Mong Cai

Mong Cai is a coastal town on the Chinese border in Vietnam. Its Chinese neighbor is Dongxing. You would probably consider Mong Cai only at most as a stopping point during your journey from China to Ha Long Bay or from Vietnam to China. However, it is a pleasant town, and the nearby Trà Cổ Peninsula has one of northeastern Vietnam's few good beaches that can be accessed by road (without taking a ferry boat). == Get in == === From Dongxing, China === If you wish to come to Viernam from Dongxing, the customary manner to do this is by walking. You may leave your car or motorbike on Chinese side for a few yuans. Then you cross the border by walking and take a motorbike taxi or similar to your destination. === From Nanning, China === See the instructions at Ha Long Bay#Get in. == Get around == == See == == Do == Visit the nearby Trà Cổ Peninsula, with its mostly uncrowded 15-km long beach, and a lovely Gothic church. The main tourist area on the peninsula, Trà Cổ town, with hotels and restaurants, is less than 10 km from Mong Cai; bus service is available. == Buy == As this is a border city to a richer neighbor, you can use also Chinese Renminbi here. == Eat == == Drink == Just a few meters away from the border crossing there is a nice cafeteria with comfortable chairs and reasonable prices (30k coffee) called U-Tea. == Sleep == Plenty of hotels within several blocks from the border crossings. As of January 2017, prices start from around 250,000 dong (around $12). 1 LiLai International Hotel, 69A, Tue Tinh Street. == Go next == Dongxing, China (东兴): at Dongxing, just across the border, you can take a high-speed train to Nanning or Guangzhou. There are also sleeper buses to Guangzhou and Shenzhen. Fangchenggang, China (防城港): A short bus or train ride from Dongxing can take you to the port city of Fangchenggang, which has a ferry service to Haikou on Hainan Island.