Ha Long Bay cruise: Limestone karsts & cave exploration
Sail past limestone cliffs, kayak into caves, cook Vietnamese spring rolls at sunset
A 2-day overnight cruise from Hanoi to Ha Long Bay aboard the Cozy Bay Grand, a 4-star vessel with cabin accommodation, all meals, cave and island visits, and activities like kayaking, cooking class and squid fishing included. Hotel pickup in Hanoi Old Quarter and return transfer are included in the Hanoi departure options. If you depart from Tuan Chau Harbor instead, you arrange your own transport to the port. Children from age 1 are welcome, with reduced rates for ages 5–8 sharing a parent's cabin.
Options for this experience
4 optionsStep-by-step itinerary
Day 1: Hanoi to Halong Bay cruise activities
- Pick up from Hanoi Old Quarter hotel
- Travel to Halong Bay via expressway
- Short break en route
- Arrive at Tuan Chau Harbor, check in
- Welcome drink and cabin check-in
- Buffet lunch on board
- Visit Titov Island, hike or swim
- Visit Luon Cave by kayak or bamboo boat
- Relax on sundeck, enjoy sunset views
- Happy Hour drinks offer
- Sunset party and cooking class
- Dinner on board
- Evening activities: cultural show, squid fishing, karaoke, games
- Overnight on Cozy Bay Grand
Day 2: Halong Bay morning and return to Hanoi
- Wake up early, watch sunrise
- Morning Tai Chi on sundeck
- Morning tea/coffee and light buffet breakfast
- Visit Sung Sot (Surprise) Cave
- Return to cruise, freshen up and pack
- Check out cabin, luggage transfer
- Early buffet lunch onboard
- Disembark at Tuan Chau Harbor
- Transfer back to Hanoi via expressway
- Short stop en route
- Arrive at Hanoi Old Quarter hotel, trip ends
What’s included
- Hotel pickup in Hanoi Old Quarter and return transfer by shuttle bus (Hanoi departure options only).
- one night in a private cabin with air conditioning.
- two buffet lunches, one dinner and one buffet breakfast.
- welcome drink and complimentary bottled water.
- entry to Sung Sot Cave and Titop Island.
- kayaking or bamboo boat equipment for Luon Cave.
- sunset cooking class with wine and fresh fruit.
- morning Tai Chi session.
- complimentary evening activities including a cultural fashion show, squid fishing, karaoke and board games.
- onboard insurance.
- English-speaking tour guide.
Times
- Every day 08:00 12:00
Before you book
Operated by Cozy Bay Cruise
Prices and times updated yesterday
Traveler reviews
The experience
The boat picks you up at your Hanoi hotel at 8am and drives you to Tuan Chau Harbor by expressway, arriving around midday. After a welcome drink and cabin check-in, you settle into a buffet lunch while the cruise glides through Ha Long Bay's limestone landscape. The afternoon splits between Titop Island (where you can hike to the summit for views or swim on the beach), and Luon Cave, which you explore by bamboo boat or kayak, drifting through calm water between towering cliffs.
Evening is when the rhythm shifts. At sunset, the crew holds a cooking class where you learn to make Vietnamese fresh spring rolls, tasting what you've prepared while sipping wine on deck. Dinner follows in the restaurant overlooking the bay at night. After that, the boat offers complimentary activities (a traditional cultural fashion show, night squid fishing, karaoke, board games), or you can simply sit on the sundeck and watch the bay go quiet. You sleep in your private cabin with air conditioning.
Day two starts early. A 6am Tai Chi session on the sundeck precedes sunrise, then a light breakfast with bay views. Before heading back, you visit Sung Sot Cave, the largest cave in Ha Long Bay, known for its stalactites and stalagmites. By 10:30am you're eating a final buffet lunch aboard while sailing back to Tuan Chau Harbor. The return drive to Hanoi takes about three hours, with a 20–30 minute stop halfway, arriving at your hotel around 4pm.
Is this one for you?Book the Hanoi departure if you want hotel pickup and return included in the price. Choose the Harbor departure if you're already in Ha Long or prefer to arrange your own transport to the port. The 2-day format gives you a full night aboard and two separate cave and island experiences, which a day trip cannot fit: the cooking class and evening activities happen only because you're sleeping on the boat.
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Top questions
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 8 years); Infant (1 to 4 years).
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.
What's included in the meals on the Cozy Bay Grand cruise?
The cruise includes two buffet lunches, one dinner, and one buffet breakfast, all served onboard. Tea and coffee are available at breakfast, and a welcome drink greets you at check-in. A Happy Hour runs from 5:30–6:30pm on the first evening with a buy-2-get-1-free drinks offer.
Can I kayak or do I have to take a bamboo boat at Luon Cave?
Luon Cave visits include both kayaking and bamboo boat options, so you choose which one suits you when you arrive. The equipment is provided as part of the tour.
What happens during the cooking class on the first evening?
The sunset cooking class teaches you how to make Vietnamese fresh spring rolls. The chef demonstrates the technique, and you prepare your own to taste afterward, all while enjoying wine and fresh fruit on deck as the sun sets over the bay.
Does the price include the drive from my Hanoi hotel to the cruise?
Hotel pickup and return transfer from Hanoi Old Quarter are included only if you book a Hanoi departure option. If you choose the Harbor departure option, you arrange your own transport to Tuan Chau Harbor.
What is Sung Sot Cave like, and how long do we spend there?
Sung Sot Cave, also called Surprise Cave, is the largest and most famous cave in Ha Long Bay, known for its impressive stalactites and stalagmites. The visit happens on the morning of day two before you return to the harbor. The exact duration is determined by the cruise's schedule.
Ha Long Bay cruise: Limestone karsts & cave exploration
2d · EN
from US$ 124 per person
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