3-day Bai Tu Long Bay cruise: Private balcony cabins

Three days on the water without the crowds of Ha Long Bay

A 3-day, 2-night cruise through Bai Tu Long Bay with private balcony cabins, English-speaking guide and all meals included. The itinerary pairs sightseeing (Thien Canh Son Cave, Hon Co Island, Vung Vieng floating village) with activities: kayaking through limestone grottoes, a cooking class, Tai Chi at sunrise and night fishing. Hotel pickup from Hanoi is available for an extra charge.

What’s included

• Luxury cabin with private balcony, air conditioning and en-suite bathroom.
• English-speaking guide throughout.
• two Vietnamese set lunches and two gala dinners.
• two mini breakfasts and one buffet brunch.
• kayaking through limestone grottoes on day two.
• cooking class.
• Tai Chi session at sunrise on days two and three.
• night squid fishing.
• swimming at Hon Co Island.
• visits to Thien Canh Son Cave, Vung Vieng floating village and other untouched areas of the bay.
• insurance.

Times

• Every day No fixed time

Information

3-day cruise through Bai Tu Long Bay with private balcony cabins, meals, kayaking and cooking class included: English-speaking guide, hotel pickup available from Hanoi.

Group Up to 15

Live guide English and Vietnamese

Meeting point and pickup No hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point. 3 similar tours with pickup › See the exact address

Ages Adult (10 to 80 years) · Child (5 to 9 years) · Infant (under 5): free

Cancellation and refunds No refund if you cancel.

Good to know

Low physical effort Wheelchair accessible Infant seats available Public transport nearby Infants must sit on laps

More information The exact meeting point address, the operator’s instructions and every other detail are in the full listing. See the full listing

Traveler reviews

4.33 ★★★★★ Very good 6 verified traveler reviews

Read all the reviews ›

The experience

The boat picks you up at Hon Gai harbor at 12:30 and you're in your cabin by 1 p.m., unpacking into a private balcony space with air conditioning and an en-suite bathroom. Lunch is Vietnamese set cuisine, then at 3:30 you transfer to a day boat to visit Vung Vieng floating village. The kind of working settlement where fishermen live year-round, not a staged stop. Back on board by evening, there's a cooking show before the gala dinner, and if you want to fish for squid under the stars, the crew sets that up between 8:30 and 10 p.m.

Day two starts with a Tai Chi session on the open deck at 6:30 a.m., then breakfast. You transfer to the day boat again and spend the morning kayaking through the grottoes and limestone formations, with a swimming break and a local lunch included. The afternoon cooking class teaches you how to make Vietnamese dishes, and dinner is another gala service. Day three moves at a slower pace: early Tai Chi again, coffee, then a visit to Thien Canh Son Cave (also called Paradise Cave) before checkout at 9 a.m. Brunch is served, and the boat reaches the pier at 10:45. If you've arranged the Hanoi hotel pickup, the driver meets you and the return takes about four hours.

The guide speaks English and is on board throughout. All meals (two lunches, two dinners, two breakfasts and one brunch) are prepared by the ship's chef and served in the restaurant. Beverages, personal expenses and anything not listed in the inclusions are separate costs. If you're traveling with an infant, they can sit on an adult's lap, and specialized infant seats are available on request.

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Vietnamese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 9 years); Infant (under 5): free.

What's the difference between Bai Tu Long Bay and Ha Long Bay?

Bai Tu Long Bay is the quieter, less-visited section of the larger Ha Long Bay system. It has the same limestone landscape and caves, but fewer tour boats and fewer crowds at the floating villages and islands you visit.

Do I need to book the Hanoi hotel pickup, or can I get to the harbor on my own?

The pickup is optional and costs an extra US$35 per person. It includes a luxury car from your hotel in Hanoi's Old Quarter to Hon Gai harbor and the return journey after the cruise. If you arrange your own transport, you meet the boat at the harbor at 12:30 on day one.

What activities are included, and do I need any experience?

Kayaking, a cooking class, Tai Chi, night squid fishing and swimming are all included. The Tai Chi is described as relaxing and happens on the open deck at sunrise. Kayaking goes through grottoes and limestone formations, and the cooking class teaches you how to prepare Vietnamese dishes. No prior experience is needed for any of them.

Are meals included, and what if I have dietary restrictions?

All meals are included: two Vietnamese set lunches, two gala dinners, two mini breakfasts and one brunch. The chef prepares seafood and Vietnamese cuisine. Beverages (alcohol, soft drinks, coffee) are not included and are available for purchase on board. Dietary restrictions should be noted when you book.

What's the cabin like, and is there air conditioning?

Each cabin is a luxury space with a private balcony, air conditioning and an en-suite bathroom. You check in at 1 p.m. on day one and have access to the cabin until checkout at 9 a.m. on day three.

How long is the return transfer to Hanoi on day three?

The boat reaches the pier at 10:45 a.m. on day three. If you've booked the hotel pickup, the driver meets you there and the return to your hotel in Hanoi's Old Quarter takes approximately four hours, arriving around 2 p.m.

Operated by Halong Bay Cruise Hunters. Explorevia does not run this tour: we compare it with similar options, and you book it with our booking partner.

Prices and times updated 11 days ago