Kayakers paddle yellow and blue kayaks across emerald waters beneath a forested limestone cliff in Lan Ha Bay.

Northern Vietnam

The bay we book by default

Geologically it is the same drowned limestone as Ha Long, administratively it is a different province, and in practice it carries far fewer boats and has beaches you can swim from.

Plan my trip

Orientation

Why Lan Ha rather than Ha Long

The line between Ha Long and Lan Ha is a provincial boundary, not a change in the landscape. What differs is traffic: the big fleets sail from Ha Long city, and Lan Ha is reached from Hai Phong and Cat Ba, which keeps the numbers down. The practical result is that you can kayak into a lagoon and be the only boat in it, which is close to impossible on the main Ha Long routes in season.

Lan Ha also has small sand beaches among the islands, and the water is clean enough to swim in from about April to October. Ha Long has almost none. If the point of the overnight is to be on and in the water rather than to photograph it from a deck, this is the bay.

Nights on board: 1 or 2
From Hanoi: 3 hours to the pier
Boats: Far fewer than Ha Long
Swimming: Yes — small beaches
Island: Cat Ba, with a national park

The itinerary

What a two-night trip looks like here

Day one: pier at midday, lunch under way, kayaking in a lagoon in the afternoon, anchor among the islands for the night.
Day two: the far end of the bay, a beach stop, a floating fishing village where people actually live and work, and a second anchorage away from the day boats.
Day three: a morning transfer back, often with an hour on Cat Ba on the way.
Optional: swap the second night on the boat for a night on Cat Ba and a day in the national park, which suits anyone who does not want two nights at sea.

Cyclists ride a narrow dirt path through green fields flanked by limestone karsts in Viet Hai village, Cat Ba.

Visitors relax on a sandy beach shaded by trees, with limestone karsts rising from the water in Lan Ha Bay.

A floating fishing village with red-roofed huts and fish pens sits beneath limestone karsts in Lan Ha Bay.

A winding coastal road cuts through forested hills above the turquoise waters of Lan Ha Bay.

Cat Ba

Cat Ba, and whether to add it

Cat Ba is the largest island in the bay, with a national park, a monkey population, a handful of beaches and a town that is cheerful and a bit scruffy. A night here costs a fraction of a night on a boat and adds a walk in the park or a climb to a viewpoint. It suits travellers who want the bay but not two consecutive nights on the water, and families with children who need to run around.

The honest caveat

Cat Ba town itself is not beautiful — it is a working harbour with hotels. Stay outside it if you can.

Timing

Weather and cancellations

The same rules as Ha Long: October to December and March to May are the good windows, July to September carries typhoon risk and the authorities close the whole area when a storm is coming, and January and February are cold and misty. Swimming is comfortable roughly April to October.

Because Lan Ha is reached through Hai Phong, it also takes about thirty minutes longer from Hanoi than Ha Long city does. That is the price of the quiet.

Not for everyone

Who should skip it

If you specifically want the classic Ha Long postcard with the red-sailed junk, book Ha Long instead — the sails are theatre, and they are the theatre you came for. If you get seasick easily, the transfers here involve a slightly longer open crossing. And if you only have one night, consider whether Ninh Binh on dry land is a better use of it.

Common questions

Questions travellers ask most

Is Lan Ha Bay better than Ha Long Bay?

Same limestone, fewer boats, small beaches you can swim from, and a thirty-minute longer transfer. For most travellers, yes.

Can you swim in Lan Ha Bay?

Yes, from small beaches among the islands, comfortably from about April to October.

Do I have to go via Cat Ba?

Boats leave from piers near Hai Phong and Cat Ba. You do not have to stay on the island, though a night there is a good alternative to a second night on board.

Is it suitable for children?

Better than Ha Long, because of the swimming and the option of a night on the island. Check the boat has life jackets in child sizes — not all do.