience this incredible seaplane tour and admire the breathtaking scenery of Ha Long Bay from above, you can contact us for more details. Vietnam Travel, a leading tour operator in Hanoi, Vietnam, with over 19 years of expertise and a team of seasoned travel experts, can meticulously plan and assist you in crafting a tailored package tour in Vietnam, with the option to extend your journey to Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, or Myanmar.

Are you a solo traveler? You should read this article >>> Vietnam for solo travelers

Now equipped with knowledge about sleeper buses in Vietnam, an excellent option for traveling to tourist destinations, it’s time to make them your preferred mode of transportation when visiting Vietnam. Waste no time – reach out to Sun Getaways Travel today to embark on a memorable journey!