The Bai Chay ferry terminal waiting hall stands on Le Thanh Tong Street in Hong Gai Ward, Quang Ninh. After years of abandonment, the building has visibly deteriorated, with large cracks across its walls and vegetation covering parts of the roof. Inside, windows are broken, former offices lie in disarray and furniture is coated in thick layers of dust.

When it was still operating, Bai Chay ferry terminal was a bustling transport hub, handling tens of millions of passenger and vehicle journeys each year.

The terminal stood witness to Ha Long’s development over decades, making its present state of decay a source of regret for many local residents.

After 51 years of operation from 1955, the ferry terminal was retired on Dec. 2, 2006, when Bai Chay Bridge opened. The site was subsequently placed under the management of the former Ha Long City People’s Committee.

Following the introduction of Vietnam’s two-tier local government model, management of the terminal was transferred to the People’s Committee of Hong Gai Ward.

Restoring a place of local memory

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The waiting hall at the former Bai Chay ferry terminal. Photo: Pham Cong

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The doors of the Bai Chay ferry terminal waiting hall have remained locked for years. Photo: Pham Cong

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The deteriorating interior of the abandoned Bai Chay ferry terminal waiting hall. Photo: Pham Cong

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The Bai Chay-Hon Gai ferry route was temporarily revived on a trial basis in 2014. A notice from 12 years ago still remains at the site. Photo: Pham Cong

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The abandoned ferry terminal waiting hall in central Ha Long. Photo: Pham Cong

Hong Gai Ward authorities have reviewed the site and are developing plans to restore the Bai Chay ferry terminal waiting hall as one of several attractions for residents and visitors.

In 2014, the Bai Chay-Hon Gai ferry route was brought back on a trial basis. A notice from that period remains at the terminal 12 years later.

A representative of the Hong Gai Ward Party Committee told VietNamNet that the ferry terminal waiting hall holds an important place in local culture.

Its restoration is expected to be included in the locality’s medium-term public investment plan for 2027-2030, covering the renovation and upgrading of several facilities.

The Bai Chay ferry terminal, a former prison tunnel and the Bai Tho Mountain area are expected to be restored and incorporated into a walking route for residents and visitors.

According to the official, renovating the terminal is intended to create a facility offering a range of services, including dining for domestic and international visitors, while adding a new attraction along the waterfront of the UNESCO World Heritage area.

The Bai Chay ferry terminal complex comprises three buildings: a two-story ferry waiting hall covering 242 square meters, a single-story waiting hall of 163 square meters and a two-story office building of 167 square meters. All three are expected to be restored and upgraded.

Total investment is estimated at around VND15 billion ($570,000).

“The ferry terminal waiting hall will be preserved. The ward Party Committee has instructed the Hong Gai Ward People’s Committee to coordinate with Quang Ninh’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism to agree on a restoration and conservation plan. Ward leaders have also personally inspected the current condition of the building,” the representative said.

Bai Chay ferry terminal is one of the few remaining places closely associated with the formation and development of the former Hon Gai township, now part of Hong Gai Ward in Quang Ninh Province.

During the Vietnam War, particularly the U.S. air and naval bombing campaign from 1964 to 1972, staff at the Bai Chay ferry terminal worked to keep transport moving while also participating directly in combat.

Together with regular military forces, they were credited with shooting down one U.S. aircraft and damaging another.

For their achievements, the terminal’s staff, workers and self-defense force collectively received Vietnam’s Labor Hero title twice, in 1985 and 1996.

Pham Cong