4-Day Lan Ha Bay Cruise from Hanoi: Kayak, Cave, Cook

Paddle through limestone karst, explore caves lit by stalactites, cook with the chef.

A 4-day cruise from Hanoi to Lan Ha Bay, Halong Bay and Cat Ba Island aboard Heritage Cruises, a boutique vessel carrying 40 to 60 guests. You kayak or bamboo-boat through remote waters, cycle through rainforest to rice fields, visit floating villages and fish caves, take a Vietnamese cooking class onboard, and sleep in a suite with a private balcony. Hotel pickup in Hanoi's Old Quarter is included; the itinerary may shift with weather and tides.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Hanoi or Tuan Chau to Lan Ha Bay

• Pick up guests in Hanoi Old Quarter
• Transfer to Halong Bay with break
• Meet at Tuan Chau Marina for cruise
• Board Heritage Cruises and receive briefing
• Lunch at L’indochine Restaurant
• Cruise to Lan Ha Bay limestone mountains
• Kayak or swim at Ba Trai Dao beaches
• Return to cruise and watch sunset
• Afternoon tea and Vietnamese cooking class
• Dinner at restaurant on board
• Evening bar and squid fishing

Day 2 — Lan Ha Bay and Viet Hai Village

• Morning Vovinam session on sundeck
• Breakfast on boat
• Speedboat to Viet Hai Village
• Bicycle or electric car ride through rainforest
• Visit traditional house and local lifestyle
• Lunch in Viet Hai Village
• Visit Cat Ba Archipelago and Cai Beo floating village
• Explore Ba Trai Dao beaches or kayak
• Return to cruise for cocktails and sunset
• Vietnamese cooking class
• Dinner on board
• Evening bar and squid fishing

Day 3 — Cat Ba Island Exploration and Lan Ha Bay

• Brunch on board
• Speedboat to Gia Luan seaport
• Drive to Trung Trang or Quan Y Cave
• Visit Cat Ba market and fish sauce factory
• Lunch at local restaurant
• Walk Cat Co beaches (optional)
• Visit Ben Beo floating village
• Return to Heritage Cruises
• Free time at pool bar
• Dinner at Le Tonkin Restaurant
• Evening bar and squid fishing

Day 4 — Lan Ha Bay to Tuan Chau or Hanoi

• Morning Vovinam session on sundeck
• Light breakfast on board
• Bamboo boat to Dark and Bright Cave
• Return to boat for checkout
• Brunch while cruising to mainland
• Disembark at Tuan Chau Marina
• Transfer to Hanoi by limousine/bus (if booked)

The Experience

The cruise departs from Hanoi's Old Quarter between 8:30 and 9:00 AM, with a 2.5-hour drive to Tuan Chau Marina where you board at noon. By 12:40, the boat is moving through Lan Ha Bay's limestone archipelago—about 400 islands rising from the water, most untouched by other cruise routes. The first afternoon takes you to Ba Trai Dao beaches, where you can kayak in clear water or swim in the coves, then return to watch the sunset from the deck with a cocktail. The chef leads a Vietnamese cooking class before dinner, and the evening opens onto squid fishing from the top deck or drinks at the bar.

Day two starts with Vovinam (a Vietnamese martial art) on the sundeck at 6:15 AM, followed by breakfast. A speedboat then carries you to Viet Hai Village, where you cycle or ride an electric car through a rainforest tunnel to rice fields and a traditional house deep in a national park. Lunch happens in the village; afterward you return to the boat and explore Cai Beo floating village and the Ba Trai Dao beaches again, or swim and kayak in the Tra Bau area depending on weather and tide. The pattern repeats: cocktails at 3:30 PM, sunset at 5:30 PM, cooking class, fine dining, and squid fishing into the night.

Day three is an expedition day on Cat Ba Island itself. After brunch, a speedboat takes you to Gia Luan seaport and a driver meets you to explore the island's interior—the largest cave (Trung Trang or Quan Y, near Cat Ba National Park), the local market, and a fish-sauce factory where you see how Nuoc Mam is made. Lunch is at a local restaurant in the island's center; you can walk Cat Co beaches before heading back to Ben Beo floating village, then return to the boat for the afternoon. The evening is free time at the pool bar, dinner, and another night on deck.

The final morning repeats the Vovinam session and light breakfast, then a bamboo boat takes you to Dark and Bright Cave to see stalactites before you return to the boat for checkout and brunch while cruising back to Tuan Chau Marina. If you booked from Hanoi, a limousine returns you to your hotel in the Old Quarter by 2:30 PM. The entire stay includes three nights in a Delta Suite cabin with a private balcony and ocean view, all meals (three lunches, three dinners, three breakfasts and one brunch), welcome drink, 24-hour room service, WiFi in the restaurant and bar, live music, a cinema, an art gallery, and an English-speaking guide onboard.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup in Hanoi's Old Quarter and return transfer (Hanoi option).
• limousine to Tuan Chau Marina.
• three nights in a Delta Suite cabin with private balcony and ocean view.
• three lunches, three dinners, three breakfasts and one brunch with seafood and Vietnamese cuisine.
• welcome drink and 24-hour room service.
• entrance and sightseeing fees for all sites.
• kayaking or bamboo-boat rides.
• speedboat transfers to villages and beaches.
• cycling or electric-car ride through Viet Hai Village.
• cave exploration at Dark and Bright Cave and Trung Trang or Quan Y Cave.
• visits to Cai Beo floating village and Lan Ha floating village.
• market and fish-sauce factory tour on Cat Ba Island.
• Vietnamese cooking class.
• morning Vovinam sessions.
• night squid fishing.
• access to swimming pool, gym, games, cinema, live music and art gallery onboard.
• English-speaking guide and cruise manager.
• WiFi in restaurant and bar areas.
• fresh fruit, water, tea and coffee in your suite.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by LOCAL TOURS VIETNAM

Is this one for you?Book the Hanoi departure if you're landing in the city and want to skip arranging your own transport to the boat—pickup happens at your hotel and the drive to the marina is built into the schedule. Choose the Halong Bay departure if you're already in the area or prefer to make your own way to Tuan Chau Marina at 11:30 AM.

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Top questions

Can I book this cruise if I'm arriving in Hanoi for the first time?

Yes. Hotel pickup in Hanoi's Old Quarter or at the Opera House is included in the Hanoi departure option; the boat leaves at 8:30 AM and you reach Tuan Chau Marina by 12:40 PM for boarding. If you prefer to travel on your own, you can meet the boat directly at Tuan Chau Marina at 11:30 AM instead.

What exactly do I do in Viet Hai Village on day two?

A speedboat takes you from the cruise to Viet Hai Village, where you cycle or ride an electric car through a rainforest tunnel that opens onto rice fields. You visit a traditional house in the village to see how local people live, then have lunch there before returning to the boat to explore Lan Ha Bay.

Is the Vietnamese cooking class hands-on, or do I just watch?

The chef leads the cooking class onboard, and you participate in preparing Vietnamese dishes. It happens in the afternoon on both day one and day two before dinner service.

What's included in the price, and what costs extra?

All meals onboard (three lunches, three dinners, three breakfasts and one brunch), the welcome drink, cave and sightseeing entry fees, kayaking and bamboo-boat rides, the cooking class, squid fishing, morning Vovinam sessions, the speedboat transfers to villages and beaches, the van on Cat Ba Island, WiFi in public areas, and the limousine transfer to and from Hanoi (if you book the Hanoi option) are included. Tips for crew, guides and drivers are appreciated but optional; spa, massage and other beverages are not included.

What happens if the weather is bad during the four days?

The cruise itinerary may change due to weather and tides without prior notice—for example, some beach and cave visits depend on safe conditions. If poor weather forces the government to cancel the tour, you can choose an alternative date or receive a full refund.

Do I need to be fit or experienced to kayak and explore caves?

The cruise is suitable for all physical fitness levels. Kayaking and cave exploration are offered as activities you choose to join; you can also swim, relax on the deck, or use the pool and gym onboard instead.