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.

Good to know

Easy physical level

Operated by BCFamilyTour.com

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

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.