2-day Halong Bay cruise from Hanoi: Kayak and cave explore

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Free cancellationExcellent quality

1/15

Duration2d

GroupUp to 20

LanguagesEN

PickupAt your hotel

Paddle into caves and sleep on the water without arranging the boat or the ride

A 2-day cruise through Halong Bay departing from Hanoi, with overnight accommodation on the Fantasea boat, guided kayaking into Fairy Lake Cave, visits to Surprise Cave and Titop Island, and all meals included. Hotel pickup and drop-off in Hanoi are arranged; an English-speaking guide leads the activities onboard.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Hanoi to Halong Bay cruise

Pickup from Hanoi Old Quarter hotel
Drive to Halong Bay with countryside break
Arrive at Tuan Chau harbour
Transfer to Fantasea boat and check in cabin
Enjoy welcome drink and Vietnamese seafood lunch
Cruise and visit Sung Sot Cave
Visit Ti Top Island and hike for panoramic views
Relax on the beach at Ti Top Island
Return to boat and join cooking class
Have buffet dinner onboard
Enjoy karaoke and squid fishing (optional)

Day 2 — Halong Bay to Hanoi return

Have breakfast onboard
Kayak at Ho Dong Tien cave or explore cave
Lunch while cruising back to harbour
Bus drive back to Hanoi with short break
Drop off at Hanoi Old Quarter hotel

The Experience

The pickup starts early — between 8:00 and 8:40 from your Hanoi hotel — and the drive to Tuan Chau harbour takes you through countryside with rice paddies and a short break halfway. By noon you board the Fantasea and check into your cabin while the boat begins cruising past the limestone formations (Incense Burner, Stone Dog, Fighting Cock) that define the bay. Lunch is served as you move, then you visit Surprise Cave, one of the largest in Halong Bay, before heading to Titop Island where you can hike to the summit for a panoramic view of the whole bay or swim off the beach.

The evening on the boat includes a cooking class where you learn to make spring rolls, a buffet dinner, and optional karaoke and squid fishing if you want them. You sleep in your private cabin — single, double or triple depending on what you book — and wake to breakfast before the second day's main event: kayaking into Fairy Lake Cave (Ho Dong Tien), a sheltered lagoon where the water is still enough to see the limestone walls reflected. If time allows, you can explore inside the cave itself.

After kayaking, you have lunch onboard while the boat heads back to the harbour. The return drive to Hanoi takes about four hours with a break, and you're dropped at your hotel by 4:30 pm. The whole trip — transport, cabin, meals, entry fees, guide and activities — is included; you bring only yourself and whatever you want to drink beyond the welcome drink and water bottle provided.

What’s included

Round-trip hotel pickup and drop-off in Hanoi.
one night in a private cabin (single, double or triple) on the Fantasea boat.
welcome drink and water bottle.
Vietnamese lunch and seafood cruise on day one.
buffet dinner.
breakfast and lunch on day two.
entry to Surprise Cave.
hiking and beach time at Titop Island.
guided kayaking into Fairy Lake Cave.
optional cooking class to learn spring rolls.
English-speaking guide throughout.
all admission fees and insurance.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Fantasea Tours

Is this one for you?Choose this overnight cruise if you're arriving in Hanoi and want two full days exploring Halong Bay instead of a rushed day trip—you'll sleep on the boat and wake already in the bay, giving you a complete day for kayaking and swimming.