Lan Ha Bay 2-day Kayaking Tour: Limestone Karsts & Villages
Paddle into limestone karsts, then wake to sunrise over the bay
A 2-day cruise from Hanoi to Lan Ha Bay combines kayaking through towering limestone formations with time on untamed beaches and a visit to Viet Hai fishing village. You overnight on a traditional junk with en-suite cabin, wake early for Tai Chi on deck, and spend the second morning cycling or by electric car through local island life before returning to Cat Ba. The itinerary skips caves entirely, trading them for more water time and a slower pace through the bay's natural landscape.
Options for this experience
4 optionsStep-by-step itinerary
Day 1: Travel to Lan Ha Bay and cruise
- Pickup from Hanoi hotel
- Travel to Cat Ba Island with stops
- Take ferry to Cat Ba Island
- Arrive at Ben Beo Pier and get tickets
- Welcome at Cai Beo Cruise Port
- Board boat and enjoy welcome drink
- Lunch while cruising to Lan Ha Bay
- Explore Ba Trai Dao or Dau Be
- Kayak or swim in Lan Ha Bay
- Relax on sundeck and cooking demo
- Dinner on board
- Evening relaxation or squid fishing
- Overnight on cruise
Day 2: Viet Hai Village and return
- Admire sunrise on the bay
- Morning Tai Chi on sundeck
- Breakfast with bay view
- Visit Viet Hai fishing village by bike or car
- Check out cabin and cruise to port
- Lunch served on board
- Disembark at Cai Beo Cruise Port
- Trip ends
What’s included
- Tour guide in English throughout the cruise.
- Tai Chi lesson on the sundeck.
- kayaking, bicycle and electric car access.
- en-suite cabin with air conditioning and hot water.
- welcome drink and all meals (lunch and dinner on day one, breakfast and lunch on day two).
- Vietnamese cooking demonstration.
- entrance tickets for Lan Ha Bay and Ha Long Bay.
Times
- Every day 07:00 07:30 11:00
Before you book
Operated by Beka Travel
Prices and times updated 2 days ago
Traveler reviews
The experience
The cruise departs Hanoi's Old Quarter in the morning and reaches Ben Beo Pier by midday after a ferry crossing to Cat Ba Island. Once aboard at Cai Beo Cruise Port, you settle into your cabin, receive a welcome briefing and lunch, then head into Lan Ha Bay. The boat sails toward either Ba Trai Dao or Dau Be, where you choose between kayaking up close to the karsts, swimming in the emerald water, or simply stretching out on the wild beach. The pace is yours. Before dinner, watch a Vietnamese cooking demonstration on deck and eat aboard while the junk sits anchored in the calm waters.
The second morning starts before dawn. You wake to watch the sunrise from the sundeck around 5 a.m., join an optional Tai Chi lesson at 6:30, and have tea or coffee while the boat heads toward Viet Hai fishing village. After breakfast, you spend two hours cycling or traveling by electric car through the village, moving through the daily rhythms of local island life and lush vegetation. By late morning, the boat returns to Cai Beo Cruise Port with lunch served during the journey, and you disembark by noon.
Your cabin is en-suite with air conditioning and hot water. Kayaking equipment, bicycles and the electric car option are all included, as is the guide who stays with the group throughout. The cruise accommodates all fitness levels, and the two-day structure means you get real time on the water without the rush of a single-day itinerary.
Is this one for you?Pick the Hanoi pickup option if you're arriving in the city and want transport sorted from your hotel. Otherwise, arrange to meet the boat at Cat Ba. The 2-day length gives you real time on the water and in the village without the pace of a rushed day trip, and the cabin overnight means you wake to the bay itself rather than traveling back to shore in the evening.
Compare the 12 alternatives
Top questions
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 9 years); Infant (under 5).
What's the difference between kayaking in Lan Ha Bay and Ha Long Bay on this cruise?
Lan Ha Bay sits adjacent to Ha Long Bay but sees fewer boats and tourists. This itinerary skips the cave visits that dominate Ha Long tours, giving you more hours for kayaking among the limestone karsts and time on the beaches instead.
Can I choose between kayaking and other activities on the water?
Yes. When the boat reaches Ba Trai Dao or Dau Be, you can kayak out to the formations, take a tender boat through the area, or swim and relax on the beach. The guide will brief you on options once you arrive and you pick what suits the moment.
What happens during the cooking demonstration before dinner?
A staff member prepares Vietnamese dishes on board while you watch from the sundeck. It's a casual introduction to the cooking style, and then you eat what was made for dinner that evening.
Is the Tai Chi lesson mandatory, and do I need experience?
The lesson is optional and runs for about 30 minutes on the sundeck at 6:30 a.m. on the second morning. No experience is needed. It's a gentle way to start the day and open to anyone who wants to join.
How do I get from Hanoi to the boat, and what's included in the pickup?
If you book the Hanoi pickup option, the cruise collects you from your hotel in Hanoi's Old Quarter in the morning, makes a few rest stops along the way, and takes you by ferry to Cat Ba Island and then by road to Ben Beo Pier. The ferry and road transport are included. Entrance tickets for Lan Ha Bay are also included in the tour price.
What should I pack for two days on the water?
Bring swimwear, a light layer for the evening and early morning, sunscreen, and any personal medications. The cabin has hot water and towels. Kayaking life jackets are provided on board.
Lan Ha Bay 2-day Kayaking Tour: Limestone Karsts & Villages
2d · EN
from US$ 144 per person
Next, you choose your date and number of travelers and see the final price.