Race guide for 28–29 November 2026, Yen Tu, Quang Ninh
Yen Tu Heritage Marathon 2026
An independent guide for international runners: race week, kit pickup, the start, the course, the finish and where to stay.
Race in 30 days
Updated 29 Oct 2026. The 2026 date, venue and distances are confirmed. Start times, cut-offs and kit pickup for 2026 had not been published in a form we could quote, so this guide uses the 2025 rules where marked and will be updated.
- Race weekend
- 28–29 Nov 2026
- Distances
- 42 kmplus 21, 10 and 5 km, and a kids run
- Marathon cut-off (2025)
- 6 hr 30
- Race base
- Yen Tu heritage site, Quang Ninh
Yen Tu Heritage Marathon, themed “Touching the heritage”, runs on the roads into Yen Tu, the Buddhist mountain sanctuary of King Tran Nhan Tong, now a World Heritage site. It is a smaller race than Ha Long, with around 3,000 runners in 2025. The thing to plan around: the venue is out of town, and in 2025 the races started from 04:00.
On this page
Race week at a glance
A two-day race weekend.
Sat 28 Nov
See your email
Race kit collection (expected)
Yen Tu area
Sun 29 Nov
Early morning
42K, 21K, 10K, 5K and kids run. In 2025 the first start was at 04:00.
Yen Tu heritage site
For your driver: Khu di tích và danh thắng Yên Tử, phường Yên Tử, tỉnh Quảng Ninh
Distances, start times and cut-offs
Cut-offs from the 2025 regulations. Check the 2026 rules in your race email.
| Race | Cut-off (2025) | Ages (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Marathon 42 km | 6 hr 30 | Check rules |
| Half marathon 21 km | 4 hr | Check rules |
| 10K | 2 hr | Check rules |
| 5K | 1 hr 30 | Check rules |
| Kids | — | 5 to 11 |
Start on time
In 2025, runners who started more than 15 minutes after the gun had no official result.
Section cut-offs
Runners must stop if they miss a cut-off announced for a section of the course.
Finisher kit
In 2025, half marathon finishers received a T-shirt and marathon finishers a jacket.
Collect your race kit
Kit collection details are sent to registered runners by email. Expect pickup on Saturday 28 November in the Yen Tu area; there is no confirmed race-morning pickup.
Bring two things:
Your passport
Bring the original for ID at the counter.
Your QR code
From your registration or waiver email.
Getting there
Yen Tu is in Quang Ninh, between Hanoi and Ha Long.
From Hanoi by road
About 2–2.5 hours by car or van. Come on Saturday and stay nearby.
From Ha Long
About an hour by road, if you are staying on after the Halong Bay marathon.
Early start, rural venue
There is no public transport before dawn. Book your car the evening before.
Plan your way home
Taxis can be scarce after the race. Agree a return time with your driver.
The course
Roads into the sacred mountain.
In past editions the courses started at the Yen Tu heritage site and ran out along the Yen Tu road and back, with the longer distances going further towards Uong Bi. The route passes the Yen Tu herb garden and flower valley and the bamboo-lined approach to the mountain. Expect gentle rolling sections rather than a flat city course.
Weather
~17–22 °Ctypical race-morning range in late November
Late November in Quang Ninh is usually dry and cool. Mornings in the hills can be misty and a few degrees colder than Hanoi.
Where to stay
Uong Bi or the Yen Tu area.
Hotels in Uong Bi and resorts near the Yen Tu site are closest to the start. If you stay in Ha Long, allow about an hour each way.
Two races, one trip. Halong Bay Heritage Marathon is the weekend before, on 22 November. See our Ha Long guide.
Rules worth knowing before you travel
Based on the 2025 rules; 2026 rules may differ.
Late starters have no result
More than 15 minutes after the start, your time is not recognised.
Section cut-offs are enforced
Stop when a marshal tells you that you are out of time.
Only you can run on your BIB
Use the organiser’s transfer process if you cannot race.
Kids race 5 to 11
Age is counted in the race year.
Still to confirm
Show the four open questions
These details matter to a visiting runner and had not been published for 2026 in a form we could quote. The organiser’s race email is the authority.
| Open question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Start time for each distance | Decides your race-morning transport |
| Kit pickup day, hours and place | Decides your arrival day |
| 2026 cut-offs and age limits | Decides whether you can enter and how you pace |
| Which day each distance runs | The race is listed over two days |
Sources
Show sources
Race facts come from the organiser’s ticket pages and local reporting. Travel, weather and planning notes are our own.
- iRace ticketing page, 2026 — dates, distances and kids age limits
- iRace ticketing page, 2025 — cut-offs and start rules
- Tikpik event page — 2026 theme, venue and distances
- Phap Luat newspaper — 2026 race dates within the Yen Tu autumn programme
- Bac Ninh and Quang Ninh news reports — 2025 field size and course
Keep reading
- Vietnam race calendar, Oct 2026 – Jun 2027
- Halong Bay Heritage Marathon 2026 guide
- Racing in Vietnam 101: heat, transport and travel insurance
- All race guides
Racing in Vietnam? Ask the community
Our Facebook group is where international runners swap race-week tips, find people to travel with and share their finish photos. English only, no BIB trading.
Vietnam Sports Events is an independent guide for international runners. This page is not produced or endorsed by the organiser or the title sponsor. Details change; the race website is always the authority. Read our disclosure.