# Gulf of Tonkin, China: what it is and when to go > Gulf of Tonkin is a body of water located off the coast of northern Vietnam and southern China, northern arm of the South China Sea (北部湾 Vịnh Bắc Bộ). Interests: Nature. The best time to visit is April to May and September to October. In June there are 13 h 10 of daylight, and in December, 10 h 50. Here is what it is, where it lies, when to come, how to get there and what else is nearby to turn it into a trip. - Address: https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/golfo-de-tonkin/ - Reviewed on: 2026-10-08 - Language: en ## In a nutshell - **What it is:** Body of water located off the coast of northern Vietnam and southern China, northern arm of the South China Sea · Nature - **Local name:** 北部湾 Vịnh Bắc Bộ - **Where:** China - **Best time:** April to May and September to October. - **Nearest airport:** SZX Shenzhen, 647 km as the crow flies - **Coordinates:** 19.50011, 108.56398 ## What it is and where Gulf of Tonkin is a body of water located off the coast of northern Vietnam and southern China, northern arm of the South China Sea (北部湾 Vịnh Bắc Bộ). Its coordinates are 19.50011, 108.56398; the nearest main airport is Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport (SZX, Shenzhen), 647 km as the crow flies. How to get around China (train, car, bus) is covered in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/#moverse). - [Where it is](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=19.50011%2C108.563982) - [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=19.50011%2C108.563982) It is one of the [Nature](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/naturaleza/) places in China. In [Kokai](https://kokai.app/en/) it is already on your trip map next to the places you save yourself, and it goes into a day's plan with one tap. ## When to go The best time to visit Gulf of Tonkin is **April to May and September to October**. | Mes | Época | Hours of daylight | | --- | --- | --- | | January | Possible | 10 h 57 | | February | Possible | 11 h 22 | | March | Possible | 11 h 52 | | April | Best time | 12 h 27 | | May | Best time | 12 h 55 | | June | Possible | 13 h 10 | | July | Possible | 13 h 04 | | August | Possible | 12 h 40 | | September | Best time | 12 h 06 | | October | Best time | 11 h 33 | | November | Possible | 11 h 04 | | December | Possible | 10 h 50 | In June there are 13 h 10 of daylight, and in December, 10 h 50. Daylight hours are calculated from the site's latitude for the 15th of each month; when planning a full day on foot they matter as much as the weather. When to go to China in general, with its festivals and peak seasons, is in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/#cuando-ir). ## Before you go to China To enter China there are 9 things to sort out before you leave, starting with “Passport valid for six months”: they are all, with their deadlines, in [the China checklist](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/#antes-de-salir). Currency: Yuan or renminbi (CNY); plugs: Type A, C and I · 220 V · 50 Hz (you need an adapter); emergencies: 110 police · 120 ambulance · 119 fire brigade. In [Kokai](https://kokai.app/en/) you tick off the checklist inside your trip, and each item reminds you when it is time to do it. ## What is nearby - [Yangpu Ancient Salt Field](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/yangpu-ancient-salt-field/): Hainanese archeological heritage site · 73 km - [Deyi Ling](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/deyi-mountain/): Hill in Hainan, People's Republic of China · 73 km - [Dongbeng Ling](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/dongbeng-ling/): Mountain in People's Republic of China · 79 km - [Hei Ling](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/hei-ling/): Mountain in People's Republic of China · 79 km - [Houshan Ling](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/houshan-ling/): Mountain in People's Republic of China · 85 km Distances are as the crow flies. Everything else is in [the China guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/). ## More in China: Nature - [Mount Everest](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/monte-everest/): Earth's highest mountain above sea level, located in the Mahalangur Himal sub-range of the Himalayas - [K2](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/k2/): 2nd-highest mountain on Earth - [Terracotta Army](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/guerreros-de-terracota/): collection of ancient Chinese military statues - [Makalu](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/mount-makalu/): mountain in Nepal/China; 5th highest in the world - [Lhotse](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/lhotse/): mountain in Nepal - [Mount Kailash](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/kailash/): mountain in Tibet, China Every China place under Nature, each with its season, is on [its page](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/naturaleza/). ## Frequently asked questions ### What is Gulf of Tonkin? It is a body of water located off the coast of northern Vietnam and southern China, northern arm of the South China Sea (北部湾 Vịnh Bắc Bộ in the local language). ### When is the best time to visit Gulf of Tonkin? April to May and September to October. In June there are 13 h 10 of daylight, and in December, 10 h 50. ### How do you get to Gulf of Tonkin? The nearest main airport is Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport (SZX), 647 km as the crow flies. From there, [directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=19.50011%2C108.563982) opens the route on the map, and how to get around China is explained in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/#moverse). ### How do I add it to my trip? With one tap. In Kokai it is already on the China map, next to the places you save yourself: add it to a day's plan, give it a time and, if you like, get a reminder when you pass nearby. ### What else is around here? Nearby you have [Yangpu Ancient Salt Field](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/yangpu-ancient-salt-field/), [Deyi Ling](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/deyi-mountain/), [Dongbeng Ling](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/dongbeng-ling/). The rest is in [the China guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/asia/china/). Data from [OpenStreetMap](https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/9443832), licensed under the ODbL, and from [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q212428), CC0. More about Gulf of Tonkin on [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_of_Tonkin). Daylight hours are calculated from the latitude. More in [credits](https://kokai.app/en/aviso/#creditos).