Things to do in Hải Phòng between dental appointments

The best things to do in Hải Phòng start in the old centre: the opera house, the French-era streets around it, the city museum and the Hàng Kênh communal house. Further out, there's the beach at Đồ Sơn, and offshore lie Cát Bà Island and Lan Hạ Bay, which belong to the city. The Cát Bà archipelago is about 30 km from the centre, according to the city government.Trusted SourceHai Phong Department of FinanceCat Ba archipelagoView source On a dental trip, keep the city sights for treatment days and save Cát Bà, boat trips and swimming for before treatment or after your dentist says you've healed.

Who this guide is for

Hải Phòng is a port city in northern Vietnam, and most patients here fall into two groups:

• People having treatment at a clinic in Hải Phòng, often overseas Vietnamese with family in the north. See the Hải Phòng city guide and the clinics in Hải Phòng that have passed our checks.
• People treated in Hanoi who want a trip to the coast. The city government puts Hải Phòng about 102 km north-east of Hanoi.Trusted SourceHai Phong City People's Committee (Hai Phong Portal)The English-language information portal of Hai Phong City, Vietnam.View source Our guide to Hạ Long Bay covers the bay next door.

Things to do in Hải Phòng at a glance

Thing to do	What it is	Good around treatment?
The opera house	A French-era theatre completed in 1912Trusted SourceHai Phong City People's Committee (Hai Phong Portal)The English-language information portal of Hai Phong City, Vietnam.View source	Yes, an easy walk in the centre
French-era streets	Streets of French-built villas in the old centreTrusted SourceHai Phong City People's Committee (Hai Phong Portal)The English-language information portal of Hai Phong City, Vietnam.View source	Yes
Hải Phòng Museum	The city museum, in the old centre	Yes, indoors
Hàng Kênh communal house	A communal house about 300 years old, honouring Ngô QuyềnTrusted SourceHai Phong Department of Foreign Affairs (Hai Phong News)Hang Kenh 300-year-old communal house of special architectureView source	Yes
Đồ Sơn	A beach on a small peninsula by the seaTrusted SourceHai Phong City People's Committee (Hai Phong Portal)The English-language information portal of Hai Phong City, Vietnam.View source	On a quiet day, without swimming after surgery
Cát Bà Island	The largest of 367 islands in its archipelagoTrusted SourceHai Phong Department of FinanceCat Ba archipelagoView source	Before treatment or after your final check
Lan Hạ Bay	Limestone islands, beaches and floating villages east of Cát Bà	Once any surgery has healed

Easy outings for treatment days

On appointment days, or the day after a filling or crown fitting, stay in the centre. Distances are short, taxis are easy to find, and there are cafés everywhere for a rest.

The opera house and the French quarter

The opera house is the landmark of the old centre. The city government says building work began in 1904 and finished in 1912.Trusted SourceHai Phong City People's Committee (Hai Phong Portal)The English-language information portal of Hai Phong City, Vietnam.View source

Around it are streets from the French period, and the city government says many streets of French-built villas have kept their original architecture.Trusted SourceHai Phong City People's Committee (Hai Phong Portal)The English-language information portal of Hai Phong City, Vietnam.View source A slow walk here suits a treatment day well.

Hải Phòng Museum

The city museum is in the old centre, close to the opera house. It's indoors, so it works on a hot or rainy afternoon.

Hàng Kênh communal house

This communal house on Nguyễn Công Trứ Street in Lê Chân district is about 300 years old and honours King Ngô Quyền, according to the city's news portal.Trusted SourceHai Phong Department of Foreign Affairs (Hai Phong News)Hang Kenh 300-year-old communal house of special architectureView source Ask at your hotel about festivals or evening events during your stay.

A quiet day out: Đồ Sơn

Đồ Sơn is a beach area on a small peninsula that sticks out into the sea, according to the city government.Trusted SourceHai Phong City People's Committee (Hai Phong Portal)The English-language information portal of Hai Phong City, Vietnam.View source A drive out for sea air and a seafood lunch is fine once you feel well. If you've had an extraction or implant, walk on the sand and leave swimming until your dentist has checked the wound.

Cát Bà Island

Cát Bà is the largest island in an archipelago of 367 islands, covering about 153 km²,Trusted SourceHai Phong Department of FinanceCat Ba archipelagoView source and it's part of Hải Phòng city. Since 2004 the area has been a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, taking in Cát Bà National Park and more than half of Lan Hạ Bay.Trusted SourceHai Phong Department of FinanceCat Ba archipelagoView source UNESCO has since added the Cát Bà archipelago to Hạ Long Bay as one World Heritage Site.Trusted SourceVietnam National Authority of Tourism (vietnam.travel)The official tourism website of Vietnam, run by the Viet Nam National Authority of Tourism.View source

Nearly half the island is national park, with forest trails and viewpoints over the sea.Trusted SourceVietnam National Authority of Tourism (vietnam.travel)The official tourism website of Vietnam, run by the Viet Nam National Authority of Tourism.View source Vietnam's tourism board lists three main beaches, Cát Cò 1, 2 and 3, close to Cát Bà town.Trusted SourceVietnam National Authority of Tourism (vietnam.travel)The official tourism website of Vietnam, run by the Viet Nam National Authority of Tourism.View source The park is home to the Cát Bà langur, a rare primate found only on Cát Bà and listed among the animals at highest risk of extinction.Trusted SourceVietnam National Authority of Tourism (vietnam.travel)The official tourism website of Vietnam, run by the Viet Nam National Authority of Tourism.View source

Getting to Cát Bà means a boat or ferry crossing, and a hike in the national park is a full day on your feet. Both suit the days before treatment starts or the days after your final check. Even then, an overnight stay on the island is more comfortable than a rushed day trip.

Lan Hạ Bay

Lan Hạ Bay lies east of Cát Bà Island and links Cát Bà with Hạ Long Bay.Trusted SourceHai Phong Department of FinanceCat Ba archipelagoView source The city's Department of Finance counts more than 400 islands and 139 small sandy beaches in the bay.Trusted SourceHai Phong Department of FinanceCat Ba archipelagoView source Vietnam's tourism board calls Cát Bà the best destination for kayaking among the limestone islands of Hạ Long Bay.Trusted SourceVietnam National Authority of Tourism (vietnam.travel)The official tourism website of Vietnam, run by the Viet Nam National Authority of Tourism.View source

A day on Lan Hạ Bay means hours in the sun on a boat, often with swimming and kayaking stops. If you've had an extraction, implant surgery or a bone graft, wait until your dentist has checked the wound and says it has healed before you swim or paddle. The NHS says symptoms after a wisdom tooth removal can last up to 2 weeks.Trusted SourceNHSThe website of the National Health Service in England.View source

The UK government advises checking a boat's safety record and registration, getting a full safety briefing and having a life jacket on any boat trip.Trusted SourceUK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development OfficeThe website for the UK government.View source If you'd rather see Hạ Long Bay itself, our Hạ Long Bay guide compares day trips and cruises.

When to wait until you've healed

After an extraction, implant surgery or a bone graft, this is a sensible order to plan in. Your dentist has the final say.

Activity	When to plan it
City walks, museum, opera house	Once you feel well
Đồ Sơn beach walk	Once you feel well
Ferry or boat to Cát Bà	After your dentist's check
Lan Hạ Bay boat day	After your dentist's check
Swimming, kayaking, long hikes	When your dentist says the wound has healed

The trip planner shows where free days usually fall for your treatment, so you can see where Cát Bà fits.

Eating in Hải Phòng after treatment

Bánh đa cua, a crab noodle soup, is one of 10 Vietnamese dishes given an Asian record, according to the city government.Trusted SourceHai Phong City People's Committee (Hai Phong Portal)The English-language information portal of Hai Phong City, Vietnam.View source Let it cool and skip the chilli if your mouth is sore. Rice porridge (cháo), steamed fish and soft fruit are good choices for the first days.

The NHS advises soft or liquid food until you can chew comfortably, and avoiding hard or crunchy food, alcohol and very hot drinks after an extraction.Trusted SourceNHSThe website of the National Health Service in England.View source Leave crab spring rolls, crab shells and grilled squid until later. Our guide to soft food after dental surgery has more ideas.

Weather

Hải Phòng has a cold, dry season from November to April and a rainy season from May to October, according to the city government, with storms often from June to September.Trusted SourceHai Phong City People's Committee (Hai Phong Portal)The English-language information portal of Hai Phong City, Vietnam.View source The UK government says the tropical cyclone season normally runs from May to November.Trusted SourceUK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development OfficeThe website for the UK government.View source If you plan Cát Bà in those months, keep a spare day in case boats don't run. See the best time to visit Vietnam for each region's seasons.

Hải Phòng checklist

• Keep treatment days for the opera house, the French streets, the museum and Hàng Kênh
• Plan Cát Bà before treatment or after your final check
• Wait for your dentist's go-ahead before swimming, kayaking or a long boat day
• Check boat safety and wear a life jacket
• Ask for soft food, and let soups cool
• Keep a spare day in the storm months
• Carry water, your medicines and your clinic's phone number

For the wider region, see our guide to Northern Vietnam.