Lan Ha Bay kayaking cruise: 2-day small group private cabin

You kayak through limestone karsts and sleep on the water between two days of activity.

A 2-day small-group cruise through Lan Ha Bay departing from Ninh Binh, with kayaking through Dark and Bright Caves, biking through Viet Hai Village rainforest, swimming in the bay, and overnight accommodation in a private cabin. The boat carries a maximum of 20 guests and includes all meals, a welcome drink, English-speaking guide, and a traditional cooking class onboard.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Ninh Binh to Lan Ha Bay cruise

• Transfer from Ninh Binh to Haiphong Port
• Arrive Cai Beo Port and board cruise
• Welcome drink and safety briefing
• Enjoy lunch onboard
• Visit Cat Ba Island and Ba Trai Dao area
• Kayak at Dark & Bright Cave
• Swim in Lan Ha Bay
• Watch sunset from cruise
• Join traditional cooking class
• Enjoy dinner onboard

Day 2: Viet Hai Village and return

• Enjoy sunrise and breakfast on cruise
• Visit Viet Hai Village by tender
• Bicycle ride through rainforest tunnel
• Meet locals and visit traditional house
• Return to cruise and check out
• Enjoy lunch while cruising back
• Disembark at Cat Ba Island

The experience

The itinerary starts with a morning pickup from Ninh Binh around 7:45 AM, then a drive to Cai Beo Port near Haiphong, arriving around 11:30 AM. You board the Bonita Cruise, check into your private cabin, receive a safety briefing, and have lunch before the first activities begin. The afternoon focuses on Cat Ba Island and Lan Ha Bay's limestone landscape. You kayak through Dark and Bright Caves, swim in the clear water, and watch the sunset over the Gulf of Tonkin from the deck. That evening includes an optional traditional cooking class where the chef teaches you to make Vietnamese spring rolls, followed by dinner and a Happy Hour.

Day two starts with sunrise from your cabin or the sun deck, then breakfast in the bay. A tender takes you to Viet Hai Village on Cat Ba Island, where you bike (or take an electric car) through a rainforest tunnel into a valley deep in a national park. You visit a traditional house, meet local residents, and see the village school. After returning to the cruise for checkout, you enjoy a final lunch while cruising back to the quay on the south side of the bay, where the tour ends on Cat Ba Island.

The boat itself is built for comfort and safety: 10 spacious cabins with air conditioning, en-suite bathrooms and private balconies, a modern steel exterior and aromatic wood interior. Complimentary bottled water, tea and coffee are available in your cabin throughout the cruise. The group stays small, maximum 20 guests, which keeps the experience intimate and away from the larger tour crowds that fill Ha Long Bay.

What’s included

• Pickup from your chosen starting point (Ninh Binh, Hanoi, or Cat Ba).
• two nights in a private cabin with air conditioning, en-suite bathroom and private balcony.
• all meals (lunch and dinner on day one, breakfast and lunch on day two).
• welcome drink and complimentary water, tea and coffee in your cabin.
• kayaking through Dark and Bright Caves.
• swimming in Lan Ha Bay.
• biking or electric car ride through Viet Hai Village rainforest.
• visit to a traditional house and village school.
• traditional cooking class demonstration.
• Happy Hour.
• English-speaking guide.
• safety briefing and all equipment.

Options for this experience

2 options

Guide in English11:30

Guide in English07:00

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 07:00 and 11:30

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (9 and older) · Youth (7 to 8 years) · Child (4 to 6 years) · Infant (under 4)

GroupUp to 20

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Halong Dolphin Travel

Is this one for you?Choose the Ninh Binh departure if you want to combine this cruise with time exploring the rice paddies and caves of Ninh Binh itself; pick Hanoi if you prefer a longer drive but start from the capital; select Cat Ba if you are already on the island and want to skip the transfer. The small group size and private cabin mean you get the bay's limestone karsts and caves without the crowds of larger Ha Long Bay tours, and you sleep onboard between two active days rather than returning to shore each night.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (7 to 8 years); Child (4 to 6 years); Infant (under 4).

Can I choose where to start this cruise from?

Yes. The 2-day itinerary departs from Ninh Binh, Hanoi, or Cat Ba Island depending on which option you select at checkout. The Ninh Binh start includes the morning pickup and drive to Cai Beo Port. The other starting points adjust the logistics accordingly.

What is Viet Hai Village like when you arrive by bike?

Viet Hai Village sits in a valley deep inside a national park on Cat Ba Island, reached by biking through a rainforest tunnel. You visit a traditional house, meet local residents going about their daily work, and see the village school. An electric car option is available if you prefer not to bike.

Do I kayak every day, or just on day one?

Kayaking happens on day one through Dark and Bright Caves and around the limestone karsts of Lan Ha Bay. Day two focuses on biking through the rainforest to Viet Hai Village. Swimming in the bay is available both days.

What meals and drinks are included over the two days?

Lunch and dinner on day one, breakfast and lunch on day two are all included. A welcome drink greets you when you board, and complimentary bottled water, tea and coffee are available in your cabin. Happy Hour is offered in the early evening on day one.

Is the cooking class something I have to do, or can I skip it?

The traditional cooking class on day one evening is optional. The chef teaches you to make Vietnamese spring rolls, and you can join or relax on deck instead.

How many other people will be on the cruise?

The Bonita Cruise carries a maximum of 20 guests across 10 cabins, keeping the group small and the experience intimate compared to larger Ha Long Bay cruises.