A Halong Bay Cruise was definitely a highlight of our 3-month trip to Southeast Asia. The “floating” limestone islands are like a fantasy world in real life.
In this guide, we will share all the details for the best time to visit, duration, how to book a cruise, and the best choice overall for a Halong Bay Cruise, etc.
There are tons of different companies that offer a Halong Bay Cruise. And not every cruise is equal. There are more budget-friendly overnight cruises and day trips, up to luxurious cruises that can extend to 5 days or more.
Additionally, many cruises will provide transportation to and from Hanoi, which can be super convenient.
So let’s dive into all the details so you can have the best Halong Bay Cruise!
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What is Halong Bay, Vietnam
Halong Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and covers over 107,000 acres. There are 1600 islands and islets that are made up of limestone pillars. Most of the islands and islets are uninhabitable to humans and serve as a home to birds and marine creatures.
Halong Bay is used for tourism, marine transport, fisheries and the daily activities of people living and conducting their business in Halong Bay.
While the landscape is stunning to any passersby, there is even more than meets the eye. Due to coastal erosion many of these natural limestone islands have formed arches and caves. And depending on the tide, there are beaches people can hang out on.
Best Time To Visit Halong Bay
Fall season (September-November) is the best time to visit Halong Bay.
- September: 77 – 98°F (25 – 37°C)
- October: 71 – 82°F (22 – 28°C)
- November: 66 – 77°F (19 – 25°C)
Weather is pretty moderate with a lower chance of rain and storms. But you can expect this time to be the most crowded and peak pricing. Temperatures can be relatively hot and rainy in early September and will start to get a bit more chilly toward the end of November. So ideally, October is the best month for a Halong Bay Cruise.
Spring season (Mar-May) can be another great time to visit Halong Bay. Temperatures tend to be 65 – 90°F (18.5 – 32°C) While temperatures start out moderate in March and will gradually become more hot and humid toward the end of May. It’s typically less crowded and you can snag some great deals on a Halong Bay Cruise during this time.
Winter season (December-February) is the second busiest time for Halong Bay cruises. This is mainly due to the holidays like Christmas, New Years, & more importantly, Tet (Vietnamese New Year) Temperatures during winter can range between 58 – 68°F (15 – 20°C). But because of the temperatures, swimming is less ideal during this time.
Summer season (June-August) is the least popular time to visit Halong Bay. It is considered the rainy season in Halong Bay and you can expect heavy rainfall and possible typhoons.
Summer temperatures range from 78 – 98°F (25.7 – 37°C) and are very humid. But with that being said it can also be the least crowded, you can find some great prices on cruises, and warm temperatures for swimming in the bay.
If you can time the weather correctly to avoid rain, summer season has the longest daylight hours. Plus less pollution and fog for the clearest blue sky days. Therefore, it can also be a great time for photography.
How Long On A Halong Bay Cruise?
There are tons of different cruise lines and durations for Halong Bay cruises. With cruises as short as 4 hours long to extended trips of 5 days/4 nights out on the water.
If you are short on time, then you might choose a half-day cruise. But for the effort to get to Halong Bay, it is likely you might want to explore the area for longer.
We would highly suggest at least doing an overnight cruise in Halong Bay. And personally, it felt very rushed on our overnight cruise, so I think we would have enjoyed the 3-day, 2-night cruise better, just to be able to enjoy the scenery a little more.
And if budget isn’t an issue, there are private charters that go for 5 days/4 nights. These charters get to explore deeper into the bay and escape the crowded areas.
How Much Is A Halong Bay Cruise?
The price for a Halong Bay cruise differs significantly depending on the season you choose to go. Plus the further in advance you book, the better pricing you are likely to get.
Jake and I visited in January 2023 & paid $169 USD per person for a 2-day/1-night cruise.
For a half-day cruise in non-peak season, you can expect to pay as low as $20 per person. And upward to thousands of dollars for a 5-day cruise in peak season. But in general, I’d say it’s typical to pay around $150 per person for an overnight Halong Bay Cruise.
There is an additional surcharge for single cabins. It’s typically around $50 and due at the time of cruise check-in.
Also if you are planning to cruise on Christmas, New Year, and National Holidays, there is typically a surcharge of 15%.
How To Choose A Halong Bay Cruise
There are a few different factors when choosing a Halong Bay Cruise. Such as duration, price, star-rating, and experiences on board.
First, start with the duration you want for the cruise. We suggest at least an overnight 2-day cruise. But if you have the time and money, you might splurge for a 3-5 day trip instead. And if you are short on time, the half & full-day cruises still pack in a lot of adventures and sightseeing that will be worth the money.
Next is certainly price. As I mentioned above, the earlier you book, the cheaper the cruise tends to be. And if you visit in non-peak season, you can likely grab a great deal. If you book during holidays, do expect an additional surcharge.
Check the star rating of the boat. The lower the star rating, likely a lower quality boat that maybe needs some updating. And you will likely get a more inexperienced crew (this isn’t always bad). Obviously, if you choose a 5-star boat, the rooms and service should hopefully reflect the star rating.
It can be hard to find the “star rating” on websites like Viator and Get Your Guide. Although if it is a 5-star boat, then the tour company will likely add it to the title. Otherwise, you can expect many of the cruises to be 3 or 4-star ratings.
Do be a little wary about the pictures shown of the boat and rooms. These pictures were likely taken before much wear and tear from guests. You will be traveling on salt water and on a moving vessel. Therefore, some of the rooms and other features on the boat might be a little worn out.
Our room was pretty well kept, but the exterior of the boat looked in rough shape. There are also tons of different room options, such as having your own private balcony or private suite room, etc. Obviously, the nicer the room, the higher the price.
Lastly, you might choose a certain cruise ship depending on the onboard experiences. It is likely your cruise will do a kayaking trip, cave exploration, cooking demonstration, and exercise class.
Most of the places visited are the most popular tourist attractions. But if there are certain areas you really want to see over others, then you might need to explore deeper into the details of a specific cruise ship. (More details below about popular stops on a Halong Bay Cruise).
How To Book A Halong Bay Cruise
There are tons of helpful Halong Bay tour companies that can help you book a Halong Bay Cruise. Our personal favorite websites for choosing local tours are Viator and Get Your Guide. These websites help set up transportation, provide local tour guides (typically an English-speaking guide), and communicate well before the tour starts.
Top Halong Bay Cruises:
Half Day (4-Hours) Halong Bay Boat Tour from Halong City
This is one of the cheapest cruises through Halong Bay and only lasts about 4 hours long. While this tour might be short, it certainly is not a lazy cruise ride. Guests will have the opportunity to kayak, visit Dong Thien Cung Cave, and pass by Hon Ga Choi Island (aka kissing rock). If you are looking for one of the best budget cruises, this might be your best option.
Transportation from hotels in Halong City is included. If traveling from Hanoi or another nearby city, you might need to find your own transportation. We use 12GoAsia for the best prices on buses, trains, and taxis.
Do note there is an additional entrance fee for Halong Bay which is 290K VND ($12.50 USD) per person. Plus 142k VND ($6 USD)/person if you want lunch on board.
Full Day – Ha Long Bay Cruise w/ Titop Island & Luon Cave
If you are looking for a full-day adventure in Halong Bay, then this might be the best cruise for you. This action-packed cruise line offers transportation to & from Hanoi. Plus a kayaking adventure at Luon Cave, swimming at Titov beach, a visit through Sung Sot Cave, and Ti Top Island.
2-Day 1-Night Cruise From Hanoi: Ha Long – Bai Tu Long Bay
This is the cruise Jake and I went on when we visited Halong Bay. It is action-packed and you get to see so many of the best attractions in a short time. You get to go kayaking, squid fishing, visit a local cave, spend time at a beach, have a happy hour sunset party, do an early morning Tai Chi class, and enjoy a cooking class.
The trip is all-inclusive, but there is an additional charge for transportation to and from Hanoi, plus alcoholic beverages.
3-Day Lan Ha Bay 5-Star Cruise & Private Balcony Room
This 3-day cruise is on a 5-star cruise ship and offers all the bells and whistles. With a luxury balcony room and more. Day 1 follows a similar itinerary to other overnight cruises.
But on day 2, guests board a smaller boat to explore some of the areas that the cruise boat cannot go through. Then, you head to Viet Hai Village and take a bicycle ride to enjoy the scenery along the village roads and rainforests.
Later, you visit a local family’s house to see the daily life of the local people. Then, guests head back to the boat and continue cruising further into Lan Ha Bay.
If you are looking for a more budget-friendly 3-day cruise, consider the Halong Explorer 3-Day 4-Star Cruise.
Do note some 3-day cruises will pair with overnight guests. Therefore, the day you go explore via a small boat, the larger boat is picking up new guests. This is dependent on whether or not all the guests choose 2 or 3 days.
4 Days Cruise: Halong, Bai Tu Long, Lan Ha Bay & Cat Ba Island
This cruise is a great option if you want to explore the Halong Bay area immensely, and just have time to enjoy the area on water. There is also a swimming pool on board.
This trip is all-inclusive, but additional costs apply for transportation and alcoholic beverages. Do note this Halong Bay tour leaves from Tuan Chau Marina.
5 Days Bai Tu Long – Lan Ha – Halong Bay on Private Cruise
This luxury cruise can accommodate up to 9 guests in 3 different rooms on your own private charter. It’s one of the best options to get off the beaten path and explore some of the less crowded areas in the bay.
This trip is all-inclusive but does not include airfare & transportation to and from Hanoi. This trip is certainly the most expensive, but you will get to explore the best attractions along Halong Bay. Do note this tour leaves from Tuan Chau International Marina.
Popular Stops On A Halong Bay Cruise
- Sung Sot Cave (aka Surprise Cave)
- Thien Cung Cave
- Ti Top Island
- Luon Cave
- Dark and Bright Cave
- Thien Canh Son Cave
- Dau Go Cave
- Kayaking or bamboo boat trip in Cong Do and Cap La Islands
- Hon Ga Choi Island (aka kissing rock)
- Ba Trai Dao Beach
- Fighting Cock Islet
- Tung Sau Pearl Farm
- Ao Ech
- Dinh Huong
- Explore floating fishing villages
How To Get To Halong Bay?
Halong Bay is located in Northern Vietnam, about 3 hours East of the city of Hanoi. Many tours will provide transportation or offer assistance for how to get to the cruise port.
Do note there are a few different starting locations. The two most popular harbors are Halong International Cruise Port (aka Bai Chay or SunWorld Port) & Tuan Chau Port. There are a couple more around the bay, but tourism cruises most likely won’t leave from those ports.
If transportation isn’t included in your cruise tour package, then make sure you are going to the right port when booking your own transportation. Taxis will be very expensive at the ports.
If traveling from Hanoi or a nearby city, use 12GoAsia to book your transportation. You can also book transportation from other nearby cities.
What To Wear On A Halong Bay Cruise
Refer to the “best time of year” segment of this post for the appropriate clothing depending on the temperatures you might encounter. But here are items you should bring year-round.
- Layers
- Rain jacket
- Swimsuit (depending on time of year)
- Sunglasses (Croakies optional)
- Sunscreen
- Bug Spray
- Hat
- Fancier outfit for happy hour party/dinner (optional)
- Hiking outfit
- Hiking shoes/Sneakers
Should You Tip On A Halong Bay Cruise
While tipping isn’t customary in Vietnam, Halong Bay Cruises are looked at as luxury travel. Therefore, it became very apparent toward the end of the cruise that tipping is well accepted on the boat.
The tipping brackets on our boat were broken down into a few different categories:
- Tour guide
- Chef
- Staff (servers, bartenders, boat drivers, etc)
I’d say 5-10% is a decent place to start if you want to give a tip. Then, you can divvey this up to the staff members. If you feel like they did an exceptional job, you can tip upward of 20+% (this will certainly make their day!).
Is A Halong Bay Cruise Worth It?
Our Halong Bay overnight cruise was a memorable experience. If you are traveling around northern Vietnam, then a tour should certainly make the bucket list.
While we got to experience a lot of the bay in just a 2-day, 1-night cruise, I would highly suggest extending it to a 3 or 4-day cruise if you have the time and money.
Cruising in Halong Bay isn’t as cheap as many of the other places in Vietnam. But the natural beauty and panoramic views of the limestone cliffs are not to be missed.
Related Posts
If it’s your first time traveling to Vietnam, check out these helpful tips to know before traveling to Vietnam.
A similar, yet unique experience to Halong Bay is a boat tour in Ninh Binh. They call Ninh Binh the “Halong Bay on Land”. And if you enjoy the mountains, you certainly can’t miss Sapa, Vietnam.
Check out our countries page for other awesome travel plans.
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