A Comprehensive Overview of the Top 5 Cruises Halong Bay Vietnam

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Over the years, Vietnam has acquainted itself with the rest of the world as one of the best tourist destinations for nature enthusiasts. While touring the country by bus might be fun, the feeling cannot be compared to that of capturing the country’s beauty in a cruise. With over 200 boats at your disposal all with different charges and exciting features, choosing the ideal travel plan along Halong Bay can present quite the dilemma.

Each of these boats has different routes, activities, prices, and facilities. Nobody likes the confusion that comes with having to book a cruise the moment you enter a new country. To make it worse, especially if all the cruises have amazing features and unbelievably low prices for a broad range of services.
Halong Bay is an area that has over 1,600 islands. It also has islets most of which are inhabited and passes for a hot tourist destination in Asia. The Halong Bay also has an ancient history as the place where the Mother Dragon was first seen after the emperor had asked for her help defending the country. As such, there is a lot of activity along this bay, and you can easily miss out on the best scenes if you choose the wrong cruise.

Today, over six million tourists throng this beautiful area in Vietnam on a yearly basis mostly on cruise boats. I have compiled five of the best cruises along Halong Bay in Vietnam, so you won’t get confused or choose the wrong cruise and miss out on great sceneries. However, let me first guide you on how to choose the best cruise.

How to choose the best cruise along Halong Bay, Vietnam

1. Duration of visit

Before setting out on any journey, one usually evaluates the amount of time they are bound to stay at the new location. The reason for this evaluation is not only to help you settle on an ideal budget but also to help create a schedule that will help you visit all the places you have planned out while making time for new surprises.

The three types of cruise tours serving Halong Bay are as follows;

1. 2 Day-1 Night Cruise (2D1N)
2. 3 Day-2 Nights Cruise (3D2N)
3. 4 Day-3 Nights Cruise (4D3N)

Day cruises are the best for navigating this forest full of islands as they give you a clear picture of what nature has to offer in this area of the world. Also, these cruises are available minus overnight stays if you are visiting the Halong Bay from Cat Ba, Hanoi or Halong City. There is a lot of beauty to marvel at during the day but the night also has its set of stunning scenery.

Night trips are also very popular because they depict the beauty of nearby cities and towns and capture their elegance from a far. They also offer a chance to relax and enjoy a night out in the water seeing that most cruises will have you spending the night on the boat. Night cruises also offer travelers a chance to explore some rather remote areas of the Halong Bay.

The 2D1N cruise lasts for 24 hours and is the typical package for most tourists. While the time is limited, the destinations and beautiful scenes are a lot though you can see more by choosing any of the remaining packages. The 3D2N and 4D3N last for two and three days and are the ones I would recommend for someone who wants to take in the magnificence along Halong Bay extensively.

The length of your stay is vital because it helps you choose the cruise that will help you relax and see more as opposed to a single day cruise, which might not be as enjoyable. As mentioned earlier, people often throng this area for its beauty and for a chance to marvel at nature. Two to three-day cruises will not only help you relax but will offer you more beauty, serenity, and an opportunity to indulge in outdoor activities.

2. Exciting Activities along the Halong Bay cruise

Halong Bay not only provides breathtaking scenes but is also an area where you can enjoy a variety of outdoor activities. These involve cooking classes and Biking, which is common in Cat Ba just to mention a few. Seeing that not all areas along the Halong Bay are clean, a less fun activity known to most as rubbish collection is also on the checklist for some cruises.

Enjoy dining in a cave and create some good memories squid fishing either with your family or friends or even swim on the beach. Swimming can be tricky in an area filled with thousands of people every single day, but it is made easier if you choose a cruise that can take you to remote locations with the cleanest water.

Other activities along the Halong Bay include visiting the floating villages, a marvelous spectacle, as well as a stopover at the pearl farm. Exercise enthusiasts should also feel welcome to go along these cruises as they will get a chance to stay fit thanks to Tai Chi, a traditional form of martial arts in Vietnam. Ensure that you inquire about all activities included before settling on your cruise of choice.

3. Prepare your Budget

There is nothing more frustrating than traveling to a new area and realizing your budget was miscued, and you have to ask for money from someone back at home. Even if you can afford the extra expenses, you never get to fully enjoy your cruise because you will be worrying about how to recoup the additional funds used.

Luckily for you, a cruise along the Halong Bay is unlikely to dent your finances. However, it is good to conduct some research on the best places to stay since you won’t always be on the sea. Stories of animals for roommates are everywhere online but so are contradicting tales of fantastic food and accommodation. A good stay depends on proper budgeting.

Compare online prices and services while booking and be prepared to thoroughly negotiate if you are willing to use Vietnam’s travel agencies. Nonetheless, make a maximum budget after research and stick to it.

How to get to Halong Bay from Hanoi

When most people visit Vietnam with an intention to tour the Halong Bay, they land in the capital city of Hanoi. Seeing that this city is approximately 103 miles away from Halong Bay, there are various ways to get you to the limestone islands and islets. The best way to visit Halong Bay from Hanoi is a bus.

It will take less time to arrive at your destination but where is the fun in rushing and bypassing all the beautiful scenes along the way? A three-day cruise will acquaint you more with the scenery and give you time to indulge in fun activities such as kayaking, swimming, and visiting caves protruding through limestone islets.

You can also spend your afternoon’s tanning on the deck of your cruise as you take in the sun and marvel at the splendor of the Halong Bay.

Here are five of the best cruises for touring Vietnam’s Halong Bay.

1. Huong Hai Sealife

Huong Hai Sealife cruise tours are a mixture of splendor and affordability. Enjoy a 2-day cruise in Bai Tu Long Bay on the Huong Hai Sealife for a price starting from $155. Considering the sights to see and services offered aboard this luxury cruise, the price is a bargain for anybody who wants to experience nature at its best. This cruise also has the best partners to help guarantee quality services and is backed by thousands of clients for reliable services.

Huong Hai Sealife also offers a 3-day cruise along the Halong Bay for a price ranging from $295. The reason the price starts at the figure mentioned above is that the cruise offers a variety of options for travelers ranging from single to group packages. Unlike most travel agencies, enquiring about prices and other tour programs is entirely free.

This cruise offers a chance to see the mysterious Thien Canh Son and the Uncover Thay Caves as well as the floating houses.

2. Legacy

The Legacy cruise is arguably the best package in this list. At a price starting from $145, you can tour Halong Bay with this luxury cruise package and enjoy fun activities while you are at it. Similar to the package above, the luxury cruise also offers free of charge consultation regarding prices for groups and tour programs. Any additional information regarding traveling in Vietnam is also included for an enjoyable trip.

The boat used for this package is designed to host small groups comprising of friends or family members and also has sections that are ideal for couples. The Luxury Cruise passes dozens of beautiful landscapes along Halong Bay such as the Kissing Chicken Rocks, Titop Island Beach, Lan Ha Bay, and the Ba Hang Fishing Village just to mention a few. You will also enjoy exquisite meals inside the boat and get a chance to participate in outdoor fun activities and services such as kayaking, a private cabin, and a cooking demonstration.

3. Alisa

The Halong Bay 2 days and one night Alisa Cruise tour goes for a price starting from $180. As usual, all inquiries regarding the price and tour programs are free. The Alisa Cruise is best known for its classic interior design as well as its excellent culinary out in open sea. This cruise boasts a luxurious ambiance and beautiful destinations guaranteed to make you reconsider visiting this beautiful area in Vietnam.
As far as traveling to the boat is concerned, Alisa Cruise Tours already have buses that pick clients up from their hotel in Hanoi. The bus takes the scenic route to help you see some beautiful landscapes such as the Red River Delta countryside and even stops for refreshments before taking you to the Tuan Chau Harbor where the Cruise awaits your arrival.

After an introduction, different cuisine to choose from, and checking into your cabin, the captain sets sail to explore Halong Bay, the latest world wonder.

4. Orchid

Orchid Cruise tour offers two traveling options; the Bai Tu Long Bay 3 days and two nights cruise and the Lan Ha Bay 2-day one night cruise. The former goes for a price starting at $306 while the latter starts at $180. Both are ideal for exploring the vast Halong Bay, but a 3-day cruise will show you more places thanks to the unique and less tourist-filled routes it uses.

The Orchid Cruise offers fun activities such as swimming, spa massages, cooking classes, music entertainment, and cave exploration just to mention a few to its clients. All these activities are offered in both packages with the addition of Tai Chi, Vietnamese cultural films, and squid fishing. The Orchid cruise also offers pick up services and is guaranteed to awe you with excellent scenes and destinations such as the Gulf of Tonkin, Viet Hai Village, and the Lan Ha Bay islands just to mention a few.

5. Signature-cruise

Just like the Orchid Cruise, the Signature Cruise offers also offers two traveling packages. A three-day cruise goes for a minimum of $255, and a 2-day cruise has a price starting at $158. A 2-day Signature Cruise provides you with luxurious amenities that make it possible to enjoy the charm that comes with Halong Bay and a set of fun activities such as kayaking, a visit to limestone karst sites, and swimming. It also offers a chance to indulge in a private beach barbecue.

The three-day Signature cruise offers a chance to explore mystical caves, wild lagoons, and enjoy all scenes along Halong Bay with fewer people crowding these areas. Aside from spending two nights at the center of the bay, the 3-day Signature Cruise also offers tourists a chance to interact with the locals in the Vung Vieng fishing village and enjoy some of their exquisite marine and traditional Vietnamese cuisine.

Conclusion

If you are a group and desire to know the best price for visiting this amazing area of the world, you can enquire about the charges from us for free. Also, if you want to merge visiting Halong Bay with a tour of Hanoi, we can make that arrangement for a very reasonable price. Halong Bay has just been recently voted a world wonder, at such low prices, why would you want to miss out on its magnificent scenery?

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