Quang Ninh’s ambitious bid to reimagine Ha Long Bay as a year-round haven
The northern province of Quang Ninh has embarked on a bold endeavor, approving a four-month tourism campaign proposed by Ha Long Sun Ltd. Co., a subsidiary of the Sun Group, to rekindle the charm of Ha Long Bay in the final months of 2025.
Ha Long Sun outlined a series of events designed to shake off seasonal slumps, and turn Ha Long Bay into a safe, vibrant, year-round destination. It aims to revive Quang Ninh’s tourism scene after tough times, luring domestic travellers with a constellation of fireworks displays, cultural performances, and culinary showcases. Central to the plan is the transformation of Ha Long Bay into a “sleepless tourism hub”, a night-time economy that could cement Quang Ninh’s status as “northern Vietnam’s biggest tourism epicenter” in a new growth phase.
The campaign’s centerpiece is a series of weekly fireworks displays, scheduled every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday from August 16 to December 31, at Sun Carnival Square. These pyrotechnic spectacles are designed to dazzle, broadcasting a clear message that “Ha Long is always vibrant, welcoming visitors year-round”. The company will also sponsor venues for major festivals, including “Dragon Bay Takes Flight,” “Dragon Bay Surfs the Waves,” “Dragon Bay Gathers,” “Dragon Bay Shines,” and the Ha Long Foodtour culinary market, while driving media campaigns and resource mobilisation.
The provincial People’s Committee and the Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism were proposed to oversee music and dance performances tied to the fireworks events and the Ha Long Foodtour market. They should also steer monthly themed festivals, such as a kite-flying fest in September, a boat racing showdown in October, a celebration of Quang Ninh’s ethnic diversity in November, and a Christmas and New Year blowout in December.
Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Pham Duc An underscored an aggressive promotion strategy to project Quang Ninh as a vibrant, four-season tourism destination that thrives both day and night, saying that the province must shed the constraints of short-term visits and seasonal lulls, forging a nightlife economy that is distinctly its own.
This year, Quang Ninh targets 20 million visitors, including 4.5 million foreigners, with around VND55 trillion (US$2.11 billion) in tourism cash on the line.
Tourists return to Quang Ninh following natural disaster
Tourism in Quang Ninh is rebounding after a temporary decline following the capsising of a tourist boat in Ha Long Bay during a squall on July 19, largely thanks to enhanced tourism safety and promotion efforts.
