Everything You Need to Know about Visiting Halong Bay

Halong Bay with its beautiful limestone islands and islets is a UNESCO site, one of the new Seven Wonders of the World, and only a few hours northeast of Hanoi!

It's also really popular because it's a super accessible trip for travellers of all ages, and all fitness levels. You can be as chill or as active as you want!

We're pretty averse to crowded touristy places, and Halong Bay seems to fit that bill. So it is surprising that we've decided to list Halong Bay on our site. But having been to Halong many times to suss it out, we believe that if you choose the right cruise + itinerary, it is still worth a couple of days of your time.

Think of it as a floating retreat – it's not the most adventurous, but it's a pretty relaxing way to spend a couple of days on emerald waters.

Here you can take a 1-3 day cruise around the bay. There are three main routes: the more crowded Halong Bay, and adjacent Lan Ha Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay. All three routes have similar limestone karst landscape views and activities.

The cruises all offer lots of activities - from caves, floating villages, kayaking, hiking, tai chi to cooking. The activities offered on many of the boats tend to be pretty cookie-cutter. However, there are boats that are doing more interesting off-grid itineraries, like cycling on Cat Ba island.

Day trips: If you’re pressed for time, you can do a day trip that gives you the briefest glimpse of the islands. But these usually feel quite rushed, as it takes 2-4 hours each way from Hanoi and only leave you with 4-5 hours cruising on the water.

2D1N: This overnight cruise is the most popular option among travellers, with more time to see caves and kayak. But we felt that the 2D1N itineraries are all still pretty rushed, with not a lot of time to sit, relax and enjoy the incredible views.

3D2N: If you have time, we highly recommend doing a 3D2N cruise. This gives you time to both enjoy the sightseeing and the very nice cruise amenities at the same time. A longer time on the water also allows you to go further out to the quieter bays which have fewer people.

There are two main seasons: winter from November to February (15–20ºC) and summer from May to September (25–30ºC). 

The sweet spot is Mar-May, when it’s off-peak and perfect for water activities like kayaking and swimming. Avoid 30th April and 1st May as it's a local Vietnamese holiday. Peak season is during winter, when the weather is cool and Halong Bay will look misty and foggy, and can be pretty magical.

But definitely avoid June - August because those are the rainiest months.

Halong Bay is very accessible from Hanoi, with most cruises able to pick you up from Hanoi’s Old Quarter, where most hostels and hotels are located.

From Hanoi to the harbour in Halong city, the journey will take either 2 hours on the Hanoi-Hai Phong expressway, or 4 hours on the non-expressway route, with a rest stop in between.

We hear you. After a while, all the Halong Bay cruises look pretty much the same - they're all nice in the exact same stock-y way. But whether or not you think Halong Bay is worthwhile really depends on choosing the right cruise!

For a better experience, we'd highly recommend:

1. Going for a smaller cruise boat (20-30 persons instead of 50-60), and one that takes a less-touristed route like Lan Ha Bay or Bai Tu Long Bay. 

2. Staying two nights instead of one night. Trust us when we say that a longer cruise makes for a much better experience on the bay.

It also depends if you want to do a no frills, budget-friendly or go all out on a luxury cruise, with practically all the amenities you could dream of, like mini golf, wine cellars, and even an assigned butler who remembers your name. See more tips here!

The Halong Bay route is best suited for travellers looking for a luxury experience since almost all the five-star boats will take this route. We’re talking about serious luxury here - from jacuzzis on deck, to 360-degree floor to ceiling views overlooking Halong’s iconic landscapes, to assigned butlers who make sure to remember your name. So if you’re looking to pamper yourself, go for the Halong Bay route. The only downside of Halong Bay is that you can’t really avoid crowds here.

Located South of Halong Bay, Lan Ha Bay is a less crowded alternative, and has a virtually indistinguishable landscape to Halong Bay. If you’re on a budget and looking for a more interesting itinerary, Cat Ba Island is a great base—Lan Ha Bay cruises departing from here are more affordable and often include more like rock climbing or kayaking with bioluminescent plankton. For something a little more upscale, opt for a Lan Ha Bay cruise that leaves from Hanoi.

Bai Tu Long Bay, off to the east of Halong, is the least crowded and most untouched of the three. Cruises here might cost a bit more and aren’t as luxurious, but the trade-off is total tranquility. It’s perfect for anyone looking to escape the crowds, and we’d suggest booking at least two days because it is a little further out and we don’t want you to waste your time travelling all the way without getting the best out of it!

Read our deep dive here to find out more on these three bays!

Halong Bay cruises are packed with activities, with loads of outdoor adventures and onboard experiences. You can choose to do them, or sit them out and just enjoy the boat and the views!

Outdoor activities include kayaking up close to the limestone formations, visiting floating fishing villages, hiking to Ti Top Island for sweeping views, and exploring the vast Sung Sot Cave with its stunning stalactites and stalagmites. Onboard, you can enjoy morning Tai Chi, cooking classes, massage and spa services, music performances and night squid fishing. 

While many cruises follow a similar itinerary, a few offer unique off-grid experiences, like cycling on Cat Ba Island, rock climbing, or kayaking with bioluminescent plankton.

Known as Halong Bay’s hidden gem, Cat Ba is the largest island in the Cat Ba Archipelago and has been growing in popularity recently. Despite this, it is still relatively unknown compared to Halong Bay and far less-touristy.

Cat Ba is a hub for adventure-seeking backpackers. Beyond taking a less-touristy junk boat to Lan Ha Bay, you can spend more days in nature, like trekking, rock climbing, abseiling, and kayaking. Be sure to explore Cat Ba National Park and the famous Monkey Island too!

Check out our full guide to Cat Ba: all you need to know before going + highlights here

This is a common question, and the short answer is no, thanks to the 2019 ban on single-use plastics. Halong Bay used to have a huge rubbish problem, but now enjoys clear waters thanks to the ban and eco-friendly efforts by cruise operators, such as replacing plastic bottles with glass.

That said, we did notice some debris following Typhoon Yagi in September 2024, which devastated several fishing villages. Fortunately, some cruises now include bay clean-ups as part of their efforts, which is a positive step toward maintaining the area's beauty.

Keep it simple! Light clothes for the day, a jacket for cool evenings if you’re going in winter, sunscreen, sturdy shoes if you’re going to explore caves, and a swimsuit. We also highly encourage you to bring a reusable water bottle.

Phone signal and internet is quite patchy, and even though most cruises have Wi-Fi, it’s usually pretty slow. Take it as a good time to disconnect and take in the beautiful surroundings!