Lan Ha Bay Cruise 2 Days With a Private Balcony

In the $126

The price includes the 2-day, 1-night 5-star cruise with a private balcony cabin, an ensuite bathroom and a bathtub with an ocean view. All entry fees and tickets are included, which removes the bay fee surprises that some cheaper day trips carry. Kayaking, Tai Chi on the boat, squid fishing, swimming, a welcome drink and a spring roll cooking class are all part of the package. Meals are covered from the buffet lunch on day one to brunch on the return, with vegetarian options.

Two free touches worth knowing: a honeymoon or anniversary cabin setup and a birthday cake are free if you request them by email before the trip. Taxes are included.

Paid on Top

Three things sit outside the from-price. The round-trip limousine transfer from Hanoi or Ninh Binh is $25 per person, even though the listing header says pickup included, so budget for it. Solo travellers pay a $90 surcharge for a private single room.

Drinks beyond the welcome drink and the 2 daily bottles of water in each cabin are not included, and the panoramic bar sells cocktails in the evening. New Year, Christmas and national holidays carry a surcharge of an amount not stated. The booking card shows the current fare on the platform.

Pickup and the Road to Tuan Chau

The day starts with a limousine pickup at 8:00 AM in Hanoi Old Quarter, or 7:00 AM in Ninh Binh if you request it by email. The ride to Tuan Chau Marina takes about 2.5 hours with a 20-minute rest stop about halfway. Tuan Chau sits on an island linked by a causeway, and the overnight boats leave from Port 2.

Boarding and Lunch

From 12:00 PM a tender transfers you from the port to the cruise. The crew gives a short briefing over a welcome drink at the onboard restaurant, then you check into your balcony cabin and sit down to a buffet lunch.

Dark and Bright Cave or Tra Bau

The afternoon offers two routes. Option 1 spends about 1 hour at Dark and Bright Cave by kayak or bamboo boat, then returns to the ship for a swim break. Option 2 heads to the Tra Bau area of Lan Ha Bay for kayaking through lagoons and swimming in calm water.

Kayaking runs only where the bay authorities allow it, so confirm with the operator which activity runs on the day.

Sunset, Cooking Class and Dinner

Tea or coffee is served on the sundeck for sunset, followed by a spring roll cooking demonstration with the onboard chef. Dinner is a set seafood menu in the restaurant. After dinner you can buy cocktails at the panoramic bar or try night squid fishing from the boat, then sleep in your cabin.

Tai Chi and Cat Ba or Ao Ech

Day two opens with a Tai Chi session and a light breakfast as the sun rises over the bay. Option 1 explores Trung Trang Cave or Quan Y Cave on Cat Ba Island. The second option sails to the Ao Ech area for kayaking through lagoons and a swim.

You then check out of the cabin and eat brunch while cruising back to Tuan Chau Marina.

The Ride Home

The limousine drops you at your Hanoi Old Quarter hotel at about 3:00 PM, or at Ninh Binh at about 4:00 PM if you asked for it by email.

Access and Fitness

The listing states the trip is not suitable for wheelchair users, and no minimum age or difficulty level is stated. A valid passport is required on the day of travel. The cruise involves a tender transfer from the port and getting in and out of kayaks or bamboo boats, so ask the operator if mobility is limited.

If you need a smaller boat with more attention, the Bhaya Classic Overnight Cruise caps the group at 10 guests.

The Long Bus Day and the Transfer Cost

The road from Hanoi to Tuan Chau takes about 2.5 hours each way, with a 20-minute rest stop about halfway on the way out. The transfer is not free despite the header claim, it costs $25 per person. If you would rather skip the Hanoi ride and explore on your own, read the guide to getting from Hanoi to Ha Long Bay.

Crowds, Solo Cost and Storms

Group size is not stated and the boat is a large shared vessel, so expect company on the sundeck and at the stops. Solo travellers pay a $90 surcharge for a single room, more than some entire day cruises. Storm closures are decided by the Ha Long Bay Management Board, not the operator, and boats have been suspended during typhoon warnings, so a weather day can cancel the trip.

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure softens that. If a balcony is not your priority, the Oriental Sails Junk Cruise is the listing that calls its boat a traditional-style junk, and the Infinity Pool Overnight Cruise bundles taxes and peak season charges into a similar fare.

Reaching Tuan Chau on Your Own

Hanoi to Ha Long is roughly 150 to 170 km depending on the route. The expressway route is about 150 km. Sources give about 2 to 2.5 hours by car or limousine and 2.5 to 3.5 hours by bus.

Tuan Chau International Marina sits on Tuan Chau Island, and overnight boats use Port 2. Arrive before the 12:00 PM boarding window.

Adding a Night in Ha Long or on Cat Ba

You could stay in Ha Long city the night before, or continue to Cat Ba Island on your own after the cruise. Cat Ba is about 50 km from Hai Phong and 150 km from Hanoi, and the Cat Ba archipelago holds 366 to 367 islands. Read the Cat Ba Island guide before planning it.

Sights This Trip Skips and the Other Bays

This itinerary does not visit Sung Sot Cave or Ti Top Island, the two best known stops in Ha Long Bay. Day cruises such as the Day Cruise with Kayaking cover both. If one night is not enough water time, the same company runs a 3-Day Lan Ha Bay Cruise, and Bai Tu Long Bay is the quieter alternative.

Every Ha Long Bay junk boat cruise on the site is on the homepage comparison.