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Voykit pocket guide · Vietnam
Hai Phong
Hải Phòng
Pass through Hải Phòng for the ferries and speedboats to Cát Bà and Lan Hạ Bay, and stay a night only if you want its street food and French-era centre without tourists.
Hải Phòng is northern Vietnam's main port and third-largest city, with broad French boulevards, flame trees and a strong food culture. Few foreign visitors stop; most change here for Cát Bà. Since 2025 the city has absorbed Hải Dương province (check addresses).
- Country
- Vietnam
- Local name
- Hải Phòng
- Best months
- Oct–Apr
- Avoid
- Jul–Sep (storms cancel ferries)
- Stay
- 0–1 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- VND
- Money
- VND in small notes (10k–100k) for stalls, markets, xe ôm and tips at spas.
- Daily spend
- Budget ₫400,000–700,000 excl. bed · Mid ₫800,000–1,500,000 excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Viettel, Vinaphone and Mobifone sell tourist SIMs at airport arrivals; passport and a face photo are required for registration.
- Emergency
- Police 113 · Fire 114 · Ambulance 115
- Plugs
- Types A, C, F · 220 V · 50 Hz · Two-pin sockets take flat US pins and round European pins; UK plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Street food and cafés: Nothing; leave small change if you like.; Sit-down restaurant: Round up or 5–10% if no service charge is on the bill.; Grab / taxi: Round up; tip in the app if you want.; Spa and massage: ₫50,000–100,000 to the therapist directly; some spas ask for more.; Guide and driver on a day tour: ₫100,000–200,000 per person for the guide, about half that for the driver.; Hotel porter: ₫20,000–50,000.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap. Bottled and filtered water everywhere; hotel refill stations are common. Café ice is factory-made.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in cities and hotels; squat toilets and no paper in rural stops and on long buses — carry tissues. Old plumbing: paper in the bin.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Bánh đa cua | ₫35,000–50,000 |
| Speedboat to Cát Bà | ₫200,000–300,000 (check) |
| Car HPH → centre | ₫100,000–150,000 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- HPH · Cát Bi
- Domestic flights; 20 min to the centre
Typical fares
- Cát Bi (HPH) → centre, car
- ₫100,000–150,000, 20 min
- Hanoi → Hải Phòng, train or bus
- ₫100,000–150,000, 2–2.5 h
Get around
Ride-hailing cars; the Bính ferry wharf and Đình Vũ speedboat pier for Cát Bà.
See and do
Known for
- Ferries to Cát Bà
- Bánh đa cua (crab noodle soup)
- French-era opera house
- Flame trees in May–June
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Cát Bà and Lan Hạ Bay | Speedboat 45–60 min or bus-ferry combo | 2 h |
| Đồ Sơn beach | Car 40 min | Half day |
Sleep
- Around the Opera House and Điện Biên Phủ street
- Central hotels, walk to food streets.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Xin chàosin chow |
| Help me! | Cứu tôi với!kuh-oo toy vuh-ee |
| 1, 2, 3 | một, hai, bamoht, hai, bah |
| How much is it? | Bao nhiêu tiền?bow nyew tyen |
| Please take me to this address | Làm ơn chở tôi đến địa chỉ nàylahm uhn chuh toy den dee-ah chee nay |
| Excuse me! (to a younger server) | Em ơi!em uh-ee |
| I have a booking | Tôi đã đặt phòngtoy dah daht fong |
| What time? | Mấy giờ?may zuh |
| Thank you | Cảm ơnkahm uhn |
| Call the police! (113) | Gọi cảnh sát! (113)goy kahn saht |
| 4, 5, 6 | bốn, năm, sáubohn, nahm, sow |
| Too expensive! | Đắt quá!daht kwah |
| I booked a Grab | Tôi đặt Grabtoy daht grab |
| I'll have this one | Cho tôi cái nàychaw toy kai nay |
| Do you have a room free? | Còn phòng không?kon fong khohm |
| Now | Bây giờbay zuh |
| No, thank you (street sellers) | Không, cảm ơnkhohm, kahm uhn |
| Fire! Call the fire service! (114) | Cháy! Gọi cứu hỏa! (114)chai! goy kuh-oo hwah |
| 7, 8, 9, 10 | bảy, tám, chín, mườibay, tahm, cheen, muh-ee |
| Come down a bit | Bớt đibuht dee |
Say it for greetings, prices and 'no ice'. Show the screen for addresses, allergies, medical problems and anything you need done exactly — a wrong tone on those costs more than the embarrassment of pointing at a phone.
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Nod and smile; handshake with men, let women offer first; avoid: Hugs and cheek kisses with people you have just met
- Names: Title plus given name — 'Anh Nam', 'Chị Lan' — the given name comes last; avoid: Calling someone by the family name alone (Nguyễn, Trần)
- Handing things: Both hands, especially money, cards and gifts to older people; avoid: Tossing things across a table
- Conversation: Expect questions about age, marriage and income; they place you, not pry; avoid: Raising your voice or correcting someone in front of others
- Temples and pagodas: Covered shoulders and knees; step over the raised threshold; enter by the right-hand door; avoid: Sitting with your back to an altar; climbing statues for photos
- Photos: Ask first, especially in minority villages; avoid: Paying children for photos — it keeps them out of school
- Home visit: Shoes off; bring fruit, tea or sweets; accept at least a drink; avoid: Pointing your feet at people or the family altar
- Beckoning: Palm down, fingers waving towards you; avoid: Curling one finger — it is used for animals
Scams and watch-outs
- Ferry and speedboat schedules change with the season and weather: check the day before.
- Few English menus: point at dishes.
Safe; ordinary big-city traffic.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Hai Phong yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Ferries to Cát Bà
- Bánh đa cua (crab noodle soup)
- French-era opera house
- Flame trees in May–June
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Vietnam National Authority of Tourism: vietnam.travel/
- Wikivoyage — Haiphong: en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Haiphong
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/hai-phong). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.