Kayaking Ha Long Bay from Hanoi: Sung Sot Cave & Ti Top Island

Paddle through a limestone tunnel, then swim off a crescent beach in the same day

A full-day cruise from Hanoi to Ha Long Bay combines kayaking through Luon Cave's 60-meter tunnel, walking the stalactite chambers of Sung Sot Cave, and a beach break at Ti Top Island, with lunch, live entertainment and round-trip limousine transfer from Hanoi included. Choose departure from Hanoi (pickup 06:30–07:15, total 11 hours) or from Ha Long port (09:30–10:00 arrival, 7 hours on the water).

Step-by-step itinerary

Halong Bay Cruise and Activities

• Pickup from Hanoi hotel lobby
• Arrive at Halong International Cruise Port
• Transfer to Dolphin cruise by electric car
• Welcome drink and safety briefing
• Buffet lunch on cruise
• Explore Sung Sot Grotto cave
• Kayak or sampan boat at Luon Cave
• Swim and visit Ti Top Island
• Canape party with live music and DJ
• Return to harbor and disembark
• Drop off at Hanoi hotel lobby

The experience

The day starts with a three-hour drive from Hanoi in a limousine bus, one stop halfway, arriving at Ha Long International Cruise Port by 09:30. After check-in at the Legacy Voyages lounge and a 30-minute transfer by electric car to the Dolphin cruise, you get a welcome drink and safety briefing, then settle into a buffet lunch of over 100 dishes (Asian and European) as the boat glides through emerald water between limestone islands. The itinerary can shift with weather or traffic, so the operator builds in flexibility.

Sung Sot Cave comes first: a tender takes you to the largest cave in Ha Long Bay, where you walk through chambers of shimmering stalactites and stalagmites. Then the kayak or sampan moment at Luon Cave, you choose which, takes about 30 minutes to paddle or drift through a 60-meter tunnel, 3 to 4 meters high, that opens into a calm, flat reservoir ringed by rocky mountains. Moss, ferns and a troop of monkeys climbing the branches line the walls. After Luon, a tender ferries you to Ti Top Island, where a crescent-shaped beach waits. Swim in the bay, climb to the mountain top for a panorama of the whole landscape, or stay aboard the cruise's 268-square-meter pool and sundeck.

The return journey runs 16:00–17:00 with a Canapé party, live music and a DJ at sunset, or you can relax poolside. If you depart from Hanoi, the limousine drops you back at your hotel in the Old Quarter or at Hanoi Opera House by 20:15. A guide who speaks English or Vietnamese stays with the group throughout. WiFi is available on board, though connection can be patchy depending on location in the bay.

What’s included

• Round-trip limousine transfer from Hanoi (for the Hanoi departure option).
• kayak or sampan boat at Luon Cave.
• entry to Sung Sot Cave.
• lunch buffet with over 100 dishes.
• welcome drink upon arrival.
• live band music with singer, musician and DJ.
• Canapé sunset party.
• WiFi on board.
• one towel per person.
• English or Vietnamese-speaking guide.
• electric car transfer from the port to the cruise.

Options for this experience

3 options

Guide in English or Vietnamese10:00

Guide in English or Vietnamese06:30 and 07:00

Guide in English or Vietnamese06:30

You pick the guide language when booking. Options with the same name differ in details you'll see when you pick a date.

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

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 06:30, 07:00 and 10:00

Book up to10h before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Youth (5 to 11 years) · Child (2 to 4 years) · Infant (under 2)

GroupUp to 600

Live guideEnglish and Vietnamese

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Paid on siteUS$ 12

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleStroller friendlyPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by IRIS CRUISE HALONG BAY

Is this one for you?Book the Hanoi departure if your hotel is in the Old Quarter or near Hanoi Opera House. The port departure saves three hours of driving if you're already in Ha Long or want more time on the water.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Vietnamese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (5 to 11 years); Child (2 to 4 years); Infant (under 2).

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.

How long is the drive from Hanoi to Ha Long Bay?

The limousine bus ride from Hanoi Old Quarter or Hanoi Opera House takes around three hours and includes one stop halfway. You depart 06:30–07:15 and arrive at Ha Long International Cruise Port by 09:30.

Can I choose between kayaking and a boat at Luon Cave?

Yes. At Luon Cave you can either kayak or take a sampan boat through the 60-meter tunnel that opens into a calm, green water reservoir surrounded by rocky mountains. The choice is yours, and the stop lasts around 30 minutes either way.

What is Sung Sot Cave like?

Sung Sot is the largest cave in Ha Long Bay, filled with countless stalactites and stalagmites in unique shapes. You walk through the chambers on foot after a tender boat brings you from the cruise. The visit is part of the 12:00–13:30 stop.

Is there time to swim at Ti Top Island?

Yes. Ti Top Island has a crescent-shaped beach where you can swim in the bay, or you can climb to the mountain top for a panoramic view of Ha Long Bay. The stop runs 14:45–16:00, and you can also stay aboard the cruise and relax on the sundeck or in the pool if you prefer.

What meals and drinks are included?

Lunch is a premium buffet with over 100 international dishes served as the cruise glides through the bay (a set menu applies if fewer than 50 guests are aboard). A welcome drink arrives when you board, and a Canapé party with live music happens during the return at sunset. Other beverages are not included.

Do I need to arrange my own transport from Hanoi?

No. If you book the Hanoi departure option, round-trip limousine transfer from Hanoi Old Quarter or Hanoi Opera House is included. If you depart from Ha Long port instead, you arrange your own arrival by 09:30–10:00 at Ha Long International Cruise Port.