Hạ Long Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most iconic natural attractions in Vietnam. Located in the Gulf of Tonkin, in Quang Ninh Province, northeastern Vietnam, it is renowned for its emerald waters and thousands of towering limestone islands topped with rainforests. The most common way to visit is booking a cruise. This can range from one night to multiple nights. With a variety of tour options there is something for everyone.
Ha Long Bay Cruise
It is possible to take a cruise in Ha Long Bay that is multiple days but if you are short on time, a 2 day 1 night cruise is totally worth it! When trying to choose which cruise to take, there are a few key things to consider. This is what to look for when booking.
- Number of days and nights.
- Dorm room versus private rooms available.
- Party vibes vs activity vibes.
- Style of boat.
- Transportation.
Determining what you are looking for in your experience is an important aspect of planning.
The Details
Many tour companies will provide transportation to the boat. This often starts in Hanoi. We requested to be dropped in Ninh Binh and they were able to assist us in scheduling a ride. Since we chose to do this tour with the Ha Giang Loop tour, all the transfers were included.
When choosing the number of days, if you have the extra time it may be worth doing a longer option. The 2 day 1 night was really closer to 24 hours by the time you arrive on the boat around noon and leave by noon the next day. This also limits the number of activities available. Some activity options included kayaking, games, spring roll tutorial, tai chi, karaoke, and water trampoline. If you go for less of a party experience, there will be more wellness activities.
They provide food throughout the entire trip. The drinks were a bit more expensive but they did a happy hour. When ordering you provide your room number then pay at the end of the trip.
Our Ha Long Bay Experience
We chose to do the 2D1N cruise. After being picked up in Hanoi, we rode a bus to the boat and hopped on. Lunch was ready upon arrival. After going a ways out into the water, they provided us with kayaks and we got to go into a private area. It was absolutely beautiful. The group leader had a drone and provided us with stunning shots. We also flew our drone off the boat. After everyone came back to the boat they had a water trampoline set up. Since we went in the winter, the water was extremely cold. Check out the video above for some of this footage.
All of the food was amazing and they were very complimentary if you were vegetarian or didn’t eat fish. After having a couple of drinks and playing cards, we listened to people do karaoke. Our room was private with it’s own bathroom. This was perfect for hopping into a warm shower after kayaking. There was also a hot tub on the deck but it was very dirty though people still used it.
The next morning we made spring rolls and hung out on the deck with others. Everyone was encouraged to get up to watch sunrise and it was totally worth it. We originally meant to book the boat with more wellness activities but overall it was a great experience. We had a ton of fun with the people in our group.
General Recommendations
- Check the weather, winter is cold and a coat is very necessary.
- Look into booking multiple tours and ask for a discount if not booking through a website like GetYourGuide.
- Bring motion sickness medicine, the boats are decent size but I still needed to take mine.
- Schedule your room for the night before and the night after. Check with the booking company if they have any recommendations or can assist in scheduling the rooms.
- GoPro or Insta360 with a protective case is great for the water activities.
- Plan ahead if you want to go back to Hanoi or somewhere else. They are very accommodating and will help you get a ride.
Are you planning a trip to Ha Long Bay? Drop us a comment below! Or check out our other Vietnam posts for more information!
