The main case for an overnight in Haiphong is its position as a less-touristed alternative gateway to Halong Bay and Cát Bà.
Cát Bà Island, forty minutes north by hydrofoil, is the best day-trip-or-overnight from the city: hiking in the national park, swimming on the southern beaches, and boat trips into the western edge of Halong Bay. With an overnight stay there is time for everything.
Halong Bay, the famous limestone karst seascape, is most often reached via Halong City east of here, but Haiphong-based operators run their own day cruises that go into the same waters from the southern side. They are typically cheaper and less crowded than the Hanoi-based equivalents.
Đồ Sơn, twenty kilometres south, offers a beach, a casino, and the bones of the French colonial seaside, all in a few hours.
Bạch Đằng River, north toward the border with Quảng Ninh province, is the site of three famous victorious naval battles against China and the Mongols. A small museum tells the story, and the surrounding shrimp farms and pagodas make a half-day loop.
Hanoi, the national capital, is only two hours by train from Haiphong — a comfortable enough trip to do as a long day if needed.
