Located about 160 kilometers from Hanoi, Ha Long (formerly Ha Long City, Quang Ninh Province) is famous for its diverse and appealing cuisine, rivaling that of Hai Phong and the old Nam Dinh (now part of Ninh Binh).

Close friends Ha Vy and Ha Trang, both living in Hanoi, have visited Ha Long four times, specifically to explore its food culture. “Food prices here are comparable to Hanoi - not cheap, but the seafood is incredibly fresh and the variety makes it worth it,” Vy shared.

They usually travel on weekends, booking the earliest limousine service at 4:30 a.m., arriving in Ha Long by 6:30 a.m. During each trip, they try about ten different eateries over two days. “We look for local-recommended places that residents frequent,” Vy said.

On their most recent trip, day one included stops at:

Nhan Ha seafood noodle soup (Lane 45, Vu Van Hieu Street)
"Miner’s baguette" stand (opposite Ha Tu Coal Company)
Bai Chay seafood market (Hung Thang 10)
Nhat Long pearl yogurt (35 Minh Khai Street)

Day two brought them to:

Lien Beo seafood crab noodle soup (opposite Long Tien Pagoda)
Grilled pork and noodles at the old market (32 Le Thanh Tong Street)
Cay Xanh seafood (Ha Phong)
Huyen’s snail shop
Patiso pastries

Their itinerary impressed many Ha Long locals who commented online, saying the duo had indeed chosen the "real local" dining spots.

Their favorite dish? Seafood noodle soup. Vy recommends Cham Huong bun at Cot 8 or Nhan Ha bun. The Nhan Ha spot is a bit far from the city center and caters mostly to locals. The broth is rich and flavorful, with fresh seafood. A bowl ranges from 35,000 to 50,000 VND (around 1.40 to 2 USD).

Another highlight is the “miner’s baguette,” a simple yet unique street snack. The bread has a thin crust, dense texture, and is served hot and aromatic. Originally made for coal miners, it’s now sought after by curious tourists.

One grilled pork and noodle shop near the old market often has a 30-minute wait and opens at 11 a.m. The pork is thick, juicy, and flavorful. A meal for two with spring rolls came to 115,000 VND (4.50 USD).

As for pearl yogurt, Vy said: “We can have it at every meal when in Ha Long.” Their favorite spots are Co Cuong’s shop and Nhat Long, both located in Minh Khai alley, Ha Lam Ward.

They rate the two yogurt places almost equally. The yogurt is handmade, soft, creamy, and free of ice chunks, paired with chewy tapioca pearls. Nhat Long tends to be less crowded than Co Cuong.

On each trip, they dedicate at least two meals to seafood. This time, they tried goi ban mai (a type of clam salad), sweet and sour horseshoe crab, and baby crab. They preferred restaurants with clearly posted prices.

When it comes to snails, they enjoy buying fresh seafood from Ha Long Market 1 to cook themselves or visiting places like Gat Gu snail shop (Cot 3) and Huyen’s snail shop (near Cot 2 market).

Vy broke down their total cost per person at around 2 million VND (approximately 80 USD):

Round-trip limousine fare: 600,000 VND (~24 USD)
One-night accommodation: 250,000 VND (~10 USD)
Scooter rental: 90,000 VND (~3.60 USD)