Bai Tho Mountain, also known as Poem Mountain, is the best Viewpoint in Halong Bay. This lookout is only for the most adventurous traveler. The official path has been closed to the public due to the climb becoming unsafe. However, that doesn’t stop the backpackers of today doing anything they can to reach the summit.
The climb to the Halong Bay secret viewpoint involves bribing, puppies, rock climbing, blood, sweat, and tears. If you’re ready for the best view in Ha Long Bay, then you’re in the right place
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🔎 How to find the hidden entrance
🧗🏼 How to climb Bai Tho Mountain
⁉️ FAQ’S
What To Expect At Bai Tho Mountain
The initial hunt for the Halong Bay viewpoint secret entrance is very exciting, it is what we imagine traveling to be like before the internet. Expect to bribe a homeowner, go through her house and scale a rock face. All of that is just the start of the climb.
Once you begin the hike, the path consists of stairs until halfway up. From there it is rocks which you have to climb over, which can be difficult. The whole ordeal is completely worth it. You are rewarded with the best view of Halong Bay at the top.
Once you reach a small building, you can climb onto the roof, please take extra care when doing this, it is totally worth doing. It was the best view of Halong Bay we have witness. You will see the limestone formations and the tiny boats below, it is honestly the best experience we did in Vietnam.
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How To Find The Secret Bai Tho Mountain Entrance 🔎
The entrance to Bai Tho Mountain or Poem Mountain as it is also known as can be found here.
Find the blue door pictured below, this is the entrance to the house that will lead you to the Halong Bay Viewpoint. There will be a few dogs behind the door so be careful.
Most locals will know why you are there and will point you in the right direction. Look for the barking dogs!
We read a lot about the scary dogs but the owner came out to calm them down. The only reason the dogs are barking so much is because she had given birth to puppies the day before. She was being a protective muma!
There are several puppies as you walk through the house and one even joins some climbers on the hike. We got to the top and a group of backpackers had the owner’s dog guiding the way.
inside the house, up the stairs keep walking through.
We walked through the house, into the garden, and found the homeowner. We paid her 1000,000 VND [$3.38] and she was not open to anything lower. As we were shocked we had got this far so we happily paid her.
Not only did this make her happy but she helped us climb up. Without her help, I (Milly) wouldn’t have been able to do this climb. As we got to the wall other people were turning back, claiming it was too difficult for them to do.
The old gate which people used to climb around to the left.
Previously there was a gate to the left which most people climbed around. Since then the government has placed barbed wire around the edge to stop people doing this. This has resulted in people scaling the rock face and UNDER the gate, which someone has kindly cut a hole in.
How To Climb Bai Tho Mountain 🧗🏼
The first step was to bribe the homeowner, the next step is the rock face. You will have to scale this wall and slide under the fence at the top. If you are lucky like us, the homeowner will come and help you get up.
When I started to climb, she grabbed my legs and put my feet into the right holes. She also pushed me up until she couldn’t reach me anymore. I stupidly wore a playsuit, so she got a great view while I was climbing up. She was amazing and without her help, I wouldn’t have been able to climb this wall.
She doesn’t speak a word of English which is why she is very hands-on, but she wears gloves!
Once you have climbed up the 4m wall, the next step is to slide under a barbed-wire fence. The hole isn’t too big so we would recommend taking a small bag. On the way back down, we had to take it off completely and throw it down.
This is the view once you have climbed through the fence.
The final step is to climb up the stairs. The ground can be uneasy so take care where you are stepping. Halfway up, the stairs stop and the path consists of rocks which you will have to climb over.
Last but not least, The famous green roof. The building at the top is where you can climb onto and watch the world go by. This green roof has been made famous by Instagram and it is the place to get a great photo. Equally, if you keep climbing up to the radio mask, there is a rock most people sit on to get great photos too.
The Best Halong Bay Viewpoint ⛰️
The photos really do speak for themself as to how amazing this viewpoint in Halong Bay is. Even though this was a tough climb for me, I was so proud of my self for completing it. Even though we looked exhausted and defeated at the top, we didn’t care that we were dripping with sweat.
The green roof was a lot easier to climb onto than we expected. It is very dangerous, which is why Olly climbed on first, to help me over. Once we got on the roof it became very windy, so we couldn’t move the tripod any higher.
We sat on the edge and watched the eagles sore below us. It was insane to be the same height as these birds we had admired from the ground.
Things To Be Aware Of When Climbing Bai Tho Mountain ☠️
↠ The climb to the Halong Bay secret viewpoint depends on your personal fitness level. We read it could take anything between 20 minutes to an hour to reach the top. It took us two hours from start to finish, which included sitting at the top for a while and taking photos. Give yourself enough time to get up and back down before it’s dark. You do not want to climb back down in the dark.
↠ Another thing to beware of is the house you must walk through to reach the Halong Bay Viewpoint is someone’s home. She might not always want people walking in and out so don’t be alarmed if she turns you away. We had no problem with her but we have read others have.
↠ This climb can be dangerous, the rocks are not secure and there are very steep drop-offs. Don’t do this alone but if you are planning to, then tell someone where you are going.
↠ Make sure you bring plenty of water! Like anywhere in Vietnam it is hot and humid and hiking up a mountain makes it that much worse.
Check out our Hoi An Travel Guide Here.
Climbing Bai Tho Mountain (Poem Mountain) FAQ’S⁉️
- How do I get to Bai Tho Mountain? Simply order a grab to this location. Once here, find the blue house to enter and up the stairs.
- What do I wear to climb Bai Tho Mountain? Wear trainers and clothes you don’t mind getting dirty.
- Is it hard to climb Bai Tho Mountain? The initial rock climb is hard but doable. The walk-up is also doable, but take your time and don’t rush.
- How long does it take to get up to the Halong Bay Viewpoint? It took us an hour and a half to climb up, sit at the top, take photos, and get back down again.
- How much do I need to bribe the homeowner? This really depends on her mood, we paid 100,000VND each, others have paid less.
Where To Stay In Halong Bay
A lot of people who visit Halong Bay not stay within the town as they are here for a cruise, and will be sleeping on a boat. But if you want to visit Bai Tho Mountain you will most likely end up staying in Halong Town. Here are some accommodation options in Halong Bay.
Best Time To Visit
The best time to visit Vietnam is in the dry season. Typically the dry season in Vietnam is between November – February, the temperature is a little cooler and their humidity and mosquitos are a lot less intense.
Things To Do In Halong Bay
There is so much to do in Halong Bay, most of which involve boat tours around the bay. We have listed some of our favorite things we did.
Getting Around
Vietnam is very easy to get around, from riding a motorbike across the country to using the extensive bus and train networks. Not only is an affordable but a lot of the time, “notice we didn’t say ALWAYS”, they are efficient and on time. We like to use 12Go to get around Vietnam and most of Asia. You can easily book online and check all of the bus and train time tables.
Wifi and Sim Card’s
If you are spending a long time in Vietnam then you are going to want to stay connected. The free Wifi you find in restaurants and hotels is reliable. But when you are out exploring having data on your phone is a must. We order out Sim Cards online so it is ready and waiting for us when we arrive.
Pin Our Bai Tho Mountain Guide For Later!
What Camera Gear Do We Use
- Main Camera: Panasonic G80
- Go To Lens: Panasonic 12-60mm
- Tripod: Manfrotto Adventure Tripod
- Camera Bag: Manfrotto Backpack
- Underwater Camera: GoPro Hero 8
- Drone: DJI Mavic Pro 2
- Power Bank: Anker Power Bank
- Hardrive: WD 1TB hard drive
Other Vietnam Travel Guides
You guys nailed the photos up here! I was literally dripping in sweat and so red faced 😂 It has to be one of the best viewpoints in Vietnam!
Author
We 100% agree with you in the one. All the sweat is well worth it for that amazing view.