3-Day Halong Bay Cruise & Cat Ba Island from Hanoi

Three days crossing two World Heritage Sites: limestone karsts, kayak, cave trek, rare langur encounter

A 3-day cruise from Hanoi through Halong Bay's UNESCO-listed karsts and Lan Ha Bay, with overnight cabin stays, meals, a cooking class, and a trek through Cat Ba National Park where the critically endangered Cat Ba langur lives. The itinerary includes hotel pickup in Hanoi, boat and bus transport, an English-speaking guide, and return to Hanoi. The schedule shifts with weather and sea conditions.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Hanoi to Halong Bay Cruise

• Hotel pick-up in Hanoi Old Quarters
• Travel to Halong Bay via expressway
• Board cruise and receive welcome drink
• Enjoy Vietnamese lunch on cruise
• Explore cave with ancient stalactites
• Relax at crescent-shaped island swimming
• Unwind on sundeck and watch sunset
• Participate in cooking class on cruise
• Dinner with sea views on cruise
• Squid fishing or play games
• Overnight in air-conditioned cruise room

Day 2: Halong Bay and Cat Ba Island

• Wake up early for sunrise and exercises
• Enjoy tea or coffee with light breakfast
• Kayak or bamboo boat ride in bay
• Relax on cruise with cocktails and lunch
• Disembark and travel to Cat Ba Island
• Trek in Cat Ba National Park
• Visit Trung Trang Cave
• Check in to hotel on Cat Ba Island
• Relax, swim at Cat Ba Beach or explore town

Day 3: Cat Ba Island and Return to Hanoi

• Have breakfast at hotel
• Free time to swim, visit market, or take photos
• Check out of hotel
• Bus pick-up to depart Cat Ba Island
• Return to Hanoi Old Quarter
• Drop off at hotel or meeting points

The experience

The day starts with pickup in Hanoi's Old Quarter at 7:50 AM, then a drive on the new expressway to Halong Bay. By 11 AM you board the cruise, receive a welcome drink, and settle into an air-conditioned cabin with a private bathroom and hot water. Lunch is Vietnamese (vegetarian options available), and the afternoon splits between exploring a cave with ancient stalactites and swimming in clear waters off a crescent-shaped island. The evening brings a cooking class on deck, dinner with sea views, and squid fishing or games before sleep in your cabin.

Day two wakes early for sunrise and morning exercises, followed by a choice: kayak or bamboo boat through the bay's islands, then relax on the sundeck with cocktails before lunch. By midday you leave the cruise, travel through Lan Ha Bay (called the "forgotten paradise"), and reach Cat Ba Island. The afternoon trek through Cat Ba National Park takes you to Trung Trang Cave, a former wartime hospital, where the park's most famous residents (the Cat Ba langur, one of the world's most critically endangered primates with only about 60 individuals left) live in the wild. You can skip the trek if you prefer. Either way, check in to your hotel on Cat Ba Island and have the evening free to swim at the beach or explore the town.

The final morning includes breakfast and free time to swim, visit the local market, or photograph the scenery before checkout at 11 AM. A bus picks you up at noon for the return journey (boat and bus combined) arriving back in Hanoi's Old Quarter between 4 and 5 PM. The operator offers optional add-ons on Cat Ba (sunrise cruise, rock climbing, deep water soloing, street food tour) if you book them in advance. Meals on the cruise cover lunch and dinner the first day plus breakfast the second. Cat Ba includes a hotel breakfast, and you choose your own meals there after that. All entrance fees, environment fees, kayaking and fishing equipment, and a water bottle per journey are included.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup in Hanoi and return transport by air-conditioned shuttle bus.
• full cabin with air-conditioning, private bathroom, hot water and walk-in shower on the cruise.
• meals on board (Vietnamese lunch and dinner on day one, breakfast on day two).
• hotel room with breakfast on Cat Ba Island.
• entrance and environment fees for Halong Bay and Cat Ba Island.
• kayaking and fishing equipment.
• cooking class on the cruise.
• English-speaking guide.
• boat and ferry between Halong Bay and Cat Ba Island.
• water bottle per person per journey.

Options for this experience

6 options

Halong Deluxe cruise with a Deluxe hotelGuide in English · 08:00Three days and two nights: one night on the Halong Deluxe Cruise in a cabin with a sea view, plus one night in a 3-star deluxe hotel in Cat Ba. Activities include visiting the bay of a thousand islands, swimming, kayaking or a bamboo boat ride, squid fishing, karaoke singing, a cooking demonstration, and a cave visit. Sea-view cabin on the cruise: fully furnished with air conditioning, a walk-in shower, hot water and a private bathroom. Meals on board: three main meals (lunch, dinner, breakfast) plus brunch; tea and coffee at breakfast and welcome drinks; hotel room and breakfast in Cat Ba. An English-speaking guide is provided (other languages on request). Transport: air-conditioned shuttle bus from Hanoi to Halong Bay harbor, then bus, boat/ferry and bus from Cat Ba back to Hanoi. Promotion and advice on things to do from our tour design experts; text us on WhatsApp. Pickup is included.

Halong Luxury cruise with a Deluxe hotelGuide in English · 08:00Three days and two nights: one night on the Halong Luxury Cruise in a cabin with a sea view, plus one night at a 3-star deluxe hotel in Cat Ba. Activities include visiting the bay of a thousand islands, swimming, kayaking or a bamboo boat ride, squid fishing, karaoke singing, a cooking demonstration, and a cave visit. Trekking in Cat Ba National Park, a World Heritage Site designated as a biosphere reserve in northern Vietnam. Fully furnished cabin with air conditioning, hot water and a private bathroom. Meals on board: lunch, dinner, breakfast and brunch; hotel room and breakfast at a Cat Ba hotel. Promotions and advice on things to do from our tour design experts; text us on WhatsApp. Pickup is included.

Bai Tu Long Deluxe cruise with a Deluxe hotelGuide in English · 08:00Less crowded option, three days and two nights: one night on the Halong Bai Tu Long Deluxe Cruise in a cabin with a sea view, plus one night at a deluxe hotel on Cat Ba Island. Activities in Halong: Bai Tu Long Bay, less touristy and unspoiled, with a cooking class demonstration, kayaking or a bamboo boat trip, squid fishing and more. Fully furnished cabin with air conditioning, a walk-in shower, hot water and a private bathroom. Meals on board: three main meals (lunch, dinner, breakfast) plus brunch; hotel room and breakfast at a Cat Ba hotel. Transport: air-conditioned shuttle bus from Hanoi to Halong Bay harbor and back to Hanoi. Pickup is included.

See 3 more options

Halong Luxury cruise and hotelGuide in English · 08:00Three days and two nights: one night on the Halong Luxury Cruise in a cabin with a sea view, plus one night at a Luxury hotel on Cat Ba Island. Activities include visiting the bay of a thousand islands, swimming, kayaking or a bamboo boat ride, squid fishing, karaoke singing, a cooking demonstration, and a cave visit. Trekking in Cat Ba National Park, a World Heritage Site designated as a biosphere reserve in northern Vietnam. Fully furnished room with air conditioning, hot water and a private bathroom. Meals: on board, including lunch, dinner and breakfast; hotel room and breakfast at a Cat Ba hotel. Transport: air-conditioned bus on the New Highway from Hanoi to Halong Bay harbor; air-conditioned bus, boat/ferry and bus from Cat Ba back to Hanoi; and Cat Ba harbor to the Cat Ba hotel. Promotions and advice on things to do from our tour design experts; text us on WhatsApp. Pickup is included.

Bai Tu Long Luxury cruise with a hotelGuide in English · 08:00Luxury, less crowded and unspoiled option: one night on the Halong Bai Tu Long Luxury Cruise in a cabin with a sea view, plus one night at a Luxury hotel on Cat Ba Island. Activities in Halong: Bai Tu Long Bay, less touristy and unspoiled, with kayaking or a bamboo boat trip, squid fishing, a cooking class demonstration and more. Fully furnished cabin with air conditioning, a walk-in shower, hot water and a private bathroom. Meals on board: three main meals (lunch, dinner, breakfast) plus brunch; hotel room and breakfast at a Cat Ba hotel. Transport: air-conditioned shuttle bus from Hanoi to Halong Bay harbor and back to Hanoi. Pickup is included.

1.Halong Premium+Luxury HotelGuide in English · 08:00Three days and two nights: one night on the Halong Premium Cruise in a cabin with a sea view, plus one night at a luxury hotel on Cat Ba Island. Trekking in Cat Ba National Park, a World Heritage Site designated as a biosphere reserve in northern Vietnam. Fully furnished room with air conditioning, hot water and a private bathroom. Meals: on board, including lunch, dinner and breakfast; hotel room and breakfast at a Cat Ba hotel. Transport: air-conditioned bus on the New Highway from Hanoi to Halong Bay harbor; air-conditioned bus, boat/ferry and bus from Cat Ba back to Hanoi; and Cat Ba harbor to the Cat Ba hotel. Promotions and advice on things to do from our tour design experts; text us on WhatsApp. Pickup is included.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

Book up to6h before

AgesAdult (10 and older) · Child (5 to 9 years) · Under 5: can't be booked

GroupUp to 30

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 6 days before the start.Between 2 and 6 days before the start, 50% refund.After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effort

Is this one for you?Book the 3-day option if you want both the cruise and the island trek without rushing. The two-night pace lets you sleep on the water, explore the bay properly, and spend a full afternoon in the national park. Choose a longer 4-day variant if you're adding optional activities like rock climbing or a sunrise cruise on Cat Ba.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 9 years). Children under 5 can't be included in the booking.

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 6 days before the start.

What's the cooking class like on the cruise?

The cooking class happens on deck in the evening of day one, where you learn to prepare Vietnamese dishes before dinner. It's a hands-on session, not a demonstration, and the meal you help make is what you eat.

Can I kayak instead of taking the bamboo boat on day two?

Yes, kayaking or a bamboo boat ride are both options on the morning of day two in Halong Bay. You choose which one suits you when you book, and the guide will have the equipment ready.

What is the Cat Ba langur and why does it matter?

The Cat Ba langur is a primate found nowhere on earth except Cat Ba Island, with only about 60 individuals surviving. It's listed as the world's most critically endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and the trek on day two passes through the national park where they live in the wild.

Do I need to book the optional activities on Cat Ba in advance?

Yes, optional activities like the sunrise cruise, rock climbing, or street food tour need to be arranged when you book the main tour or as early as possible. The operator's travel experts can add them to your package.

What happens if the weather turns bad?

The cruise itinerary and schedule can shift due to weather and sea conditions, though the main activities (cave, island swim, cooking class, trek) stay the same. The operator will adjust the day as needed and keep you informed.

Is the trek in Cat Ba National Park mandatory?

No, you can skip the trek if you prefer. Let the operator know before booking or as soon as possible, and you'll have free time on Cat Ba Island instead to swim, explore the town, or rest.