Ha Long Bay: 6-Hour Cruise, Sung Sot Cave & Ti Top Island

One Day in Ha Long Bay: Three Stops, One Boat, Lunch Included

You board at Tuan Chau Harbor and spend six hours cruising Ha Long Bay with stops at Sung Sot Cave, Luon Cave for kayaking, and Ti Top Island for swimming. Lunch and use of the onboard Jacuzzi pool are included, along with an English-speaking guide and a sunset party on the return cruise. You're back on land by early evening.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Ha Long Bay3h 30m · entry included
2. Surprise Cave1h · entry included
3. Titop Island1h · entry included

Halong Bay cruise and island exploration

• Pickup at Tuan Chau Harbor
• Welcome and safety briefing on Apollo Cruise
• Cruise through Halong Bay with lunch onboard
• Stop at Luon Cave for kayaking or bamboo boat
• Visit Sung Sot Cave and explore stalactites
• Stop at Ti Top Island for swimming or hiking
• Enjoy sunset party and sunbathing on upper deck
• Return to Tuan Chau Harbor and trip ends

The experience

You're thinking you don't have time for Ha Long Bay: that it needs a full overnight to matter. Then you realize six hours on the water might actually be enough, especially if the boat leaves from Tuan Chau Harbor and the guide knows exactly where to stop. The Apollo Cruise picks you up, runs through a quick safety briefing, and then you're moving into the limestone passages that UNESCO listed as a World Heritage site. The bay fills up fast with tour boats, so the timing matters: early enough that Sung Sot Cave doesn't feel completely packed, late enough that you're not standing around waiting.

Sung Sot Cave is the main event, and it's genuinely large: over 10,000 square meters of stalactites and stalagmites shaped like things the locals have named over centuries. You walk through it with the group, and the formations do catch light in a way that makes you stop and look. After that, Luon Cave is smaller and quieter. You get a kayak or bamboo boat and paddle through the opening yourself, which changes the feeling completely. It's less about the cave and more about being on the water, moving slowly, hearing the paddle hit the limestone. Then Ti Top Island for a swim or a climb to the top for views back across the bay. The beach is white sand and the water is clear enough that you can see down a few meters.

Lunch is buffet onboard, seafood and Vietnamese dishes, nothing fancy but it fills you up and you eat while looking at the water. The Jacuzzi pool is there if you want to soak between stops, and there's a sunset party on the way back, which is mostly music and people standing on deck with drinks while the light goes orange. You're back at Tuan Chau Harbor around 6 p.m., which means you can still have dinner in town if you want. The whole thing is six hours, which sounds short until you're actually doing it and realizing you've seen three major stops, eaten, swum, paddled and watched the sun go down on one of the world's most photographed bays.

What’s included

• English-speaking guide and entrance fees.
• six-hour cruise on Ha Long Bay.
• stops at Sung Sot Cave and Luon Cave with kayaking or bamboo boat.
• Ti Top Island with beach swimming or hiking.
• buffet lunch with seafood and Vietnamese dishes.
• free Jacuzzi pool access onboard.
• sunset party during return cruise.
• optional private car pickup in the Ha Long Bay area.

Options for this experience

2 options

Guide in English11:30

Guide in English11:00

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 dayDepartures at 11:00 and 11:30

Book up to2h before

AgesAdult (9 and older) · Child (4 to 8 years) · Under 4: can't be included in the booking

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Paid on siteUS$ 20

Prices and times updated 11 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Authenitc Travel DA NANG

Is this one for you?Book this if you're short on time but want to see the main sights of Ha Long Bay without arranging transport, cave entry and timing yourself: the fixed six-hour schedule packs three major stops and lunch into one day.

Traveler reviews

4.00★★★★★★★★★★

2 verified traveler reviews

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 8 years). Under 4: they can't be included in the booking.

What time does the cruise depart and return?

Pickup and departure are from Tuan Chau Harbor in the morning. The cruise lasts six hours total, with return to the harbor around 6 p.m.

Is lunch included in the price?

Yes, buffet lunch with seafood and Vietnamese dishes is included onboard.

Can I kayak or do I have to take a bamboo boat?

You can choose between kayaking or a bamboo boat ride at Luon Cave.

Is swimming allowed at Ti Top Island?

Yes, you can swim at the beach or hike to the top of the island for views of the bay.

Do I need to book hotel pickup separately?

Private car pickup around the Ha Long Bay area is available as an optional add-on if you book that service.

Is the guide English-speaking?

Yes, an English-speaking guide is included with the tour.

Can I use the Jacuzzi pool?

Free use of the onboard Jacuzzi pool is included during the cruise.