The Halong Sailing Festival 2026 will be held in the waters off Tuan Chau Marina in Quang Ninh, marking the first international sailing race organised in the UNESCO-listed bay.
The event is expected to attract 48 sailors from 12 teams, including five Vietnamese teams and seven from Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and the Philippines.
Six referees and three international experts are also expected to participate.
Organisers hope to establish the festival as an annual event bringing together professional sailors and sailing clubs from Vietnam and abroad, while promoting water sports and tourism in Halong Bay.
The area already has an established sailing community. A club formed by Vietnamese and foreign sailing enthusiasts living and working in Vietnam previously operated around Tuan Chau International Marina.
At its peak, the club had more than 10 sailing boats and around 100 members, making it one of the country's largest sailing clubs.
Members regularly gathered at weekends for training and recreational sailing, while colourful sailing parades across Halong Bay attracted attention from residents and tourists.
Experienced sailors consider the bay well suited to sailing because its surrounding mountains provide shelter from strong winds and rough seas.
Organisers expect the competition to help position Halong Bay as a destination for international water sports events alongside its established tourism attractions.
