Halong Bay is the most popular tourist attraction in Vietnam and that means one thing – it can get crowded! Escape the crowds on this one-of-a-kind exclusive boat trip to Lan Ha Bay – the best-kept secret in North Vietnam! Step aboard a charming cruise ship and explore the hidden gems that most tourists will miss… Spend the night in an eco-village in the heart of Cat Ba! This trip offers all of the best bits of Halong Bay, without any of the hassle!
Please note: The price is $269 per person for groups of 2 sharing one Double/Twin Room(Cabin).
Itinerary – Real Lan Ha Bay Experience – 3 Days, 2 Nights
- START – DAY 1: Hanoi 7:30 am.
- FINISH – DAY 3: Hanoi 4:15 pm or 6:45 pm.
DAY 1 # HANOI – CAI BAO CRUISE PORT – CRUISE SHIP
07h30 – 7h45: You will be collected from Hanoi Old Quarter to take the highway to the Port (Haiphong) where we arrive at around 11h30.
12h15: We welcome our guests onboard the cruise and then check in, enjoy Welcome Drink, receive cruise brief and safety instruction by crew member and Cruise Manager.
12h30: We have lunch before continuing our journey via the islets. These amazing limestone karst formations rise up out of the sea in an impressive manner. This area is untouched, as not many cruise ships use the route via the Cat Ba Island – Coc Ngoi islet – through Cua Dong to Ba Trai Dao area.
14h30: The Cruise sails through Lan Ha Bay. The area is surrounding of extraordinary limestone karsts landscapes. You can start your journey to visit Dark & Bright Cave and islets by kayaking which is a wild and mysterious beauty in the middle of the World Heritage, enjoy swimming in the crystal-clear waters of the Bay.
15h30: Just enjoy a swim. This is a great experience, immersed in the crystal-clear waters of the bay.
16:45 Returning your Venezia Cruises boat you can watch the magnificent sunset over the Gulf of Tonkin. Onboard you may join a traditional cooking class. Our chef will instruct you in the making of some Vietnam spring-roll. In the early evening the boat has it’s Happy Hour deal.
19h00: Dinner is served. Enjoy delicious local food prepared and served for you by our wonderful onboard catering staff. This is a delightful meal in an intimate romantic setting.
21h00: Enjoy the landscape of the bay at night up on the top deck. Relax
DAY 2 # CAT BA ISLAND – VIET HAI VILLAGE
06h00: Begin your new day with taking photos, or enjoy the sunrise from your cabin window or from the sun-deck.
07h00 Enjoy a breakfast in the delighted and peaceful beauty of the bay.
08h30 : Transfer to a tender to visit Viet Hai Village on Cat Ba Island and hop on a bicycle ride (electric car also available) through a rainforest tunnel that leads to a village nestled in a valley deep in a national park. Meet, visit a traditional house, and greet local inhabitants doing their daily work, see their homes and the village school. Return to Venezia Cruises boat for check-out procedures.
Around 10:00 Get dropped off at our Homestay and check into your room. Feel free to explore the area: The village plays host to traditional houses; in the surrounding areas you will find local farmers and their water buffaloes plowing the green fields; and the indigenous forest is a sight to behold. Be sure to take your camera along as you discover this serene island and her inhabitants.
12:00 Enjoy lunch at the homestay and take a moment to rest & relax.
13:30 – 17:00 Our host will show you the map of Viet Hai, leading you into the forest for a hike and exploration of a mysterious cave.
18:00 Enjoy a traditional dinner at the homestay
20:00 – 21:30 Join a kayaking tour, paddling to small coves under starlight and maybe even witnessing glowing plankton transform this already idyllic landscape into a dreamscape!
DAY 3 # CAT BA – HANOI/NINH BINH
08:00 Breakfast is served at the homestay, after which you have free time to visit the village to see the daily life of the local people (making rice wine, farming…)
10:45 Farewell brunch served at the homestay before taking a boat to Beo Pier.
11.20 Leave Viet Hai Village by speed boat.
11.40 Arrived in Beo Pier, Cat Ba Town. Our host will get a taxi for you to go to the drop off point in Cat Ba Town where you can take the connection bus to Hanoi or Ninh Binh
Solo Travellers, Families & Dietary Requirements
- Families with children – This trip is suitable for families with young children.
- Dietary requirements – Are you vegetarian, vegan or have an allergy? Please let us know when booking if you have any special dietary requirements and we will try our best to accommodate.
-
Price – The price is $269 USD per person for groups of 2 sharing one Double/Twin Room(Cabin).
Hi, I’m Nikki and I started South East Asia Backpacker in 2008 after my own first solo backpacking trip! My vision was to create a travel diary for everyone, a place for travellers to share their experiences from the road. After backpacking and writing about Southeast Asia for over 10 years, I saw the opportunity to provide backpackers with the kind of experiences that I’d treasured myself in the region! 
Stephanie –
Not quite as advertised, but still good. We booked this tour but the details in our itinerary differed from what was offered— we got picked up off the (amazing) boat earlier than our itinerary and thus missed the brunch on the boat, and got to the island very very early (before 9am) without any input on things to do or see until our hike to the top of a mountain which was also later in the day than our itinerary (2pm). The views were amazing but there were no caves. Additionally, we did not get the night kayaking which was something I was most looking forward to. Overall, it was an amazing experience and the boat was phenomenal, but a few tweaks would have made it perfect
Maureen –
We made the right choice booking this unique tour. The Lan Ha Bay cruise was very well organized, lovely helpful staff, no crowds or pollution, and amazing feasts for the meals, which included all kinds of fresh seafood. First class. We loved the speedboat ride to the village harbour. A beautiful home stay with lots of interest. The guide was terrific. We had a hike to a bat cave and the most magical night kayak to see the phosphorescent plankton. He also arranged transport for us to the hotel we were going to outside Cat Ba Town. Note there is a weekend premium fee and Visa payment charge for this tour — that might be a standard practice. So it was more expensive than advertised but still great value for money. Highly recommend it.
Anna Ford –
This cruise was amazing!! We booked for seven people (one vegan and two vegetarian)—they were super accommodating and we had wonderfully clean rooms and a really great adventure. The viet hai village was beautiful and the stay with the local people was a very cool experience. Lots of fun activities included as well.
Sarah Horton –
This was a great tour with much care and attention given to details. Even though the weather was not great we still had a memorable trip. Food on the boat was amazing. Comfy beds. Professional crew who looked after us very well. The home stay in Viet Hai was beautifully quiet after the chaos and pollution of Hanoi. Truly authentic. Good English speaking guide for the hike up the mountain and wonderful hospitality from our hosts. Recommended.
Marko Pende –
The Lan Ha Bay Tour was truly a great experience. I would recommend it at any time as a super alternative to the Ha long bay short trips. The overnight stay at the village was very cool and the people very nice. The view after the hike was breathtaking