Sometimes, travel plans change. I should know that by now. Sometimes you plan for an adventure-packed weekend, and then you get lazy and comfortable and decide to stay in the city instead.
Sometimes you neglect the advice given to you by other travellers and take a chance on an unknown place. That’s when travel is really rewarding – and when being flexible pays off.
This is exactly what happened to us when we visited Haiphong (Hải Phòng), Northern Vietnam’s major port city. Located on the coast just 120km from Hanoi, most people use Haiphong as a jumping off point for Cat Ba Island.
The few people I asked about Haiphong told me squarely that there was nothing to do there except go straight to Cat Ba. We stayed in the city on Friday night with the intention of going to the island the following day. In the end, we loved Haiphong so much that we decided to stay.
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We soon discovered that Haiphong City is one of Northern Vietnam’s best-kept secrets.
It seems there is no escaping the overcast weather that plagues Northern Vietnam at this time of year. In January, Haiphong feels grungy and atmospheric. The city features wide boulevards, well-preserved colonial architecture and sprawling local markets.
Sometimes called a ‘mini Hanoi’, to those in the know, Haiphong is reminiscent of Vietnam’s capital city several decades ago.
There are definitely echoes of Hanoi in Haiphong, but it reminded me more of Battambang and Kampong Cham in Cambodia.
Vietnam’s third-largest city, Haiphong isn’t exactly petite, but the centre is relatively quiet and offers a good mental break from Hanoi.
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Haiphong City: A street photographer’s dream
If you dig crumbling architecture, twisting laneways and bustling wet markets, you will love strolling around Haiphong. We spent Saturday walking up and down the streets of the Colonial Quarter and beyond, photographing the never-ending supply of picture-perfect building facades and street scenes. Along with Hanoi’s Old Quarter, Haiphong offers the kind of visuals that are archetypal of Vietnam’s cities.
I thought I would share some of my favourite photos of Haiphong – maybe it will be enough to inspire you to pay this underrated city some attention.
At the end of the post, I’ve also included some helpful tips for visiting Haiphong, including key points of interest, a few hotel and restaurant recommendations, and transport information.
What to see and do in Haiphong
Haiphong City Museum
Set in one of the city’s best-preserved colonial villas, Haiphong’s Museum (Bảo tàng Hải Phòng) was the first local museum established in Vietnam. The building dates back to 1919 and was purpose-built to house a collection of artefacts, taxidermy and various remnants of the area’s history.
I was expecting a pretty pink building but it was recently repainted a creamy yellow—a bit of a shame if you ask me. Find more information about visiting here (and take note of the unusual opening hours if you plan to go inside).
More Vietnam architecture inspiration: Beautiful French-colonial buildings in Dalat.
Haiphong Opera House
Another of the city’s colonial-era gems, Haiphong’s Opera House (Nhà hát lớn Hải Phòng) was built in the French neoclassical style in 1904. It sits in Opera Square (Quảng trường Nhà hát lớn) and is probably the most recognisable of Haiphong’s landmarks. This article reveals more about the building’s history.
Haiphong Post Office
I’m a sucker for symmetry, so I found Haiphong’s Post Office (Bưu điện Hải Phòng) the most aesthetically pleasing of the city’s colonial-era buildings.
The postal bureau was apparently founded in Haiphong in 1864, making this building’s history one of the longest and most enduring (it’s still used as a post office today).
According to this source, French flags were once hung at the front of the post office to notify residents of the days letters were being sent.
The Colonial Quarter
While the aforementioned buildings are Haiphong’s most prized pieces of colonial architecture, there are plenty more buildings sprinkled throughout the city. The Colonial Quarter is concentrated around Dien Bien Phu and Tran Hung Dao streets.
Many of the buildings have been neglected or converted into retail spaces on the bottom level. Look up to the upper levels, which still boast beautiful plaster work.
Du Hang Pagoda
Haiphong long predates the arrival of the French – and there are many landmarks that hint at the local history. Among them are the bronze statue of Le Chan, the female general who founded Haiphong City, and Du Hang Pagoda (Chùa Hàng), the city’s oldest site of Buddhist worship.
The Park, Tam Bac Lake and Markets
Haiphong’s main green space, Vườn hoa Nguyễn Văn Trỗi, is a long park that runs between Dien Bein Phu and Tam Bac Lake. It’s a nice enough place for a stroll.
There is a small flower market about halfway down the park, selling mostly arranged wreaths. Tam Bac Lake is an artificial lake and not all that pretty.
My guess is that it’s much more pleasant during the spring months when the flowers are in bloom. (That reminds me: A good time to visit Haiphong is during the annual Red Flamboyant Flower Festival.)
Tam Bac Market stretches out to the north of the lake. You can find smaller, more atmospheric weekend markets in the backstreets that run along Le Hong Phong.
Cat Ba Island and Lan Ha Bay
I’d be remiss not to mention Cat Ba Island, which is part of Haiphong Province. You can reach the island by hydrofoil or speedboat from Haiphong City in as little as 10 minutes.
Most people organise a package transfer from Hanoi, but you can also show up at the dock in Haiphong and purchase your own boat tickets on the spot.
Lan Ha Bay (a smaller version of Ha Long Bay and a good alternative to the more touristy Halong) is located just off the coast of Cat Ba and is a popular spot for day cruises.
We ended up going to Cat Ba on a separate trip and although we enjoyed it, I personally thought it was overrated. You can find more information about visiting Cat Ba here.
Where to stay in Haiphong
There is a cluster of hotels near Catbi Plaza, about 1.5kms from downtown Haiphong and the park. We chose to stay at Punt Hotel, which was extremely clean and comfortable. Breakfast costs a few extra dollars and the English-speaking hotel staff are very helpful.
More info and prices here.
Where to eat in Haiphong
Haiphong has some really excellent restaurants and offers a surprisingly diverse range of cuisines. My favourite meal was at Tanpopo, a cute Japanese restaurant within walking distance of Punt Hotel. We had a great meal at Indian Kitchen, and loved the atmosphere at Nha Hang Nam Giao.
We aren’t big fans of seafood, so we skipped Haiphong’s famous crab noodles. Bánh mì bread sticks served with pate are another Haiphong specialty, so be sure to grab some from the street vendors as you’re walking around town.
There are plenty of cafes and coffee shops throughout the city, including branches of Cong Ca Phe and Highlands. For something a little different, I recommend trying one of the local joints. Q Coffee is a good choice.
How to get to Haiphong from Hanoi
There are regular buses between Hanoi and Haiphong. To get there, we used the O Ho bus service, departing from Gia Lam station (Bến Xe Gia Lâm). As you enter the station building, look to your right and you’ll see the O Ho counter. Tickets cost 85K VND (approximately 3.70 USD) each and the trip took about two hours (no rest stops).
Bizarrely, the bus dropped us on the outskirts of Haiphong and we had to transfer to a ‘taxi’ to take us the rest of the way. We’re still not sure what exactly was going on, but the bus steward and the ‘taxi driver’ seemed to know each other. The taxi cost us another 100K.
Coming back, we departed from Hai Au bus station on the eponymous Hai Au bus. The bus departed full, meaning the trip was even faster as we didn’t have to stop to pick up more passengers along the way. We paid 95K VND (approximately 4.20 USD) each for the trip back to Hanoi, which took just 1.5 hours (no rest stops).
Check the schedule and buy tickets online via Bookaway.
If you’re travelling in Vietnam on a tight schedule, Haiphong might not be your first choice. But it does make for a delightful overnighter to break the journey between Hanoi and Cat Ba Island – or just as a little escape from Hanoi.
We didn’t see another Caucasian tourist the whole time we were there – to be honest, it was a nice change from Hanoi. Fair to say that Haiphong is off Northern Vietnam’s tourist track.
Have you been to Haiphong?
Vietnam essentials
Here are the booking sites and services I personally use whenever I travel to Vietnam.
FLIGHTS: Find affordable flights to Vietnam using Skyscanner.
VIETNAM VISA: Use iVisa to check if you need a tourist visa for Vietnam and apply for an expedited e-visa online. Use OneWayFly to obtain proof of onward travel/hotel reservation if required.
TRAVEL INSURANCE: Insure your trip with HeyMondo, my preferred provider for single-trip and annual travel insurance.
AIRPORT TRANSFERS: Pre-book a private hotel transfer from Hanoi Airport or Ho Chi Minh City Airport via Get Your Guide.
SIM CARD: Buy an eSIM and data package for Vietnam online before you go. My top choice is the Asia Link Regional eSIM by Airalo (10 GB for 30 days).
ACCOMMODATION: Find the best hotel deals in Vietnam on Agoda or book a Vietnam hostel.
TRAIN TICKETS: Reserve your Vietnam Rail tickets for the train to Sapa, Da Nang, Hue or Saigon via 12GoAsia.
BUS TICKETS: Buy your domestic bus or plane tickets in advance using 12GoAsia or Bookaway.
FOODIE EXPERIENCES: Find the best cooking classes and foodie experiences in Vietnam on Cookly. Here are my top 15 Vietnam food experiences to help you decide.
DAY TOURS: Find the best city tours and day excursions in Vietnam on Get Your Guide. Check out my top 10 best Vietnam day trips for more inspiration.
HALONG BAY: Consult my comprehensive Halong Bay guide to find the best cruises & tours.
VIETNAM GUIDEBOOK: Pick up a copy of the latest Lonely Planet guidebook for Vietnam.
More Vietnam travel resources
- Off the beaten track in Northern Vietnam – hidden gems & local favourites
- Where to go in Southern Vietnam – 5 must-sees
- The best things to do in Dalat
- How to spend 3 days in Hoi An
- How to get from Danang to Hoi An – transport guide
- How to visit the abandoned dragon waterpark in Hue
- Where to buy authentic Vietnamese souvenirs in Hanoi
- The best national parks to visit in Vietnam – for trekking & more
- Waterwheels & rice fields in Pu Luong Nature Reserve
- Cycling the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Phong Nha
- Homestays in Da Bac village
- Halong Bay alternatives – where to go beyond the bay
- How to travel to Halong Bay from Hanoi – transport guide
- How to travel to Sapa from Hanoi – transport guide
- Where to stay in Sapa, Vietnam – best homestays & more
- Visiting Bac Ha Market near Sapa
- Guide to Ha Giang in far-northern Vietnam
- Guide to visiting Ninh Binh
- Day trip from Hanoi to Duong Lam Ancient Village
Hi!
I am glad to share some photos taken by me about Hai Phong Museum and others.
Please tell me if you are interested in!
Definitely going to check out hai phong! Could you recommend a good area to stay in and the best areas for wandering around the city. Thanks you! Rubin
Hi Rubin, it’s pretty small. Everywhere is within walking distance, but I recommend staying in the centre. Enjoy!
Thank you so much for this post. It have us the kick to stay there 2 days and it is was of the highlight of our trip in Vietnam. The people were SO nice! We ended up buying a kite and flying it by the river with the locals. Now ending our journey in Truc Bach, Hanoi 😉
Hi Isabelle! This makes me so happy! I’m so glad you had a chance to visit Haiphong. Truc Bach is close to my old neighbourhood – I miss it a lot!
Enjoy the rest of your time in Vietnam and thanks so much for taking the time to leave me a comment!
I love all your street photos! What a charming little city! I’ve never been before, but I would def keep it in mind if I head back to Northern Vietnam
Thanks so much, Julie! It’s a beautiful spot—definitely recommend it for your next trip!
Your photos are phenomenal! Seriously, well done capturing the essence of this beautiful town. I’ve been to Vietnam three times now and find myself returning there even though there are neighboring countries I haven’t even explored once. It’s such a special place. I’ll definitely be adding Haiphong onto the itinerary the next time I’m in Hanoi. 🙂
Thanks so much, Sarah! That’s great to hear that you love Vietnam—especially since most people don’t return a second or third time. There’s always something new to discover. Living in Hanoi has given me a chance to explore some of the smaller cities and Haiphong is definitely a favourite so far!