Hai Phong: The Underrated Port City

Vietnam's Hidden Gem

Everyone passes through Hai Phong on the way to Cat Ba Island or Ha Long Bay. Almost nobody stops. That's a mistake. Vietnam's third-largest city has stunning French colonial architecture, some of the best food in northern Vietnam, and a local energy that feels refreshingly untouristy. In Hai Phong, you're not a tourist — you're a curiosity, and locals genuinely enjoy showing you their city.

Why Visit

The Food

Hai Phong's food is legendary within Vietnam but virtually unknown internationally. The city's signature dishes are worth the detour:

• Bánh đa cua — Hai Phong's undisputed masterpiece. A crab noodle soup featuring thick, chewy red rice noodles in a rich crab broth, topped with fried tofu puffs, morning glory, and a squeeze of lime. The broth is made with freshwater crab pounded into paste — it's complex, deeply savory, and unlike any noodle soup you've had before.
• Nem cua bể — Deep-fried sea crab spring rolls. The exterior shatters at the first bite, revealing juicy, sweet crab meat inside. Every family in Hai Phong has their own recipe and claims theirs is the best.
• Bún cá — Fish noodle soup with fresh dill. Light, fragrant, and perfect for breakfast on a cool morning. The dill gives it a distinctive Northern Vietnamese character.

Colonial Architecture

French-era buildings line the streets of the city center in better condition than most Vietnamese cities. The Opera House (a miniature version of Paris's Palais Garnier), the Cathedral with its twin bell towers, and dozens of yellow colonial villas with green shutters give Hai Phong a distinctly different aesthetic from other Vietnamese cities. Walking through the center feels like stepping into a faded French postcard.

Gateway to Cát Bà Island

Hai Phong is the fastest gateway to Cát Bà — and from there, Lan Hạ Bay (the less-touristy alternative to Ha Long). The speed boat from Bến Bính port takes just 45 minutes (220,000 VND) and drops you on an island with hiking trails, beaches, and spectacular karst scenery.

Getting There

• From Hanoi: 2-hour express bus (Hoàng Long, 120,000 VND) or a comfortable train ride
• From Ha Long: 1.5-hour bus along the coast

Local Secret

Hai Phong's famous red flamboyant trees (phượng vĩ) bloom in June and July. The city transforms — every major boulevard becomes a canopy of crimson flowers, petals carpet the streets, and the whole city takes on a romantic, nostalgic atmosphere. It's spectacular, and almost no international tourists are around to see it.

The Vietnamese have a saying: "Ăn Hải Phòng" — "Eat like Hai Phong." It means to eat with gusto, generously, and without pretension. That's the spirit of this city.