Bhaya Classic Cruise: 2 Days in Ha Long Bay

In the Price

The inclusion list is specific: one night in the selected cabin, lunch, dinner and breakfast, on-board insurance, tax and service charges, hotel pickup and drop-off in Hanoi centre if you book a bus option, and regular tea and coffee on board during breakfast. The activities named in the description, kayaking, Tai Chi, a cooking demonstration and squid fishing, are part of the package. Note that the listing states swimming or kayaking may be cancelled in poor weather, and kayaking on the bay runs only where the authorities allow it.

The Honest Note

Two things trip buyers up. First, this is not a free-cancellation listing: the full refund ends 6 full days before departure, 50 percent applies between 2 and 6 days, and nothing comes back inside 2 days. Book only once your dates are firm, or pick the 2-Day Lan Ha Balcony Cruise, which allows free cancellation 24 hours ahead.

Second, the bus is an option, not a default. If you book a No Transfer option you must arrange your own way to the pier, and the listing does not state which pier the no-transfer options use. Ask the operator before booking that variant.

Leaving Hanoi

On the bus options, a round-trip shuttle collects you in Hanoi centre at around 8:30 to 9:00 AM. The listing notes that pickups commence before the stated time and that you must contact the local operator to verify your exact pickup time. The listing does not state the drive time or which pier the boat leaves from.

On Board

The package runs 2 days and 1 night on the bay, with lunch served after boarding and dinner at night described in the listing as the finest Vietnamese cuisine. Between meals the stated activities fill the schedule: kayaking, Tai Chi, a cooking demonstration and squid fishing. Sunrise views from the boat are named in the listing text.

The itinerary and schedule are subject to change due to weather, tide levels and operating conditions without prior notice, and swimming or kayaking excursions may be cancelled in poor weather. The day ends back in Hanoi centre on the bus options. No return time is stated.

Hard Limits

A minimum of 2 adults per booking is required, so a solo traveller cannot book alone. Adult prices apply to groups of even numbers, and a single supplement applies to the odd person out. Ages run from infant 0 to 1 to adult 12 to 99, infants sit on an adult's lap, and the child rate applies only when sharing with 2 paying adults.

Wheelchair access is not stated, and the boat's stairs and cabin layout are not described, so ask the operator directly if access matters. The listing says the trip is suitable for all physical fitness levels and names no cave visits.

• Solo travellers: a single supplement applies to the odd person out, so confirm the amount with the operator before booking
• Anyone who might cancel late: the 2-Day Lan Ha Balcony Cruise allows free cancellation 24 hours ahead
• Travellers set on a wooden junk: the Oriental Sails Junk Cruise is the one listing on this site that calls its boat a traditional-style junk
• Travellers wanting the quietest water: the Bai Tu Long Bay Small Boat Cruise sails Bai Tu Long, the least crowded of the three bays

Weather and Paperwork

The bay closes by authority, not by operator. The Ha Long Bay Management Board and the Inland Waterway Port Authority suspend boats in bad conditions, with cancellations cited at winds of Beaufort level 6 or higher. Storm Wutip in 2025 suspended all overnight boats, and Typhoon Wipha later that year banned all departures.

If a closure hits your dates, you deal with the tiered cancellation terms above. You must also register in advance with full name, date of birth, nationality, gender, passport number and visa expiration, and carry a valid passport at check-in or the port authority may deny boarding.

Hanoi to the Harbour

Overnight cruises from the Ha Long side generally berth at Tuan Chau Marina, whose Port 2 handles overnight vessels, though this listing does not name its pier. Published drive times for Hanoi to Ha Long range from 2 to 2.5 hours to 3 to 3.5 hours via the expressway depending on the source. The Bhaya bus option removes that planning, which is the simplest reason to pay for it.

For the full road picture, read the Hanoi to Ha Long Bay guide.

Before and After

This itinerary does not name Sung Sot Cave or Ti Top Island, two of the best known stops on Ha Long route VHL2. If you want them, a day cruise such as the Day Cruise with Kayaking visits Sung Sot Cave, Luon Cave and Ti Top Island in one day, or read up on Sung Sot Cave and Ti Top Island before choosing. A night in Ha Long city or on Cat Ba Island before or after the cruise breaks the trip up.

Cat Ba sits in Lan Ha Bay, and the Cat Ba Island and Lan Ha Bay guides cover the ferries and stays. For the other direction, the Bai Tu Long Bay guide covers the quieter northeast bay.