Enjoy Crags and Rock Climbing Vietnam

If you have a desire for adventure activities, the crags of Vietnam should be on your bucket list.

Being one of the most majestic climbing areas of the world, Halong Bay in Vietnam is considered the paradise of rock climbing. Given its unique topography with thousands of high lime-stone mountains towering from the adjoining sea, the place is amazingly breath-taking!

Before we discussing about the climbing routes, let’s also tell you how this place is perfect for the leisure travellers as well. The serene islands like Moody’s Beach, Tiger Beach, The Face, Saigon Wall are some of the most interesting places to visit in the country once you are done with rock climbing Vietnam.

1. Halong Bay

Halong Bay offers one of the spectacular landscape with a variety of 3000 limestone karst formations that rises from the sea.

The King Kong landscape is one of the most striking topographical features of the area which is punctuated with mini villages and handmade boats. The summer heat can become extremely humid and challenging at times, but the thought of fighting against the harsh weather pushing your limit revokes all the weariness. Although the climbing is difficult with crooked rocks and narrow paths, the fun is unparallel. Most people instantly think of Thailand or Spain when it comes to rock climbing, but once you have been to Halong Bay, nothing can beat the experience.

Some of the favourite places that most locals and tourists enjoy for rock climbing Vietnam in Halong Bay includes but not limited to:

• Big Brown B-Hole

• Elephant Man

• Miyagi Box Maker

2. Cat Ba Island

Cat Ba Island (or Cát bà island) is an enchanting place where one can both enjoy deep water solo and enjoy the rock climb. If you want to get amazed by the limestone routes, this is the place to be. Like in the rest of Vietnam, you will find amazing limestone routes here as well. As there are lesser number of travellers here than the rest of Southeast Asian destinations, the place is cleaner than those destinations.

One of the most beautiful places to visit is the Butterfly Valley. Easily locatable on Google Maps, it is the largest and possibly the most popular crag on the island. As you climb up, especially during the summertime, you can spot innumerable butterflies making the place look bright and colourful!

After Butterfly Valley, Hidden Valley is the second biggest option for the tourists. There is a striking similarity with the scenes from Jurrasic Park as you will get in here.

Both beginner and advanced climbers can opt for the trek even though it is a challenging trail. Before going for the trek, make sure to collect the information and recommendations from the guides. For some islands such as Cat Ba Island crags need prior access before getting there.

Some suggested routes in Cat Ba islands include:

• The Cave

• The Farm

• Ben Beo

As it is a popular tourist destination, this place is frequented by both the rock climbing and tourists going for general sightseeing. Cat Ba Island offers different types of accommodation from hostels to Airbnb. Many like to travel the crags via scooter, which you can also get on rent from the hotels or from the streets on the island.

3. Huu Lung (Hanoi)

Huu Lung, is one of the lesser known places for rock climbing Vietnam - definitely much lesser frequented than Cat Ba Island. For both beginners and the advanced rock climbers, this is a loved choice. Located north of Hanoi, there are more thrilling options for sport climbing routes. The topography offers relatively new crag, so it’s essential to wear a helmet. Although not commonly found in the recommendation lists, it is definitely worth making a trip there.

Climbers and trekkers can find mainly single-pitch at Huu Lung and is a preferred climbing option in a quiet, picturesque environment. Going a bit higher than the main crag, you can find some stunning multi-pitch options such as ChućSućKhoé. To plan everything in advance, VietClimb in Hanoi is one of the trusted options who has all the required information such as homestay, tours and others.

4. Halong Bay Climbing Tours

You can opt for the day tours to Halong Bay and Cat Ba Island which comes as a package in rock climbing is available. The prices are affordable making it a loved adventure tourism activity for the backpackers. You can arrange for the tour along with the transportation from Hanoi to Halong bay, through ferry, and also arrange for food and beverage.

Many companies offer UIAA certified Climbing Equipment and Climbing Shoes which are safe to use and should be on the list of must-takes for the trekkers.

5. Hanoi Bouldering Gym

Tourists can also find several indoor climbing gyms along with the thrilling outdoor climbing option. If you are not blessed with the best weather while touring, indoor bouldering can be one of teh other interesting activities to get indulged in. outdoor and overnight climbing trips to Huu Lung is also seen as a popular choice by many tourists these days.

6. Ho Chi Minh Bouldering Gym

You can find a similar set up in Ho Chi Minh City. You can find the first indoor bouldering gym that has impressive training spaces including objects such as peg board or campus board. You can also find the vertical, overhanging, slab, and cave climbing options along with the wide bouldering area.

When Is the Best Time to Visit Halong Bay?

May to June and September to December are considered the ideal months to climb in Halong Bay. Offering bright clear skies, and sparse rain, the temperatures remains warm, but not too hot to make the trekking a challenging experience.

January to April can get very cold, but many climbers don't mind a sweat and opt from this time of the year to go for the rock climbing Vietnam.

July to August is monsoon in Halong Bay and the storms might last for a few days to week. It is best to remain sheltered although some love to experience the rain while climbing.

Are you ready to get all adventurous this season at Vietnam?