Halong Bay Cruise Uncovered: Your Comprehensive Guide to Everything You Want and Need to Know

The magnificent Halong Bay is full of spectacular sights, best experienced by a relaxing cruise. This blog will help you decide the best Halong Bay cruise for you.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT HALONG BAY CRUISE FOR YOU

Exploring the wonders of Halong Bay can be done in a variety of ways. Keep these factors in mind before booking your Halong Bay cruise.

Your Desired Experience: Different cruise operators have different styles. Some are geared towards making the cruise scenic and relaxing, some are more focused on water sports, some are focused on on board activities and entertainment. It is important to choose the correct operator for your desired experience.
Your Budget: Cruises are available at every budget, and you should weigh the experience you desire with the amount you are willing to spend to get it.
Your Time: The Halong Bay cruise is a time intensive activity, with a long drive to and from the harbour. You will need to keep a full day for taking the day trip.

Book Now: COLOURS OF VIETNAM Tour Package with Halong Bay Cruise

DAY TRIP CRUISES IN HALONG BAY

Day trip cruises around Halong Bay are popular choices for people with a limited time to see the sights of the area. This section will help you decide if the day trip cruise of Halong Bay is the right choice for you.

Why Choose a Day Trip Cruise In Halong Bay?

The most popular choice for people touring Halong Bay is a day trip. The main reasons for this are:

Price: Day trips come at every budget, but are always less expensive than overnight cruises with the same amenities.
Time: Travellers with a limited number of days will prefer the flexibility offered by day trip cruises.
Activities: Day trips tend to focus more on water sports like kayaking and cave explorations.
Experiences: Some day trips are exclusively to explore a particular area of the coast, such as the Heavenly Palace Cave or floating villages and markets.

Halong Bay Day Trip Cruise Types

Day trip cruises are often different lengths due to various factors such as weather conditions and exploration opportunities. There are 3 main kinds of Day Trip Cruises:

Morning Cruise: These cruises start after sunrise, and high end options offer a breakfast buffet. These are often focused on water sports or exploring caves.

Lunch Cruise: Lunch cruises happen later in the morning and are often more focused on scenic views. These cruises mainly cater to those looking to explore Vietnamese culture and cuisine, with commentary about the legend of Halong Bay’s formation.

Dinner Cruise: Dinner cruises usually begin around sunset. These cruises mostly focus on entertainment and food.

Additionally, private cruises can be booked for special events and large groups.

HOW LONG IS A DAY TRIP CRUISE IN HALONG BAY?

Due to weather and sea conditions, the length of your day trip cruise may be longer than advertised. Day Trip Cruises are usually advertised as being 4 hours long, but often take longer due to delays regarding boarding and activities.

Additionally, there is the journey from your hotel at Hanoi to Tuan Chau Harbour, which takes over 2 hours in each direction. It is best to keep the entire day aside for your day trip cruise.

OVERNIGHT CRUISES IN HALONG BAY

Overnight cruises are the more luxurious choice to explore this picturesque part of the world. Overnight cruises in Halong Bay will take you through all of the spectacular wonders of this magical place.

Why Choose an Overnight Cruise In Halong Bay?

Overnight Cruises in Halong Bay are the best way to explore this natural wonder of Vietnam. Overnight cruises offer the following benefits:

Relaxed Pace: Unlike day cruises, where there is a rush to complete the trip as soon as possible, overnight cruises allow guests to enjoy activities such as kayaking and swimming at their own pace.
Wider Range of Amenities: The vessels used for overnight cruises are larger and can accommodate space for swimming pools, lounges and spas.
Activities and entertainment: Certain activities such as squid fishing and stargazing can only be done on overnight cruises. Additionally, certain cruises may offer live music, usually either traditional Vietnamese music or western pop music.
Accommodations: Overnight cruises offer private cabins for passengers, and are usually quite comfortable.
Views: Overnight cruises in Halong Bay are usually on much larger vessels than those used for day trips. These vessels provide panoramic views of the bay from the upper decks.
Safety: The larger vessels used for overnight cruises are subject to higher standards of safety than those operated for day trips. Additionally, crew members are trained to respond to emergencies.

WHAT ON BOARD AMENITIES TO EXPECT ON YOUR HALONG BAY CRUISE

Every Halong Bay cruise operator offers something unique to their customers. This section will show the different types of amenities to expect at different budgets and cruise types.

Halong Bay Day Trip Cruise Amenities

Budget Cruise Amenities

Budget cruises offer guests basic amenities to enjoy activities in Halong Bay. Common appointments include:

Gear for activities (e.g. – kayak, life jacket, oar, goggles etc.)

Luxury Cruise Amenities

Luxury cruises in Halong Bay offer an elevated level of comfort for guests. These are the most common offerings:

Buffet meal with live counters – both Vegetarian and Non-vegetarian
Gear for activities (same as Budget cruises)
Bar (drinks are not included in package prices)
Swimming pool

Halong Bay Overnight Cruise Amenities

Luxurious Cabins Aboard Halong Bay Cruise

Budget Cruise Amenities

Budget overnight cruises are geared towards domestic tourists, offering basic amenities including:

Buffet Meals – both Vegetarian and Non-vegetarian
Bar (drinks are priced separately)
Gear for activities (e.g. – kayak, life jacket, oar, goggles, fishing rod etc.)
Live band or DJ
Private cabin for 2 with bed (25-40 m2)

Luxury Cruise Amenities

Luxury overnight cruises are primarily made for foreign tourists, with amenities including:

Buffet Meals – both Vegetarian and Non-vegetarian
Bar (drinks are priced separately)
Gear for activities (e.g. – kayak, life jacket, oar, goggles, fishing rod etc.)
Live band or DJ
Private cabin for 2 with bed (40-100+ m2)
Swimming pool
Spa
Jacuzzi
On board activities such as Tai Chi and guided meditation sessions.

HALONG BAY CRUISE ACTIVITIES AND SIGHTSEEING

Discover the range of things to do and see on your Halong Bay Cruise!

Kayaking

Kayaking is the most common activity offered by most cruise operators in Halong Bay, and is usually done to explore the numerous caves and grottos around Halong Bay. This activity is common to both overnight and day trip cruises.

Cave Visits

The caves of Halong Bay are a major attraction, with unique formations creating vistas of incredible beauty. Popular caves to visit are Sung Sot Cave, Thien Cung Cave, Dau Go Cave, Tien Ong Cave and Thien Canh Son Cave.

This activity is common to both overnight and day trip cruises, but day trips will only visit a single cave. Overnight cruises will allow you to explore multiple caves. Each cave has different formations and characteristics, making this a popular attraction for cruises in Halong Bay.

Island Visits

Some cruises will take guests to scenic islands in and around Halong Bay during the cruise. These visits are usually to beaches or islands near famous caves. Popular islands to visit are Cat Ba island Ti Top Island. This activity is common to both overnight and day trip cruises.

Cua Van Floating Village

This is a popular place for cruises to visit to show visitors how commercial fishing is done in Vietnam. The village is built on wooden supports that float between the numerous islets of Halong Bay. The unique lifestyle of these villagers is a major cultural attraction.

This activity is usually reserved for overnight tours, but certain specialised day trips to this village also occur.

Cooking Class

Many visitors fall in love with the unique taste of Vietnamese cuisine. Aboard the cruise liners, the cooking class is a popular activity, where the chefs guide guests through preparing a classic Vietnamese dish. This activity is exclusive to overnight cruises.

Squid Fishing

Squid fishing is a popular late night activity, especially for younger tourists. This is an enjoyable group activity, followed up by a late night barbeque. This activity can only be enjoyed on overnight cruises.

Tai Chi

This new form of moving meditation has amassed a significant following thanks to widespread adoption from iconic actors such as Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan. Tai Chi sessions are conducted in the morning. This activity is exclusive to overnight cruises.

Sunrise Over Halong Bay

Seeing the sun appear over the limestone karst islets of Halong Bay is a sight that will never leave your memory. This experience is only available on overnight cruises.

Top Halong Bay Cruise Operators

Choosing a reliable cruise operator is essential to ensuring that your Halong Bay cruise experience is a great one. Here are a few operators that we recommend:

La Regina

Cruises offered: Day cruise, overnight cruise

Price: Day Cruise – INR 5000 (Per person) | Overnight Cruise – INR 11000 onwards (Per person)

Bai Tho Junks

Cruises offered: Overnight cruises only

Price: INR 18000 Onwards (Per person)

Le Journey Cruise

Cruises offered: Overnight cruises only

Price: INR 12000 Onwards (Per person)

CATEGORY	HALONG BAY DAY TRIP CRUISE	HALONG BAY OVERNIGHT CRUISE
PRICE	INR 1000 Onwards	INR 12000 onwards
LENGTH	1 Day (6-8 Hours)	2 Days 1 Night and longer
ACTIVITIES	Kayaking, cave visit, island visit.	Kayaking, cave visits, island visits, floating village visit, squid fishing, tai chi, cooking class.
ON-BOARD AMENITIES	Bar, Swimming pool (luxury cruises only).	Bar, swimming pool, spa, jacuzzi.
FOOD	Buffet, Veg/Non Veg	Buffet, Veg/Non Veg, Special requests
ALCOHOL	Only in luxury category	Yes

Best Time For a Halong Bay Cruise

The best time for your Halong Bay cruise would be during the months of November and December. This time of the year has cool daytime temperatures and calm seas.

The months of July and August should be avoided due to the high chance of storms.

Book Your Halong Bay Cruise With Flying Squirrel Holidays!

At Flying Squirrel Holidays, we have over a decade of experience in creating incredible travel experiences for our clients. We have a longstanding relationship with many cruise providers in Halong Bay, Lan Ha Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay. Choose Flying Squirrel Holidays to organise an incredible Vietnam tour.

FAQs

Where is Halong Bay?

Halong Bay is in the Gulf of Tonkin, on the northeastern side of Vietnam.

Should I visit Halong Bay?

Halong Bay is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful places in the world and has been named as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Is Halong Bay good for children?

Halong Bay has many activities available for teenagers and smaller children will enjoy playing together on board.

Can I get vegetarian food on the Halong Bay cruise?

Both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food is available on Halong Bay cruises.