More than 200 different boats available, each with its own itinerary, facilities, activities, and prices, drove me absolutely crazy! To make matters worse, no website or resource truly helped me know what to expect or even what to look for. Choosing the right Halong Bay cruise was a largely overwhelming process for me.

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1. Overview of Halong Bay

Without a cruise, you wouldn't be able to reach some of the most beautiful places in Halong Bay.

Halong Bay is located approximately 144 km east of Hanoi, in the Gulf of Tonkin. With over 1,600 islands and islets – almost all inhabited – it is one of the most popular travel destinations in Asia.

In ancient Vietnamese, it literally means "descending dragon". According to legend, when Vietnam was attacked by northern invaders, the Jade Emperor sent Mother Dragon (and her children) down to earth to help defend the country. The Vietnamese named the place where they first appeared "Halong" as a sign of gratitude.

2. Why go on a Halong Bay cruise

We chose the classic Halong cruise option mainly for convenience. You not only buy a boat trip, but it also means you don't have to worry about travel plans, activities, accommodation, or food. There is no human on this planet who wouldn't find this idea appealing.

Be careful, you will always have the feeling of an organized tour and lose some independence. In some of the most touristy itineraries, you might even feel like cattle.

Anyway, in Halong, I saw advantages to taking a cruise. It not only allows you to see Halong Bay where it is truly powerful (from the sea), but also to sail to remote areas that you would never reach on your own.

3. 6 steps and tips for choosing the best Halong Bay cruise

Step 1: Decide how long you want to go

Generally, there are four types of cruises in Halong Bay:

• Day cruise: Contact directly by E-mail!
• 2-day 1-night cruise (2D1N)
• 3-day 2-night cruise (3D2N)
• 4-day 3-night cruise (4D3N)

Day cruises are short trips designed to give you a small glimpse of the feeling of sailing among the forest of islands. You can book this type of cruise departing from Hanoi, Halong, or Cat Ba.

If your time is limited, you can do a day trip from Hanoi with a half-day cruise in the bay, but I personally see no appeal in it. It's too rushed and you shouldn't have such a tiring day!

Overnight cruises are more classic choices and offer a bit more time to relax and fully enjoy the scenery. Plus, you sleep on board and wake up to a ma-gniii-ficenteee view! 2D1N cruises last exactly 24 hours and will suit most travelers. Longer itineraries are recommended for those who wish to relax and explore more remote areas of the bay.

On 3D2N and 4D3N cruises, you are transferred from the main boat to a smaller boat for daily activities and return to the main boat in the evening.

In short, how long you stay depends on your need/desire to relax and your budget. The longer you stay, the more likely you are to sail in areas away from the crowds and do more outdoor activities.

 

Step 2: Decide exactly where you want to go!

It's always better with a map.

Although the entire area is primarily known as Baie d'Halong, there are actually three different bays: Ha Long, Bai Tu Long, and Baie de Lan Ha.

They all have a similar (magnificent) landscape of limestone cliffs, idyllic bays, caves, and small beaches. However, due to massive tourism and the ridiculously high number of boats, sailing in Baie d'Halong can be disappointing.

Cat Ba Island is also nearby. Known as Jurassic Park Island, it boasts a combination of lush forests, white sand beaches, cliffs, and dramatic hills.

Cruise boats offer different itineraries to sail to these points of interest.

• Baie d'Halong

This is the most popular itinerary among tourists, but also where you will find the most populated areas. The water in some areas with a large number of boats is greasy and dirty. It will often include stops at Ti Top Island and Surprising Cave.

• Baie de Lan Ha & Cat Ba Island

Some cruise boats offer you the option of sleeping one night in a Cat Ba resort. Good option if you want to combine it with a stay on the island for a few extra nights.

• Baie d'Halong & Baie de Bai Tu Long

These itineraries combine some of the best areas of Baie d'Halong with more remote areas of Baie de Bai Tu Long. It is more off the beaten path and usually comes with a higher price.

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Step 3: Always check what is included.

A common rule among cruise operators is that everything is included - food, activities, etc. - except for drinks. Check this 2 or 3 times.

Read the itinerary proposed by each company carefully and check the daily activities. Also, some companies do not include transportation from Hanoi in the price. Be sure to ask about it!

Baie d'Halong receives over 6 million travelers every year. (Instagram: bruno_mb)

Step 4: Research the cruise boats.

This is key. You will notice that there is a wide range of styles, sizes, and quality standards for all types of travelers. Be sure to ask which boat you will be on and do some online research before taking out your wallet. Does it look decent? How old is the boat? What are the reviews like?

If someone tries to sell you a cruise on one of those beautiful dark wooden boats with large red sails, raise a RED FLAG yourself. Since 2012, all ships in Baie d'Halong have been painted white by government order, so they literally no longer exist.

The number of passengers it can hold is also important. Remember that you will not be alone on board. You will eat and do all daily activities together, so the number of people doing all this greatly affects your experience. I would say a boat that can hold more than 35 people is already too heavy.

Step 5: Prepare your budget.

A cruise in Baie d'Halong is not the time to go abruptly with a minimal budget, but you also don't need to hurt your wallet.

Do some research and/or ask questions and try to get an idea of what a good deal is. Always consider not only the boat itself, but what is included in the full tour. This means activities, food, transportation to/from Halong, etc.

If you book through a travel agency in Vietnam, be prepared to negotiate hard, but think of a maximum budget and stick to it. If you book online, start by comparing prices with Halongbaytours.com or Booking.com, which offer a wide range of cruises in Baie d'Halong.

4 Being surrounded by this landscape for two days made it difficult to return to reality!

Step 6: Book in the right place.

There are many tourist scams in Vietnam and people looking for cruises in Baie d'Halong are one of the best targets. More than anywhere else, Vietnam is the place to research beforehand and try to find places recommended by other travelers. This is one of my biggest tips I give to someone going to Vietnam.

I strongly advise against booking through your hotel. And surprisingly, I also don't think contacting cruise companies directly is worth it. I contacted at least a dozen of them and in all cases, the price was higher than that of an agency.

The solution is to contact a reliable travel agency. Do your research, check reviews, ask around and happy travels to all of you!

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