How to decide on a Halong Bay Cruise | Vietnam Purple Travel Guide
Imagine thousands of towering limestone islands, draped in lush greenery, emerging dramatically from emerald waters – this is the awe-inspiring reality of Vietnam's legendary bays. A visit to Ha Long Bay, Lan Ha Bay, or Bai Tu Long Bay offers an unparalleled opportunity to immerse yourself in one of the world's most breathtaking natural wonders, a UNESCO World Heritage landscape that captivates every traveler.
Some people like exploring the stunning geological formations and local life by themselves through a land tour, but we believe the most immersive and truly unforgettable experience of these magnificent waters is undeniably by joining a cruise. And this is indeed what the vast majority of travelers do.
The most popular cruises are 1-day excursions from Hanoi or Ninh Binh, or 2-day, 1-night cruises with longer cruises also being available. Please read this article to decide which Halong tour length is best for you.
Here at Backpack and Snorkel Travel Guides, we typically promote self-guided walking tours.
But we realize that not everybody likes to walk by themselves in a foreign city. So, just in case that you rather go with ab guide: NO PROBLEM! Please see the Viator tours below.
paid Viator tours
Should you book a cruise for Ha Long Bay, Lan Ha Bay, or Bai Tu Long Bay?
When planning a Vietnam cruise through its iconic limestone karsts, you will need to decide which of the three bays you want to explore: Ha Long Bay, Lan Ha Bay, or Bai Tu Long Bay. While all offer breathtaking scenery, they cater to different preferences. Understanding their unique characteristics is key to booking the best bay for your cruise in Vietnam.
Ha Long Bay: The Iconic Classic
Ha Long Bay is, without a doubt, the most famous of the three, renowned globally for its dramatic limestone pillars jutting majestically from emerald waters. It is the image you have likely seen on postcards and travel brochures.
Pros: As a UNESCO World Heritage site, it offers the quintessential Halong Bay experience with the most diverse range of Ha Long Bay cruise options, from budget-friendly day trips to opulent multi-day voyages. You will find a wide selection of itineraries, activities, and departure times.
Cons: Its popularity means it can be incredibly crowded, especially in peak season. The sheer volume of boats can detract from the serene natural beauty, and environmental concerns due to over-tourism and trash in the water are ongoing.
Who it is for: First-time visitors who want to see the most famous landmarks and don't mind sharing the experience with many other travelers.
Lan Ha Bay: The Active and more Serene Alternative
Adjacent to Ha Long Bay and directly connected to Cat Ba Island, Lan Ha Bay offers similarly stunning karst landscapes but with significantly fewer crowds. This makes it an increasingly popular choice for those seeking a more tranquil and active adventure.
Pros: You will experience pristine waters that are better suited for swimming and kayaking through hidden lagoons and caves. Some Lan Ha Bay cruise itineraries integrate activities like rock climbing and cycling on Cat Ba Island. The environment feels much cleaner and more secluded than central Ha Long. But you will still see around 10 other boats at the anchoring sites.
Cons: While beautiful, some argue the karst formations are slightly less dramatic than Ha Long's most iconic spots. Being a newer tourism hub, there are slightly fewer options compared to Ha Long's vast selection.
Who it is for: Travelers looking for a quieter, more eco-conscious Vietnam cruise experience, with ample opportunities for water activities and exploring Cat Ba Island, avoiding the busiest tourist routes.
Bai Tu Long Bay: The Secluded Escape
Located northeast of Ha Long Bay, Bai Tu Long Bay is the most remote and least visited of the three. It is truly for those who want an exclusive, off-the-beaten-path journey into untouched nature.
Pros: Expect much more tranquility, pristine waters, and a more secluded experience away from the tourist hordes. The karst formations here are unique and slightly less impressive than in the other two bays. Bai Tu Long Bay cruise options tend to focus on longer, more luxurious itineraries.
Cons: Due to its remoteness, fewer cruise operators venture here, and the tours typically come with a higher price tag. Travel time to reach the departure points is also be longer.
Who it is for: Discerning travelers prioritizing peace, quiet, exclusivity, and a deeper connection with untouched nature, willing to pay a premium for the unique experience.
Choosing Your Ideal Bay Cruise
Ultimately, the best bay for your cruise depends on your travel style and priorities:
Choose Ha Long Bay if seeing the absolute most famous sights is your top priority and you are comfortable with crowds.
Opt for Lan Ha Bay for a more active, less crowded experience, perfect for kayaking, swimming, and exploring Cat Ba Island.
Select Bai Tu Long Bay: if tranquility, exclusivity, and an untouched natural environment are your ultimate goals, and budget is less of a concern.
No matter which you choose, a cruise in Vietnam's bays promises an unforgettable journey through some of the world's most spectacular landscapes.
How to book a cruise at Ha Long Bay, Lan Ha Bay, or Bai Tu Long Bay and avoid scams?
Planning a cruise in Ha Long Bay, Lan Ha Bay, or Bai Tu Long Bay is often a highlight of any Vietnam itinerary, promising breathtaking scenery and unforgettable moments. However, the popularity of these destinations, particularly Ha Long Bay, has unfortunately led to various scams.
Here is a list of scams that we are aware of:
The ‘Bait and Switch’ Scam (Most Common):
How it works: You book a specific, often highly rated, luxury, or mid-range cruise through an online travel agent (OTA) or a seemingly legitimate local agency. A day or a few days before your departure, you receive a message (email, phone call, or even in-person if you booked at a local office) stating that your original cruise is unavailable due to ‘overbooking’, ‘technical issues’, ‘weather cancellation’ (even if the weather is fine), ‘sorry, we booked the wrong cruise’, or some other fabricated reasons. They then tell you they have ‘upgraded’ or ‘rebooked’ you on ‘another’ cruise. Sometimes they even offer you different cruises.
The reality: The substitute cruise is almost always inferior to what you paid for – older boat, fewer amenities, less appealing itinerary, lower quality food, or even a different bay than you intended (e.g., sticking to crowded Halong Bay instead of the quieter Lan Ha Bay or Bai Tu Long Bay).
Why it happens: Unscrupulous agents prioritize commission. They might book you on a high-commission boat, or they might not have a legitimate booking for the cruise you desired in the first place, or they might simply sell your confirmed spot on a better boat to someone else at a higher price and then move you. This happened to us with Hai Phong Tours.
Fake Websites / ‘Copycat’ Agencies:
How it works: Scammers create professional-looking websites that closely mimic the official sites of reputable cruise lines or well-known travel agencies. They might use very similar names, logos, and even content. You book and pay, believing you are dealing with a legitimate company.
The reality: Your booking may never be made, or if it is, it is on a much cheaper, lower-quality boat than advertised. The ‘agency’ then disappears or becomes unreachable once you realize you have been scammed.
Red flags: URLs that are slightly off (e.g., an extra dash, a different domain extension), prices that are significantly lower than official sites, lack of clear contact information, or requests for payment via unusual methods (e.g., direct bank transfer to a personal account).
Hidden Fees / Unclear Inclusions:
How it works: An initial low price is advertised to draw you in. However, the booking deliberately omits crucial details about what is included. Upon arrival or during the cruise, you are hit with unexpected charges for things like transfers, drinks (even water), kayaking, cave entry fees, tips, or even specific meals.
The reality: The ‘cheap’ cruise ends up being far more expensive than a transparently priced, better-quality alternative.
How to avoid: Always ask for a detailed breakdown of all inclusions and exclusions in writing before paying. Clarify if transfers from Hanoi, entrance fees, activities, all meals, and drinks (and what kind of drinks) are included.
‘Too Good to Be True’ Deals:
How it works: You encounter incredibly low prices for a ‘luxury’ or ‘all-inclusive’ cruise. This might be from street touts, pop-up ads, or even some small online agencies.
The reality: These low prices are almost always a precursor to the bait-and-switch, hidden fees, or simply an experience that is far from what was promised (e.g., unsafe boat, unsanitary conditions, poor food, rude staff).
Rule of thumb: If the price seems unrealistically low for what is advertised, it is almost certainly a scam or a significantly downgraded experience. Quality Halong Bay cruises are not cheap.
Overbooking / Forced Cabin Sharing:
How it works: You book a private cabin or a specific cabin type (e.g., with a balcony). Upon boarding, you are told the cabin is unavailable due to overbooking and you are either downgraded to a smaller room, a room without the features you paid for, or even worse, told you have to share a cabin with strangers (though this is rarer for cruise scams, it is known in general accommodation scams).
The reality: The cruise operator may have genuinely overbooked, but often, it is a way to squeeze more money out of customers or to fill lower-quality cabins.
Unlicensed / Unregistered Operators:
How it works: You book through an agent or company that does not have the proper operating licenses from the Vietnamese government.
The reality: If something goes wrong (e.g., cancellation, safety issue, poor service), you have very little recourse or legal protection. These operators are often difficult to trace or hold accountable.
How to avoid: Reputable agencies and cruise lines will prominently display their business registration and international tour operator license numbers. You can even try to verify these on the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) website (though checking is not always straightforward for tourists).
Weather Cancellation Misinformation:
How it works: While legitimate cruise cancellations due to bad weather do happen (and are decided by the Halong Bay Management Authority for safety), some unscrupulous agents might falsely claim a cancellation to enact a ‘bait and switch’ or to charge exorbitant rebooking fees.
How to avoid: Understand the legitimate cancellation policies before booking. If a cancellation is announced, try to verify it with the official Halong Bay Management Authority (if possible) or directly with the cruise line's official channels, not just the booking agent. Reputable companies will have clear refund or rebooking policies for weather cancellations.
To ensure your Vietnam cruise booking is smooth and secure, follow these essential tips to avoid common pitfalls and secure the best experience.
Book through reputable travel sites:
Viator and GetYourGuide are two reputable travel sites that sell tours globally. They do not operate those tours, but they work with reliable tour providers and they can help if there is any problem. Both also have consumer-friendly refund policies.
Both companies are our go-to sources for guided tours:
Viator Ha Long Bay cruises
Viator Lan Ha Bay cruises
Viator Bai Tu Long Bay cruises
GetYourGuide Ha Long Bay cruises
GetYourGuide Lan Ha Bay cruises
GetYourGuide Ba Tu Long Bay cruisesBook through the Official Websites of the Cruise Lines: :
Identify the actual cruise lines you are interested in. You can book through the websites below – unfortunately, many of these websites are painfully slow.
Here is a list of cruise line websites that we believe are authentic (at the time of writing) in alphabetical order:
https://alisapremiercruise.com/en
https://bhayacruises.com/
https://www.capellacruise.com/
https://www.emeraude-cruises.com/en/
https://www.peonycruises.com/
https://www.monchericruises.com/
https://www.indochina-junk.com/
https://signaturehalongcruise.com/
Be advised that your contract will be directly with the cruise line. This may save you some money, but may be problematic if there are any problems or disputes.Book through reputable travel agents: If you have worked with a travel agency in your town, go and ask them.
Read Recent Reviews: Use trusted platforms like TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, etc.. Pay attention to recent reviews regarding cleanliness, service, food quality, safety, and whether the actual experience matched the advertised one. Look for negative feedback and any signs of the above-mentioned scams.
Verify Licenses: Reputable operators should clearly display their international tour operator license numbers. While this might be harder for an individual traveler to verify directly, major online travel agencies (OTAs) or reputable local agents will only work with licensed cruise lines.
Avoid Street Touts and Unsolicited Offers: This is where many scams originate. Never book a Ha Long Bay tour or any cruise from someone approaching you on the street, at bus stations, or in unofficial ‘travel agencies’ with handwritten signs. Prices might seem incredibly low, but you risk getting a significantly downgraded experience, hidden fees, or a non-existent booking.
Get a Detailed Itinerary: Insist on a clear breakdown of daily activities, specific caves, or islands to be visited (as itineraries can vary between bays), and the duration of each activity (e.g., kayaking time, swimming stops).
Clarify All Costs Upfront: Ask about all potential extra charges. This includes:
Transfers: Is the round-trip transfer from Hanoi/Ninh Binh included? What type of vehicle (shuttle bus, limousine, private car)?
Entrance Fees: Are all national park and attraction entrance fees covered?
Meals & Drinks: How many meals are included? Are drinks (water, soft drinks, alcohol) included, or are they extra? What is the policy on bringing your own beverages?
Activities: Is kayaking, bamboo boat rides, cooking classes, tai chi, etc., included or at an additional cost?
Tips/Gratuities: Is service charge included, or are tips expected/required?
Surcharges: Are there any surcharges for specific dates (e.g., public holidays)?
Get It in Writing: Always ask for a written confirmation or contract detailing all inclusions, the agreed-upon price, and cancellation policies. This provides a clear reference if disputes arise.
Where do you want to go now?
Author: Rudy at Backpack and Snorkel
Bio: Owner of Backpack and Snorkel Travel Guides. We create in-depth guides to help you plan unforgettable vacations around the world.
Other popular Purple Travel Guides you may be interested in:
Like this Backpack and Snorkel Purple Travel Guide? Pin these for later:
