Lan Ha Bay · Cat Ba · Vietnam
Lan Ha Bay Cruises, Compared
Two days and a night on a balcony-cabin ship: from Tuan Chau in Ha Long into the karst islands of Lan Ha Bay, with kayaks, a cave by bamboo boat, sunset on deck and the anchor down in the bay.
- 4.7 / 5 5461+ Reviews
- 2 days Duration
- 148 km By road from Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi to Tuan Chau Marina, where most two-day cruises check in
- 152 km By road and the Dong Bai ferry from Hoan Kiem Lake to Ben Beo pier on Cat Ba, where the day boats leave
- Free Cancellation
The Experience
What the Two-Day Cruise Includes
A night on board in a balcony cabin, every meal, the kayaks and the cave stop; the bus from Hanoi is extra.
Highlights
- Check-in at Tuan Chau Harbor, Ha Long
- Dark and Bright Cave by kayak or bamboo boat, or Ba Trai Dao
- Junior suite cabin with a private balcony
- Cooking class, squid fishing, Tai Chi at sunrise
- Kayaking at Ao Ech or a cave on Cat Ba on day two
What's Included
- Cabin with a private balcony, air-conditioned, en-suite
- All meals on board
- English-speaking guide
- Kayaking and swim stops
- Cooking class and night squid fishing
- Welcome drink and two bottles of water in each cabin
Good to know: Check in at Tuan Chau Harbor in Ha Long; the shared bus from Hanoi's Old Quarter is US$25 a person, round trip. · The captain picks the cave or lagoon on the day, by weather and tide. · A single traveller in a cabin pays US$80 more. · Not Included: Beauty spa and massage services (available for purchase onboard), Solo traveler surcharge: an additional $80 USD applies., Round-trip transfer from Hanoi/Ninh Binh ($25 per person) (It is possible to arrange drop-off at a different location from the pickup point), Gala Dinner Surcharge for Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve ($40 per person), Use of senior suite room on the second floor (extra $10 per person), VIP Cabin (+$65 per person), or President Suite (+$110 per person), Lunar New Year (Tet Holiday) surcharge: an additional $5 USD per person applies., Other drinks, Tips
The Cruise, Step by Step
From the marina in Ha Long to the anchorage in Lan Ha Bay and back.
Hanoi to Tuan Chau
Take the cruise's shared bus from Hanoi's Old Quarter (US$25 a person, round trip) or make your own way. Tuan Chau in Ha Long is about 148 km by road from Hoan Kiem Lake; you check in at the harbour there.
Into Lan Ha Bay
A tender takes you out to the ship. After the welcome drink and the safety briefing, lunch is served while the ship sails south out of Ha Long Bay towards the islands of Lan Ha Bay.
Kayaks, a Cave, the Night
The afternoon is the Dark and Bright Cave by kayak or bamboo boat, or kayaking and a swim at Ba Trai Dao or Tra Bau, picked by the captain for the weather and tide. Then sunset on deck, a cooking class, dinner and squid fishing at anchor.
Morning, Then Back
Tai Chi at sunrise and a light breakfast, then kayaking at Ao Ech or a cave on Cat Ba Island, then check-out and brunch while the ship sails back to Tuan Chau.
Photo Gallery
The Ship, the Karst and the Kayaks
Cabins, decks, kayaks and the karst.
Book Your Experience
Check Availability & Prices
Select your preferred date and time. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure.
Plan Your Cruise
The Lan Ha Bay Cruise, One Question per Page
Lan Ha or Ha Long, how many days, which pier, the road from Hanoi, kayaking and caves, the fees, and the weather.
Prices are each page's featured tour: GetYourGuide checked November 2026. Cruise prices are per adult unless a card says per cabin; the bus from Hanoi is often extra.
Four Ways onto Lan Ha Bay
A day boat, one night, two nights or a premium ship: where each leaves from, what the price covers and who it suits. Prices from the listings, with the month they were checked.
| Feature | THIS PAGE Two days, one night | Day boat from Cat Ba | Three days, two nights | Paradise Grand |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What You Pay | From $142 per person (checked November 2026) | From $32 per person (checked November 2026) | From $266 per person (checked November 2026) | From $388 per cabin, one or two guests (checked November 2026) |
| How Long | 2 days, 1 night on board | About 8 hours | 3 days, 2 nights on board | 2 days, 1 night on board |
| Leaves From | Tuan Chau, Ha Long | Cat Ba town (Ben Beo) | Tuan Chau, Ha Long | Paradise dock, Tuan Chau |
| From Hanoi | Shared bus US$25 a person, round trip | Get to Cat Ba first | Bus on request, extra | Not included |
| On the Water | A cave by kayak or bamboo boat, or Ba Trai Dao | Floating village, kayaks, Ba Trai Dao beach | Dark and Light Cave, Viet Hai by bike, Ba Trai Dao | Viet Hai by bike, kayaks, a bamboo boat |
| Best For | A first night on the bay | Staying on Cat Ba, or a tight budget | Slower days, and the village | A premium ship, priced by the cabin |
| Check dates | See the day boat | See the 3-day cruise | See Paradise Grand |
Other Ways to Go
More Lan Ha Bay Cruises
Other ships from Tuan Chau, small boats from Cat Ba, and a day on the water from Hanoi. One card per cruise.
INFINITY POOL ON BOARDTwo Days on Lan Ha and Ha Long Bay, Infinity Pool Ship
Carnival's two days and one night from Tuan Chau Marina (check-in about 11:30), on a ship with an infinity pool, spa, sauna and gym: kayaking at Ao Ech lagoon and a swim the first afternoon, a sunset party and cooking class, dinner and squid fishing; Tai Chi at sunrise, then the Dark and Light Cave by kayak or a bamboo boat rowed by a local, and back at the marina by about 11:00. Balcony cabin with a bathtub, all meals, taxes and entrance fees included; the bus from Hanoi's Old Quarter is US$25 a person.
HANOI PICKUP AT 8:00Two Days on Ha Long and Lan Ha Bay, Balcony and Bathtub
Marvel Travel's two days and one night with a limousine pickup in Hanoi's Old Quarter at 8:00 (or Ninh Binh at 7:00; US$25 a person for the round trip) and about 2.5 hours to Tuan Chau Marina. Lunch on board, then about an hour at the Dark and Bright Cave by kayak or bamboo boat, or kayaking in the Tra Bau area; a spring-roll cooking class, a seafood dinner and night squid fishing. Day two: Tai Chi, then Trung Trang or Hospital Cave on Cat Ba, or Ao Ech, and back in Hanoi at about 15:00. Balcony cabin with a bathtub, all meals and entry fees included; a solo cabin costs US$90 more.
TWO OR THREE DAYSTwo or Three Days on a Larger Balcony Ship with a Pool
BAT Group's larger ship for two or three days from Tuan Chau Wharf, with a speedboat to the ship at about midday. The afternoon offers a swim from a floating pool, the panoramic pool on deck or a kayak in Ao Ech lagoon; then a sunset party, a cooking class and a gym on the top deck. The next morning is the Dark and Bright Cave by bamboo boat or kayak. Balcony cabins with a bathtub, all meals and entry fees included; the round-trip bus from Hanoi is US$25 a person and a second-floor cabin US$25 more.
FROM CAT BA, UP TO 15Two Days from Cat Ba: a Small Boat into Lan Ha Bay
Venezia Cruises' two days from Ben Beo harbour on Cat Ba, in groups of up to 15 on a boat of five or ten cabins. The route runs from Cat Ba through Cua Dong to Ba Trai Dao, a way few cruise ships take, for kayaking and swimming, then a cooking demonstration, dinner, squid fishing and karaoke. The next morning a tender lands on Cat Ba for a bicycle or electric-car ride to Viet Hai village inside the national park. All meals and every entrance and government fee are included; the bus from Hanoi depends on the option booked, and a solo traveller pays US$50 more.
10 CABINS, VIET HAI BY BIKETwo Days on a 10-Cabin Lan Ha Bay Boat, Biking and Kayaks
Cat Ba Eco Tours' two days on a 10-cabin boat for up to 20 guests, with a bus from Hanoi's Old Quarter at 7:20 to the harbour on Cat Ba (US$12 each way, not included) and boarding at about 11:35. The route runs from Cat Ba past Coc Ngoi islet and through Cua Dong to Ba Trai Dao for kayaking and a swim, then a cooking demonstration and a happy hour. Day two: a tender to Viet Hai village and a bicycle ride through the forest. The balcony boat is off from 1 May to 5 September, when the same itinerary runs on the 10-cabin boat without balconies.
ONE DAY FROM HANOI, VIA CAT BALan Ha Bay: Tinny Travel's Day from Hanoi or Cat Ba Town
Tinny Travel's day on Lan Ha Bay from Ben Beo pier on Cat Ba, with two ways to start: a bus from hotels in Hanoi's Old Quarter at about 7:00 to 7:30 (about three hours each way, along the coast road from Cai Vieng), or a pickup in Cat Ba town at about 10:15. The boat passes the Cai Beo floating village, serves lunch among the islands, and lands at Viet Hai for an electric cart or bicycle ride to the village; then a swim, the boat's slide and kayaks, and a sunset snack of fruit and tea on the way back. Drinks and tips are extra; national holidays add US$10 a person.
The Bay
What a Lan Ha Bay Cruise Is Like
Where the ships go, how long to stay, what the price leaves out, and how to pick one.
Lan Ha Bay is the sheltered water south-east of Cat Ba Island, off the coast of Hai Phong in northern Vietnam: hundreds of steep limestone islands, lagoons and small beaches next door to Ha Long Bay, and part of the same World Heritage property. A Lan Ha Bay cruise is either a day boat from Cat Ba or a night or two on board a ship, most of which check in at Tuan Chau in Ha Long and sail south into the bay. BAT Group’s two days and one night, Hanoi: 2 Days Lan Ha & Halong Bay 5-Star Cruise with Balcony, is from $142 in current promotion (usually $182) a person (checked November 2026), every meal on board included.
The short answer
For a first visit from Hanoi, spend one night on board. On BAT Group’s two days you check in at Tuan Chau Harbor, have lunch as the ship sails into Lan Ha Bay, then spend the afternoon either at the Dark and Bright Cave by kayak or bamboo boat or kayaking and swimming at Ba Trai Dao or Tra Bau. Evening is sunset on deck, a cooking class and dinner at anchor; the morning brings Tai Chi, a kayak at Ao Ech or a cave on Cat Ba, and brunch on the way back. Cabins have a private balcony. It is from $142 in current promotion (usually $182) with 5,461 reviews (checked November 2026); the shared bus from Hanoi’s Old Quarter is US$25 a person for the round trip.
Check dates for the two-day cruise
If you are staying on Cat Ba, skip the ship: Cat Ba Local’s day boat with kayaks spends about eight hours in the lagoons and caves and at Ba Trai Dao beach, from $32 (checked November 2026).
Pick your cruise
Two Days on Lan Ha and Ha Long Bay, Balcony Cabin
Two days from Tuan Chau: a cave by kayak or bamboo boat, or Ba Trai Dao, sunset and a night at anchor, every meal.
Check dates →Lan Ha Bay Day Boat from Cat Ba, with Kayaks
About eight hours in groups of up to 30: the floating village, lagoons and caves by kayak, lunch at anchor, Ba Trai Dao.
See the day boat →Lan Ha Bay: Carnival's Three-Day, Two-Night Balcony Cruise
Three days from Tuan Chau: the Dark and Light Cave, Viet Hai village by bicycle, Ba Trai Dao; taxes and fees included.
See the 3-day cruise →Paradise Grand: One Night on Lan Ha Bay, Balcony Cabins
Paradise Grand from its own dock at Tuan Chau: balcony cabins priced by the cabin for one or two, Viet Hai by bike.
See Paradise Grand →Prices, ratings and review counts from the listings (GetYourGuide checked November 2026; Viator checked November 2026). Paradise Grand is priced per cabin for one or two guests. Operators price by date and season, so treat the figures as the shape of the market, not a quote.
Where Lan Ha Bay is
Lan Ha Bay lies off the south-east coast of Cat Ba Island, in the city of Hai Phong; its own management board counts 388 islands over more than 350 km² in the Cat Ba archipelago. Ha Long Bay, in Quang Ninh, begins to its north and east, and the two bays meet without any line on the water. Since September 2023 they have been one UNESCO World Heritage property, Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago: 65,650 hectares and 1,133 islands and islets, by UNESCO’s count. Cat Ba town and Ben Beo pier sit on the bay’s western edge; Tuan Chau Marina, where most of the ships check in, is in Ha Long, about 22 km away in a straight line.
That is why so many cruises are called “Lan Ha and Ha Long”: a ship from Tuan Chau crosses the south of Ha Long Bay to reach Lan Ha, and some of its stops are on the Ha Long side. Which pier shows who leaves from where, and Lan Ha Bay vs Ha Long Bay what the difference is on the water.
How long to stay
One night is enough for an afternoon stop, sunset and a night at anchor, and a short morning. Two nights add a full day: on Carnival’s three days, Viet Hai village by bicycle and an afternoon at Ba Trai Dao. A day boat from Cat Ba gives you the most kayaking for the least money, but only if you are already on the island. One day, one night or two compares them with prices.
What the price leaves out
| What it is | On the two-day cruise above | |
|---|---|---|
| The bus from Hanoi | A shared bus from the Old Quarter to Tuan Chau and back | US$25 a person, round trip |
| A cabin for one | The single supplement | US$80 |
| Drinks | Anything beyond the welcome drink and the water in the cabin | Paid on board |
| Holiday dates | Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve gala dinner; Lunar New Year | US$40 and US$5 a person |
| Cabin upgrades | Senior suite, VIP cabin or president suite | US$10 to US$110 a person |
BAT Group’s listing, November 2026.
Hai Phong’s own fee for the bays of the Cat Ba archipelago is 120,000 dong a day for an adult, or 400,000 dong with one night on the water (resolution 47/2025, in force since 1 January 2026). Most of the cruises on this site say the entrance or sightseeing fees are in the price; BAT Group’s two-day listing does not mention them either way, so ask. The entrance fee page has the full table and the Ha Long fees.
When to go
The bay can be cruised all year, but the weather decides the day. Vietnam’s national climate standard puts most storm landfalls on this coast between June and September, and in 2026 storms closed the sea twice, for about two days in early July and four days in late August. August is also the wettest month; March is the foggiest. No ban was in force on 1 November 2026. Weather and typhoon season goes month by month and explains what happens when the boats are held in port.
The getting there
From Hanoi, Tuan Chau is about 148 km by road and Ben Beo on Cat Ba about 152 km, with a short ferry; the cruise buses allow two and a half to three and a half hours. Hanoi to Lan Ha Bay has both routes, and kayaking and caves covers where the kayaks actually go once you are there.
A Night among the Karst of Lan Ha Bay
Check in at Tuan Chau, sail into Lan Ha Bay with lunch on board, kayak or take a bamboo boat through a cave, then sunset, dinner and the anchor down for the night. Starting from $142 per person in current promotion (usually $182).
See datesMore Cruises with Open Dates
More Lan Ha Bay Cruises with Open Dates
Day boats and overnight cruises into Lan Ha Bay, with live availability. Times and cancellation terms are on each listing.
Lan Ha Bay Cruise: Questions
The price and what it leaves out, one night or two, the pier, Lan Ha or Ha Long, the fees, kayaking and the weather.
From about US$30 for a day boat to US$125 to US$270 a person for one or two nights. Cat Ba Local's day boat from Cat Ba is $32 (checked November 2026); BAT Group's two days with a balcony cabin $142 (checked November 2026); Carnival's three days $266 (checked November 2026). Meals on board are included; the bus from Hanoi (often US$25 a person, round trip), drinks, a single cabin and holiday dates usually cost extra. See one day, one night or two.
For most people, yes. One night gives you an afternoon stop (a cave by kayak or bamboo boat, or a beach), sunset and a night at anchor, and a short morning. A second night adds a full day, usually Viet Hai village by bicycle and an afternoon at Ba Trai Dao. See how many days.
The same landscape and the same World Heritage property, but a different city. Since September 2023 UNESCO's property is Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago. Ha Long Bay belongs to Quang Ninh; Lan Ha Bay lies off Cat Ba Island in Hai Phong, with its own management board, fees and piers. See Lan Ha Bay vs Ha Long Bay.
Most of the overnight ships check in at Tuan Chau in Ha Long; the small boats leave Ben Beo pier on Cat Ba. Tuan Chau is about 148 km by road from Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi, and the ships sail south into Lan Ha Bay with lunch on board. Ben Beo is about 152 km from Hoan Kiem Lake, including the car ferry to Cat Ba. None of the cruises on this site leaves from Got pier on Cat Hai. See which pier.
120,000 dong for an adult's day, 400,000 dong with one night and 600,000 dong with two. Children aged 6 and over pay 60,000, 300,000 and 500,000 dong; under 6 is free. Hai Phong set the fee in resolution 47/2025, applied from 1 January 2026. Most cruises include it; check the listing. See the entrance fee.
About two and a half to three and a half hours by road. The cruise buses allow about 2.5 to 3 hours to Tuan Chau, with a stop, and about 3 to 3.5 hours to Ben Beo on Cat Ba, which includes the car ferry from Dong Bai to Cai Vieng. There is no bridge to Cat Ba. See Hanoi to Lan Ha Bay.
Yes, but it is a long day. Tinny Travel's day picks up in Hanoi's Old Quarter at about 7:00 to 7:30 and takes a boat from Ben Beo on Cat Ba, from $53 (checked November 2026): about six hours on the road for a day on the water. Day cruises from Tuan Chau also sell Lan Ha stops, but the Ha Long board lists the routes between the two bays as overnight cruises, so ask which stops a day from Tuan Chau really makes.
Usually the Dark and Bright Cave, Ao Ech or Tra Bau from the ships, and the lagoons and Ba Trai Dao from the Cat Ba boats. At the cave most ships offer a bamboo boat rowed by a local as well as a kayak; the full four-cave loop is about 5.3 km, the usual three-cave loop about 4.1 km. See kayaking and caves.
October and November, then April and May. Storms reach this coast mostly from June to September, when the sea can be closed: in 2026 for about two days in July and four in August. August is the wettest month and March the foggiest. See weather and typhoons.
Still have questions? Email us at info@lan-ha-bay-cruise.com