Ha Long Bay: 3-Day Cruise with Kayaking & Cave Exploration

Three days floating through limestone karsts, caves and fishing villages

You spend three days and two nights on a private cruise through Ha Long Bay, Bai Tu Long Bay, or Lan Ha Bay, with your choice of route determining which caves, islands and villages you visit. Each day includes kayaking, swimming, meals on board, and either cave exploration or island trekking. Hotel pickup from Hanoi is included, as are all meals, the cooking class, Tai Chi sessions, and a guide. You return to Hanoi by mid-afternoon on day three.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and cruising in Halong Bay

• Pick up guests in Hanoi Old Quarter
• Transfer to Halong Bay cruise dock
• Check in and welcome drinks on cruise
• Enjoy lunch while cruising Halong Bay
• Visit Luon Cave or Pearl Farm by boat
• Visit Titop Island for swimming or hiking
• Sunset party with happy hour on sundeck
• Cooking demonstration or free time
• Dinner under the stars on board
• Relax with spa or enjoy a cocktail

Day 2: Exploring caves and kayaking

• Morning Tai Chi on sundeck
• Breakfast in the restaurant
• Transfer to day boat for new destinations
• Visit Tung Sau area and kayak freely
• Enjoy traditional Vietnamese lunch
• Visit Me Cung Cave
• Relax at outdoor jacuzzi or sunbathe
• Happy hour and cooking demonstration
• Dinner on board
• Evening activities: film, squid fishing, massage

Day 3: Cave visit and return to Hanoi

• Morning Tai Chi on sundeck
• Light breakfast served
• Visit Sung Sot Cave and hike viewpoint
• Return on board and check out
• Brunch served on cruise
• Disembark at Tuan Chau Marina
• Transfer back to Hanoi
• Drop off at hotel in Old Quarter

The experience

The pickup happens early (between 8 and 8:30am from Hanoi's Old Quarter), and the drive to Ha Long Bay takes about three hours. You'll arrive at the cruise dock around 11:30am, check in at the lounge, then board by 12:15pm with a welcome drink already waiting. From there, the boat doesn't stop moving. Lunch comes as you're already cruising past the limestone formations (Fighting Cock Islet, Finger Islet), and by 2:45pm you're in a bamboo boat or kayak heading into Luon Cave or the Pearl Farm area, depending on which itinerary you've booked. The whole first afternoon is designed to get you moving through the water and into the landscape before you even settle into your cabin.

Day two is where the rhythm changes. Morning starts with optional Tai Chi on the sundeck at 6:30am if you want it, then breakfast, then you transfer to a day boat to explore new areas. If you're on the Halong Bay itinerary, you'll visit Me Cung Cave (the Maze Cave) and kayak around Tung Sau. If you chose Bai Tu Long Bay, you're heading to Vung Vieng fishing village to meet locals, then kayaking at Cap La or Cong Dam with time to swim. Lan Ha Bay routes include biking or trekking on Cat Ba Island, or kayaking through Dark and Bright Cave. Lunch is always on board, and the afternoon gives you space to either stay active or sit on the sundeck with a drink during happy hour: buy one, get one free from 5:30pm to 7pm. Dinner is a set menu, cooked on board, and the evening is yours: squid fishing, karaoke, massage, or just the quiet of the bay at night.

The final morning follows the same pattern (Tai Chi, light breakfast), but the caves are different. Halong Bay guests visit Sung Sot Cave, the largest in the bay, where you walk through chambers with stalactites and stalagmites that took millions of years to form, then hike to the top for a panoramic view. Bai Tu Long Bay travelers explore Thien Canh Son Cave, then return for a cooking demonstration where you learn to make Nem Cuon (spring rolls) or try fruit carving. Lan Ha Bay routes do a final kayak through Dark and Bright Cave before heading back. By 10am you're checking out of your cabin. Brunch is served while you're heading back to the harbor, and the shuttle bus has you back in Hanoi by 3pm or 3:30pm. The whole trip (three days, two nights) is built so you're never waiting around. Something is always happening, but it doesn't feel rushed.

Your cabin is private, with a window, full toiletries, and a design that doesn't feel cramped. The boat is ranked number one on review sites among 140 Ha Long Bay tours, which matters if you're spending two nights on the water. All meals are included (Vietnamese set menus, seafood, breakfast buffets) plus the cooking class, Tai Chi instruction, insurance, a tour guide, and the happy hour drinks. The shuttle from Hanoi is included both ways. What you're not arranging yourself is transport, entry fees, meals, or timing. The cruise handles all of it, which is the whole point of being on a boat for three days.

What’s included

Your three days include hotel pickup and drop-off from Hanoi's Old Quarter, a private cabin with window and full toiletries, all meals on board (breakfast buffets, Vietnamese set lunches, and dinners with seafood), a cooking class where you learn to make spring rolls or try fruit carving, daily Tai Chi sessions on the sundeck, a tour guide, happy hour drinks (buy one get one free), kayaking through caves and around islands, swimming in designated areas, visits to caves like Sung Sot or Thien Canh Son depending on your route, and optional activities like squid fishing or spa treatments in the evening.

Options for this experience

2 options

Guide in English08:00

Guide in English08:00

Options with the same name differ in details you'll see when you pick a date.

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

Book up to1d before

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

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish

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

Cancellation and refundsNo refund if you cancel.

Prices and times updated 8 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyNot for heart conditionsNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Halong Bay Cruise Hunters

Is this one for you?Book this if you want three days on the water without arranging transport, meals, entry fees, or a daily schedule. The cruise handles all of it, which is what makes it possible to move between caves, islands and villages without stopping to plan.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

Can children come?

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

What's included in the cruise price?

Hotel pickup and drop-off from Hanoi's Old Quarter, private cabin with window and toiletries, all meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner), cooking class, Tai Chi instruction, happy hour drinks, tour guide, and travel insurance.

How long is the drive from Hanoi to the cruise dock?

About three hours. Pickup is between 8am and 8:30am from the Old Quarter, and you arrive at the dock around 11:30am.

Which cave or island should I choose?

Halong Bay visits Sung Sot Cave (largest in the bay) and Titop Island. Bai Tu Long Bay includes Thien Canh Son Cave and Vung Vieng fishing village. Lan Ha Bay offers Dark and Bright Cave and optional biking on Cat Ba Island. All three routes include kayaking and swimming.

What time does the boat return to Hanoi?

The cruise docks by noon on day three. After brunch and checkout, the shuttle bus returns you to your hotel in the Old Quarter by 3pm to 3:30pm.

Is there a happy hour?

Yes, from 5:30pm to 7pm on day two. It's buy one drink, get one free (wine excluded).

Can I do activities like kayaking and swimming?

Yes. Kayaking is included on all routes: through caves, around islands, or in designated swimming areas. Swimming time is built into each day's schedule.

What if I want to stay in my cabin instead of doing activities?

You can. The itinerary offers activities, but you're free to relax on the sundeck, use the jacuzzi, or book a spa treatment instead.

Are meals suitable for dietary restrictions?

Meals are Vietnamese set menus with seafood. Inform the cruise when you book if you have dietary needs, and they will try to accommodate.

Is travel insurance included?

Yes, travel insurance is included in the tour price.