Cat Ba Island Kayaking Tour: 2 Days, Viet Hai Overnight

★★★★★★★★★★ 3.00 (2 reviews)

Free cancellation

1/30

Duration2d

GroupUp to 30

LanguagesEN

PickupAt your hotel

Kayak limestone karsts, trek jungle villages, paddle under stars

A 2-day guided kayaking and trekking tour from Hanoi to Cat Ba Island combines paddling through Lan Ha Bay's limestone formations, an overnight stay in Viet Hai Village deep in the jungle, and a night kayak through bioluminescent plankton. Hotel pickup from Hanoi Old Quarter or Ninh Binh, all meals, and an English-speaking guide are included; children from age 4 are welcome.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Lan Ha Bay boat tour and night kayak

Pick up from Hanoi or Ninh Binh hotel
Travel to Cat Ba Island via Hai Phong and ferry
Board boat at Ben Beo Pier for Lan Ha Bay cruise
Pass Cai Beo Fishing Village and karst towers
Enjoy Vietnamese lunch onboard
Kayak in Lan Ha Bay lagoons and caves
Swim at Ba Trai Dao Beach
Visit floating fish farm and cooking class
Dinner on the boat
Bioluminescent plankton night kayak
Arrive and overnight at Viet Hai Village homestay

Day 2 — Viet Hai Village and return to Hanoi

Breakfast at homestay
Bicycle tour around Viet Hai Village
Check out and sail to Monkey Island
Relax, swim, and trek on Monkey Island
Lunch onboard during return cruise
Arrive Cai Beo Harbor and bus to Hanoi or Ninh Binh
Arrive at accommodation in Hanoi or Ninh Binh

The Experience

The day starts with pickup from your hotel in Hanoi Old Quarter or Ninh Binh at 7am, then a drive and ferry to Cat Ba Island and Ben Beo Pier. Once you board the boat, you're moving through Lan Ha Bay—less crowded than Halong Bay, with limestone karsts rising from emerald water and Cai Beo Fishing Village, one of the oldest floating settlements in northern Vietnam, passing as you sail. Lunch is cooked onboard by the local crew, with vegetarian options available.

By mid-afternoon you're in a kayak, paddling through the lagoon area to explore Dark and Bright Caves, natural tunnels, and archways in an ecologically protected zone. A stop at Ba Trai Dao Beach lets you swim and jump from the boat in a remote, quiet spot. Before dark, you visit a local floating fish farm and join a hands-on cooking class onboard to learn traditional Vietnamese dishes. Then comes the night kayak: as the sun sets, you paddle into areas glowing with bioluminescent plankton, watching your silhouette sparkle in the dark water. By 8pm you arrive at Viet Hai Village, nestled 10 kilometers into the jungle surrounded by forest and mountains, and sleep in a private room at the homestay.

Day two starts at 6:30am with breakfast, then a bicycle ride around the village through mountain air and scenic views—you can try a fish massage in the natural stream if you want. After checking out, you head back to Viet Hai Pier and sail toward Monkey Island, where you swim on the sandy beach, interact with monkeys, or trek up to the viewpoint for a panoramic view of Lan Ha Bay. Lunch is served onboard on the return cruise to Cai Beo Harbor. The bus drops you back in Hanoi or Ninh Binh by late afternoon.

What’s included

Hotel pickup and drop-off from Hanoi Old Quarter or Ninh Binh.
all meals—two lunches, one dinner and one breakfast.
a private room at the Viet Hai Village homestay for two to four people.
entrance tickets and Cai Beo Floating Village access.
kayaking through Lan Ha Bay's limestone lagoons and caves.
a bioluminescent night kayak.
biking around Viet Hai Village.
trekking and swimming at Monkey Island.
an experienced English-speaking guide for the full two days.

Good to know

Easy physical level

Operated by LOCAL TOURS VIETNAM

Is this one for you?Book this trip if you're arriving in Hanoi with two days free and want to skip the crowded Halong Bay tours—the smaller group size, overnight jungle village stay, and night kayak through glowing plankton set this apart from the standard day trips most travelers take.