Bai Tho Mountain - best View in Halong

Wanna have a great view of Halong Bay? Climbing up Bai Tho Mountain is exactly what you need to do to enjoy the most epic view of this stunning landscape.

When in Halong, most tourists head directly to their cruise, which is an amazing experience and I definitely encourage you to go on a boat and get close to those limestone islands. Most cruises include lunch, a visit to one of the caves, a stop at one of the beaches, and kayaking. However, you should not forget to also consider stopping at the mainland.

Bai Tho Mountain (also called Poem Mountain on GoogleMaps) is one of the highest limestone mountains in Halong. By climbing to the top of the mountain you can admire the whole panorama of Halong Bay.

Even though the mountain is only about 200 metres high and you will only take about 20 minutes to reach the top, conquering the mountain is not so easy. The mountain is closed to the public and finding the entrance is not so easy.

From the huge roundabout in the city centre you walk along Le Thanh Tong Street. Then go straight to Hanh Noi Street. The entrance to the walk is at the beginning of the street. (Google Maps shows the entrance but it is not completely exact) When you around the area, you can always show a picture to one of the locals and they will show you the way. I asked a girl and she lead me to the entrance.

You have to go into a small alley and pass through a house. There will be a woman asking you for some money. She will ask for about 50.000 VND. If you say you only have 20.000 VND with you, she will let you pass as well. ;)

Note: Since it is illegal to climb the mountain, better give her the money and don’t try to sneak in. Otherwise she might call the police and it’s only a few cents anyway.

Then you walk through someone’s garden. There is a little dog, which is barking. However, he is harmless – just keep walking.

You’ll reach a gate. There is barbed wire everywhere tied around the gate. On the right you can see rocks and when you climb on them you can crawl underneath the gate.

At the beginning there are steps, at the end you have to climb a little. So be careful and watch where you are going. Once you are on the top you will see it was totally worth it.

Note: Don’t forget to bring enough water with you.

Luckily, I met two other travellers from England and we helped eacht other conquer the mountain. Except for a group of 5 Spanish tourists, which climbed up the mountain when we were on our way down, we had the mountain completely to ourselves.