Not only is Halong Bay a natural beauty, but it is also a home to rich cultural life, with a lot of traditional villages living by the waters. In this post, we’ll go to Tung Sau Pearl Farm, a hardworking community that makes a living by raising mussels and producing pearls in the midst of the bay.
About Tung Sau pearl farm
Tung Sau Pearl Farm is a floating village located in the middle of Halong Bay. It’s only 24 kilometres from Tuan Chau Marina and right next to others famous attractions of the bay like Sung Sot Cave or Vung Vieng Village.
Tung Sau Pearl Farm, also known as Halong Pearl Museum, has been owned by Ha Long Pearl Joint Stock corporation since 1995, when it was purchased from a Japanese corporation. Since then, the farm has become a floating village, focusing on cultivating mussels and extracting pearls from them.
When you visit Tung Sau, you will get the opportunity to learn about the process of manufacturing pearls while preserving the environment for long-term business. You’ll find out how hard it is to make a pearl, from the transplant step to the cultivation. Throughout the trip, you’ll also learn about the various types of pearls and how to distinguish a quality pearl from others.
Tung Sau also has a pearl museum that displays the history of the area and the technique of making pearls. It’s also have an official shop where you can buy quality pearls made by experienced and skillful farmers. The price of a pearl at Tung Sau Pearl Farm ranges between $100 and $200 USD, which is reasonable given the complicated and time-consuming procedure of creating them.
Furthermore, a trip to Tung Sau showcases the bay’s stunning beauty. It’s is set in a tranquil setting, with emerald waterways filled with lush trees and islets. The water is also rather peaceful making it easier to take part in activities like kayaking and swimming around the farm.
Overall, visit Tung Sau pearl farm will deliver you an experience of both natural beauty and traditional Halong Bay living styles.
Best time to visit
Like any others areas in Halong Bay, best time to visit Tung Sau is dry season, from October to November. The weather is pretty cool, with average temperature about 18°C to 25°C.
Others period like summers (May to Sep) months should be good too, but prepare to due with the heat as it’s extremely hot.
Getting there
You could visit Tung Sau by many ways, either on your own or joining an overnight cruise.
From Tuan Chau Marina, you can rent a day boat to visit Tung Sau. The cost would be around 30,000vnd (1.5USD) for entrance fee and 800,000vnd – 1,000,000vnd/private boat for 4 hours.
Another convenient option is to book an overnight cruise. Many overnight cruises in Halong Bay include a stop to Tung Sau Pearl Farm as part of their itinerary. The cost might be a bit higher than a day boat, from 110 USD to 200 USD for 1 night on board, with all food, rooms, and entrance tickets included. The good thing is that this option not only takes you to Tung Sau but also to other beauties of the bay as well.
Check out some cruises that visit the pearl farm here:
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Rita Cruise
From: $145Destination: Lan Ha Bay – Halong Bay – Cat Ba Island
Free Kayaking, Private Balcony
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Sena Cruise
From: $134Destination: Halong – Lan Ha Bay – Cat Ba Island
2023 promotion – Only $130/person with free kayaking!
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Scarlet Pearl Cruise
From: $165Destination: Halong – Lan Ha Bay – Dark & Bright Cave
Superb Early Bird Promotion – Only $170/person
More photos
Last updated: 17th Dec 2023
