Each journey, a distinct experience

New space, new experiences

The appeal of Hai Phong’s tourism lies not only in its scenery but also in its ability to connect multiple experiences within a single journey. From Cat Ba and Do Son to Con Son – Kiep Bac, Chu Dau pottery village, and Chi Lang Nam stork island, each area offers a distinct character, creating a diverse tourism landscape after the merger.

Among these, the train-based food tour is making a unique impression. Starting from Hai Phong Station, with its French colonial architecture, visitors can explore the city center and sample local specialties such as crab noodle soup (bánh đa cua), spicy baguettes (bánh mì cay), spicy fish vermicelli (bún cá cay), snails, and chrysanthemum tea. Cat Ba offers island and marine experiences, including tours of Lan Ha Bay, cruises, kayaking, trekking, and resort stays. Do Son combines beach tourism with visits to Tuong Long Tower, temples and pagodas, Bao Dai Villa, and various recreational activities.

In the western part of the city, the tourism landscape shifts toward history, culture, and craft villages. Con Son – Kiep Bac is linked to national history; Chu Dau preserves the traditional value of pottery-making; and Chi Lang Nam stork island draws visitors with its natural ecosystem. The complementarity among these products opens up possibilities for designing new itineraries, extending length of stay, and reducing seasonality.

Tourism development also creates additional livelihood opportunities for local communities. From accommodation and restaurants to transport, local specialties, and craft products, residents can participate more deeply in the value chain, boosting incomes while contributing to the preservation of local identity.

Tourists enjoy swimming and other beach activities in Lan Ha Bay, part of the Cat Ba archipelago.

From ‘tourist destination’ to ‘experience ecosystem’

Distinctive tourism products are driving growth in Hai Phong. In the first six months of 2026, the city welcomed more than 8.72 million visitor arrivals, up 15.7% year-on-year; of these, over 613,000 were international visitors, with tourism revenue reaching about 10.425 trillion VND. The Cat Hai special zone alone received more than 2.5 million arrivals, up 21.27% year-on-year, including 583,342 international visitors. Revenue from accommodation and food services reached 2.7711 trillion VND, up 23.46%. These figures underscore Cat Ba Island’s appeal and the significant room for further upgrading the quality of the destination.

According to the city’s orientation, tourism development in the coming period will focus not only on increasing visitor numbers but also on improving quality, diversifying products, making effective use of the post-merger space, and advancing green, sustainable tourism. The city has issued a set of Green Tourism Criteria and is gradually encouraging attractions, accommodation establishments, and travel companies to participate.

Alongside tourism products, Hai Phong city needs to continue improving connecting infrastructure, parking areas, signage, environmental sanitation, food safety, human resources, and digital infrastructure. These are essential conditions for transforming natural resource advantages into high-quality visitor experiences.

After the merger, Hai Phong has the opportunity to establish a new tourism image: a city of multi-colored journeys, where each locality and each season of the year can offer its own distinct experience.

Hai Phong News