[Đại Đoàn kết] – Ngọc Anh
In 2026, the Halong Bay Heritage Marathon – the only race in Vietnam awarded the World Athletics Label Road Race by World Athletics – will take place from November 20-22 and is expected to attract approximately 18,000 athletes.
On the afternoon of August 2, the Organizing Committee of the Halong Bay Heritage Marathon (Halong Bay Heritage Marathon) held the announcement ceremony for the 2026 season.
Speaking at the ceremony, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Tung, Deputy Director of the Quang Ninh Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, affirmed that this is not simply an announcement of an annual sporting event, but also an occasion to reaffirm Quang Ninh Province’s determination to build an ecosystem of cultural, sports and tourism events with national stature, gradually expanding their reach to the region and the international community. This will create new momentum for growth while enhancing the province’s position and competitiveness.
Mr. Tung emphasized that Quang Ninh is focusing on developing the cultural industry, tourism economy, event economy and night-time economy, with the goal of establishing a distinctive range of products capable of attracting high-quality visitors, extending their length of stay, increasing spending and maximizing the province’s unique advantages. In this context, sports — particularly large-scale sporting events such as the Halong Bay Heritage Marathon — are one of the important drivers for realizing these objectives.
After more than 10 editions, the leadership of the Quang Ninh Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism acknowledged and highly appreciated the organizer’s efforts, dedication and professionalism in continuously innovating, improving the quality of the race and building trust within both the domestic and international running communities.
The Halong Bay Heritage Marathon is the first and, to date, the only race in Vietnam to be awarded the World Athletics Label Road Race by World Athletics. In addition, the unique beauty of the course along the coast of Ha Long Bay, a World Natural Heritage Site, has previously been recognized by Runner’s World UK as one of the Top 50 most beautiful running routes in the world.
This year’s race is expected to attract approximately 18,000 athletes, competing across four standard distances: 42.195km, 21.0975km, 10km and 5km. The event will start and finish at the Quang Ninh Provincial Planning, Fair and Exhibition Palace on Tran Quoc Nghien Street. The race course has been designed and optimized with both directions fully closed, providing the highest level of safety for athletes. This year, the Organizing Committee is also launching the Green Dragon Cup for the first time, creating a platform for connection, interaction and the promotion of the spirit of sports within the business community.
To maintain the World Athletics Label Road Race standard, the Organizing Committee has comprehensively upgraded its operational standards, covering a multi-layered medical and rescue system, race-course safety, doping control and athlete experience services. The 2026 season marks a major development for the Halong Bay Heritage Marathon through a comprehensive partnership with the renowned international sports brand Li-Ning, serving as the Exclusive Official Race Apparel Sponsor, providing comfort and optimal support to help athletes confidently push their limits on the course…
