Vịnh Lan Hạ Rock climbing 298 routes in crag

There are more than 120 sport climbing routes on 13 crags, from 4a to 8a on Cat Ba Island and the beaches of Ha Long Bay. More than 230 deep water solo lines on 24 cliffs, from 4a to 7c+ wait for you in the bay, all in a day trip distance from Cat Ba Town. If you are an independent climber you can explore the crags of the main island Cat Ba on your own, you just need an access pass from Asia Outdoors and a motorbike or bicycle. To explore the sport climbing potential of the bay you will need a basketboat with driver and the access passes for the beaches. Both can be easily organised at the Asia Outdoors shop.

If you are interested in DWS the easiest option is to join one of the Asia Outdoors DWS day trips. Going on your own or with an unlicensed basket boat driver can be potentially dangerous. First of all it is not so easy to find the right crags and secondly you cannot start climbing out of the water, since there is a notch at the base of the cliffs: you'll need a boat. Thirdly, you need intimate knowledge of the cliffs to avoid climbing at too low a tide or hitting one of the underwater rocks. If you are a group of experienced climbers Asia Outdoors will be happy to organise taylor made DWS trips for you.

WHEN TO GO:

There are two main factors to consider when planning a climbing trip to Ha Long Bay. First you should know, that the temperatures vary significantly in the course of a year. The winter months are ideal for sport climbing, when the temperatures are cool (15-20 degrees celcius) and there is only moderate precipitation (5-25 mm a month). The downside of the winter are the unfavourable tides, which make DWS less enjoyable and only occasionally possible. A tide of over 2 meters is necessary to safely DWS in the bay and there are much more days with high tide during the daytime in the summer than in the winter. The downside of the summer months is that the weather is very hot and humid and there is a higher percentage of rainy days. While moderate rain is not a problem for DWS, since most cliffs are overhanging, but it obviously lessens the Ha Long Bay experience.

The ideal time to have fun on Ha Long Bay's DWS and sport climbing cliffs are the spring (April - May) and autumn months (September - November). The weather is generally good and there are generally over 15 days a month where you can DWS. It is recommended to send an email to Asia Outdoors to inquire about the current tides and to time your trip accordingly.

WHAT TO BRING:

Bring as much or as little as you want. You can rent everything from Asia Outdoors or use your own stuff. Inquire at www.asiaoutdoors.com.vn for the current gear rental rates. You can buy or rent the guidebook at the Asia Outdoors shop in Cat Ba or buy it in advance on amazon.com, amazon.co.uk or amazon.de. 


THE GUIDEBOOK:

This is the second rock climbing guidebook printed for the area, following in the footsteps of the 2008 book ‘Vietnam – A Climber’s Guide,’ written and printed by Erik Ferjentsik. Erik is one of the ‘godfathers’ of climbing in the area who, along with Onslo Carrington, came to Ha Long Bay in the mid 2000’s to develop the climbing scene into what it is (and is still being built into) today. The pair also founded Asia Outdoors, at the time known as Slo Pony Adventures. The company remains the local climbing custodian, representative and developer, as well as a go-to place for useful information and trips in the bay. Asia Outdoors is the only licensed rock climbing and deep water soloing company on the island and offers several guided activities including top-rope climbing, kayaking, stand up paddleboarding, yoga, and of course deep water soloing (2016).

This updated guidebook was needed because things have been happening: new sport routes have been bolted– some at entirely new crags– and a plethora of fresh deep water solo lines have been recorded, not all of which will actually fit into the guidebook. The guidebook’s production has been sponsored by Asia Outdoors and has been published in Vietnam in February 2016 and on Amazon in April 2016, making it available across the US and Europe. With details on access and accommodation, the book can be bought in advance of a trip to help in the planning stages. The photography alone is enough to wet any aspiring adventurer’s appetite for a climbing trip to these waters, and the sun, smiles and charm of Vietnam and its wonderful people means this is as unique a place to visit as you’ll ever find.

GUIDEBOOK SPECIFICATIONS:

• 2016 Edition
• 140 pages in colour
• more than 120 sport climbing routes on 13 crags, from 4a to 8a
• more than 230 deep water solo lines on 24 cliffs, from 4a to 7c+
• 30 pages with additional information (climbing pics, maps, access info, rock climbing history, climate and geology, and other useful information)
• 17 GBP, 20 Dollars, 20 Euro

LINKS:

Guidebook excerpt: https://issuu.com/degiorgiluca/docs/halongbay-excerpt

Asia Outdoors website: www.asiaoutdoors.com.vn

Amazon.com link (Also available on Amazon EU and UK): http://www.amazon.com/dp/1523861959/ref=cm_sw_su_dp

Youtube video of dws “Streak of Lightning - 7c+”: