How to Choose the Best Halong Bay Cruise

Having troubles choosing a right Ha Long Bay Cruise due to a seemingly endless range of options? It is obvious that choosing a suitable cruise may make or break your wonderful vacation experiences in the middle of the sea. I am sure that you won’t want to turn a sweet memory into a nightmare when being put on the boats you did not choose, forced to share single rooms with strangers, or get poisoning food. Therefore, we try to provide you with some tips to select the best Halong Bay cruise so that you can accumulate the best moments during the Vietnam eco holiday.

Halong Bay Overview

Halong Bay situated around 144km east of Hanoi in the Gulf of Tonkin offers over 1600 islands and islets. Halong literally means descending dragons. According to the legend, when Vietnam was occupied by northern invaders, the Jade Emperor sent Mother Dragon to the Earth and helped to release the country. Therefore, the Vietnamese gave the name “Halong” to the place to show a sign of gratitude.
Thanks to the charming beauty Mother Nature gives, Halong is listed in UNESCO World Heritage and becomes one of the main tourist hotspots in Asia, receiving more than 6 million travelers every year.

Why Go on a Cruise in Halong Bay

Explore Halong on a cruise allows you not only to admire where it’s truly powerful, from the sea but also to navigate to remote areas where you cannot reach on your own. Take the classic cruise selection in Halong mainly for convenience. In addition to renting a boat ride, you do not need to worry about travel plans, activities, accommodation or food.

How to Pick the Best Halong Bay Cruise

Decide How Long You Want to Explore

Halong Bay delivers mainly four types of cruise tours: Day trip cruises, 2 Day -1 Night cruises (2D1N), 3 Day-2 Nights cruises (3D2N), and 4 Day-3 Nights cruises (4D3N). If you consider the time limit and the budget, you can book day cruises with no overnight stay departing from Hanoi, Halong City or Cat Ba. However, the day trip cruise only gives you a little taste of the feeling of the adventure among the forest of islands & islets due to a short journey.

Overnight cruises are more classic selections, allowing more time to relax and truly enjoy the stunning breath-taking views. Plus, you will have a chance to admire the most gorgeous moments of the dawn and dusk on the sea as well as feel the breath of the sea. Longer itineraries are recommended for people seeking interesting activities and exploring more remote areas of the bay.

Decide Which Routes You Want to Go

Even though it is known as Halong Bay in general, it includes in fact 3 different bays: Halong Bay, Bai Tu Long, and La Han Bay. All of them have similar landscapes of limestone cliffs, idyllic bay, caves, and small beaches but still remain the unique beauties.

Halong Bay is the most popular route among tourists. The cruise provides you with spectacular islets and puts a stop at Ti Top Island and the Surprising Cave. Besides, La Han Bay is less touristy. The route offers you some 400 lush islands & islets and home of Van Gia floating fishing village, Monkey Island, Nam Cat Island, Van Boi beach, and Luon Cave. Some cruise boats offer you the option of staying overnight in a resort in Cat Ba.

The last route is a combination of Halong Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay. You will have an opportunity to discover the best of Halong Bay with some more remote areas in Bai Tu Long Bay. The price tag is higher than others.

Always Check What’s Included

A common rule among cruise operator is that everything such as food, activities, etc is included apart from the drinks. Double check that.

Activities in Halong Bay Cruise

Check the activities of the boat which are suitable for you to choose the cruise. The cruises give some interesting activities such as visiting Pearl Farm or the Floating Villages, swimming in a beach, exploring caves, experiencing Tai Chi & squid fishing, participating in Cooking classes, etc.

Consider Food You Will Try in the Boat

The chefs of the boats might serve an abundance of the seafood in terms of Vietnamese food, Euro-Asian fusion, or Western dishes. They usually offer a mixture of buffets, set menu or a la carte. Avoid ordering the kind of food you are allergic to. Only cruise boats can usually deal with food allergies and intolerances, however, if you are going on a mid-range or budget boat, you should email the cruise line before booking to make sure they can accommodate.

Transfer to Halong Bay

• Most Halong Bay cruise lines charge extra for transfer from Hanoi to the port, however, many boats will throw in transfer during the low season and rainy one.
• Check carefully whether transfers are included, and if they are not, what they cost. If you need to pay extra for transfers for your family, it may be worth using the total of the cost transfer to upgrade to a more luxurious cruise that consists of transfers.
• Pay attention to the type of vehicle they offer and the duration of the journey. Is it a shuttle bus or a private car that will pick passengers from other hotels? It will be terrible if you spend 4-5 hours on a minivan with your knees under your chin.

Research the Cruise Boat

Consider the Size of the Cruise

It is necessary to check the size of the boat, numbers of cabins and passengers it takes. If you tend to be social or you are a solo traveler who wants to meet new friends, choose a medium to large size boat with more people. However, it is so difficult to find your private space with a medium-size boat when you realize that you do not much in common with people on boats. Consider a bigger boat if you want some alone time. If you are on a honeymoon or a holiday with a group of close friends or family, consider your own small boat.

Consider the Boat Style and Its Quality

Make sure that you ask which boat you are going and do some research online before pulling your wallet. Is it decent? How old is the cruise? What are their reviews like?

Top Halong Bay Cruises Recommendations

Based on online reviews and feedback from other travelers and travel agencies, some following top cruises are given.

Medium-High Quality Cruises

• Cristina Diamond Cruise
• Paloma
• Swan Cruises

Luxury Cruises

• Pelican
• Indochina Sails
• Orchid