Ha Long Bay hosts heritage marathon from 20 to 22 November

Ha Long Bay will host the Halong Bay Heritage Marathon from 20 to 22 November 2026, linking an international road race with the natural heritage of Ha Long in Vietnam. The official race day is 22 November, while the wider programme runs across the three-day period.

The event is staged along the coastal route beside the bay and has a start and finish at the Quang Ninh Planning, Fair and Exhibition Palace. The race gives the November programme a direct connection to the limestone seascape rather than using the bay only as a backdrop.

Halong Bay Heritage Marathon runs from 20 to 22 November

The organising committee says the 2026 edition will take place from 20 to 22 November, with competition on 22 November. The organiser describes the event as a regular November race at Ha Long Bay and identifies Ha Long City in Quang Ninh Province as its setting. The organiser lists the 2026 dates.

Four race distances are planned: 42.195 kilometres, 21.0975 kilometres, 10 kilometres and 5 kilometres. The race retains the World Athletics Label, and the event owner and organiser is DHA Vietnam, as reported by DTiNews. Race details and venue were published in an English-language report.

Ha Long Bay gives the marathon its coastal setting

UNESCO places Ha Long Bay in Quang Ninh Province on the Gulf of Tonkin. The site contains limestone islands and islets shaped into pillars, towers and caves by long-running karst and marine processes. It entered the World Heritage List in 1994 as a natural site. UNESCO describes the bay as a limestone seascape with a drowned-karst formation.

That setting explains the relationship between the race and the landmark: runners use the coastal roads beside the heritage landscape, while the bay remains a natural site rather than a built sports venue. The organiser says the course runs through Ha Long City and along coastal roads with views towards the bay.

The closed coastal course shapes the November visit

The course is scheduled to be fully closed in both directions during the race, according to the organiser. This is the practical change for visitors connected directly with the event: movement along the race route will be affected on 22 November, while the start and finish area is at the Quang Ninh Planning, Fair and Exhibition Palace.

The event combines the main race day with the wider 20 to 22 November programme. The organiser expects an international field, and the published distances range from a 5-kilometre race to the full marathon, giving the event several separate competition formats rather than a single road distance.

Visiting Ha Long Bay: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• The Halong Bay Heritage Marathon runs from 20 to 22 November 2026, with the official race day on 22 November and the start and finish at the Quang Ninh Planning, Fair and Exhibition Palace.
• The coastal course is scheduled to close in both directions during the race, so visitors should expect changed access along the route on 22 November.
• Ha Long Bay lies in Quang Ninh Province on the Gulf of Tonkin, and the event course follows coastal roads beside the bay.
• Vietnamese is the official language and the national currency is the Vietnamese dong.
• Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.

Searching for Ha Long Bay on social platforms

These links open searches for Ha Long Bay on each platform.

Frequently asked questions about Ha Long Bay

When does the Halong Bay Heritage Marathon take place at Ha Long Bay?

The 2026 programme runs from 20 to 22 November, with the official race day on 22 November.

Where is Ha Long Bay and how do you get there?

Ha Long Bay is in Quang Ninh Province on the Gulf of Tonkin, and the marathon venue is the Quang Ninh Planning, Fair and Exhibition Palace in Ha Long City.

What is Ha Long Bay?

It is a natural World Heritage site with limestone islands, pillars, towers and caves shaped by marine and karst processes.