Where to Eat in Halong

Halong's dining culture is defined by its coastal location on the Gulf of Tonkin, where fresh seafood dominates every meal and floating restaurants offer dining experiences directly on the bay's emerald waters. The local cuisine centers on Vietnamese seafood specialties like chả mực (grilled squid cakes), sò huyết nướng mỡ hành (grilled blood clams with scallion oil), and ngán (horseshoe crab) prepared in multiple styles that you won't find inland. Chinese influences from nearby Guangxi province blend with traditional Vietnamese cooking techniques, creating dishes like sam biển hấp gừng (steamed sea worm with ginger) and bánh gật gù (nodding cake), while the dining scene ranges from bustling seafood markets where vendors cook your selection on-site to elegant cruise ship restaurants serving multi-course Vietnamese feasts.

• Bai Chay Tourist Area: The main dining district along Halong Road features dozens of seafood restaurants with live tanks displaying the day's catch, where prices range from 150,000-400,000 VND per person for full meals including multiple seafood dishes, rice, and vegetables, with higher prices during peak summer months (June-August).
• Floating Seafood Markets: Unique to Halong Bay, vendors in small boats approach cruise ships and docked vessels selling live seafood that they'll cook immediately using portable grills—expect to pay 200,000-300,000 VND for grilled squid, steamed mantis shrimp, or boiled razor clams prepared while you wait on the water.
• Signature Local Dishes: Beyond standard Vietnamese fare, Halong specializes in ốc hương hấp (steamed sea snails served with ginger fish sauce), bào ngư nướng mỡ hành (grilled abalone with scallion oil), and cá song nướng muối ớt (grilled grouper with salt and chili), with most restaurants pricing seafood by weight at 300,000-800,000 VND per kilogram depending on species and season.
• Night Market Dining: The Halong Night Market on Halong Road operates 18:00-23:00 daily, offering street food stalls where grilled seafood skewers cost 20,000-50,000 VND each, bánh bèo (steamed rice cakes) sell for 5,000 VND per piece, and vendors prepare nem cua bể (fried sea crab spring rolls) for 30,000 VND per portion.
• Cruise Dining Experience: Most overnight bay cruises include set menus featuring 6-8 courses of Vietnamese seafood dishes served family-style between 12:00-13:30 for lunch and 19:00-20:30 for dinner, with fresh catches like cua hấp bia (beer-steamed crab) and tôm sú nướng (grilled tiger prawns) prepared onboard by chefs who adjust menus based on morning market availability.

• Reservations and Timing: Halong restaurants typically don't require reservations except during Vietnamese holidays (Tết in January-February, National Day on September 2) and summer weekends when domestic tourists