1. Why is Quang Ninh an ideal destination for Christmas 2025?
1.1. Pleasant winter weather, suitable for exploration
Ha Long's weather during Christmas is usually stable, with little rain, low humidity, and not too harsh. During the day, the temperature ranges from about 18-22°C, cool enough for a stroll on the beach or a bay tour. In the evening, the temperature drops to about 14-17°C, very suitable for immersing yourself in the Christmas atmosphere with sparkling colorful lights.
Additionally, the chilly weather makes experiences like soaking in Quang Hanh hot springs, enjoying hot seafood, or admiring the city from the Queen Cable Car extremely pleasant and emotional. For visitors from the South, the feeling of celebrating Christmas amidst the cool Northern air in Ha Long is truly memorable.
Ha Long is an ideal Christmas tourist destination, gathering top entertainment and resort areas.
1.2. Landscape - urban - festival integration
Ha Long is known as the leading tourist destination in the North. During Christmas, the coastal city becomes more vibrant with streets full of lights, brilliantly decorated squares, and numerous events held from the center to the Bai Chay area. The festival-themed decorations combined with modern urban infrastructure offer an experience no different from international tourist cities.
1.3. Many entertainment areas - destinations heavily invested in during Noel
Christmas is always a time when entertainment areas, especially Sun World Ha Long, create elaborate decoration themes, creative check-in spaces, and seasonal activities to attract tourists. As a result, Ha Long becomes a top choice for young people, families, and international visitors alike.
1.4. Diverse resort and service system
From beachfront hotels, high-end resorts, and shopping centers to culinary streets, Quang Ninh offers a full range of experiences for a year-end holiday: relaxation, entertainment, Christmas Eve parties, shopping, check-ins, and participation in community activities.
Festive Christmas atmosphere at Dragon Park - Sun World Ha Long.
3. How to get to Ha Long
Thanks to synchronized infrastructure development, possessing air, water, and land transport, Ha Long is conveniently connected to many provinces nationwide, creating favorable conditions for tourists to visit from all over the country.
3.1. Bus from Hanoi
Bus routes run continuously from morning to night. Thanks to the highway, tourists can reach Bai Chay in about 2–2.5 hours. VIP limousine cars with spacious seats, offering door-to-door pick-up, are a popular choice for many families going out for Christmas. The cost of a Hanoi - Ha Long bus ticket is about 280,000 VND - 300,000 VND/way, with a travel time of about 2-2.5 hours.
3.2. Motorbike - Self-driven car
Young groups who love exploration often choose the self-driving option to be in control of their time, departing from Hanoi and provinces in the North. The highway makes the journey safe and easy. Additionally, the coastal road from Quang Yen - Ha Long is one of the beautiful routes for winter photography.
3.3. Fly to Van Don Airport
Flights from Ho Chi Minh City... directly to Van Don shorten travel time for Southern tourists visiting Ha Long. From the airport, it takes about 60 minutes to reach the center of Ha Long. Passenger volume increases at the end of the year, so you should book tickets in advance.
4. Unmissable experiences when visiting Ha Long for Christmas 2025
If you want a complete Christmas season with festivals, scenery, and cuisine, Ha Long will surely not disappoint you. In 2025, the city continues to launch many new activities, from large-scale music performances to community events with a strong Christmas spirit.
4.1. Entertainment and recreation at Sun World Ha Long
Sun World Ha Long is an unmissable destination when mentioning Christmas tourism in Quang Ninh.
Sun World Ha Long is a must-mention destination when talking about Christmas tourism in Quang Ninh. Every Noel season, the park is decorated with a Christmas theme with brilliant pine trees, thousands of LED lights, miniature scenes simulating Nordic snow villages, and Christmas melodies playing everywhere.
Queen Cable Car - a spectacular winter experience
Sitting in a cable car cabin crossing the sea hundreds of meters high amidst the chilly winter air is a special feeling. From above, visitors gaze out at Ha Long Bay shimmering in the light mist, streets sparkling with Noel lights, and the beautifully winding Bai Chay Bridge. This is an ideal background for unique Christmas photos.
Dragon Park - vibrant and youthful
With dozens of games ranging from gentle to thrilling, Dragon Park is very suitable for young groups to celebrate Noel in an energetic way. The lively atmosphere, continuous music, and Christmas-themed check-in spots make this place always bustling from morning till night.
Dragon Park gathers many thrilling, attractive games, suitable for many ages.
Check-in Sun Hill
The hilltop is where the most beautiful photo spots of the Christmas season are gathered, decorated with eye-catching check-in corners featuring a giant Christmas tree, snowman, and brightly colored gifts, all ready for visitors to capture the most beautiful festive moments.
4.2. The “Extra Special Night” Event at Sun Carnival
In 2025, Extra Special Night became the focal activity in the Christmas event series in Ha Long. The program takes place from 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM on December 21, 2025, at Sun Carnival Square (Bai Chay), attracting tens of thousands of attendees.
The event includes a series of day-long activities with opening art performances by professional bands and dance troupes; entertainment and interaction programs with visitors, European-style Christmas market stalls selling souvenirs, winter cuisine, and introducing regional specialties, an evening grand music festival featuring famous artists such as Truc Nhan, Tang Phuc, Trang Phap, S.T Son Thach, Kay Tran… combined with spectacular fireworks. The program offers free admission for locals and tourists, with invitations issued online and distributed live at the event.
4.3. Community Activities at Parishes - Church Neighborhoods
For those who want to enjoy a warm Christmas atmosphere, head to old church neighborhoods and parishes. At Hon Gai Parish and Bai Chay Parish, the night of December 24th usually features a solemn mass, artistic performances celebrating Christmas, nativity scene reenactments, and children's singing and dancing. The atmosphere here is very close and intimate, helping visitors clearly feel the culture of the Catholic community in Quang Ninh.
Tourists gather around Hon Gai Church during the Christmas season.
These areas are also elaborately decorated with large nativity scenes, statues of the Baby Jesus, light-up Christmas trees… creating a very Christmas-like check-in space without needing to go to shopping malls.
4.4. Staying at high-class resorts - hotels
If you want to find a place to celebrate Christmas 2025 that is both romantic and relaxing, high-class resorts in Quang Ninh are the top choice, offering comfortable experiences, bringing cozy, warm moments with loved ones during the year-end holiday.
Oakwood Ha Long
Located right in the center of Bai Chay, Ha Long , Oakwood owns luxurious rooms, with views of the entire bay and international standard service quality. During Christmas days, the hotel often organizes buffet parties, hangs decorative lights, displays a large Christmas tree, and serves a winter menu in European - Asian style.
The Oakwood Ha Long area is brilliantly decorated for Christmas.
Yoko Onsen Quang Hanh
Just over 30 minutes from Ha Long, Yoko Onsen Quang Hanh is an ideal destination for those who want to welcome Christmas in a warm, relaxing, and unique way. Here, visitors can soak in natural hot mineral springs in 15°C weather, a wonderful experience for the holiday. The onsen area is designed in Japanese style, very suitable for couples or families who want to enjoy a peaceful holiday before the New Year.
Yoko Onsen Quang Hanh with a world-class Japanese-style onsen bathing experience.
4.5. Watch Fireworks at Sun Elite City
Hạ Long's sky becomes brilliant with an emotional fireworks display at the Sun Elite City entertainment complex (Bãi Cháy) every Friday and Saturday evening. These high-altitude fireworks nights illuminate Hạ Long's sky, becoming a special highlight, bringing visitors and residents a vibrant festive moment throughout each weekend. The coastal space combined with a vibrant square and modern utility system offers a complete fireworks viewing experience, where the light reflects on the sea surface, making the scene even more magical. As a result, Sun Elite City quickly becomes one of the most attractive destinations for Christmas 2025, ideal for those who want to enjoy the festive season in an atmosphere that is both romantic and luxurious.
The fireworks display every Friday and Saturday night at Sun Elite City lights up the sky of Ha Long.
5. Useful tips for celebrating Christmas in Quang Ninh
5.1. Book rooms and plan early to avoid fully booked rooms during peak season
Christmas is always one of the busiest times in Ha Long, especially in the Bai Chay area and at luxury hotels and resorts. Therefore, visitors should proactively book rooms as early as possible, ideally 2-4 weeks in advance, to ensure securing nice rooms at reasonable prices. Large hotels, beachfront hotels, or resorts like Oakwood Ha Long or Yoko Onsen Quang Hanh often get fully booked early, especially on weekends or on Christmas Eve/Day.
Besides accommodation, services such as bay cruises, spa, and Christmas buffet parties should also be booked in advance to avoid last-minute unavailability.
5.2. Prepare suitable clothing for the cool weather
Ha Long's weather during the Christmas season ranges from about 14–22°C, bringing a pleasant feeling but still cold enough to require warm clothing. When moving outdoors, especially when participating in the Extra Special Night event, strolling along Bai Chay beach, or experiencing the Queen Cable Car, visitors should bring thick jackets, scarves, woolen hats, and warm shoes. Evening sea breezes are often stronger, making the air feel colder than inland.
For resorts like Yoko Onsen Quang Hanh, you can prepare comfortable, easy-to-change clothing, as the hot spring area has private changing rooms and standard swimwear provided.
5.3. Notes on visiting and moving around during the festival season
During Christmas, Ha Long attracts a large number of visitors from Hanoi, Hai Phong, and many northern provinces. Therefore, the roads around Sun Carnival Square, Bai Chay Old Town, or the entrance to Sun World Ha Long are often quite crowded between 6 PM and 10 PM. Visitors should prioritize walking, using ride-hailing taxis, or booking cars in advance to avoid traffic jams.
If taking a bay cruise in Ha Long during the holiday, you should prioritize morning trips as the weather is usually drier and less foggy, making it very suitable for sightseeing and photography. Piers like Ha Long International Passenger Port are often crowded, so arrive about 20-30 minutes before the departure time to complete procedures.
5.4. Prepare photography equipment to capture beautiful moments during the Christmas season
The Christmas season in Ha Long is a time of lights, vibrant decorations, and many unique backgrounds. Visitors should bring fully charged phones, power banks, or cameras to save beautiful moments. Photos featuring the blue of the winter sea combined with the festive spirit will be a unique imprint of the journey to welcome Christmas 2025 in Quang Ninh.
Ha Long is not just a natural wonder, but also the most ideal place to welcome Christmas 2025 in the North, a place that gathers all the elements for you to have a complete festive season. From the cool, pleasant atmosphere, to the sparkling, magnificent scenery, to a series of large-scale events like “Extra Special Night” at Sun Carnival and high-class resort systems like Yoko Onsen Quang Hanh or Oakwood Ha Long, Ha Long will surely bring a memorable Christmas tourism season .
