To enjoy a complete and memorable vacation in Vietnam, it’s important to plan your Vietnam travel packages in advance and understand which regions and destinations suit your interests best.
Vietnam is generally divided into three main travel regions:
- North Vietnam: Hanoi, Sapa, Halong Bay, Ninh Binh
- Central Vietnam: Hue, Da Nang, Hoi An, Nha Trang, Da Lat, Mui Ne
- Southern Vietnam: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Cu Chi Tunnels, Mekong Delta
This article focuses on the northern region, especially Halong Bay, one of the most iconic destinations in Vietnam.
Why Halong Bay Should Be on Your Northern Vietnam Itinerary
Without a doubt, Halong Bay is one of the must-see places in northern Vietnam. Located about 170 km east of Hanoi, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is famous for its limestone karsts, emerald waters, and scenic cruises.
As of 2018, upgraded highways now reduce the travel time from Hanoi to Halong to just 90 minutes, making it even more accessible for day trips or overnight cruises.
Whether you’re on a short or long holiday, this natural wonder deserves a place on your itinerary.
Choosing the Right Halong Bay Cruise for Your Budget
There are a variety of Halong Bay cruises to suit different travel styles and budgets, from budget-friendly options to all-inclusive luxury cruises.
Before booking, consider:
- Your travel duration
- Preferred cruise type (budget, mid-range, or luxury)
- Level of comfort, service, and activities desired
Be cautious of very low-priced cruises — while tempting, they often come with poor maintenance, minimal services, and bad reviews. Mid-range cruises generally offer the best value, while luxury cruises like Paradise Elegance or Violet Cruise deliver top-tier experiences.
Best Halong Bay Cruise Itineraries
Here’s a breakdown of the most common cruise options:
4-Hour Cruise (Not Recommended)
Too short to fully appreciate Halong Bay. You’ll only glimpse the surface without real exploration.
6-Hour Cruise (Day Tour)
Acceptable if you’re short on time. Great for a Halong Bay day trip from Hanoi with basic sightseeing.
2 Days / 1 Night (Most Popular)
The perfect balance for most travelers. You’ll cruise deeper into the bay, visit caves and beaches, enjoy onboard dining, and sleep in a cabin with stunning views.
3 Days / 2 Nights (Highly Recommended)
Offers the best experience. You’ll visit remote fishing villages, enjoy kayaking, swimming, cooking classes, and have plenty of time to relax.
Most cruises begin with pickup from your Hanoi hotel, followed by a scenic drive to the pier, then departure on a traditional junk or modern yacht.
With the itinerary as above. But I strongly recommend the package of three days two nights. With this program, it will give you time to discover the beauties of the Bay along with some relaxed time for swimming with activities such as rock climbing, Kayaking fishing and more. All of the Halong Bay tours will start from Hanoi city where you’ll be picked up from your hotel and drive to the Halong pier where you will be starting your magical cruising throughout the magnificent bay.
The first night is always planned to invest as an overnight in the cabin of the cruise of your choice, but the second can pick between hotel or bungalow of should you prefer from the cabin as well, this is pretty much depends on what sort of packages you’re considering. No doubt I pick the bungalow because they’re based from the Bay, with small beaches and islands with the spectacular natural environment. Choose from many cruises each with different styles and routes. The kind of cruise or boat: there is various qualities. You have to ask for the name of the boat, the number of stars you’ve and compare it to others.
Usually the majority of the travel bureaus offers packages for holiday to Vietnam with the same cruise, but with somewhat different change on the price, if you journey on one’s own and wish to take the cheapest ship so as to just have a tour on Halong Bay, then I need to state that the lowest priced boats aren’t appropriate because they’ve a very long history of decades of services and maintain, complaints and problems. The middle range cruises are recommended especially if you take an overnight stay.
A luxury cruise all offering top class service which values the money you pay, some of the well known and 5 star Luxury cruises. Such as Paradise Elegance Cruise, Violet Cruise… So how you can find a luxury cruise in Ha Long Bay. So you may visit our recommendation luxury cruise in Halong Bay. That the best way, you can find perfect luxury Cruise in Halong Bay.
1 or 2 night stay? The Prices are change about 300 or 500 US$ between either option. If you elect for a night you’ll see the beautiful of Halong Bay. And you will have more time to visit fishing villages, swimming on private beach…. You have to bear in mind that a trip from Hanoi to Halong Bay takes about 4 hours. So one night stay isn’t a great option for the majority of the cases. But this is depend on your trip and the planned excursion in advance. From the streets of the old district in Hanoi, there are dozens of small travel agencies which are mostly selling tours and cruise options on behalf of the other travel agencies.
But if do not have time to visit Halong bay for 3 days/1night – So here is top 5 cruise recommended for day trip in Halong Bay from Hanoi.
It’s very essential that you become acquainted with what you need throughout the researches and know a bit about the real Halong Bay tours. I suggest checking with the well mannered and decent travel bureaus like Starlight Cruise Halong Bay to get the best advice along with the reasonable cost for each cruise. They’re listed as a multi guardian tour operator in Vietnam along with the winner of TripAdvisor’s certificate of excellence in 2015. Examine the holidays deals Christmas and include the Halong on your list from the well in a head of time to get the best possible deal.
Prices of three night cruise: This is vary greatly depending on the chosen cruise and the offer. Among the mid budget options, you can shuffle a range of between 150 and 250 dollars for two nights and three days per person.
All inclusive tours: In principle, if the cruise offers the promised “all inclusive”, the only thing that is recommend you bear apart from the useful characteristic of a weekend at the beach, is a bottle of water. Most luxury cruises are offers massage and spa services which are not included on the agreed price. The drinks on board are also not included.
However, above were just a few important tips. That help you to enjoy more of this amazing beauty of Vietnam. I advise you to book in advance and consult with your travel agent before you travel to Vietnam. Choose the best deal with a cruise that meets your expectation and worth the money you pay. If you book with a well known travel agency then you will not have anything to worry as they plan and only thing you need to do is to enjoy every moment of your vacation in Vietnam.
