Quan Lan island is one of the outlying islands in Halong bay region. It is truly a great place for those who want to immerse in nature and escape from the hustle and bustle of city life.
As it is a less touristy destination, visitors have a chance to peacefully enjoy your vacation.
In this article, we will give you a comprehensive guide to traveling in Quan Lan island.
- Overview of Quan Lan Island
- What to Do in Quan Lan Island?
- Accommodations on Quan Lan Island
- How to Get to Quan Lan Island?
- Visiting Tips to Quan Lan Island
1. Overview of Quan Lan Island
Quan Lan is a small island located on dreaming Bai Tu Long Bay.
Wonderful land with generous nature brings numerous advantages to this beautiful island. It is not only well known for breathtaking natural scenery but also historical and long-standing cultural values.
Covering a total area of almost 11 square km, the island extends from the foot of Van Don mountain range and stretches to Got mountain.
Looking from afar, it looks like a bulwark that prevents huge waves and protects the locals on the island.
Visitors coming to the island will surely be fascinated by white sand beaches, blue clear waters, and captivating nature.
Besides, you also have a chance to enjoy tasty seafood dishes, visit the cultural historical relics and join in plenty of interesting activities.
2. What to Do in Quan Lan Island?
As one of the most beautiful attractions in Halong bay and a shining spot in Quang Ninh, it offers various activities to unwind.
1. Enjoy the winding route from the Quan Lan Port
The best way to explore the island is by bike or electric cars. A bike is the most ideal choice as it is available for rent in most hotels on the island.
With just USD 10, you can easily reach different places on the island. And, don’t miss your chance to enjoy a ride in the transfer route from the port.
It will be a wonderful island to admire large fine sand dunes and stretching beaches along the way.
2. Visit Quan Lan temple
Quan Lan temple is among the top visited attractions in the region. It was built to be dedicated to the founding fathers of the village and Tran Khanh Du.
The themes of the building are impressive with colorful images of phoenixes, dragons, flowers, and leaves in different styles.
Coming here, you will have a chance to listen to a part of the island’s history and meet some friendly people.
On special occasions, the temple becomes more crowded with locals coming to show their respect to the ancestors and pray for good luck.
3. Admire beautiful beaches
There are many different white sand beaches along the coast of the island like Son Hao and Minh Chau beaches.
These beaches inspire visitors to relax by various activities like swimming, sunbathing, building sand castles, and enjoying fresh seafood.
The beaches have various beauties at different times of the day. Therefore, make sure to bring your camera to get the best photo shoots.
Or, you can just simply lay down on the fine sand, listen to the sound of sea waves and let your life anxiety go away.
4. Experience Quan Lan Overnight
Quan Lan at night is awesome with promising things to do like squid fishing and campfire.
If you go with your team, this is truly a place to go for a wonderful nightlife experience.
Besides, the island itself is a heaven of seafood, so there is no reason not to try delicious seafood dishes made from shrimps, clams, or squids, etc. These dishes will surely not make you disappointed.
3. Accommodations on Quan Lan Island
There are many options for you to choose when mentioning accommodation.
From resorts to hotels and hostels, you can easily find one for your vacation.
There are 2 main areas to stay in the island: Dong Nam village (the main town of the island) and the beach.
Normally, the village is preferred as it is close to local sites and easy to meet friendly local people.
1. Le Pont Hotel
Le Pont Hotel is a popular accomodation in Quan Lan island. There are 36 fully equipped rooms.
Located in Minh Chau area, it is quite close to the beach and the pier on the island. The hotel also has a restaurant and a bar so it becomes more convenient for you.
The restaurant is one of the biggest ones on Quan Lan which can serve up to 200 guests at the same time. Here, you will also be offered with delicious seafood specialties as well.
2. Minh Chau Beach Resort
Minh Chau Beach Resort offers more than 55 rooms which are designed with international 3 star standards.
Each room is equipped with a bathrobe, air conditioner, desk, hairdresser and internet access. It also features a wide range of services like a bar, a restaurant, laundry service, babysitting, a safe box, etc.
Wish to bring every guest a comfortable stay, it provides various entertainment and relaxing services to enjoy here.
3. Quan Lan Eco Homestay
If you want to stay close with local people and get to know more about their culture, it is wonderful to choose Quan Lan Eco Homestay for your accommodation.
The homestay is located in an alley which is off the tourist trail. It just takes 5 minutes to walk to the main village and 15 minutes to Quan Lan beach.
The meal can be served right in this homestay with vegetables, meats, and fish from reliable local providers. It will make you feel like your real home.
4. How to Get to Quan Lan Island?
There are several ways to travel from Hanoi to Quan Lan Island. You can make your choice that best suits your preferences.
1st step: Hanoi to Cai Rong port
There are different means of transportation to travel from Hanoi to Cai Rong port, but it is highly recommended to travel by limousine as it is faster and more comfortable.
Normally, it will take more than 4 hours to get to Cai Rong port in Van Don. On weekends and national holidays, it might take longer.
There are several transport companies that offer minivans and limousines. Tam Bao Anh and Van Don Xanh are the best names to mention.
Price: VND 180.000 – VND 240.000
2nd step: Wooden Boat or Speed Boat to Quan Lan island
From the port, you need to choose a speed boat or slow wooden boat to reach Quan Lan island as it is a remote island in Bai Tu Long Bay.
It will take you around 1 to 2 hours by speed boat and from 2 to 4 hours by wooden boat to reach the island.
There are 2 piers in Quan Lan island including Quan Lan pier and Minh Chau pier. Most travelers prefer to choose Quan Lan pier because it is closer to the center, the beach, and located with a lot more hotels and restaurants.
Minh Chau on the other side of Quan Lan island is a quieter area but less accommodation options to choose.
5. Visiting Tips to Quan Lan Island
Let’s check out some insider tips for your trip to Quan Lan island to get a wonderful time here.
- Take enough VND to the island. There are no ATM machines on this island, so it’s better to bring enough cash.
- Cruising on a wooden boat, though slower, will let you admire magnificent sceneries of spectacular limestone islands and fishing villages in the Bai Tu Long.
- Avoid high season and national holidays as it might be too crowded.
- Please check your rental scooter carefully before hiring and fill it with petro.
- For food lovers, don’t miss your chance to enjoy fresh seafood in the local morning market.
Quan Lan island is a wonderful destination for beach getaway with various activities that you don’t want to miss. Hope that this article helps you plan your trip to Quan Lan island better.