2-Day Lan Ha Bay Cruise from Hanoi: Heritage Luxury Vessel

Kayak into limestone caves and cook Vietnamese food aboard a heritage cruise

A 2-day cruise from Hanoi to Lan Ha Bay on Heritage Cruises, a boutique vessel carrying 40–60 guests. Day one includes hotel pickup from Hanoi, lunch on arrival, kayaking or swimming at Ba Trai Dao beaches, a Vietnamese cooking class, and dinner aboard. Day two starts with Vovinam on deck, explores Dark and Bright Cave by bamboo boat, and returns to Hanoi by mid-afternoon. Overnight in a luxury cabin with private balcony and bathtub.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Hanoi or Tuan Chau to Lan Ha Bay

• Pick up from Hanoi hotels
• Transfer to Halong Bay by expressway
• Meet at Heritage Cruises Lounge
• Board Heritage Cruises boat
• Enjoy welcome drink and cruise briefing
• Lunch at L’indochine Restaurant
• Cruise through Lan Ha Bay limestone mountains
• Visit Ba Trai Dao or Tra Bau beaches
• Kayaking or swimming in Lan Ha Bay
• Relax and watch sunset on board
• Afternoon tea and Vietnamese cooking class
• Dinner at onboard restaurant
• Evening bar and squid fishing
• Overnight on Heritage Cruise

Day 2: Lan Ha Bay to Tuan Chau or Hanoi

• Morning Vovinam session on sundeck
• Light breakfast on board
• Bamboo boat to Dark and Bright Cave
• Return to boat and checkout
• Brunch while cruising to mainland
• Disembark at Tuan Chau Marina
• Transfer back to Hanoi (optional)

What’s included

• Cooking class led by the chef.
• kayaking and bamboo boat exploration of Dark and Bright Cave.
• complimentary water bottle, tea and coffee in your cabin.
• luxury cabin with bathtub, shower and private seaview balcony.
• all meals aboard including welcome drink, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner and brunch.
• entrance fees to sightseeing attractions and an English-speaking guide.
• use of the gym, Jacuzzi pool, art gallery and music bar on the boat.
• limousine roundtrip transport from Hanoi (on the Hanoi option only).

Times

• Every day 11:30

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Before you book

Group Up to 60

Live guide English Another language? ›

Meeting point and pickup Hotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Book up to 4h before

Ages Adult (9 and older) · Youth (4 to 8 years) · Under 4: can't be booked

Cancellation and refunds Free cancellation up to 6 days before the start. Between 2 and 6 days before the start, 50% refund. After that, no refund.

Good to know

Low physical effort Infants must sit on laps

Operated by Local Tours HALONG

Prices and times updated yesterday

Traveler reviews

5.00 ★★★★★ Exceptional 1 verified traveler review

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The experience

If you're flying into Hanoi with a free afternoon or arriving the night before, this cruise solves the problem of getting out of the city without losing a full day. The boat leaves from Tuan Chau Marina in Ha Long Bay, roughly 2.5 to 3 hours from central Hanoi by expressway. If you book the Hanoi option, a limousine picks you up between 8:00 and 8:30 a.m. from your hotel in the Old Quarter or from Hanoi Opera House if you're staying elsewhere. You board at noon, check into your suite, and lunch is already waiting at L'Indochine Restaurant.

The route takes you to Lan Ha Bay, a less-traveled corner of the Ha Long Bay UNESCO site where about 400 limestone islands rise from jade-green water. Afternoon activities center on Ba Trai Dao (three peach-shaped beaches with caves and coves), where you can kayak or swim, or simply stay on deck with a drink and watch the water. Back aboard by 5:30 p.m., you'll join an afternoon tea and a Vietnamese cooking class led by the chef, then sit down to dinner in an intimate setting. The evening opens onto the top-deck bar, where you can try squid fishing or watch the Gulf of Tonkin after dark.

Day two moves at a gentler pace. A Vovinam session starts at 6:15 a.m. on the sundeck (optional, and as low-key as you want it) followed by light breakfast. At 7:15 a.m., you board a bamboo boat to explore Dark and Bright Cave, where stalactites catch the light filtering through the rock. By 9:30 a.m. you're back on the Heritage Cruises vessel for checkout. Brunch happens while you cruise back to the mainland, and you disembark at Tuan Chau Marina by 11:00 a.m. If you booked the Hanoi transfer, the return drive takes 2.5 hours and drops you back between 2:45 and 3:00 p.m.

Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (4 to 8 years). Children under 4 can't be included in the booking.

What's included in the 2-day cruise from Hanoi?

The cruise includes limousine roundtrip transport from Hanoi (if you book that option), all meals aboard, your luxury cabin with private balcony and bathtub, kayaking and bamboo boat access, the Vietnamese cooking class, entrance fees to caves and sights, an English-speaking guide, and use of the gym, Jacuzzi pool, art gallery and music bar. Complimentary water, tea and coffee are in your room.

Can I swim and kayak in Lan Ha Bay, or does weather cancel these activities?

Swimming, kayaking and bamboo sampan trips are included in the itinerary at Ba Trai Dao beaches and Dark and Bright Cave, but they may be canceled if weather or tide conditions turn poor. You can always choose to relax on deck and enjoy the scenery instead. All activities are optional.

Do I have to do the cooking class and morning Vovinam session?

No. The Vietnamese cooking class and the Vovinam session on the sundeck are included in the program, but you can skip them and spend the time in your cabin, at the bar, or elsewhere on the boat. All activities are optional.

What's the difference between booking from Hanoi and booking only the cruise?

If you book from Hanoi, a limousine picks you up at your hotel between 8:00 and 8:30 a.m. and drives you to Tuan Chau Marina, then returns you to Hanoi after disembarkation. If you book only the cruise, you meet the Heritage Cruises team at their lounge at Tuan Chau Marina by 11:30 a.m. and arrange your own transport to the harbor.

How many other guests will be on the boat?

Heritage Cruises carries a minimum of 40 guests and a maximum of 60 passengers on the vessel, so it's a small enough group to feel intimate but large enough to have a social atmosphere.