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[edit]

From Dongxing, China[edit]

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[edit]

See the instructions at Ha Long Bay#Get in.

Get around[edit]

See[edit]

Do[edit]

• 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[edit]

As this is a border city to a richer neighbor, you can use also Chinese Renminbi here.

Eat[edit]

Drink[edit]

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[edit]

Plenty of hotels within several blocks from the border crossings. As of January 2017, prices start from around 250,000 dong (around $12).

• 21.5295107.96451 LiLai International Hotel, 69A, Tue Tinh Street. 

Go next[edit]

• Dongxing
• Hekou, China (河口): at Dongxing, you can take a bus to Nanning, a sleeper bus to Guangzhou, or a sleeper bus to Shenzhen. A much shorter bus ride takes you to Fangchenggang, the closest city with a train service.