What to Do in Hai Phong: The Ultimate 2026 Travel Guide

In recent years, Hai Phong has emerged as one of northern Vietnam’s most exciting travel destinations, offering everything travelers look for in touristy hotspots: colonial architecture, vibrant street food culture, nearby islands, and authentic local life. 

If you're attracted by this vibrant coastal city and wondering what to do in Hai Phong for a day or planning a full weekend escape, this guide covers everything you need to know to explore the city like a local. 

1. Why Visit Hai Phong?

Why Visit Hai Phong?

Practically speaking, Hai Phong is also incredibly convenient. Direct flights now connect it to cities across Vietnam and Southeast Asia via Cat Bi International Airport. High-speed rail links it to Hanoi in under an hour. And from the city's ferry terminals, Cat Ba Island and the gateway to Lan Ha Bay are just a short boat ride away.

Unlike Hanoi, Hai Phong feels less crowded and more local. Wide boulevards lined with flamboyant trees, old French buildings, lakeside cafés, and street food stalls give the city its distinctive charm. In a single trip, you can:

• Explore historic temples and museums

• Relax on sandy beaches

• Cruise through limestone karsts in Lan Ha Bay

• Enjoy some of Vietnam’s most famous seafood dishes

• Discover authentic local life away from heavily touristed areas

For travelers searching for “Haiphong what to do” or “Haiphong what to see,” the city provides the perfect combination of culture, food, history, and coastal adventure.

2. Top Things to Do in Hai Phong

Top Things to Do in Hai Phong

Hai Phong combines colonial charm, local culture, coastal landscapes, and a vibrant food scene, making it one of northern Vietnam’s most diverse destinations. Here are some of the best experiences to discover when exploring what to do in Hai Phong.

2.1 Admire the City Center

The heart of Hai Phong is one of the best-preserved examples of French colonial urban planning in Vietnam, with elegant colonial architecture, tree-lined boulevards, and cultural landmarks that reveal the city’s rich history.

• Hai Phong Opera House: The Hai Phong Opera House is one of the city’s most iconic landmarks with grand architecture resembling European opera houses, complete with elegant columns, balconies, and decorative details.

• Hai Phong Museum: Located in a beautiful colonial building, Hai Phong Museum offers insight into the city’s development, maritime history, and cultural heritage.

• Du Hang Pagoda:Being one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Hai Phong, dating back several centuries, the pagoda is famous for its temple complex, which features ornate carvings, peaceful courtyards, and traditional Vietnamese architecture..

• Tam Bac Lake: With walking paths around the lake and surrounding streets lined with cafés and restaurants, Tam Bac Lake is one of the city’s most relaxing public spaces to slow down and experience daily life in Hai Phong.

• Trek Elephant Mountain: Located on the outskirts of the city, Elephant Mountain (Núi Voi) offers a combination of nature, caves, temples, and trekking opportunities. Trekking Elephant Mountain is also an adventurous thing to do in Hai Phong, Vietnam.

• Explore Local Markets: Markets such as Cho Sat and Cat Bi Market are lively, colorful, and packed with local products such as seafood, tropical fruits, street food stalls, traditional snacks, and local souvenirs

2.2 Spend a Day at Do Son Beach

Located about 20 kilometers from the city center, Do Son Beach has long been a favorite seaside getaway for travelers. The easiest way to get there from the city is by taxi or motorbike, and the ride takes 30 to 40 minutes.

The beach itself is long, lined with casuarina trees, and backed by low hills. It's not the turquoise-water, white-sand postcard scene of central or southern Vietnam since the Gulf of Tonkin tends toward a murkier grey-green, but Do Son has a relaxed, old-fashioned Vietnamese beach resort charm that's genuinely appealing. 

2.3 Take a Ferry to Cat Ba Island

For travelers wanting a balance between relaxation and adventure, Cat Ba is one of the top destinations in Northern Vietnam with dense jungle, dramatic limestone karsts, pristine beaches, and the country's only island national park. 

Ferries depart regularly from Ben Binh Ferry Terminal in Hai Phong and take between 45 minutes and 2 hours, depending on the service. Once on the island, travelers can enjoy kayaking, rock climbing, motorbike exploration, and trekking in Cat Ba National Park, or use the island as a base for day trips into Lan Ha Bay. 

2.4 Cruise Lan Ha Bay

Accessible from Cat Ba Island, Lan Ha features the same dramatic limestone karst scenery as Ha Long but with fewer tour boats, cleaner water, and a more intimate atmosphere. 

For travelers looking for a relaxing and scenic experience, Joytime's 2D1N La Pandora Cruise through Lan Ha Bay and Ha Long Bay offers a comfortable way to explore the region with activities, meals, and overnight accommodation included.

Overnight cruises are the most rewarding option, allowing you to watch the mist lift off the karsts at sunrise and kayak into caves and hidden lagoons that day-trippers never reach.

3. What to Eat in Hai Phong

What to Eat in Hai Phong

Hai Phong is widely regarded as one of Vietnam’s best food cities. The cuisine here is bold, flavorful, and heavily influenced by the city’s coastal location. If you are researching “what to do in Hai Phong city,” eating should absolutely be near the top of your list.

3.1 Banh Da Cua

Banh Da Cua

Banh Da Cua is Hai Phong’s signature noodle soup, made with thick, chewy red-brown noodles (banh da), a rich crab-based broth, fresh crab meat, shrimp, cha ca (fish cake), and crispy shallots. Travelers can easily look for this dish at street stalls and local restaurants throughout the city, particularly in the early morning. 

3.2 Nem Cua Be

Nem Cua Be is a square-shaped crab spring roll that originated in Hai Phong. Filled with crab, pork, mushrooms, and vegetables, the crispy rolls are usually served with fresh herbs and dipping sauce. This dish is especially popular at local restaurants and market stalls, and a must-order appetizer or snack when visiting Hai Phong.

3.3 Banh Mi Cay

Unlike the larger Vietnamese baguettes found elsewhere, Banh Mi Cay is small, thin, and crispy. These “spicy breadsticks” are usually filled with pate and chili sauce, making them an affordable and addictive street snack. There are several long-running stalls in the city that have been perfecting their recipe for decades, and you can easily run into any of them in the city.

3.4  Bun Ca Cay

Another Hai Phong specialty, bun ca cay, is a spicy fish noodle soup made with bun (round rice noodles), chunks of grilled or fried fish, tomato-based broth, and lemongrass. The chili heat distinguishes it from milder fish soups found elsewhere in Vietnam, and perfect for travelers wanting to try authentic local cuisine.

3.5 Seafood

Given its status as a major port city with direct access to the Gulf of Tonkin, it should come as no surprise that Hai Phong is one of the best places in Vietnam to eat fresh seafood. Popular options include grilled squid, steamed crab, clams with lemongrass, grilled oysters, prawns, and seafood hotpot.

Head to the seafood restaurants along the waterfront or near Do Son Beach for the freshest options, typically priced by weight and cooked simply to let the quality shine. 

3.6 Sui Din

Sui Din is a sweet dessert soup with Chinese immigrant origins made with glutinous rice balls filled with black sesame. Served warm with ginger syrup and coconut milk, it is a popular breakfast or light meal option found at specialist stalls around the city during cooler months.

3.7 Dua Dam

Dua Dam is a refreshing local dessert made with jelly, coconut milk, beans, fruit, and shaved ice. Perfect for hot summer days, this dessert is widely available at street stalls and dessert shops, showing up as a side dish alongside many local meals, and is eaten on its own as a snack. 

3.8 Haiphong's Café Culture

Hai Phong has a strong and idiosyncratic café culture. The city is famous for its ca phe trung (egg coffee), but local cafés also serve outstanding ca phe sua da (iced milk coffee), fresh fruit smoothies, and sinh to bo (avocado smoothies). 

Many cafés occupy beautifully preserved colonial buildings or have rooftop terraces overlooking the tree-lined streets. You can spend a lazy morning in one as a way to experience the quiet pleasures like a local in Hai Phong.

4. Essential Travel Information

Essential Travel Information

Before beginning with planning your trip, it is helpful to know the best time to visit, transportation options, typical travel costs, and how many days to spend in the city and nearby islands.

4.1 Best Time to Visit

The best time to visit Hai Phong is from October to April, when the weather is dry, temperatures are comfortable (around 20–28°C), and skies are relatively clear. May to September brings heat, higher humidity, and the risk of typhoons along the northern coast. The summer months also see large domestic tourist crowds at Do Son Beach .

4.2 How to Get There

Hai Phong is well connected to major cities across Vietnam, making it easy to reach by road, rail, or air. From Hanoi, travelers can choose between limousine vans, private cars, trains, or buses, with travel times typically 2 to 3 hours, depending on traffic and mode of transportation.

For travelers coming from farther destinations, Cat Bi International Airport offers convenient domestic and select international connections. Regular flights link Hai Phong with cities such as Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Phu Quoc, and several other regional destinations.

4.3 How to Get Around the City

Getting around Hai Phong is relatively easy thanks to its wide roads and compact city center. Travelers can use taxis, ride-hailing apps, private cars, bicycles, or rent a motorbike for more flexibility. Areas around Tam Bac Lake and the Opera House are especially convenient to explore on foot, with many cafés, attractions, and local eateries located close together.

4.4 How Long to Stay

Most travelers find that 2 to 4 days is the ideal amount of time to experience Hai Phong and its nearby attractions. A typical itinerary may include one day exploring the city center and local food scene, another day visiting Do Son Beach, and two additional days discovering Cat Ba Island and cruising through Lan Ha Bay. Travelers with more time can also combine Hai Phong with nearby destinations such as Ha Long Bay or Ninh Binh for a longer northern Vietnam journey.

4.5 Day Trips

Beyond Cat Ba Island and Do Son Beach, Hai Phong makes a good base for day trips to everything from coastal scenery and cruises to cultural landmarks and nature adventures, including: Cat Ba Island, Lan Ha Bay, Ha Long Bay, Ninh Binh, or Yen Tu Mountain,…

Thanks to its strategic location and transportation connections, Hai Phong makes an excellent starting point for a broader northern Vietnam itinerary. 

4.6 Budget

Hai Phong is generally more affordable than larger Vietnamese cities such as Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, making it a great destination for travelers on different budgets. 

• Budget traveler: $25–40 USD

• Mid-range traveler: $50–100 USD

• Luxury traveler: $150+ USD

Street food remains very inexpensive, transportation costs are reasonable, and accommodation options range from budget hostels to modern waterfront resorts.

5. FAQs

1. Is Hai Phong worth visiting?

Yes. Hai Phong offers a unique combination of culture, history, local cuisine, beaches, and island adventures.

2. What are some unique things to do in Hai Phong?

Cruising Lan Ha Bay, eating Banh Da Cua, exploring local markets, trekking Elephant Mountain, and visiting Cat Ba Island.

3. What is Hai Phong, Vietnam known for?

Hai Phong is known for being a major port city, its seafood cuisine, colonial architecture, Cat Ba Island access, and vibrant local food culture.

4. What to buy in Hai Phong?

Popular souvenirs include dried seafood, local snacks, pearl products, handcrafted items, and fish sauce.

5. What food is Hai Phong known for?

Hai Phong is famous for Banh Da Cua, Nem Cua Be, seafood dishes, Banh Mi Cay, and Bun Ca Cay.

6. Final Thoughts

If you are wondering what to do in Hai Phong, the city offers much more than many travelers expect. With easy access to Cat Ba Island and other northern Vietnam highlights, Hai Phong is an ideal destination for both short getaways and longer travel itineraries. Travelers planning transportation, island trips, or cruise experiences can also explore options through Joytime for a smoother journey around the region.