Ha Long Bay is a destination we saw one picture of and we were sold, emerald waters and thousands of little islands, it’s a must visit for a nature lover.

After visiting for ourselves, we realized there are some critical tips to make the experience as enjoyable as possible.

Between picking the right season to visit, booking the right cruise line, and how long to visit, there are a few things you should know before your dream trip turns into a tourist trap nightmare.

To help your search we've linked vetted cruises that you can book, in this article!

Don’t Book a Ha Long Bay Cruise Without Reading Through These Tips First
👇

1. Is it worth it to visit?

Wait, if it can possibly be a tourist trap nightmare is it even worth visiting? Despite the popularity and crowds we argue, YES! It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it will be sure to amaze you. However, how you visit makes all the difference.

2. What is there to do once you get there?

You might be thinking “There can’t be much to do here, I’ll do a day trip or a 1-night cruise" but you’d be wrong. There’s a ton of activities to enjoy and with the right itinerary, plenty of time to relax amongst the amazing scenery.

• Kayaking: Explore the limestone cliffs, go through caves, and immerse yourself in the islands.

• Cave Visits: explore massive and impressive caves like Thien Canh Son or Sung Sot Cave.

• Cooking Classes: Learn how to make spring rolls while onboard

• Tai Chi: Wake up to sunrise on the islands while finding zen through a Tai Chi session

• Night Squid Fishing: try catching squid off the boat with the crew

• Beach and Views: Go on hikes for viewpoints over the bay, or relax on beaches and hidden coves.

• Village visits: Either by small boat or a kayak, visit floating villages to see how locals live right on the water
  

3. When is the best time to visit?

There are times of the year where you can visit Halong Bay, and others where you should steer clear.

March-April: Weather is warmer and skies are generally clear, islands are vibrant and green. There are still chances of gloomy and colder weather but the bay has an atmospheric vibe if you get mist/gloom. We had gloomier skies in March but it was still an incredible experience, after all it was used in Kong: Skull Island, so the moody effect can be very cool.

September-November: This is regarded as the best time to visit, but expect crowds. The chance of rain is lower and it’s warm enough for swimming.

Avoid the winter and summer months outside of these windows as in the winter it’s freezing and in the summer there are monsoons (and typhoons) which can lead to cancellations.

4. A 2-night cruise is the perfect amount of time

A lot of people book a 1-night cruise, and they overlap that itinerary with those on a 2-night cruise. If we were on that schedule we would feel incredibly rushed, by the time you drive from Hanoi (3-4 Hours), board, get out to the islands, eat lunch, half of the first day is over. Then the next morning they’ll take you on 1-2 activities and you’ll leave before noon. It will be a blink of an eye.

We did a 3 day 2 night cruise and it gives you a full day in the bay where you can go further into the islands, visit less crowded locations, and do more activities like additional kayaking adventures. It also allowed us the opportunity to skip some activities in the itinerary and just relax in the beautiful environment, not something you’d likely do if you were on a quick itinerary.

4. Don't stay in the port city

We made the mistake of staying in the port city to ease the intensity of the travel but this only made it more intense. The port city has only 3 hotels and 1 restaurant that’s reliably open, no grocery or convenience stores. Outside of the Hanoi to Halong Bay tour schedule it’s a ghost town.

Our advice is to commute in on the morning of your cruise departure and continue your travel onwards on the day you disembark, there’s no reason to spend additional time in port.

5. Book the cruise shuttle service

Here is another opportunity to learn from our mistakes. Getting from Hanoi to the marina if you book it DIY trying to save money can be a hassle. We got picked up by a taxi, that dropped us off on the side of the highway to wait for our bus, we waited 40 minutes for this bus and since we were last to be picked up we had to sit separate, one in the back row and one in the front with the bus driver. Then as we got close to the marina we were dropped off on the side of the road again to get into a sedan to take us the rest of the way with 2 other travelers. Each of these transitions meant transferring our bags too, it was a pain.

When you book with the cruise line you get convenience as they offer nice limousine van shuttles with no transfers and peace of mind, the van is in accordance with your cruise schedule, if there’s traffic or something goes wrong, you don’t have to worry about missing your departure.

6. Pick the right cruise
(and avoid the budget traps)

7. Pick a balcony room!

Trust us the views will be non-stop amazing, and it is so worth it to enjoy them from the comfort of your room.

We’ve vetted these cruises as excellent options to book

Luxury Ha Long Bay Cruises

Mid-Tier Ha Long Bay Cruises

8. Is Ha Long Bay the only option?

Halong Bay is the most famous bay, but it is also the most crowded.

There are 2 other bays you can consider (that we would love to return to visit ourselves)

1. Lan Ha Bay: Located south of Halong, it has the same iconic views but allows for more swimming, has less crowds, and generally nicer boats.

2. Bai Tu Long Bay: In the northeast, this bay is the most quiet and off the beaten path, perfect if you hate crowds.

The Bottom Line

Halong Bay is worth being on your bucket-list, with its iconic views it’s one not to miss. That being said, skip cheap boats and take a 2-night cruise and you’ll be in good shape.

We hope this blog helps you in your adventure to Halong Bay, if you’d like to support us you can do so easily by booking one of the vetted tours we’ve linked in this article. We earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.