Halong Bay cruises in Vietnam
In Halong Bay, the experts say, the best squid fishing is to be had on a moonless night. Shine a torch into the water, and the little suckers will swim right up to your bait. On a Halong Bay junk boat cruise, you line up along the deck, legs dangling over the side, and wait for a tug on your line. Then if luck is with you, it’s grilled squid for dinner.
Halong Bay cruises feature in the majority of our Vietnam tours. The bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and one of the most distinctive and mesmerising landscapes in Southeast Asia. Thousands of immense limestone karsts formed over millions of years, topped with rainforest, soar out of the bay’s calm waters. A miscellany of traditional sailed junk boats cruise the bay, exploring its sea caves and grottoes, long white sand beaches, and floating fishing villages buoyed by tyres and plastic containers. You’ll also see wooden sampans (flat-bottomed boats) and more modern tourist vessels.
Dragons, symbolising strength, power and protection, are a prominent image throughout Vietnamese culture. Legend has it that centuries ago the gods sent dragons to protect the fledgling country from its adversaries. These dragons spat precious stones into the sea that grew into great mountains, thwarting invasion by water. Halong Bay, ‘the bay of the descending dragon’ is said to be where the leader of these dragons first appeared. But there’s nothing to fear from junk boat cruising in Halong Bay today; only, the risk of getting too relaxed.
Halong Bay cruises feature in the majority of our Vietnam tours. The bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and one of the most distinctive and mesmerising landscapes in Southeast Asia. Thousands of immense limestone karsts formed over millions of years, topped with rainforest, soar out of the bay’s calm waters. A miscellany of traditional sailed junk boats cruise the bay, exploring its sea caves and grottoes, long white sand beaches, and floating fishing villages buoyed by tyres and plastic containers. You’ll also see wooden sampans (flat-bottomed boats) and more modern tourist vessels.
Dragons, symbolising strength, power and protection, are a prominent image throughout Vietnamese culture. Legend has it that centuries ago the gods sent dragons to protect the fledgling country from its adversaries. These dragons spat precious stones into the sea that grew into great mountains, thwarting invasion by water. Halong Bay, ‘the bay of the descending dragon’ is said to be where the leader of these dragons first appeared. But there’s nothing to fear from junk boat cruising in Halong Bay today; only, the risk of getting too relaxed.
What do cruises in Halong Bay involve?
Most junk boat cruises in Halong Bay follow a broadly similar itinerary and, unless you hire an entire vessel, the major differences tend to be in the size and quality of the boat.
“You can really see the quality on the more authentic, smaller vessels,” says Manon Kockenpoo of our partner Explore Worldwide, who has taken a cruise in Halong Bay and now organises them for our travellers on their Vietnam adventures. “We try to go for boats with no more than around 30 passengers, but some have as many as 100. You get your own room with a bay window and balcony, en suite bathroom with shower. It’s like a hotel room. There’s a restaurant, and a sun deck. Some luxury vessels have pools and bars, and some have spas where you can have a massage.” Many traditional junk boats are sadly disappearing because of the cost to maintain them, but the newer models are usually less polluting.
On our holidays including Halong Bay cruises you’ll enjoy a mix of relaxation and activity, with some onboard entertainment as well. In the daytime you’ll sail around the bay’s spectacular limestone peaks, perhaps kayaking into a sea cave or landing to spend time on a white sand beach. Often, you’ll be paddled around a floating village on a bamboo raft and meet a few of the residents to learn about their way of life. Showing visitors around, perhaps inviting travellers into their homes to share a meal, helps local people to earn an income from tourism to complement what they make from fishing.
Aboard ship, you might take part in a hands-on cookery lesson – mastering the art of the spring roll is popular. At night you can take up rod and net and try your hand at squid fishing – a big hit with families. And early risers can take part in morning tai chi sessions, welcoming the new day amid Halong Bay’s stunning surroundings. “The water is very calm and warm, full of greens and blues,” says Manon. “Even if you suffer with seasickness you shouldn’t have any issues here.”
Halong Bay junk boat cruises are normally for two or three days – any more than that and things would get repetitive, and besides there’s still a lot more of Vietnam to see. You can do one-day cruises from Hanoi but they’re not really worth it, as you’ll spend much of the day on the road and only have enough time to visit the busiest part of the bay. Plus, the cabins on these boats are so beautiful, it would be a pity not to sleep over for at least a night.
“You can really see the quality on the more authentic, smaller vessels,” says Manon Kockenpoo of our partner Explore Worldwide, who has taken a cruise in Halong Bay and now organises them for our travellers on their Vietnam adventures. “We try to go for boats with no more than around 30 passengers, but some have as many as 100. You get your own room with a bay window and balcony, en suite bathroom with shower. It’s like a hotel room. There’s a restaurant, and a sun deck. Some luxury vessels have pools and bars, and some have spas where you can have a massage.” Many traditional junk boats are sadly disappearing because of the cost to maintain them, but the newer models are usually less polluting.
On our holidays including Halong Bay cruises you’ll enjoy a mix of relaxation and activity, with some onboard entertainment as well. In the daytime you’ll sail around the bay’s spectacular limestone peaks, perhaps kayaking into a sea cave or landing to spend time on a white sand beach. Often, you’ll be paddled around a floating village on a bamboo raft and meet a few of the residents to learn about their way of life. Showing visitors around, perhaps inviting travellers into their homes to share a meal, helps local people to earn an income from tourism to complement what they make from fishing.
Aboard ship, you might take part in a hands-on cookery lesson – mastering the art of the spring roll is popular. At night you can take up rod and net and try your hand at squid fishing – a big hit with families. And early risers can take part in morning tai chi sessions, welcoming the new day amid Halong Bay’s stunning surroundings. “The water is very calm and warm, full of greens and blues,” says Manon. “Even if you suffer with seasickness you shouldn’t have any issues here.”
Halong Bay junk boat cruises are normally for two or three days – any more than that and things would get repetitive, and besides there’s still a lot more of Vietnam to see. You can do one-day cruises from Hanoi but they’re not really worth it, as you’ll spend much of the day on the road and only have enough time to visit the busiest part of the bay. Plus, the cabins on these boats are so beautiful, it would be a pity not to sleep over for at least a night.
How do you get to Halong Bay?
Our Vietnam tours typically take you by private transfer to Halong Bay from Hanoi, a distance of 180km (two to three hours on the highway). Cat Ba Island, from where cruises in the nearby Lan Ha Bay depart, is a little closer but takes around the same time.
Where do Halong Bay cruises leave from?
There are several ports around Halong Bay where you might board your cruise vessel, but the most popular is Tuan Chau (this is also where you can catch the 45-minute ferry to Cat Ba if you’ve opted for a Lan Ha cruise instead – see below).
When to go
Summer, June to September, is the low season. It’s humid, and thunderstorms are likely, but if you don’t mind a bit of rain, you can get good deals. High season is October through to February. The area gets busy with Vietnamese tourists during the Tet Festival which usually falls around late January. With only sporadic rain likely, March to May is another good time to visit with lower crowds, though the water is a bit cooler.
Responsible cruising
With upwards of 2.5 million people visiting every year, Halong Bay can get really busy, especially during the October to February high season. Mangroves and seagrass that naturally prevent soil erosion have been removed to accommodate tourist boats, while there are significant issues with pollution caused by plastics and wastewater.
Single use plastics are banned on Halong Bay junk cruises, but with so many urban developments on the shore they still get into the water. Teams of rubbish collectors have to be dispatched early every morning to try and prevent it all drifting into the sea.
Our responsible Vietnam trips work with cruise operators that take environmental protection seriously – for instance, those that encourage their guides to collect rubbish from the bay or beaches while kayaking. They also provide reusable shopping bags and water refills for their guests throughout their stay, thereby helping to reduce two of the most persistent forms of plastic waste in Vietnam.
Single use plastics are banned on Halong Bay junk cruises, but with so many urban developments on the shore they still get into the water. Teams of rubbish collectors have to be dispatched early every morning to try and prevent it all drifting into the sea.
Our responsible Vietnam trips work with cruise operators that take environmental protection seriously – for instance, those that encourage their guides to collect rubbish from the bay or beaches while kayaking. They also provide reusable shopping bags and water refills for their guests throughout their stay, thereby helping to reduce two of the most persistent forms of plastic waste in Vietnam.
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Alternatives to Halong Bay cruises
Halong Bay spans 1,500km2, and has some 1,600 islands. But with upwards of 2.5 million people visiting every year, this picturesque area can still feel crowded, especially during the October to February high season.
While you’re never going to have a place like this entirely to yourself, our holidays select well-managed cruises that avoid the busiest areas and routes. And many of them are now looking to the wider area, to the neighbouring Lan Ha Bay, for instance, where you can enjoy much the same experience as in Halong Bay, but with far fewer other boats around.
While you’re never going to have a place like this entirely to yourself, our holidays select well-managed cruises that avoid the busiest areas and routes. And many of them are now looking to the wider area, to the neighbouring Lan Ha Bay, for instance, where you can enjoy much the same experience as in Halong Bay, but with far fewer other boats around.
Lan Ha Bay cruises
Lan Ha Bay borders Halong Bay to the southwest and has a very similar landscape, though on a much smaller scale at just 76km2. There are not so many boats cruising these waters and the 400-odd islands dotted around them. Those that do tend to be more modern, so the water is a little cleaner. Drop in for a swim here, and you may encounter a sea turtle or two.
“Cruises in Lan Ha Bay also tend to be a maximum of two nights, but then you might also have a night or two on Cat Ba Island here. We find that more and more people are looking to spend time in this sort of place rather than in the cities,” says Manon. You can trek in the national park that makes up much of the island and protects more than 20 endangered species including white-headed langurs, and kayak at night through blankets of bioluminescent plankton.
“Cruises in Lan Ha Bay also tend to be a maximum of two nights, but then you might also have a night or two on Cat Ba Island here. We find that more and more people are looking to spend time in this sort of place rather than in the cities,” says Manon. You can trek in the national park that makes up much of the island and protects more than 20 endangered species including white-headed langurs, and kayak at night through blankets of bioluminescent plankton.
Bai Tu Long Bay cruises
To the east of Halong Bay, Bai Tu Long is even quieter and less developed for tourism than Lan Ha. Only a handful of boats are permitted to cruise here to protect the environment, and that lack of choice means that trips do tend to be a little more expensive. Worth it, perhaps, if you want to enjoy the scenery in near-solitude.
Bai Tu Long Bay has many lovely beaches where you can sunbathe and snorkel. There are populated islands, too, such as Cong Dong and Cong Tay where you can find hike, doze off in a hammock for a few hours, or find a little restaurant. We understand the squid is very good.
Bai Tu Long Bay has many lovely beaches where you can sunbathe and snorkel. There are populated islands, too, such as Cong Dong and Cong Tay where you can find hike, doze off in a hammock for a few hours, or find a little restaurant. We understand the squid is very good.
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