Northern Vietnam · Day tour
Ha Long Bay Day Cruise
Out to the bay on the expressway and six hours aboard: Sung Sot Cave, kayaking at Luon Cave, Ti Top Island and a sunset party on the deck.
- Length
- Full day
- Approx. 8:30 AM – 8:30 PM
- Pick-up
- Hanoi
- From your hotel
- Guide
- English-speaking
- Group or private
What you see
The day in short
Everything below is covered by the programme. The order can move with the traffic and the weather; the list does not.
Where it goes: Hanoi, Ha Long Bay
Highlights
- The Hanoi to Ha Long expressway, which took two hours off the old road
- The bay itself, and the thousands of limestone karsts standing in it
- Sung Sot Cave, the Surprising Cave, the largest in Ha Long
- Kayaking or a bamboo boat through the hidden lagoon at Luon Cave
- Ti Top Island: the climb to the viewing deck, or the beach at the bottom
- A seafood and international buffet lunch aboard
- A sunset party on the sundeck with tea, fruit and music
Hour by hour
The running order
Approx. 8:30 AM – 8:30 PM. These are the timings operations work to; your guide confirms the pick-up the evening before.
Want it privately?08:30 AM
Pick-up at hotels in the Hanoi Old Quarter and out on the expressway to Tuan Chau.
11:45 AM
Tuan Chau Marina, boarding the day cruise, welcome drink.
12:15 PM
Seafood and international buffet lunch while the boat passes Fighting Cocks Islet.
01:30 PM
A guided walk through Sung Sot Cave.
02:45 PM
Kayaking or bamboo boat rowing at the Luon Cave lagoon.
03:45 PM
Ti Top Island: swim at the beach or climb to the summit deck.
04:45 PM
Back aboard for the sunset party as the boat returns to harbour.
05:45 PM
Disembark and back onto the coach for Hanoi.
08:30 PM
Drop-off in the Old Quarter.
What's included
- Return expressway transfer by limousine bus or air-conditioned vehicle
- Six hours aboard the day cruise
- Welcome drink and sunset party snacks
- Seafood and international buffet lunch
- Kayaking or bamboo boat rowing
- All Ha Long Bay entrance and sight tickets
- English-speaking guide and insurance
What's not
- Personal expenses and drinks ordered at the cruise bar
- Tips for the crew and guide
- VAT
Before you book
- Bring a swimsuit, sunscreen, sunglasses and a camera.
- Children aged 10 and over pay the full rate, 5 to 9 pay 75 percent, and under 5 travel free.
The route
- 1Hanoi
- 2Tuan Chau Marina
- 3Sung Sot Cave
- 4Ti Top Island
Map is schematic and not to scale for travel times.
Our own camera roll
From this day
Good to know
Questions
Day cruise or overnight?
The day cruise covers the same headline sights and gets you back to Hanoi the same night. The overnight version buys you the bay at dawn, which is the part most people remember. We run both — ask and we will be honest about which suits your dates.
What happens if the weather turns?
The bay authority can suspend sailings in a storm. If that happens we tell you before you leave Hanoi and move the day or refund it — we do not drive you four hours for nothing.
Can this run as a private tour?
Yes. Every excursion here can run privately with your own guide and vehicle instead of joining a group. Tell us how many of you there are and we will quote it.
Can we combine this with other days?
Yes — most guests string two or three of these together, or add them either side of a multi-day journey. Send us your dates and we will lay them out in a sensible order.
Book the Ha Long Bay Day Cruise
Give us your dates, your hotel and how many of you there are. We confirm availability the same day and pick you up from the door.