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How many days in Ha Long Bay? 4 days: an overnight cruise, Lan Ha Bay and Cat Ba
By Tony Panopoulos · travel-agency planner in Greece · Updated
Most people see Ha Long Bay on a day trip from Hanoi: five hours on the road for four hours on the water, with hundreds of other boats. Give it four days and the bay changes. Take an overnight cruise so you wake up among the karsts, then cross to Cat Ba Island for Lan Ha Bay, where the same limestone towers rise over quieter beaches and floating villages. The bay has some 1,600 islands across about 1,550 km² and has been on the UNESCO list since 1994.
Short answer
Two days is the classic one-night cruise from Hanoi. Four adds Cat Ba, Lan Ha Bay by kayak and the national park, and lets you return by a different route.
The 4-day plan, day by day
Day 1: Hanoi to Ha Long and the overnight cruise
Morning. Leave Hanoi's Old Quarter around 8:00 by cruise shuttle or limousine van; the expressway takes about 2.5 hours to Tuan Chau harbour or the Ha Long International Cruise Port. Boarding is usually around noon, with lunch served as the boat leaves.
Afternoon. Most cruises stop at Ti Top Island, named after the Soviet cosmonaut Gherman Titov, who visited with Ho Chi Minh in 1962. Climb about 400 steps for the view over the bay, then swim from its small beach. Kayak around Luon Cave, a tunnel into an enclosed lagoon.
Evening. Sunset drinks on the deck, a cooking class for spring rolls, and dinner at anchor. Squid fishing off the back of the boat is offered on many cruises.
Cruises vary enormously. Look for routes in Lan Ha or Bai Tu Long Bay, which have far fewer boats than the central route, and check whether the price includes kayaks and the park fee.
Day 2: Sung Sot cave and across to Cat Ba
Morning. Tai chi on the sundeck at 6:30, then a visit to Sung Sot, the 'Surprise Cave' on Bo Hon Island, the largest cave in the bay, with lit chambers about 10,000 m² in total. Brunch on board as the boat returns to port around 10:30-11:00.
Afternoon. Instead of going straight back to Hanoi, take the car ferry from Tuan Chau to Gia Luan on Cat Ba Island (about 45-60 minutes) and a bus or taxi 30 minutes across the island to Cat Ba town.
Evening. Walk the harbour front and eat grilled seafood at the stalls along the water: squid, clams and mantis shrimp sold by weight, roughly ₫150,000-300,000 per person.
Some cruise companies sell a drop-off at Cat Ba directly. Ask when you book; it saves the ferry.
Day 3: Lan Ha Bay by kayak
Morning. Join a day boat from Beo pier, 10 minutes' walk from Cat Ba town, into Lan Ha Bay, the southern end of the same karst landscape (tours with lunch and kayaks about ₫600,000-900,000).
Afternoon. Kayak through Dark and Light Cave and around floating fish farms, swim at small beaches such as Ba Trai Dao, and stop at Monkey Island, where the macaques steal sunglasses.
Evening. Walk or ride 15 minutes up to Cannon Fort (about ₫50,000), with French and later Vietnamese gun emplacements, for sunset over Cat Ba harbour and the bay.
Lan Ha is managed by Hai Phong, not Ha Long, so it has a separate (cheaper) park fee. It is often included in the tour.
Day 4: Cat Ba National Park and back to Hanoi
Morning. Ride 20 minutes to the gate of Cat Ba National Park (about ₫80,000) and hike about 1 hour up to the Ngu Lam lookout tower for a view over the forested island. Then visit Hospital Cave, a three-storey hospital built inside a mountain during the American War.
Afternoon. Take the combined boat and bus back to Hanoi via Hai Phong, about 3-3.5 hours in all (roughly ₫250,000-350,000), or continue south to Ninh Binh.
Evening. Back in Hanoi, eat bun cha and drink a bia hoi on the corner of Ta Hien Street in the Old Quarter.
Bring proper shoes for Ngu Lam; the path is steep, rocky and slippery after rain, and the last part is a metal ladder.
Only have 2 days?
With 2 days, take a one-night cruise from Hanoi on a Lan Ha or Bai Tu Long route and return to Hanoi on the second afternoon.
Got extra days?
Combine Ha Long with Ninh Binh, the 'Ha Long Bay on land', 2.5-3 hours away: row through the caves of Trang An (about ₫250,000) and climb the 500 steps of Mua Cave for the view.
Where to stay in Ha Long Bay
| Budget | Area | Why | Typical double/night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | Cat Ba town | Simple hotels on the harbour, close to the boats. | ₫500,000-900,000 |
| Mid-range | Mid-range overnight cruise | A cabin on the bay with all meals and kayaking; price is per person. | ₫3,500,000-6,000,000 |
| Mid-range | Bai Chay (Ha Long City) | Hotels near the cruise ports, the night market and the Sun World cable car. | ₫1,200,000-2,200,000 |
| Comfort | Luxury cruise / Cat Ba resorts | Small luxury boats with balconies, or beach resorts on Cat Co. | ₫7,000,000-15,000,000 |
Getting around
Hanoi to Ha Long is about 2.5 hours on the expressway; cruises include a shuttle, or take a limousine van (about ₫250,000-350,000). Van Don airport is 50 minutes from Ha Long. Cat Ba links to Ha Long by the Tuan Chau-Gia Luan ferry and to Hai Phong by speedboat and bus. On Cat Ba, rent a scooter (about ₫150,000 a day) or use taxis; Grab works in Ha Long City.
What to eat in Ha Long Bay
Ha Long is known for chả mực, pounded squid cakes fried until golden, sold everywhere for about ₫50,000-80,000 a portion. Try bánh cuốn chả mực, rice rolls with squid cake for breakfast, and fresh seafood steamed or grilled with lime, salt and chilli. In Cat Ba, eat clams with lemongrass and mantis shrimp. On the way back, bánh đa cua, Hai Phong's crab noodle soup, is worth a stop. Agree prices for seafood by weight before cooking.
Best time to visit
March to May and September to November, with highs of 22-30°C and good visibility. December to February is cool (15-20°C) and often misty. June to August is hot and humid, the busiest season for Vietnamese families, and the typhoon season from July to October can cancel cruises at short notice.
Month-by-month weather for Ha Long Bay →
What a day costs
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing a double) | ₫300,000 | ₫1,500,000 | ₫4,000,000 |
| Food & drink | ₫250,000 | ₫500,000 | ₫1,200,000 |
| Sights & tickets | ₫300,000 | ₫800,000 | ₫2,000,000 |
| Local transport | ₫150,000 | ₫300,000 | ₫800,000 |
| Total per person, per day | about ₫1,000,000 | about ₫3,100,000 | about ₫8,000,000 |
Approximate 2026 prices in Vietnamese dong (roughly ₫26,000 to US$1); cruise prices include meals, entry fees and kayaks, so on cruise nights the bed row covers most of the day.
Before you go
Common questions
Is a day trip to Ha Long Bay worth it?
It works if you have no other choice, but you spend about 5 hours on the road for 4 hours on the water, at the busiest time of day. A one-night cruise is far better: you see sunset and sunrise among the islands after the day boats leave.
Ha Long Bay, Lan Ha Bay or Bai Tu Long Bay?
They are one landscape. Ha Long Bay's central route has the famous caves but the most boats. Lan Ha Bay, south off Cat Ba, has beaches and kayaking with fewer boats. Bai Tu Long Bay, to the north-east, is the quietest. For a first visit, a route that combines Ha Long and Lan Ha is a good balance.
How do I choose a Ha Long cruise?
Compare the route, cabin size, what is included (kayaks, entry fees, drinks) and recent reviews rather than star ratings. Budget boats cost about ₫2,500,000-3,500,000 per person for a night; mid-range boats ₫3,500,000-6,000,000. Very cheap offers often use crowded routes and older boats.
Do cruises run all year?
Yes, but authorities can cancel sailings when storms or typhoons approach, most often from July to October. Reputable companies then refund or move your date. Keep a spare day in your Vietnam plan if you travel in that season, and avoid booking the cruise for the day before an international flight.
How this guide was made
Compiled by TonyPlan from official tourism, transport and attraction sources and on-the-ground travel knowledge. Prices are approximate for 2026 and change with season; anything we could not confirm is marked as approximate.
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