Tours out of Ho Chi Minh City and across Vietnam
Northern Vietnam
The quiet bay, with a paddle in your hands
The same limestone as Ha Long, fewer boats, small beaches you can swim from, and kayaks that launch from the stern rather than from a busy pontoon.
Overview
Why we book Lan Ha first
Lan Ha is the southern end of the same drowned limestone as Ha Long, on the far side of Cat Ba island. The boats leave from the Hai Phong and Cat Ba side rather than from Ha Long city, and the result is simple: fewer of them, spread more thinly, and lagoons you can paddle into with nobody else inside. It also has small sand coves among the islands, and water clean enough to swim in for half the year.
We use smaller boats that carry their own kayaks, so paddling happens from the stern when the boat stops rather than at a crowded pontoon. The private car from Hanoi and the booking on the ground are handled by our Hanoi partner operator of many years; the boat choice is ours.
- Length
- 2 days, 1 night on board
- From Hanoi
- About 3 hours to the pier
- Kayaking
- Twice, about an hour each
- Swimming
- April to October
- Best months
- March to May, September to November
- Run by
- Hanoi partner, boat we know
Nights
Where you sleep
Day by day
Day by day
Day 1
To the pier, into the lagoons
We collect you in Hanoi at 07:30. The drive runs east on the expressway towards Hai Phong and takes about three hours to the pier, half an hour longer than the Ha Long harbours — the price of the quiet. The boat leaves at around 11:30 and lunch is served under way.
By mid-afternoon you are anchored among the islands, and the kayaks go in. The guide leads a loop through a cave arch into an enclosed lagoon, where the water is still and the cliffs rise straight up on every side. Afterwards the boat moves to a sand cove for a swim if the season allows it.
Dinner on board and a night at anchor, with far fewer lights around you than on the Ha Long side.
Day 2
A floating village, a second paddle, and back
After an early coffee, a local woman rows you through a floating fishing village in a bamboo boat: houses on pontoons, fish pens, dogs, a school room. People live and work here, so this is quiet and brief. A second shorter kayak follows for anyone who wants it.
Brunch as the boat heads back to the pier, ashore by 11:00, and at your Hanoi hotel at around 15:00. We can drop you at Noi Bai instead; allow for the extra distance when choosing an afternoon flight.
Price
Price
| Travellers | Tier 1 — simple | Tier 2 — comfortable | Tier 3 — the good ones |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 travelling | from 325 | from 405 | from 620 |
| 4 travelling | from 265 | from 335 | from 505 |
| 6 travelling | from 240 | from 300 | from 455 |
The table above reflects a small boat with window cabins. Larger cabins with balconies, a boat of eight cabins or fewer, or chartering a whole boat for a family all push the figure up, and weekend supplements apply. The difference from Ha Long is mainly the longer road and the smaller boats.
Included
What is included
What the price includes
- Private car and driver from Hanoi and back
- One night in a private cabin with bathroom
- All meals on board from lunch to brunch
- Kayaks, life jackets, the rowing-boat visit and bay fees
- English-speaking guide on board
- Our 24/7 line
What it does not include
- Drinks on board
- Tips for crew, rower and driver
- Travel insurance, visas and flights
- A night on Cat Ba island, which we can add
Practical
Kayaking, swimming and the weather
- Kayaks are double sit-on-tops, stable and easy. No experience is needed, but you should be comfortable in the water in a life jacket.
- Swimming is pleasant from about April to October; in winter the water is cold and most people stay dry.
- Some lagoons can only be entered at certain tides, so the order of the day is set on board.
- July to September carries typhoon risk. When the authorities close the area, no boats sail, and we move you to Cat Ba or Ninh Binh on dry land.
Not for everyone
Who this does not suit
If you came for the red-sailed junk of the Ha Long postcard, book Ha Long — we do not pretend otherwise. People who get seasick should note that the run out from the pier crosses a slightly longer open stretch than on the Ha Long side. And non-swimmers who dislike being in small boats will get less out of a trip whose best hours are spent in a kayak.
Common questions
Questions travellers ask most
Is Lan Ha better than Ha Long?
For quiet, kayaking and swimming, yes. Ha Long has the classic view, more big boats and a shorter drive.
Do we have to be fit to kayak?
No. The paddles are about an hour on flat water in a double kayak, with the guide alongside.
Can we stay on Cat Ba instead of a second night on board?
Yes — that is a common extension. For two nights on the water, see our three-day Lan Ha cruise.
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