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Choose your Halong Bay Cruise

There are so many cruises on Halong Bay that it gets very difficult to find the one that’s best for you. Don’t worry, keep following these 3 criteria: Cruise tour duration, cruise & boat activities to help you decide the most suitable one.

 

Visiting time:

There are two options to consider for the length of a cruise tour: do you want to take a day cruise or an overnight cruise, and if so, how many nights will you stay?

=> Usually tourists prefer to stay one or two nights on a Halong Bay cruise, because with a day cruise in Halong Bay, your time is often rushed. I recommend choosing the full 2 ​​night program because this way you will have enough time to explore and enjoy Halong Bay. Many travelers regret that they didn’t make the 2 night cruise.

But of course, this will also involve your budget. There are many categories of cruises, such as: Luxury cruises, Mid-range cruises, Budget cruises, Private cruises, Day cruises, Party cruises, …

=> It’s important to know what you want – whether you want your cabin to have a balcony, a bathtub, whether your tour is provided with delicious Vietnamese food or simply a cabin with an ocean view is enough? It’s also important to note that many cruises may seem inexpensive, but there are many hidden fees to pay such as kayaking fees, meal fees, excursion fees, and more. So all together, make sure you know the value you’re paying.

 

Itineraries:

This natural wonder has many places to visit such as Cat Ba Island, Vung Vieng Floating Village, Trong Cave, Ba Trai Dao Beach, Trung Trang Cave, Cong Do or Cong Dam,… Mainly they are divided into 3 main attractions: caves, villages and beaches (or islands). So find out which one is most interesting and appealing to you then search for cruises within your budget that have the itineraries that match your expectations. Note that this itinerary is subject to change depending on the weather and season, so make sure to confirm this with your itinerary at the time of booking.

 

Cruise activities:

  • You can visit the floating village: If you see this activity listed in the cruise itinerary, you will have the opportunity to see the seafood farm, understand more about the living conditions of the local people. Not all tours include this activity; it depends on your needs.
  • You can go swimming: Depending on the program, you may have the opportunity to stop at an island or beach to swim, sunbathe or simply enjoy the atmosphere of the bay. On some occasions, you can even jump out into the middle of the bay for a swim.
  • You can kayak: All cruises allow tourists to kayak past different caves. This can be a fun activity that tourists often ask for.
  • You can go caving: The huge caves in Halong Bay will surprise you. Stepping inside the caves, you will definitely be amazed at the breathtaking view of nature’s more than a-thousand-year creation.

There are many other activities such as taking a cooking class on the cruise, tai chi class on the sundeck, tea ceremony, and more.

In conclusion, before embarking on any trip, you must take the time to thoroughly research the information. The best and most effective way is to look at various reviews on the Internet when searching for any type of establishment. The trick to choosing a travel agency you’re not familiar with is that you can look at their ratings and reviews on TripAdvisor – the world’s largest travel forum to find the average score for other guests’ trips, and know what to expect to vacationing in Halong Bay.