Open Ticket Buses are the best way to get to Halong City, as you’ll
be dropped somewhere convient. Public buses are quite a lot of
hassle.
Open Ticket Buses
Open ticket bus companies have a morning bus from Hanoi to Bai Chay, which should drop you somewhere convient in Bai Chay.
Public buses
Public buses leave Gia Lam Bus Station every 30 minutes.
The 4 hour journey costs 60,000Dong. This is generally a
rough ride as the crew will get as many people as possible on the bus,
and they’ll drive quickly. They where very keen to push me onto
their bus when I got to the bus station. They’ll expect you to
pay more for your luggage, as it will go inside and take up space.
Once the journey has started they asked me to pay 100,000Dong for
my backpack. I just put my backpack on my lap for the journey and
didn’t pay the extra charge. The bus will drop you on the main
road the passes Halong City, so you’ll have to get a taxi (50,000Dong)
or a motorbike to drop you into Halong City.