About 400 limestone islands off Cat Ba, the quieter half of the Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba World Heritage site.
Paddle into hidden lagoons, swim off the boat at tiny beaches, then cycle to Viet Hai village.
Ha Long or Cat Ba startEach tour says where your boat leaves
Real 2026 itinerariesKayak, swim and cave stops, from the listings
Free cancellationUp to 24 hours before, on every tour
Seasons, spelled outFog, typhoons and swimming by month
Tours
Choose your Lan Ha Bay trip
In the centre, the most-booked overnight cruise, sailing from Ha Long into Lan Ha. On the left, a full day
out of Cat Ba for under $30; on the right, a 6-star ship for two or three days. Every card opens a full tour page.
A full day on the water from Cat Ba: floating village, kayaking through three caves, a swim at Ba Trai Dao and a bike ride in Viet Hai village. Lunch and entry fees included.
What's included
Hotel pickup and drop-off on Cat Ba Island
Boat trip with kayaking through Bright, Dark and Bat caves
Swim stop at Ba Trai Dao beaches
Bike ride in Viet Hai village (or a green car), lunch
A night on a 5-star ship with a balcony and bathtub, sailing from Ha Long into Lan Ha. Kayak or bamboo boat at Dark and Bright Cave, cooking class, squid fishing and every meal.
What's included
Balcony cabin with private bathtub, one night
All meals on board, vegetarian options
Kayaking, swimming, tai chi, squid fishing, cooking class
The step up: a balcony cabin with a bay-view bathtub, a pool, gym and spa on board. Kayak in Ao Ech lagoon, a sunset party and Dark and Bright Cave by bamboo boat.
What's included
Balcony cabin with bay-view bathtub
All meals, welcome drink, sunset tea break
Kayaking in Ao Ech lagoon, swim stops, cooking class
One question sorts most of it: does your boat start in Ha Long and sail across, or start on Cat Ba, inside
Lan Ha? After that it is one day or two, group size and budget.
Every tour here cancels free up to 24 hours before. Overnight cruises ask for a copy of your
passport before check-in, so have it ready when you book.
Before you book
Ha Long's quieter other half.
Lan Ha is the bay off the east coast of Cat Ba Island, in Hai Phong. It shares its karst with Ha Long Bay across the
provincial line, and since 2023 the two sit inside one UNESCO World Heritage site, Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago.
What changes is the traffic and the texture: fewer big ships, far more small sandy coves, and lagoons you reach
through low rock tunnels.
There are two ways in. Most overnight cruises check in at Tuan Chau in Ha Long, about two hours from Hanoi,
and sail across into Lan Ha. Day boats and a few cruises start at Ben Beo harbour on Cat Ba, ten minutes from Cat Ba
town, and spend the whole day in Lan Ha. Getting to Cat Ba from Hanoi takes 4 to 5.5 hours by bus and ferry, which is
why most people who only have one day go by cruise from Ha Long.
400
Limestone islands and islets in Lan Ha Bay, in about 70 square
kilometres of water off Cat Ba.
KayakingSwim stopsFloating villagesViet Hai village
Lan Ha has more than 130 small beaches, most of them reachable only by boat.
01
Passport copy
Cruises register every guest. Send a copy of your passport at least 24 hours before check-in.
02
Bay ticket
Hai Phong charges VND 120,000 per adult for the bay, kept for 2026. Check it is in your tour's inclusions.
03
Morning fog
January and early February mornings are often misty. It usually lifts by about 9am.
04
Storm season
July to September brings typhoons. Boats cancel for storms, and you get a refund or a new date.
Your trip
How a 2-day cruise runs
Two days and one night, from Hanoi. Most cruises on this site follow this shape.
01
Pickup in Hanoi
An optional shuttle collects you in the Old Quarter at about 7:30am for the expressway run to Tuan Chau.
Morning
02
Board at Tuan Chau
A tender takes you to the ship around midday. Lunch is served as it sails out through the karsts.
Midday
03
Kayak, swim, sunset
A kayak in a lagoon such as Ao Ech, a swim stop, sunset on the sundeck, then squid fishing after dinner.
Afternoon and night
04
Tai chi and a cave
Tai chi at sunrise, then a cave or Viet Hai village by bamboo boat, kayak or bike before brunch and the return.
The Beka day boat also sells a Hanoi option: pickup at 5:30am, back around 8:30pm.
Pack swimwear, a towel, sunscreen and cash: drinks are extra on most boats.
Two days, one night: from $110 with a balcony and bathtub, $126 on the most-booked ship, $179 on the 6-star Azura.
Three days, two nights: from $302 on the Rita, with a pool and more time in Lan Ha; the listing adds a $25 peak-season charge (1 October to 30 April) and $35 VAT per person.
Most cruises start at Tuan Chau; the round-trip shuttle from Hanoi is often extra, about $25 a person.
Solo travellers pay a single supplement on most ships, and some add holiday surcharges at Christmas, New Year and Tet.
Ben Beo harbour is about 10 to 15 minutes from Cat Ba town; most day tours collect you at your hotel.
The car ferry from Dong Bai to Cai Vieng crosses in about 20 minutes. Got pier closed to public ferries in March 2024.
From Ha Long, the Tuan Chau to Gia Luan ferry takes 45 to 50 minutes to the north of Cat Ba.
The Sun World cable car crosses from Cat Hai to Phu Long, just under 4 km, in 10 to 15 minutes.
Hanoi to Tuan Chau: about 150 km, 2 to 2.5 hours on the expressways.
Hanoi to Cat Ba: 4 to 5.5 hours by bus and car ferry, about VND 230,000 to 390,000.
By train: Hanoi to Hai Phong in about 2.5 hours, then the high-speed boat from Ben Binh to Cat Ba.
A private car from Hanoi to Ha Long costs from about $50.
Hanoi to Tuan Chau2 to 2.5 hExpressway drive to the cruise harbour in Ha Long.
Hanoi to Cat Ba4 to 5.5 hBus and car ferry to Cat Ba town.
IslandsAbout 400Limestone islands and islets in Lan Ha Bay.
Bay ticketVND 120,000Per adult in 2026, half price for children.
Cable carAbout 4 kmCat Hai to Phu Long on Cat Ba, 10 to 15 minutes.
Refund24 hoursFree cancellation on every tour on this site.
Where it is
Getting to the boat
Tuan Chau or Ben Beo
Cruises: Tuan Chau Marina, Ha Long. Day boats: Ben Beo harbour, Cat Ba.
Lan Ha lies off the east coast of Cat Ba Island, about 30 km from central Hai Phong. Overnight cruises sail in from
Tuan Chau on the Ha Long side; day boats leave Ben Beo, just east of Cat Ba town. Both are reachable from Hanoi in a
morning.
4.8★★★★★ 6,189 reviews · 2-day Ha Long and Lan Ha cruise GetYourGuide rating
★★★★★
We have had an amazing time!! From the food, boat, guide and staff we could not fault it. Jack our guide was incredibly attentive and always on hand to answer questions.
★★★★★
Not touristy with big crowds. We loved kayaking and swimming in the bay. [...] Minh was funny and educational and we learned a lot about the Bay.
★★★★★
Group size isnt too big and a steady pace so you can enjoy everything. [...] Lunch is big portions and very delicious after working up an appetite on the kayaks.
★★★★★
From start to finish everything exceeded our expectations. Pick-up was smooth and luxurious, on time, the boat was amazing, better than most hotels.
★★★★★
A very comprehensive activity to spend the day in Cat Ba. Honestly, everything was great, and we really enjoyed the scenery, the sea, and the activities.
★★★★★
Lan Ha Bay is a beautiful place. Great kayaks, although the route was a bit short (1 hour). A fantastic spot for spending time on the beach [...]
★★★★★
The absolute highlight of the trip was the kayaking and swimming, the spot was completely empty of boats except ours and the scenery was just unbelievable.
★★★★★
Best trip we’ve done in Vietnam so far! The food was great, staff were friendly and the views were incredible.
★★★★★
Super fun and so stunning! [...] so many fun activities and hardly ever any boats anywhere.
One more day
The same karst, on land
Ninh Binh is the inland twin of the bays: limestone towers over rice fields, a day trip south of Hanoi.
The limestone of Ha Long, but rising from rice fields: a rowing-boat ride through the caves of Trang An, Bai Dinh pagoda or Hoa Lu, lunch and the climb to Mua Cave's viewpoint. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Lan Ha gives you Ha Long's scenery with more water time and fewer boats. Here is how to read the trips.
Where Lan Ha is
Look at a map of the Gulf of Tonkin east of Hanoi and you see one sea of limestone. The northern part, in Quang Ninh
province, is Ha Long Bay. The southern part, off Cat Ba Island in Hai Phong, holds Lan Ha Bay, about 400 islands and
islets with more than 130 small beaches. UNESCO first listed Ha Long Bay in 1994, then in 2023 extended the site to the
Cat Ba archipelago and renamed it Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago. It is Vietnam's first World Heritage site shared by
two provinces.
Cat Ba Island itself is mostly forest. Cat Ba National Park covers over 17,000 ha, and UNESCO has listed the archipelago
as a biosphere reserve since 2004. The park is the only home of the Cat Ba langur, a golden-headed monkey with about 90
left in the 2024 count. You are unlikely to see one from a boat, but the forest you cycle through around Viet Hai
village belongs to the same park.
One seascape, two provinces: Ha Long to the north, Lan Ha off Cat Ba.
A Ha Long start or a Cat Ba start
Read where the boat leaves. Most overnight cruises, including the
most-booked 2-day cruise, check in at Tuan Chau in Ha Long. The drive from Hanoi is short, about two hours on the
expressway, and the ship crosses into Lan Ha for the kayaking and the night. You see both bays, and you share the first
hour with the Ha Long traffic.
Day boats start at Ben Beo harbour on Cat Ba, ten minutes from town. The
Cat Ba full day costs from $28 and spends the whole day in Lan Ha and on the edge of Ha Long. The catch is getting to
Cat Ba: 4 to 5.5 hours from Hanoi by bus and car ferry. If you have a night on the island anyway, it is the best value on
this site by a distance.
The small print: since late 2024 the authorities have changed the kayaking rules in Lan Ha more than
once, and some crews now row guests through the caves in bamboo boats. Every tour on this site lists kayaking in its 2026
itinerary, but on the day, the cave stop may be by bamboo boat instead. The lagoon is the same.
What a day on the water looks like
The rhythm is similar on every boat. A slow cruise between the karsts, a stop at a floating fishing village, an hour
in a kayak through a cave arch into a lagoon, lunch on board, then a swim off the boat or from a small beach such as
Ba Trai Dao. On the overnights, add a sunset on the sundeck, a cooking class, squid fishing after dark and tai chi at
sunrise. Several day-trip guests this season wrote the same thing in their reviews: fewer boats than they expected.
Day boats carry their own kayaks.
Timing it
March to May and late September to November are the sweet spots: calm water, mild air and sea warm enough to swim.
Summer is hot, with afternoon showers and the jellyfish peak from April to August. July to September is typhoon season,
when Hai Phong closes the sea for storms and boats cancel. January and early February bring the coldest days and misty
mornings that usually clear by nine.
Straight answers to what people ask most about Lan Ha Bay.
Is Lan Ha Bay as good as Halong Bay?
For most people, yes. It is the same limestone seascape: since 2023 UNESCO lists both bays as one World Heritage site, Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago. Lan Ha has fewer big ships, more small beaches and calm lagoons for kayaking; Ha Long has the famous caves and is quicker to reach from Hanoi. Many cruises do both. The full comparison is in Lan Ha Bay vs Halong Bay.
Is Lan Ha Bay worth visiting?
Yes, if you want the karst scenery with more time in the water. Days here are built around kayaking, swim stops at small sandy coves, floating fishing villages and Viet Hai, a village inside Cat Ba National Park. Even the cheapest trip on this site, a full day from Cat Ba, includes kayaking, a swim and lunch.
How far is Lan Ha Bay from Hanoi?
About 150 km to Tuan Chau harbour in Ha Long, where most cruises start: 2 to 2.5 hours by car on the expressways. To Cat Ba town, the base for day boats, plan on 4 to 5.5 hours by bus and car ferry. The routes are compared in Hanoi to Lan Ha Bay.
How do I get to Lan Ha Bay from Hanoi?
Three ways. Book a cruise with a shuttle to Tuan Chau and the ship sails you across from Ha Long. Take a bus to Cat Ba (the bus rides the car ferry from Dong Bai to Cai Vieng; Got pier closed to public ferries in March 2024) and join a day boat at Ben Beo harbour. Or take the train to Hai Phong and the high-speed boat from Ben Binh to Cat Ba.
What to do in Lan Ha Bay?
Kayak into lagoons such as Ao Ech and through the low caves near Cat Ba, swim off the boat at beaches like Ba Trai Dao, visit the Cai Beo floating village, and cycle to Viet Hai village. Overnight cruises add a cooking class, squid fishing after dark and tai chi at sunrise.
Is there an overnight cruise from Hanoi to Lan Ha Bay?
Yes. Most 2-day cruises on this site pick up in Hanoi's Old Quarter in the morning (often for about $25 a person on top) and check in at Tuan Chau around midday; day two ends back at the harbour with the same shuttle to Hanoi. The Venezia cruise goes by bus to Cat Ba instead.
Can you swim in Lan Ha Bay?
Yes. Swim stops are part of almost every trip, from the boat or at small beaches, and the water reaches about 22 to 24°C by April and 26 to 28°C in late September. Life jackets are handed out on the cruises. More in swimming and kayaking.
Are there jellyfish in Lan Ha Bay?
Sometimes. Jellyfish around Ha Long and Cat Ba peak from April to August, and blooms in the north are milder than in southern Vietnam. Ask the crew before you jump in, and a rash guard helps in peak months.
What is the best month to go to Lan Ha Bay?
March to May and late September to November: calm seas, mild air and swimmable water. July to September is typhoon season, when boats can be cancelled; January is the coldest and foggiest month. See the best time to visit.
Is it always foggy in Halong Bay and Lan Ha Bay?
No. Fog belongs mostly to January and the first half of February, with some misty mornings again in mid-November. Morning fog usually lifts by about 8:30 to 9am, so the afternoon kayak is rarely affected.
Ready to book
Pick your boat, then your day.
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every tour.
From Cat Ba
★ 4.89 hoursFree cancellation
