Hai Phong bustles with summer tourism

New attractions boost tourism appeal

Sitting in the cabin of the Cat Hai – Phu Long cable car while admiring the blue sea and majestic mountain ranges, Mr. Nguyen Van Hung (42, from Hanoi) excitedly shared: “In 2024, my family spent nearly four hours queuing for the ferry under the scorching heat of almost 40°C. This year, following the recommendation, I left my car at a parking lot on the mainland and bought cable car tickets for the whole family. In just over ten minutes, we arrived on Cat Ba Island. It was much more relaxing, and we even got some great photos.”

As the scorching daytime heat gradually subsides, Cat Ba town center becomes lively again as crowds of visitors flock to the VUI-Fest Cat Ba 2026 Creative Night Market. After one year of pilot operation, the venue has been expanded with a variety of engaging activities, including street food, performances by international artists, DJ shows, fire dancing, and weekly fireworks displays. The upbeat music combined with the sound of the waves creates a festive atmosphere that lasts well into the night, encouraging visitors to explore the island’s nighttime economy instead of simply having dinner and returning to their accommodation as in the past.

Alongside Cat Ba’s vibrant atmosphere, the Do Son Tourist Area is also transforming itself into a premium resort destination combined with spiritual and cultural tourism. A highlight of the 2026 summer season is Hai Phong’s first-ever organization of large-scale religious festivals at the Tuong Long Pagoda Complex and the Dragon Ocean International Tourist Area. These events not only enhance Do Son’s appeal but also diversify its tourism offerings, helping the area gradually reduce its dependence on seasonal tourism.

At the square beach in the Dragon Ocean Tourist Area, crystal-clear waters maintained by advanced artificial seawater filtration technology are attracting thousands of visitors each day. Ms. Le Thi Mai, owner of a homestay and seafood restaurant in Area II of Do Son, said enthusiastically: “Since the beginning of 2026, thanks to cultural events, major golf tournaments, and the completion of Dragon Ocean’s infrastructure, our weekend room occupancy has consistently exceeded 90%. Visitors are spending more on premium tourism experiences instead of simply coming to eat crabs, swim, and leave.”

Hai Phong’s appeal is not limited to the domestic market. On Lan Ha Bay—a member of the World's Most Beautiful Bays Club—international tourist arrivals have been growing remarkably. In traditional villages such as Viet Hai and Lien Minh, it is now common to see groups of foreign visitors cycling through the national park, kayaking through sea caves, or trekking along forest trails.

By refreshing its core tourism products, upgrading transport infrastructure in a flexible manner, and continuously improving service quality, the City of Red Flamboyant Flowers is strengthening its position as one of northern Vietnam’s leading tourism destinations.

Affirming Hai Phong’s tourism position

Ahead of the peak summer tourism season, at a meeting to review the city's tourism development performance and tasks for 2026, Vice Chairman of the Hai Phong People's Committee Nguyen Minh Hung emphasized that during the summer peak, priority should be given to Cat Ba and Do Son, while also making effective use of the Con Son–Kiep Bac National Historical Site Complex and other tourist destinations. Under this strategy, Cat Ba will be developed as a green, eco-tourism destination, while Do Son is being positioned as a clean, civilized seaside resort operating year-round.

Following this direction, the Cat Hai Special Zone, Do Son Ward, and other localities with tourist attractions have regularly reviewed and addressed traffic issues while ensuring environmental sanitation. They have also strengthened the management of tourism services, taken firm action against touting and price gouging, and maintained security and public order.

To support local authorities and attract more visitors to the city, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has organized a wide range of tourism promotion activities, including surveys and seminars to develop the "Eastern Region Ripe Fruit Season" experiential tour; promotional events introducing Do Son as a tourist destination alongside the seminar "Repositioning Do Son Tourism in a New Development Context"; a series of cultural, culinary, and tourism events at the central flower garden area and the City Opera House during the Red Flamboyant Festival – Hai Phong 2026; and the publication of the "Hai Phong Delicacies 2026" guidebook to promote the city's distinctive cultural values and tourism products, thereby stimulating demand and attracting more visitors.

The department also advised the city in signing and implementing the 2021–2025 Tourism Cooperation Plan between Quang Ninh Province and Hai Phong City, while proposing further areas of cooperation. In addition, it has coordinated with the Hai Phong Tourism Association to implement tourism promotion activities throughout 2026.

Thanks to these synchronized efforts, product innovation, the creation of new tourism highlights, and stronger service management, the number of visitors to Hai Phong has continued to rise, especially during this summer travel season. In June 2026 alone, the city welcomed approximately 2.58 million visitors, generating an estimated VND 3.1 trillion in tourism revenue. This brought the total number of visitors in the first six months of 2026 to more than 8.7 million, up 15.7% year-on-year, with total tourism revenue exceeding VND 10 trillion.

Thu Huong