Vu Yen (Vũ Yên) Island is worth adding to a Hai Phong trip when you want a modern day of theme-park rides, animals, water activities, golf, or a booked horse experience. It is not a beach island or a traditional village: most visitor attractions belong to the large Royal Island leisure and residential development.
For most international visitors, the clearest plan is one full day at VinWonders Vu Yen. A half-day is enough if you only want the horse academy, Vincom Mega Mall, or an evening walk. The island is spread out, so save the exact name of each venue in your map app and use a taxi, ride-hailing car, or private vehicle between stops.
Choose the right Vu Yen plan
- For families and theme-park visitors: give VinWonders a full day and arrive near the opening time shown for your date.
- For golfers: reserve Vinpearl Golf Hai Phong and treat golf as the main activity, not a quick addition to VinWonders.
- For horse lovers: book a named tour, lesson, or show at Vinpearl Horse Academy before traveling to the island.
- For a short indoor visit: use Vincom Mega Mall Royal Island for shopping, dining, a cinema, and family entertainment.
- For an evening add-on: check the current program at Royal Square and the Vu Yen walking street before setting out.
Vu Yen is less suitable when your priority is Hai Phong’s older neighborhoods, local markets, historic sites, or a quiet natural landscape. If you have only one short day in the city and want local culture, spend that time in central Hai Phong and treat Vu Yen as an optional second day. For beaches, limestone scenery, and hiking, Cat Ba and Lan Ha Bay are the more appropriate destinations.
What to do on Vu Yen Island
VinWonders Vu Yen: allow a full day
VinWonders Vu Yen opened in July 2025 and now operates as a theme park, zoo, water park, dining, and entertainment complex. Its current visitor map highlights these main areas:
- Kingdom of Wild Animals: the zoo and wildlife area.
- Aloha Island World: the water park.
- Warrior Domain: outdoor thrill rides.
- Enchantopia: family and fairy-tale-themed attractions.
- Festival Square and Royal Boulevard: shows, food, shops, and evening atmosphere inside the attraction.
Do not organize the day around one park-wide closing time. Each zone, ride, animal area, restaurant, and show can follow a different schedule, and operations may change with weather or maintenance. Check the schedule attached to your selected date, then visit the zoo early because animal areas commonly close before the rest of the park. Put the water park before late afternoon and leave flexible rides or boulevard time for the end of the day.
Ticket products vary by date, height, and included zones. Some cover only the water park or selected areas, while combination tickets cover more of the complex. Enter every child’s exact height in the official booking process and read the inclusions before paying; do not assume that age alone determines the ticket category. Travelers using a senior rate should bring original photo identification.
Children under 14 and children shorter than 140 centimeters must be accompanied by an adult. Outside food and drinks are generally not permitted, except food for babies or a special diet. Storage is available near the entrance, and tickets are normally valid for one entry on the selected date and are not freely refundable or exchangeable. These rules make it important to choose the right ticket before arrival.
Vinpearl Horse Academy: reserve a specific experience
Vinpearl Horse Academy Vu Yen is a working equestrian venue with more than 100 horses from several breeds. Its bookable activities can include a stable tour, pony program, introductory riding lesson, themed photography, and scheduled performances.
Do not arrive expecting every activity to be available as a casual walk-in. Some programs require advance booking, have age limits, or run only at set times. Select the exact experience first, confirm what equipment is included, and ask for the meeting point inside the academy. A horse experience combines naturally with the mall or an evening walk, but it is not a substitute for a full VinWonders day.
Vinpearl Golf Hai Phong: plan around a tee time
Vinpearl Golf Hai Phong has two 18-hole courses, known as the Lake Course and Marsh Course. The venue also lists a driving range, clubhouse facilities, caddies, and rental equipment. Published tee-time operations run from early morning to late afternoon, but golfers should reserve directly and confirm the day’s course availability, dress requirements, rental needs, and arrival time.
The golf course is a sports venue rather than a general sightseeing stop. If you are not playing, choose VinWonders, the horse academy, the mall, or the public leisure areas instead.
Vincom Mega Mall Royal Island: the reliable indoor option
Vincom Mega Mall Royal Island opened in October 2025. It contains shops, restaurants, cafes, a supermarket, AEON Beta Cinema, and family entertainment. This is the most practical fallback when heavy rain, heat, or a tired child makes outdoor plans uncomfortable.
The mall currently publishes general hours of 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM from Monday to Friday and 9:30 AM to 10:00 PM on Saturday and Sunday. Individual restaurants, the cinema, and entertainment venues may follow different schedules, so check the specific tenant if it is your main reason for visiting.
Royal Square, the walking street, K-Park, and the marina
Royal Square, the riverside walking street, and K-Park add open-air scenery, architecture, food, and event space to a Vu Yen visit. Royal Square is outside VinWonders; it is different from Festival Square inside the ticketed park. This distinction matters when you choose a map pin or arrange a driver.
Shows, parades, fountains, fireworks, and special events depend on the current calendar and weather. Treat them as flexible additions rather than guaranteed daily performances. If one event is the main purpose of your trip, confirm it on the day.
Royal Marina is operating, but a marina visit is not the same as holding a cruise reservation. Yacht experiences and river trips require direct advance confirmation. Do not assume that you can arrive and buy a scheduled boat to Cat Ba, Lan Ha Bay, or Ha Long Bay.
How to get to Vu Yen Island
Hoang Gia Bridge connects Le Thanh Tong Street in central Hai Phong directly with Vu Yen. Since the bridge opened in 2025, reaching Royal Island by road has become much simpler. The actual journey still depends on your hotel and the venue you select: the bridge approach, VinWonders gate, golf clubhouse, horse academy, mall, and marina are not one drop-off point.
From central Hai Phong, the station, or Cat Bi Airport
A taxi or ride-hailing car is the simplest option for a foreign visitor. Search for the full venue name, show the driver the saved pin, and check that the route uses Hoang Gia Bridge when starting near the city center. Searching only for “Vu Yen Island” can leave you far from the correct entrance.
Current VinBus information lists HP1 to Vincom Royal Island via Tam Bac and Le Thanh Tong, while HP2 reaches Royal Island from the Thuy Nguyen side. Both routes are listed as free, but their stops and times can change. Check HP1 or HP2 in the VinBus channel on your travel day. If you have a train, flight, or prepaid ticket with a fixed entry time, use a car or leave a generous buffer.
From Hanoi
Travel by road from Hanoi usually takes about two hours before local traffic and breaks. Travelers who want a direct car can arrange a private Hanoi to Hai Phong transfer. The current service covers pickup anywhere in Hanoi and drop-off anywhere in Hai Phong; enter “VinWonders Vu Yen” or the exact Royal Island venue as your requested destination rather than writing only “Hai Phong.”
A Hanoi day trip is possible, but it creates a long day when combined with a full theme-park visit. Leave early, keep the return flexible, and avoid placing a flight or another fixed connection immediately after the park.
Two practical Vu Yen itineraries
Full day for VinWonders
- Arrive near the opening time shown for your selected date and scan the day’s operating schedule.
- Visit the wildlife area first if animals are a priority.
- Move to the water park before late afternoon; carry swimwear, a towel, and dry clothes.
- Eat inside the park and allow more time than expected for a large complex.
- Finish with rides, a scheduled show, or Royal Boulevard. Add the mall only if your group still has time and energy.
Half-day without VinWonders
- Start with a prebooked horse-academy activity, or use the mall for an indoor afternoon.
- Have dinner at the mall or at a venue whose location and hours you have confirmed.
- Continue to Royal Square or the walking street only when the event schedule suits your date.
- Arrange the return car before a major event ends if you have a fixed evening commitment.
Golf needs its own schedule. Trying to combine 18 holes, the full theme park, and the mall in one day will leave too little time for each.
Practical tips for international visitors
- Save names in both forms. Keep “Vu Yen” for an English search and “Vũ Yên” for Vietnamese maps or messages.
- Pin the entrance, not the island. Save separate pins for VinWonders, the horse academy, golf clubhouse, mall, Royal Square, or marina.
- Check the date, not an old screenshot. Ticket products, zone hours, rides, and shows can change by weekday, season, weather, and maintenance.
- Prepare for outdoor conditions. Bring sun protection, a light rain layer, a waterproof bag, and a payment method for drinks inside. Add swimwear and dry clothes for the water park.
- Plan meals before entry. General outside food and drinks are restricted at VinWonders. Contact the venue before arrival if a medical or special diet requires an exception.
- Do not expect one resort ticket. VinWonders, the horse academy, golf, cinema, marina services, and special events may require separate reservations or payments.
- Keep the evening flexible. Outdoor shows and water features can change with the event calendar or weather.
Frequently asked questions
Is Vu Yen Island open to tourists?
Yes. VinWonders, Vinpearl Horse Academy, Vinpearl Golf Hai Phong, Vincom Mega Mall, the walking-street area, and Royal Marina are operating. Access and payment are different for each venue, so the island should not be treated as one attraction with one entrance.
Is Vu Yen Island the same as VinWonders Vu Yen?
No. VinWonders is one ticketed attraction within the much larger Vu Yen and Royal Island development. The mall, golf course, horse academy, Royal Square, walking street, and marina are separate places.
Can you visit Vu Yen without buying a VinWonders ticket?
Yes. You can plan a visit around the mall and other public or separately booked venues without entering VinWonders. Confirm access before traveling specifically for the horse academy, golf course, marina, or a scheduled event.
How much time do you need?
Allow a full day for VinWonders. Allow a half-day for a booked horse experience plus the mall or evening area. Golf can take most of a morning or afternoon once check-in, play, and transport are included.
Is Vu Yen a good rainy-day destination?
The mall is a useful rainy-day option, but much of VinWonders and the walking-street experience is outdoors. Check ride and show operations before departure when heavy rain, thunderstorms, or strong wind are forecast.
Vu Yen works best when you choose one main purpose and build the rest of the day around it. For a first visit, make VinWonders the full-day plan, reserve golf or horse activities separately, and use the mall or riverside area as a flexible addition. The exact venue pin and a same-day schedule check will prevent most avoidable problems.