Situated in the heart of Halong Bay, the Ti Top Island lies around 8 Km from the Bai Chay Harbour. It is a popular vacation spot with numerous high-end resorts, restaurants, bars, and hotels. Also known as Titov Island, the island's highlight is the gorgeous views of Halong Bay. The island is also famous for its palm-fringed Ti Top Beach. Enjoy a swim, kayak, or snorkel session while you're here.
Before being named Cat Nang Island, Ti Top was once known as ‘Graveyard Island’ after a French ship got shipwrecked near the island, and all of its crew members died in that incident. To enjoy the stunning 360-view of Halong Bay, few-hundred steep steps to Tip Top Mountain must be climbed, but the view is worth the effort.
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Etymology
Ti Top Island has been named after the legendary Russian cosmonaut Gherman Stepanovich Titov, who accompanied the then President Ho Chi Minh to visit the island in 1962. Compassioned by the beauty of the island and hospitality of Vietnamese people, Titov promised to return to the island, which he fulfilled 35 years later in 1997. Thus, as a gesture of friendship between Russia and Vietnam, the island was named as Ti Tov Island, or Ti Top Island in his honour.
Things to Do at Ti Top Island
Kayaking: Hop on to the kayaks and try to maintain balance while swimming across the emerald green waters of the Halong Bay. However, it is advised to avoid going into the waters during and around high tides.
Parachuting: Board the private jets to take a parachuting dive over the Halong Bay and the Ti Top Island and add some thrill and adventure to the trip.
Sightseeing: Climb the 400 steps of Ti Top Island to the observation deck and capture some marvellous views of Halong Bay with the tiny islands nearby popping up in the distance!
View of Halong Bay from Ti Top Observation Deck (Source)
Best Time to Visit
Ti Top Island witnesses a large number of tourists, both local and international, during June to July and December to February. It is advised to plan a trip in the off–season months of April to May and August to October. During the off–season, there is the advantage of reduced hotel and travel prices along with less crowd, making the entire trip under a limited budget.
How To Reach Ti Top Island
Ti Top Island is situated around 8 km towards the south–east direction of Halong Bay. To reach the island, opt for either of the following modes of transportation:
Public Boats: There are public boats leaving from the Ha Long mainland for Ti Top Island. These are the cheapest, but the length of journey is around 6 hours, which is considerably longer than any other type of waterway transportation.
Tourism Boat: Tourism boats leave along Route No. 2 for Ti Top Island for an overnight stay at the island. From the Ha Long mainland, one can find plenty of tourism boat operators leaving for the island.
Cruise: If planning for a long trip of which Ti Top Island is a stoppage point, it is advised to book cruise tickets in advance for the same.
Sea Plane: If wanting to capture a top view of Ti Top Island, book a sea plane from Tuan Chau Island. Witness the beauty of the island and the Halong Bay from a height of around 300 meters above the ground level.
