Ha Long Bay (Vịnh Hạ Long) Cruise: Day Trip or Overnight, Routes and Bay Fees
A Ha Long Bay cruise from Hanoi (Hà Nội) starts with about 2.5 hours on the road each way, so a day trip leaves time for a single route of caves and islands. A night on board makes the trip far less rushed. Choose your route and trip length first, then compare boats and prices.
Written by Tụi mình mê biểnPublished Updated
Photo: shankar s.
Late in the afternoon, day boats head back to port, while overnight boats make for the anchorages around Trong (Trống) and Trinh Nu (Trinh Nữ) caves or Cong Do (Cống Đỏ), among islands fading into dusk. Whether to stay out on the bay or return to shore the same day is the first thing to decide.
| Trip | What you get | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Day cruise | One route, usually VHL1 or VHL2: caves, an island stop, kayaking on some routes; back the same day | Travelers already staying in Ha Long, or who would rather not sleep on board |
| One night (2 days, 1 night) | An afternoon on the bay, the night at an approved anchorage (route 2, 3 or 4), an early morning on deck; up to 24 hours from departure, not two full days | A first visit from Hanoi |
| Two nights (3 days, 2 nights) | Up to 48 hours; time for longer routes, including those that continue into Lan Ha Bay | Slow travelers, or anyone combining Ha Long and Lan Ha |
Ha Long Bay day trip vs overnight cruise #
For a first visit from Hanoi, we suggest one night on board: dusk and early morning on the bay are what a day trip misses. If you take a day cruise with older relatives, a night in Bai Chay instead of driving straight back to Hanoi makes the day easier.
Photo: lumoplank
Ha Long Bay vs Lan Ha Bay vs Bai Tu Long Bay #
| Bay | Boats leave from | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| Ha Long | Tuan Chau or Ha Long International Cruise Port in Bai Chay | The route fee covers the caves and islands on that route; the famous stops tend to be busy |
| Lan Ha | Beo pier (Bến Bèo) on Cat Ba Island, Hai Phong (Hải Phòng); since April 2026, also overnight boats from the Ha Long ports | Cai Beo (Cái Bèo) fishing village, Sang - Toi (Sáng - Tối) caves, Ba Trai Dao (Ba Trái Đào); fees charged separately by Hai Phong, ask for current rates when booking |
| Bai Tu Long | Ao Tien port in Van Don | Routes opened in March 2025 to Ban Sen (Bản Sen), Minh Chau (Minh Châu) and Phat Co (Phất Cờ) Cave; an overnight anchorage at Hang Nha Tro (Hang Nhà Trò) since May 2026 |
Ha Long and Lan Ha are run by different authorities, Quang Ninh (Quảng Ninh) and Hai Phong, with separate fees. Since April 1, 2026, four routes have linked VHL3, VHL4, VHL5 and VHL6 with Lan Ha, all of them overnight cruises (Quang Ninh Newspaper).
So, Lan Ha Bay or Ha Long Bay? For the big caves on a first visit, choose VHL1 or VHL2. For somewhere quieter, we lean towards VHL3, VHL4 or a night that continues into Lan Ha: Quang Ninh Newspaper noted in July 2026 that visitors still crowd into Thien Cung (Thiên Cung), Dau Go (Đầu Gỗ), Sung Sot, Ti Top (Ti Tốp) and Trong Mai (Trống Mái). If you are already on Cat Ba, Lan Ha is much closer from Beo pier, with day tours at about VND200,000-350,000 per person including lunch (VnExpress, updated April 2026). Ask whether the price covers the bay fee and the Sang - Toi caves, as these can be charged separately.
Bai Tu Long suits travelers who have already seen Ha Long or are heading for Quan Lan (Quan Lạn) Island. Ask about fees when you book: according to Quang Ninh Newspaper, in April 2025 the routes from Ao Tien charged no sightseeing fee, only the boat ticket and a port fee.
Photo: Velvet
Which port, and getting there from Hanoi #
Boats on VHL1 and VHL2 leave from Tuan Chau or from Ha Long International Cruise Port in Bai Chay; confirm the exact port so your transfer goes to the right one. From Hanoi, the usual road is the Hanoi - Hai Phong Expressway, then the Ha Long - Hai Phong Expressway; if your cruise includes a shuttle, ask for the pickup time and place, and the drop-off port.
The management board advises against stopping for touts on the road or hiring a boat from anyone outside the port; buy tickets and ask about routes inside the terminal.
How to choose a Ha Long Bay cruise: questions to ask #
- Which route (VHL code) and which port; for an overnight trip, which anchorage. "Lan Ha" or "Bai Tu Long" in an ad does not tell you this.
- Whether the price includes the bay fee (a much cheaper quote may simply leave it out), and how children are charged.
- How many meals are included, and which drinks cost extra.
- Whether kayaking or a rowing-boat ride is included and where; whether there are life jackets in children's sizes.
- The boat's name, its maximum capacity and how many places are sold that day.
- A refund or a new date if the boat is not cleared to sail because of a storm, squall or fog.
Get the answers in writing through the cruise's official channel, and pay a deposit only after you have checked who is receiving the money.
Official routes and bay fees #
The Ha Long Bay - Yen Tu (Yên Tử) World Heritage Management Board divides the bay into eight routes, coded VHL1 to VHL8, and charges the fee per route, per person, per trip. The table shows the four main cruise routes, with fees from its Vietnamese-language page (updated March 31, 2025); the English page still lists an older set of five routes.
| Route | Main stops | Fee per person (VND) |
|---|---|---|
| VHL1 | Thien Cung and Dau Go caves; Cho Da (Chó Đá), Ba Hang, Dinh Huong (Đỉnh Hương) and Trong Mai islets | 250,000 |
| VHL2 | Soi Sim beach, Ti Top Island; Sung Sot, Luon (Luồn) and Me Cung (Mê Cung) caves | 250,000; one night 550,000, two nights 750,000 |
| VHL3 | Cua Van (Cửa Vạn) floating culture center, Tien Ong (Tiên Ông) Cave, Ba Ham (Ba Hầm) lakes, Ang Du (Áng Dù) | 200,000; one night 500,000, two nights 650,000 |
| VHL4 | Hang Co (Hang Cỏ), also called Thien Canh Son (Thiên Cảnh Sơn); Vung Vieng (Vung Viêng), Cong Do, Hon Xep (Hòn Xếp) park | 200,000; one night 500,000, two nights 650,000 |
These are bay admission fees, not the total price of a cruise with a cabin, meals and transfers. The other four are VHL5 to Gia Luan (Gia Luận) pier on Cat Ba, VHL6 around Ba Cua (Ba Cửa) lagoon on the edge of Lan Ha, VHL7 for explorer cruises and the coastal VHL8, at VND70,000-600,000; the last three have been charged since May 1, 2025.
Storms, squalls and winter fog #
Storm season on the northern coast runs from about May or June to November. When a storm approaches, tourist boats lose their sailing clearance until the final storm bulletin, and overnight boats may be stopped earlier: ahead of the first storm of 2026, five hours before other vessels (Thanh Nien). In these months, we suggest putting the cruise early in your northern itinerary so there is room to rebook; see also storm and flood risks by region.
Storms are not the only risk. On the afternoon of July 19, 2025, the tour boat Vinh Xanh 58, carrying 49 people on route 2, capsized in a sudden squall; 39 people died and 10 were rescued (VnExpress International). Since July 2026, Quang Ninh has run an early-warning system for thunderstorms and squalls that divides Ha Long and Bai Tu Long bays into nine zones, published at halong.navy01.com.
Winter and early spring bring some thick morning fog, on some days lingering until nearly 10 a.m.; when visibility is poor, passenger boats may have to wait until the port authority lets them sail. From December to February the average daily low is about 14-15°C (Open-Meteo, 2015-2024), so pack a jacket for evenings on deck.
Photo: Vyacheslav Argenberg
Life jackets, kayaking and swimming #
As soon as you board, find out where the life jackets are and the nearest way out to the deck, and listen to the whole safety briefing; the general advice for boat trips in Vietnam applies here too. Kayak only where it is allowed, such as the Luon Cave area on route VHL2, wear a life jacket the whole time and stay with your guide; the CDC says life jackets reduce the risk of drowning while boating for people of all ages and swimming abilities.
A beach on your route, such as Soi Sim on VHL2, does not mean swimming is open that day. Ask the crew first, and swim only inside the buoyed area when the beach is open, lifeguards are on duty and the flags allow it. Do not jump from the boat into the bay. If you cannot swim, stay on board during swim stops.
Avoid alcohol before and during kayaking or swimming. Children should wear a properly fitted life jacket on deck, in kayaks and in rowing boats, with an adult right beside them who is watching continuously and not drinking.
Photo: Mig Gilbert
Ha Long Bay cruise FAQ #
Do children pay the Ha Long Bay entrance fee?
Children under 1.2 m tall or under 7 enter free, and those aged 7 to under 16 pay 20% less; foreign children show a passport at the management board's ticket desk at the port. The 50% discount from age 60 applies to Vietnamese citizens only (board rules, checked October 23, 2026).
Is the Ha Long Bay seaplane still flying?
No. Hai Au Aviation stopped its Ha Long Bay sightseeing flights from April 1, 2026 (Tien Phong, CafeF). For a view from above, climb to the top of Ti Top Island on route VHL2.
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