Bai Tu Long Bay 2-Day Cruise from Hanoi & Cave Exploration
Two nights floating in Bai Tu Long Bay, minus the crowds of Ha Long
You get picked up from your Hanoi hotel, spend one night in a private cabin on the quieter side of Ha Long Bay, explore a limestone cave, kayak through karst, learn to cook a Vietnamese dish, and eat all your meals on board before returning to the city by afternoon. The small group size and included transport mean you're not arranging anything yourself once you book.
Options for this experience
2 optionsStep-by-step itinerary
Day 1: Hanoi to Bai Tu Long Bay cruise
- Pickup from Hanoi hotel
- Transfer to SunWorld Port
- Register and board the boat
- Welcome drink and safety briefing
- Lunch on board
- Kayak at Cap La Island
- Swim in the bay
- Sunset party on boat
- Dinner on board
- Evening activities and night fishing
Day 2: Explore Bai Tu Long Bay and return
- Morning Tai Chi on sundeck
- Breakfast on board
- Visit Thien Canh Son Cave
- Relax at Hon Co Island beach
- Freshen up and pack
- Vietnamese cooking demonstration
- Lunch on board
- Return to harbor and disembark
- Shuttle bus back to Hanoi
- Arrive in Hanoi Old Quarter
What’s included
Your two-day cruise includes hotel pickup and return from Hanoi, one night in a private twin or double cabin with ocean views and air-con, all meals prepared fresh on board (breakfast, lunch, dinner), a welcome drink, kayaking or bamboo boat access, entry to Thien Canh Son Cave, a Vietnamese cooking class, night squid fishing, 24-hour room service, and free time for swimming and sunbathing. Vegetarian options are available with advance notice.
Times
- Every day 08:00
Before you book
Operated by Halong Bay Lux Cruises
Prices and times updated yesterday
Traveler reviews
The experience
What if you could get the limestone cliffs, the caves, the kayaking? But without the tour boats stacked three deep? That's the real difference between Bai Tu Long Bay and its famous neighbor. The shuttle picks you up from your Hanoi hotel around 8 AM, and after a three-hour drive to the port, you board a boat with only a handful of cabins. By early afternoon you're already kayaking through karst formations at Cap La Island, swimming in water that's actually quiet, and watching the sun drop behind the bay from the deck with a drink in hand. The cabin is small but clean: twin or double bed, private bathroom, air-con, a window that opens onto the water. Dinner is set menu Vietnamese, cooked fresh on board, and if you want to try night squid fishing after, the crew will set you up with a line and a lamp.
Morning comes early if you want it. Tai Chi on the sundeck at six, or just coffee and the bay at whatever hour you wake. Breakfast is Western style, then you head to Thien Canh Son Cave (the stalactites and stalagmites are the real thing, not a gimmick), and afterward there's a white sand beach at Hon Co Island where you can swim or just sit. By nine-thirty you're back on board learning to make nem cuon (spring rolls) in a quick cooking demonstration, the kind of thing that sounds touristy but actually sticks with you. Lunch is traditional Vietnamese, and then it's the three-hour ride back to Hanoi, arriving around three in the afternoon. The whole package (pickup, all meals, the cave, the kayak, the cooking class, the cabin) is included. Vegetarian options are available if you book ahead and mention it.
The boat is small enough that you're not competing with a hundred other travelers for deck space, but it's not so small that you feel cramped. There's a fully stocked bar, free time to swim or sunbathe whenever you want, and night fishing if you're into that. The crew handles the logistics (registration, safety briefing, cabin check-in), so you just show up at the hotel at pickup time and let it happen. It's the kind of trip where you can be social or completely alone, depending on the hour and your mood.
Is this one for you?Book this if you want the cave-and-kayak experience of Ha Long Bay but prefer a smaller boat and fewer crowds, and you'd rather not arrange your own transport from Hanoi: the pickup and all-inclusive meals mean you just show up and the trip unfolds.
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Top questions
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 8 years); Infant (under 4): free.
What happens if it rains?
It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.
How long is the drive from Hanoi to the port?
About three hours. Pickup is around 8 AM from your hotel in the Old Quarter, and you board the boat around 12:30 PM.
What's included in the price?
Hotel pickup and return, one night in a cabin, all meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner), kayaking or bamboo boat, entry to Thien Canh Son Cave, the cooking class, welcome drink, and night squid fishing if you want it.
How many people are on the boat?
Only a handful of cabins per cruise, so groups stay small. The exact number varies by departure.
Can I get vegetarian meals?
Yes, vegetarian options are available. Let the operator know when you book.
Is the cabin private?
Yes, you get a private twin or double cabin with a private bathroom, air-con, and a window with bay views.
What time do we get back to Hanoi?
Around 3 to 3:30 PM on the second day, after breakfast and the cooking class.
Is swimming included?
Yes, there's free time for swimming at Cap La Island and Hon Co Island, plus time to swim from the boat whenever you want.
What should I bring?
Hat, sun protection, swimming suit, sunglasses, sunscreen, camera, water bottle, and light jacket if traveling in winter. Insect spray is useful too.
Bai Tu Long Bay 2-Day Cruise from Hanoi & Cave Exploration
2d · EN · at your hotel
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