Guide to Squid Fishing in Halong Bay from A to Z

Halong Bay, the priceless jade in North Vietnam, attracts millions of tourists every year not only due to the gorgeous appearance of the seascapes but also thanks to the authentic and exciting experiences you can have there. Besides the familiar activities in Halong Bay such as cruising, kayaking or swimming, in recent years, squid fishing in Halong Bay is one of the activities hunted by visitors. Halong squid fishing requires patience, attention and a little luck, and its reward can be extremely sweet. Thus, squid fishing in Halong Bay is always among the top favorite activities of tourists when traveling to this world heritage site.

Contents

I. Why Squid Fishing in Halong Bay?

Spending at least one night in a luxury or just a simple boat in Halong Bay, what comes to your mind and what will you do to make your night much more memorable? Here we introduce the top things to do in Halong: Quid fishing at night.

Squid fishing is the most fascinating activity and wonderful pleasure at night of the Halong Bay Tours that every tourist wants to experience once in a lifetime. Joining this unique part, tourists are provided with endurable fishing rods and racquets so that they can keenly use them to catch squids. As a matter of fact, tourists must be excited to clearly witness light-drunken schools of squids lazily hovering around; and then step by step each squid is attracted and picked up, remaining totally fresh and striving in vain while being put in buckets. In particular, during the squid season, it would be common to see large schools of squids surrounding the cruiser and each tourist may catch around 30 squids for each night.

Then another remarkable activity is coming up as follow when all the squids caught will be used to make delicious dishes. This is also an ideal time to admire Halong bay by night when the seawater is glittering with mirrored light from cruises anchored on the bay. Making dishes from squids, tourists are extremely fond of boiled whole squids because when eating, they can enjoy the whole fresh taste of this yummy seafood.

II. What is Special about Squid Fishing in Halong Bay?

Squid fishing is among the most favorable experiences in Halong Bay that everyone coming to this seascape looks forward to. Many tourists suppose that squid fishing in Halong Bay is a way to try your luck since this activity requires a lot of effort and attention. But the result of squid fishing can be extremely satisfying if you can catch fresh squids and cook them into mouth-watering dishes.

To catch the squids, you need the specialized fishing rods and man-made bait. The fishing rods are made of bamboo or metal to ensure its firm and flexibility. Unlike the bait that we often use to catch fish, the hook of squid fishing is artificial bait in the shape of small shrimp to attract the squid. White flash-light is also necessary because it helps to draw the attention of the squids.

In the fishing trip, you need to sail the boat to a tranquil water area, where schools of squids might pass by. Then you turn on the flashlight, shine it into the sea water and drop the fishing rod. The hooks look like alive shrimps, which deceives the squids and make them gather around your boat. The hungry squids might mistake the bait for its food and bite the bait. All you need to do then is pull up the fishing rod and catch the squid with a basket.

According to the experience of the local fishermen, the nights without moonlight are the best time to go squid fishing in Halong Bay. In North Vietnam, you cannot catch squid during daytime. At nights with a bright moon, the squids can see the way easily and will not gather around your boat when you turn the light on. Therefore, the crescent moon of the lunar month is the best condition for squid fishing in Halong Bay.

Squids in Halong Bay are not as large as these ones in Central and Southern Vietnam, and they are in two-finger size only. During its breeding season, the squids are larger and easier to catch. If the conditions allow, one tourist can fish up to one kilogram squid a night. That must be an impressive fruit in the night squid fishing journey. These fresh squids are cooked into a variety of tasty dishes by frying, steaming, stirring, grilling and boiling. However, fresh squids grilled on charcoal fire is the best since this cooking method can remove its fishy smell and retain the original flavor of the squids.

During the squid fishing journey in Halong Bay, you can get a good opportunity to contemplate the alluring beauty of Halong Bay at night. In the dark night, the sky is like a black velvet carpet adorned by the sparkling light of thousands of stars. The mysterious darkness is no longer scary, and you can listen to the water sound, feel the cool breeze and breathe in the fresh atmosphere.

In the past, to go squid fishing in Halong Bay, you had no choice but to join the fishing boat of the local fishermen. Now, plenty of high-class cruises in Halong Bay offer squid fishing as a complementary activity in their itinerary. Therefore, more and more tourists can get access to these exciting activities in Halong Bay.

III. Cruises for Squid Fishing in Halong Bay

Actually, almost all overnight cruises in Halong Bay, Lan Ha Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay consist of squid fishing in their program. This activity is not available on the day tour, so you should notice this. Joining a cruise to Halong Bay, besides squid fishing, you can take part in numerous interesting experiences in Halong Bay such as kayaking, cycling, trekking, sightseeing and snorkeling.

The cruises in Halong Bay are all equipped with fishing rods for passengers to participate in squid fishing in Halong Bay at night. The experienced cruise teams will guide you as well as ensure the best condition for you to enjoy a squid fishing trip in Halong Bay. Thus, if you are considering a suitable itinerary for your trip to Halong Bay, an overnight cruise is the best selection for you.

Here are some of the top cruises for you to go squid fishing in Halong Bay:

IV. Best Time for Squid Fishing in Halong Bay

Tourists visiting Halong Bay can take part in squid fishing in Halong Bay any season of the year, but if you get there in the breeding season of squids, your chance to catch more squids is higher. According to the experience of local fishermen, the squid season in Halong Bay often occurs from late autumn to early spring, which lasts from September to February. The breeding season of squid reaches its peak in early winter, which is from October to November. This is also the tourism season in this destination. The squid size during this period is also larger than normal, so don’t miss this chance to experience squid fishing in Halong Bay.

The weather at night in Halong during squid season is quite cold at night, so remember to wear a jacket or a coat when going outside. If the temperature is below 10 Celsius degrees, you had better stay on your cruise to avoid catching a cold. Besides, you should not go squid fishing in Halong Bay in the rough sea as this can be really dangerous.

In addition to the period mentioned above, you can visit Halong Bay from March to June, which is a favorable condition for you to enjoy outdoor activities. The weather during this time is quite mild and the heavy rain has not been frequent yet. Avoid some stormy days in July and August. Your cruise might be canceled or shortened due to the cruising conditions to ensure all passengers’ safety.

VI. Extra Tips

To catch squid in Halong Bay, it would be better for you to go fishing at night without moonlight and rain. Foggy conditions are also favorable for squid fishing in Halong Bay.
Your fishing trip ought to start at 8 PM and end at 10 or 11 PM.
Remember to prepare all necessary equipment for squid fishing, including fishing rod, artificial baits, flashlight and basket.
Your fishing rod to catch squids needs to be from 2 to 3 meters, and the fishing line is about 25 to 30 meters.
Bring a thin coat or a jacket when going outside. The night in Halong Bay might be relatively cold.
The best season to go squid fishing in Halong Bay is from September to February, which is the breeding season of squids in Halong Bay.
Wear a life jacket all the time when you are on a fishing boat. Follow the instructions of the cruise members to ensure your safety.

Squid fishing in Halong Bay is not just a livelihood of the local fishermen, it is also a pleasure activity for tourists visiting this landscape. What can be more thrilling than enjoying a night on Halong Bay with your fishing rod, chilling out in the splendid scenery, catching some squids and cooking them into your favorite dishes? Don’t waste your time doing nothing at night in Halong Bay, join a fishing boat or cruise to experience this amazing activity.