Kayaking in Lan Ha Bay from Cat Ba: 3 caves and swimming

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Free cancellationExcellent quality

1/51

Duration8h

GroupUp to 40

LanguagesEN · VI

PickupAt your hotel

You kayak through tunnel caves carved into limestone cliffs, not just paddle past them.

A full-day boat trip from Cat Ba takes you to Lan Ha Bay and the southern edge of Ha Long Bay, where you kayak through three tunnel caves, swim at multiple beaches, and dive to see coral reefs. The boat picks you up from your hotel at 7:30 am, returns you by late afternoon, and includes lunch cooked on board, all kayak gear, masks and dry bags, and entrance fees; an English or Vietnamese-speaking guide leads the group.

Step-by-step itinerary

Full day boat tour in Lan Ha Bay

Pick up from hotel to Ben Beo wharf
Board boat and start Lan Ha Bay tour
Visit fishing village and small islands
Kayak through Dark-bright caves
Return to floating house and see sea fish
Enjoy lunch on board
Boat moves to three-peach beaches
Swim and jump from boat at beaches
Move to Thap Nghieng Island for swimming
Boat returns to Ben Beo harbor
Car transfer back to Cat Ba town

The Experience

The day starts with a hotel pickup and a short drive to Ben Beo wharf, where you board the boat at 8:30 am. The boat winds through a fishing village and past hundreds of small islands shaped like candles, toads and seals before reaching the Dark-Bright Caves area around 10:00 am. This is where you get into a kayak and row through tunnel caves that connect Lan Ha Bay to Ha Long Bay—the water runs through limestone passages with cliffs rising on both sides, opening into a valley surrounded by high mountains. After kayaking ends around 11:00 am, you return to a floating house to rest and eat lunch, which the crew prepares and serves on board.

By midday the boat moves to Three Peach Beaches, where you can jump from the boat into clear water and swim on smooth golden sand. The stop lasts about an hour. Next is Thap Nghieng Island, another beach with white sand and shallow water for swimming and snorkeling to see coral reefs and sea life like cobia and starfish. The boat leaves Cat Dua Island at 3:00 pm and returns to Ben Beo harbor by 3:30 pm, where a van takes you back to Cat Ba town by late afternoon.

Everything you need is provided: kayak, paddle, mask, snorkel gear and a dry bag for personal items. The crew speaks English or Vietnamese, so communication is straightforward. Lunch is local dishes prepared by the sailors. The only things not included are drinks beyond what the boat offers and personal spending money for souvenirs or tips.

What’s included

Hotel pickup and drop-off by van.
kayak, paddle, mask, snorkel gear and dry bag.
lunch cooked on board.
entrance fees and all taxes.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Tran Nguyen Travel

Is this one for you?Choose this tour if you want to visit multiple secluded beaches and paddle through caves in a single day—the itinerary combines both activities in one trip, whereas most options focus on one or the other.