Tours out of Ho Chi Minh City and across Vietnam
Cruises and boat journeys
The same limestone, a fraction of the boats
A one-night cruise into Bai Tu Long, the part of the Ha Long seascape where the big fleets do not go, from Hanoi and back to Hanoi.
Overview
Why Bai Tu Long rather than Ha Long
Ha Long Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay are one landscape: thousands of limestone islands in shallow green sea, divided only by lines on a map. The difference is traffic. The main Ha Long routes carry hundreds of boats a day in season, all following much the same loop. Bai Tu Long, to the north-east, is licensed for far fewer, and on a weekday you can go an hour without seeing another deck.
A one-night cruise is a short trip — you are on the water for less than a day — and the quiet is what makes that day count. We choose a small boat with a limited number of cabins, and a route that goes deep into the northern islands rather than circling near the pier.
The north is where we work through a partner operator in Hanoi. We choose the boat ourselves, visit it, and do not change it without telling you.
- Length
- 2 days, 1 night aboard
- Start and finish
- Hanoi
- Road
- About 3 hours each way
- On the water
- About 22 hours
- Cabins
- Private, with bathroom
- Best months
- October to December, March to May
Nights
Where you sleep
Day by day
Day by day
Day 1
Hanoi to the bay, the floating village and a night at anchor
Rowing through Vung Vieng in the late afternoon
Your driver collects you from your Hanoi hotel at about 08:00 for the expressway east, roughly three hours with one stop. At the pier the crew brings you aboard by tender at around 12:00, and lunch is served as the boat heads north-east away from the main channel.
In the afternoon you reach Vung Vieng, a fishing village of floating houses tucked between islands. Local rowers take you through it in small bamboo boats, which is quieter and better than a motor tour. Later there is time for kayaking or a swim from the boat in the warmer months, before sunset on the top deck and dinner at anchor in a sheltered bay.
Day 2
A cave, brunch and back to Hanoi
Early risers get tai chi on deck at 06:15 and the best light of the trip. After coffee, the tender takes you to one of the bay’s caves, usually Thien Canh Son, which is small, climbable and rarely busy. Brunch is served as the boat returns, and you are ashore at about 10:30. Your driver has you back in Hanoi at around 14:30.
Price
Price
| Travellers | Tier 1 — simple | Tier 2 — comfortable | Tier 3 — the good ones |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 travelling | from 355 | from 445 | from 675 |
| 4 travelling | from 290 | from 365 | from 555 |
| 6 travelling | from 265 | from 330 | from 500 |
The boat, not the season, is the main variable here. Balcony cabins and newer boats sit in the top tier; the simple tier is a well-kept older boat with smaller cabins. Weekends and public holidays carry a supplement on most boats, and so do the peak weeks around New Year.
Included
What is included
What the price includes
- One night in a private cabin with bathroom, at your chosen tier
- All meals on board, from lunch on day 1 to brunch on day 2
- Private car and driver from Hanoi to the pier and back
- Rowing boat through the floating village, kayaks and the cave visit
- Bay entrance fees and the boat’s English-speaking guide
What it does not include
- Drinks on board
- Tips for the crew
- Visas and travel insurance
Practical
Weather, closures and seasickness
October to December and March to May are the clearest months. January and February bring cold and mist that can turn the islands into grey outlines — some people love it. From July to September the typhoon season means the authorities close the bay to overnight boats several times each summer, sometimes with a few hours’ notice. When that happens nobody sails; we offer you a new date or a day in Ninh Binh, and refund the cruise if neither works.
The boats anchor in sheltered water and the night is usually calm. The tender transfers are the moment that can feel rough in wind.
Not for everyone
Who this does not suit
Travellers who want the classic Ha Long pictures — the famous named rocks and the red-sailed junks — should book Ha Long itself, because Bai Tu Long has neither. If you can spare two nights, the second morning is worth more than the first, and our two-night cruises are better value per hour on the water. And if six hours of road for twenty-two hours of bay seems a poor exchange, Ninh Binh is the dry-land alternative for one night.
Common questions
Questions travellers ask most
Is the boat private?
No. You have a private cabin on a small shared boat. A whole boat can be chartered for a family or a group, and we will quote it if you ask.
Can children come?
Yes. Most boats take children of any age; the kayaks are for those old enough to wear a life jacket and paddle, usually from about six.
Is there Wi-Fi on board?
Usually, but coverage in the outer islands is patchy. Plan to be offline for the evening.
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Start planning
Tell us about the trip you have in mind
Dates, party size and the places you care about are enough to start. You get a draft route and an indicative price, not a brochure.
Or talk to us:+84 766 045 399