Last checked: 22 October 2026 · Next review: March 2027 (route fees, Van Don flights, inter-bay routes)
QUICK ANSWER: A day-trip Ha Long Bay cruise shows you the famous caves, but you spend about five hours of the day in a car. Book at least one night if you want quiet water, kayaking and a sunrise on deck. Choose the route first and the boat second. Routes 1 and 2 in classic Ha Long Bay are the busiest. Route 3, route 4 and Lan Ha Bay are calmer. Bai Tu Long, off Van Don, is the newest option. October and November are the most reliable months.
Most people book a Ha Long Bay cruise the wrong way round. They compare cabins and photos, then accept whatever route comes with the boat. Yet two cruises that look the same online can be very different trips. On one you queue with dozens of boats at Sung Sot Cave. On the other you anchor near a fishing village and barely see another boat. This guide covers what really changes a Ha Long Bay cruise: length, route, price and season, plus what is new around Van Don.
| 2.5–3 h | 1994 | VND 250,000 | Oct–Nov |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hanoi to Ha Long by road | UNESCO World Heritage listing | Top route fee, routes 1 and 2 | Driest months with mild temperatures |
Day trip, one night or two?
Day trip. You leave Hanoi early, board a shared boat at Tuan Chau, have lunch on board and visit Thien Cung and Dau Go caves on route 1. Our Halong Bay Full Day Excursion works like this, with entrance and port fees included. Kayaking is usually not part of a day-trip Ha Long Bay cruise.
One night (2 days, 1 night). The classic Ha Long Bay cruise format. Check-in is around midday. You kayak or take a bamboo boat in the afternoon and anchor for the night. After a morning cave or beach and brunch, you are back in Hanoi by late afternoon.
Two nights (3 days, 2 nights). The only Ha Long Bay cruise format that properly reaches the outer bay. The middle day is spent entirely on the water, often on a smaller boat in Lan Ha or Bai Tu Long.
| Format | Time on the water | Realistic routes | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day trip | 4–5 hours | Route 1 or 2 | Short trips, first look |
| 1 night | About 24 hours | Routes 2, 3, 4, Lan Ha | Most travellers |
| 2 nights | About 48 hours | Routes 3, 4, Lan Ha, Bai Tu Long | Quiet bays, kayaking, photographers |
Ha Long Bay cruise routes: Ha Long, Lan Ha or Bai Tu Long
The Ha Long Bay Management Board licenses numbered routes, each with its own ticket. Ask which route your Ha Long Bay cruise uses. That one detail tells you more than any brochure.
Classic Ha Long (routes 1 and 2). Route 1 covers Thien Cung, Dau Go and the Fighting Cocks islet. Route 2 covers Ti Top beach and Sung Sot Cave. Both cost VND 250,000 per person and both are crowded. According to Lao Dong newspaper, Sung Sot alone had about 1.85 million visitors in 2024.
Outer Ha Long (routes 3 and 4). Cua Van, Vung Vieng fishing village, Cap La and the Ba Ham lakes, for VND 200,000. Mostly overnight boats sail here. Thien Canh Son Cave on route 4 had about 74,000 visitors in 2024, one twenty-fifth of Sung Sot.
Lan Ha Bay. Lan Ha belongs to Hai Phong and lies off Cat Ba island, which joined the same UNESCO World Heritage site in 2023. Since 1 April 2026, four licensed routes link the two bays, so one Ha Long Bay cruise can cover both. Most Lan Ha cruises still check in at Tuan Chau. See our Lan Ha vs Halong comparison.
Bai Tu Long Bay. North-east, off Van Don. Official routes from Ao Tien port opened in March 2025. The first licensed overnight anchorage, Hang Nha Tro near Ban Sen island, opened in May 2026 with room for about ten boats. Careful: many cruises sold as “Bai Tu Long” leave from Ha Long and sail route 4.
Ha Long Bay cruise classes and what the price includes
Boats range from shared day boats to small ships with balcony suites. The star label matters less than three questions: how old is the boat, how many cabins does it have, and which route does it sail? A ten-cabin boat on route 4 often feels more exclusive than a 40-cabin “luxury” ship on route 2.
An overnight Ha Long Bay cruise normally includes meals, kayaks or a bamboo boat, entrance fees and the bay fee. Drinks and tips are extra, and transfers often are too. The official fee for one night is VND 500,000 per person on routes 3 or 4 and VND 550,000 on route 2. Since 1 July 2026 the Ha Long passenger port also charges VND 80,000 return. Bring your passport, as guests are registered at check-in.
When to go: seasons and weather
For a Ha Long Bay cruise, climate data for Ha Long show October to December as the driest stretch: November averages about 37 mm of rain on six days. December to February is cool and often misty, with a January mean of about 16 °C. March and April bring drizzle and haze. June to September is hot, wet and stormy: August averages about 445 mm of rain. Our Vietnam weather by month guide covers the rest of the country.
Storms are a real risk. On 19 July 2025 a day boat capsized in a sudden thunderstorm near Dau Go, killing 39 people, and sailings were suspended ahead of Storm Wipha. When the port authority cancels, nobody sails, so keep a spare day if you book a summer Ha Long Bay cruise. Also avoid Tet (6 February 2027) and the 30 April to 1 May holiday, when domestic travellers fill the boats.
Departure ports and getting there from Hanoi
Most Ha Long Bay cruise boats leave from Tuan Chau International Marina. Some inter-bay routes use the Ha Long International Cruise Port at Bai Chay, Bai Tu Long trips start at Ao Tien port in Van Don and Cat Ba boats use Ben Beo. The old Got ferry to Cat Ba closed on 1 March 2024.
From Hanoi’s Old Quarter it is about 2.5 to 3 hours by expressway, by cruise shuttle or private car. A Hanoi to Ha Long high-speed railway broke ground on 12 April 2026 and promises about 23 minutes, but completion is targeted for the end of 2028. Our high-speed railway article follows the project.
What is new around Van Don for 2027
The airport. Van Don International Airport, Vietnam’s first privately invested airport, opened in December 2018 with a 3,600 m runway. Scheduled flights come only from Ho Chi Minh City: Vietnam Airlines and, since 15 June 2026, Sun PhuQuoc Airways. International traffic is charter only. If you are already in the south, flying into Van Don saves the drive from Hanoi before your Ha Long Bay cruise.
The roads. The Ha Long to Van Don expressway (about 60 km) opened in December 2018 and the Van Don to Mong Cai section (about 80 km) in September 2022.
The resort projects. In December 2025 Sun Group broke ground on a resort complex with a casino worth over USD 2 billion. The casino is targeted for 2028 and the whole complex for 2034. Van Don has also been a “special zone” since July 2025. In 2027, expect building sites rather than new resorts.
AGENT INSIGHT: For a first Ha Long Bay cruise, one night on route 3 or 4, or on a Lan Ha route from Tuan Chau, gives the best value. Add a second night if you want to kayak and slow down.
Ha Long Bay cruise FAQ
Is a Ha Long Bay day trip worth it?
Yes, if time is short. You get four to five hours on the water, mostly on route 1, and about five hours on the road. One night is far better value.
Ha Long Bay or Lan Ha Bay?
Ha Long has the big caves and famous islets. Lan Ha has calmer water and better kayaking. Since April 2026 one Ha Long Bay cruise can combine both.
What is the best month for a Ha Long Bay cruise?
October and November. December to February is cool and misty. Avoid Tet and the summer storm peak if your dates are fixed.
How do I get from Hanoi to Ha Long Bay?
By road, about 2.5 to 3 hours. There is no train until the high-speed line opens, targeted for the end of 2028.
PLAN YOUR CRUISE WITH VIETONE:
VietOne Travel is a Vietnam-based DMC led by a founder with 33 years of local expertise. Short on time? Book the Halong Bay Full Day Excursion. Want an overnight Ha Long Bay cruise? The Tonkinese Wonders 6-day tour includes an overnight cruise. For a specific route or date, contact our team.
