Ti Top Island, Halong Bay - The Beautiful Gift of Mother Nature

Ti Top (Titov), an island of dreams with a beach shaped like a crescent moon, is a popular tourist attractions in Halong Bay, Vietnam. It offers a lot of alluring landscapes to admire and plenty of relaxing activities to do during your visit.

Behind this tiny island is a moving story. It used to have the honor of receiving a visit from a hero of the former Soviet Union named Ghermann Titov and Vietnamese President Ho Chi Minh in 1962. To memorize this trip, Uncle Ho named this island Ti Top. 35 years later, in 1997, he was deeply moved when returning to the island having his name. In the souvenir book of the Management Board of Halong Bay, he wrote “My deepest thanks to destiny, which has allowed me to come back to this tiny island.” And now, it has become an attractive beach for many visitors.

Best Time to Visit Ti Top Island

Ti Top Island and its beach are year-round tourist attractions. The first peak season lasts from June to July attracting most of the Vietnamese and Asian travelers. The second one runs from December to February where it is mostly visited by European and American visitors. If you are considering visiting the island during the second peak season, please note that prices are generally higher than other seasons.

The busiest times are some festivals such as Tet holiday, 30^th April (Reunification Day), 1^st Day (International Workers’ Day), and 2^nd September (Independence Day).

How Many Steps to Reach the Top of Ti Top Island?

Formerly known as Cat Nang island, Ti Top Island offers the best view of the whole Halong Bay, but you need to climb more than 400 steps staircase to reach its peak.

It takes you about 30 minutes up and down to the observatory deck. 

What to Do at Ti Top Island?

Ti Top is one of the most beautiful islands in Halong Bay. Located on the southeast of the bay, it is about 7 kilometers from Bai Chay port. There is Bo Hon island in the front and Dam Nam islet on the right of the island. 

Cannot wait to discover this island by yourself? Then let us reveal some of the best things to do at Ti Top island:

1. Swimming at Ti Top Beach

Ti Top beach is the main highlight of the island. It takes the shape of a crescent moon. Though not as big as other beaches, it wins the visitors’ hearts by its quiet and airy atmosphere and breathtaking landscape. It boasts pristine white sand, clear water, and small waves, which makes it an ideal place for swimming. 

Near the beach, there is a bar providing swimming costumes, floats, and lukewarm shower. Swimming at Ti Top beach is really relaxing. Especially when summer comes, it becomes more beautiful and is well worth a visit to cool off. When you spend your day at the beach and want to take a deckchair, you will be asked to buy some food or drink, otherwise, you will have to pay for the seat. After swimming, you can sample fresh seafood specialties under immense sky and sunshine. 

2. See Panorama View of Halong Bay from Ti Top Peak

Halong Bay is made up of many stunning limestone karsts, beautiful islands, creating islands, and peaks all throughout the bay. There are many ideal spots to climb and see a gorgeous view of the land and sea. That’s why most visitors to Halong Bay expect to see panorama view of Halong Bay from above. And, Ti Top peak is a popular point to be chosen. To reach the gazebo at the top, you must walk up over 400 steps. You can ask local people and they will be happy to point you the right way to the top. 

However, this activity is not recommended for people with health issues. 400 steps could be a little challenging with the narrow paths, but the view is worth it. You can climb in the morning and swim afterwards. 

From the top of Ti Top Island, you will get one of the most comprehensive and gorgeous views of Halong Bay. Though it is a steep walk, it’s worth bringing a decent camera and taking advantage of all the wonderful sights from the blue sea down there to the birds flying up high in the immerse sky.

3. Kayaking and Snorkeling

For those who are looking to get a little more active, kayaking and snorkeling tours are an offer for you. Ti Top Island has a clean sandy beach called Cat Nang which is a perfect spot for these activities. The area is home to rich marine life so snorkeling in the island is a top choice for water lovers and marine enthusiasts while kayaking is a great way to start exploring the surrounding areas on your own pace, accessing some of the harder areas to reach parts of the coastline that you cannot reach with the tour boats.  

4. Join a Seaplane Tour

Many tourists are deeply interested in seaplane tours that are opened recently. These tours let you soar through the sky above clear waters, green rainforests, and towering limestone mountain of the UNESCO-listed landscape. The seaplane departure from Tuan Chau island at 300 meters high so visitors can do sightseeing. You will have an opportunity to admire some islands and islets such as Bo Hon and Cong Do. Then it will stop on Ti Top island. For one flight, you may pay around 1 to 2 million dongs for 1 person. Though expensive, it’s worth experiencing Halong bay in a different way from above.

How to Get to Ti Top Island?

If you want to travel to Ti Top island from Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, there are 4 main means of transports you can choose: motorbike, coach, shuttle bus, and private car. Each one has its own advantages and disadvantages.

It takes about 2.5 hours to get to Halong bay from Hanoi by car. Then, to get to Ti Top island, it is recommended for tourists to travel by boat or book a tourism boat so you can stay on the island for a night. Another choice is taking a seaplane to the island for the top view from Tuan Chau island.

Ti Top Island Hotels, Villas & Resorts 

Some hotels, villas & resorts are highly recommended for you:

• Helenhalong Hotel (9.5 km from Ti Top island)

Address: No 1,2 – D8 –  Tran Quoc Nghien street, Halong city

• Whisper Nature Bungalow & Resort (7.9 km from Ti Top island)

Address: Viet Hai village, Cat Ba

• Lotus Homestay (7.7 km from Ti Top island)

Address: Viet Hai village, Cat Ba

• Dan Truong family (9.2 km from Ti Top island)

Address: Hamlet 2, Gia Luan commune, Cat Ba

Tips on Visiting Ti Top Island

Don’t miss these tips when you plan to visit Ti Top island:

• You can rent a Kayak for 2 people to explore the island for 150.000 VND/ hour
• You should bring some food and drink before visiting Ti Top island
• Don’t forget to bring suncream, especially when you come here in the summer, because it’s always full of sunshine.
• Follow the steps and instructions when you want to climb up to the gazebo at the top so you can keep yourself and other visitors safe.
• Bring your camera so you can record the moments when you are here.

Ti Top island is a great place to go to enjoy a relaxing day by getting a great view of Halong Bay and interesting activities on the beach. If you are planning a cruise on the bay, make sure that it is on your itinerary because it won’t let you disappointed.