Ha Long Bay Day Cruise

Cảng tàu khách quốc tế Hạ Long

Half a day weaving between limestone islands: the Ha Long basic

⚠ No sailing in storms

Hours

Day visits permitted 6:30am–6:30pm; departure times vary by operator (usually 8am–12:30pm)

Tickets

Entrance fee: Routes 1–2 250,000 VND, Routes 3–4 200,000 VND, combined Route 7 600,000 VND per person per day. Boat extra: shared tour boat 150,000–200,000 VND plus 60,000 VND port fee (June 2024 price list); premium day cruises roughly US$70–100 per adult via Klook and similar booking sites.

Address

International cruise port at the end of Ha Long Road in Bai Chay, beside the Sun World cable car station; some boats leave from Tuan Chau to the west

Twenty minutes out of port the first grey limestone peaks rise from the water, and soon islands close in on every side. There are two main day routes. Route 1 (3–4 hours) covers Thien Cung and Dau Go caves, the Fighting Cocks rock and the Incense Burner islet printed on the 200,000-dong note. Route 2 (5–6 hours) heads further in to Sung Sot Cave, Ti Top Island and Luon Cave. Boats range from the 48-seat shared tour boats to big day cruisers with buffet lunch and sun loungers. The same islands feel very different from an open deck in the wind than from behind a cabin window.