most booked
Best Halong Bay cruise: the most-reviewed boats, and which one suits you
The best Halong Bay cruise depends on who is going. One pick per party from the most-reviewed overnight cruises, with the listed price per person, two sharing:
- First visit: Halong Bay - Hera Cruise - All Inclusive Multi Days Tour, Halong Bay, one night on board, US$53.20.
- Couples: Hanoi: 2-Day 1-Night Lan Ha & Halong Bay Cruise with Balcony, Halong Bay, then Lan Ha Bay, one night on board, US$142.
- Families and groups of three: 2-Day 1-Night Luxury Halong & Lan Ha Bay Aspira Cruise from Hanoi, Halong Bay, then Lan Ha Bay, one night on board, US$187.63.
- Two nights on board: Halong - Lan Ha Bay 3 Day 2 Night Cruise & Private Balcony Cabin, Halong Bay, then Lan Ha Bay, two nights on board, US$320.
The reasons are under picks by traveler; the review board shows where each pick sits on its booking site. Choose by the bay the boat really sails, the nights, the cabin the price is for and what it includes, not by a star class in the title.
Some links on this page are affiliate links: the guide earns a commission when you book through them. The partner sets the price; the guide adds no fee.
review pools
The review board: top rated Halong Bay cruises on each booking site
Ten overnight cruises, grouped by the booking site that lists them. Each pool is ordered by that site's own review count on the read date, with the bay each itinerary sails, the nights, the cabin and what the price holds. Counts from different sites measure different crowds, so the pools sit side by side and are never added.
Bar length: review count against the most-reviewed cruise in the same pool. A count belongs to its booking site; the pools are never added up.
GetYourGuide
The three most-reviewed overnight cruises listed on GetYourGuide.
-
Hanoi: 2-Day 1-Night Halong, Lan Ha Bay Cruise with Balcony
4.8 from 6,298 reviews on GetYourGuide
- Sails
- Halong Bay and Lan Ha Bay, as titled; stops not itemized in the listing. Route not stated in the listing
- Nights
- 2 days 1 night, 1 night on board
- Title
- sold as 5-star
- Cabin
- Private balcony cabin with a bathtub and an ocean view
- Base price holds
- private balcony, bathtub, pool or jacuzzi
- Listed price
- US$126 per person, as listed on 14 November 2026
- Solo
- surcharge US$90 as listed
- Hanoi transfer
- not in the price
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before start for a full refund (as listed)
-
Hanoi: 2-Day 1-Night Lan Ha & Halong Bay Cruise with Balcony
4.7 from 5,656 reviews on GetYourGuide
- Sails
- Halong Bay, then Lan Ha Bay. Connecting itinerary from Halong Bay into Lan Ha Bay, sailed since 20 April 2026; route code not stated in the listing
- Nights
- 2 days 1 night, 1 night on board
- Title
- sold as 5-star
- Cabin
- Junior suite with a balcony and a bathtub; senior suite, VIP cabin and President Suite as paid upgrades
- Base price holds
- private balcony, bathtub
- Listed price
- US$142 per person, as listed on 14 November 2026
- Solo
- surcharge US$80 as listed
- Hanoi transfer
- not in the price
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before start for a full refund (as listed)
-
Hanoi: 2-Day 1-Night Lan Ha Bay Cruise with Meals & Activities
4.8 from 912 reviews on GetYourGuide
- Sails
- Lan Ha Bay. Route not stated in the listing
- Nights
- 2 days 1 night, 1 night on board
- Title
- no star word in the title
- Cabin
- Private cabin with air conditioning and its own bathroom
- Base price holds
- no balcony, bathtub, pool or bay fee named
- Listed price
- US$126 per person, as listed on 14 November 2026
- Solo
- surcharge US$50 as listed
- Hanoi transfer
- not in the price
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before start for a full refund (as listed)
Viator
The five most-reviewed overnight cruises listed on Viator.
-
Halong Bay Overnight Cruise All Inclusive 2 Days
4.7 from 3,560 reviews on Viator
- Sails
- Your choice at booking: Halong Bay, Lan Ha Bay or Bai Tu Long Bay. Route not stated in the listing
- Nights
- 2 days 1 night, 1 night on board
- Title
- no star word in the title
- Cabin
- Private cabin with air conditioning
- Base price holds
- bay fee named
- Listed price
- US$44.85 per person, as listed on 14 November 2026
- Solo
- single surcharge listed, amount not shown
- Hanoi transfer
- not named as included
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience for a full refund (as listed)
-
Halong Bay - Hera Cruise - All Inclusive Multi Days Tour
4.9 from 2,876 reviews on Viator
- Sails
- Halong Bay. Halong Bay route 2 (VHL2)
- Nights
- 2 days 1 night, 1 night on board
- Title
- sold as 5-star
- Cabin
- Standard junior cabin with an ocean view
- Base price holds
- no balcony, bathtub, pool or bay fee named
- Listed price
- US$53.20 per person, as listed on 14 November 2026
- Solo
- no single supplement stated
- Hanoi transfer
- not named as included
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience for a full refund (as listed)
-
Halong Bay Luxury Overnight Cruise: Le Journey Elegance
4.9 from 2,580 reviews on Viator
- Sails
- Halong Bay. Halong Bay route 2 (VHL2)
- Nights
- 2 days 1 night, 1 night on board
- Title
- no star word in the title
- Cabin
- Standard cabin with its own bathroom; the bathtub comes with the suite
- Base price holds
- no balcony, bathtub, pool or bay fee named
- Listed price
- US$54 per person, as listed on 14 November 2026
- Solo
- no single supplement stated
- Hanoi transfer
- not named as included
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience for a full refund (as listed)
Show 2 more cruises
-
All inclusive Bhaya Classic cruise 2-Day 1-Night Halong Bay Tour
4.9 from 2,363 reviews on Viator
- Sails
- Halong Bay. Halong Bay route 2 (VHL2)
- Nights
- 2 days 1 night, 1 night on board
- Title
- no star word in the title
- Cabin
- Cabin type chosen at booking
- Base price holds
- no balcony, bathtub, pool or bay fee named
- Listed price
- US$120 per person, as listed on 14 November 2026
- Solo
- no single supplement stated
- Hanoi transfer
- at extra cost
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation up to 6 days before the experience for a full refund (as listed)
-
2-Day 1-Night Luxury Halong & Lan Ha Bay Aspira Cruise from Hanoi
4.9 from 1,943 reviews on Viator
- Sails
- Halong Bay, then Lan Ha Bay. Connecting itinerary from Halong Bay into Lan Ha Bay, sailed since 20 April 2026; route code not stated in the listing
- Nights
- 2 days 1 night, 1 night on board
- Title
- no star word in the title
- Cabin
- Suite for two or three sharing
- Base price holds
- bay fee named
- Listed price
- US$187.63 per person, as listed on 14 November 2026
- Solo
- no single supplement stated
- Hanoi transfer
- at extra cost
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience for a full refund (as listed)
Klook
The most-reviewed overnight cruise listed on Klook. Its listing page showed no price.
-
Azura 2D1N Luxury Cruise: Halong Bay & Lan Ha Bay Tour
4.9 from 521 reviews on Klook
- Sails
- Lan Ha Bay, as the itinerary reads; route code not stated in the listing
- Nights
- One night on board
- Title
- no star word in the title
- Cabin
- Baylight Suite and higher cabin types
- Base price holds
- pool or jacuzzi, bay fee named
- Listed price
- No price shown on the listing page
- Solo
- no single supplement stated
- Hanoi transfer
- not in the price
- Cancellation
- Listed as no cancellation; operator may cancel for extreme weather (as listed)
TourRadar
Two nights on board, so it stands apart from the one-night pools.
-
Halong - Lan Ha Bay 3 Day 2 Night Cruise & Private Balcony Cabin
5.0 from 74 reviews on TourRadar
- Sails
- Halong Bay, then Lan Ha Bay. Connecting itinerary from Halong Bay into Lan Ha Bay, sailed since 20 April 2026; route code not stated in the listing
- Nights
- 3 days 2 nights, 2 nights on board
- Title
- sold as 5-star
- Cabin
- Cabin with a private balcony, as the title states
- Base price holds
- private balcony
- Listed price
- US$320 per person, as listed on 14 November 2026
- Solo
- no single supplement stated
- Hanoi transfer
- not named as included
- Cancellation
- Cancellation terms not shown on the listing page
reading the board
What the review pools tell you, and what they don't
Every cruise at the top of the two big pools is two days with one night on board. The one two-night cruise here, Halong - Lan Ha Bay 3 Day 2 Night Cruise & Private Balcony Cabin, sits in a much smaller pool on TourRadar, rated 5.0 from 74 reviews. A big count shows a listing has sold well on that site, not that its boat is newer, quieter or better run.
The bays differ more than the titles suggest. On GetYourGuide, the top listing, Hanoi: 2-Day 1-Night Halong, Lan Ha Bay Cruise with Balcony, names Halong Bay and Lan Ha Bay in its title, but the text does not itemize its stops or name its pier, so the board prints "not stated". The second, Hanoi: 2-Day 1-Night Lan Ha & Halong Bay Cruise with Balcony, boards at Tuan Chau and crosses into Lan Ha Bay. The third, Hanoi: 2-Day 1-Night Lan Ha Bay Cruise with Meals & Activities, starts from the Cat Ba side and never enters Halong Bay at all.
On Viator, the top listing lets you choose Halong Bay, Lan Ha Bay or Bai Tu Long Bay at booking, so its pool mixes three different trips under one title. The Hera, Le Journey and Bhaya listings stay on Halong Bay and name the same cluster of stops: Sung Sot Cave (Surprise Cave), Ti Top Island and Luon Cave or Trinh Nu Cave. 2-Day 1-Night Luxury Halong & Lan Ha Bay Aspira Cruise from Hanoi is the only one of the five that crosses into Lan Ha Bay.
Ratings barely separate them. The most-reviewed cruise on GetYourGuide is rated 4.8 from 6,298 reviews, and the most-reviewed Halong Bay-only cruise on Viator 4.9 from 2,876 reviews. The lines that change your trip are the ones under each title: route, cabin, fee, transfer and cancellation.
Read the nights and the bay from the itinerary, not the title. The Hera listing is titled a multi-day tour, yet its itinerary is one night on board, and Azura 2D1N Luxury Cruise: Halong Bay & Lan Ha Bay Tour names Halong Bay in its title while its itinerary is spent in Lan Ha Bay after boarding at Tuan Chau Marina.
who it suits
Best Halong Bay cruises by traveler
Four cruises from the board, each matched to one kind of trip by what its listing states. Solo travelers: the solo line on the board shows each stated surcharge.
- First visit. Halong Bay - Hera Cruise - All Inclusive Multi Days Tour: The most-reviewed Viator cruise that stays on Halong Bay and names its stops (Luon Cave, Ti Top Island, Surprise Cave), with meals and activity tickets in the price; the bay fee is not, so the card adds it. The title says multi days; it is one night on board. Its card on the board.
- Couples. Hanoi: 2-Day 1-Night Lan Ha & Halong Bay Cruise with Balcony: The price is for a junior suite with a private balcony and a bathtub, and it crosses into Lan Ha Bay with a kayak stop; bigger cabins cost extra. Its card on the board.
- Families and groups of three. 2-Day 1-Night Luxury Halong & Lan Ha Bay Aspira Cruise from Hanoi: A suite for two or three sharing, with the fees for both bays named in the price; no listing on the board states a child price, so ask. Its card on the board.
- Two nights on board. Halong - Lan Ha Bay 3 Day 2 Night Cruise & Private Balcony Cabin: The one two-night listing on the board: a middle day of cycling in Viet Hai village and kayaking with no road transfer, and the Hanoi transfer in the price. Its card on the board.
star words
Sold as 5-star: what a star class in the title means
Most titles on the board carry a star class. None of those stars comes from a ranking body.
Star ranking of overnight boats is voluntary (Article 50, Law on Tourism 2017) under Quang Ninh Decision 43/2024, and no province publishes a list of ranked boats, so a title's star class is the seller's word: the board keeps it out of every product name. How the boat classes work, and what a higher price really buys, is on Halong Bay luxury cruises; what kind of boat you board is on Halong Bay junk boats.
which bay
Which bay the most-reviewed cruises sail
Halong Bay alone. The Hera, Le Journey and Bhaya cruises stay on Halong Bay, on the route that takes in Sung Sot Cave and Ti Top Island. The Ha Long Bay Management Board prices overnight stays on Halong Bay only for routes 2, 3 and 4, so every overnight Halong Bay cruise sleeps on one of those. The routes and their stops are on the official Halong Bay routes.
Halong Bay into Lan Ha Bay. The Lan Ha & Halong balcony cruise on GetYourGuide and Aspira board at Tuan Chau and cross into Lan Ha Bay. These connecting itineraries are overnight only, with no day tours. Lan Ha Bay is a separate bay under Hai Phong, with its own fee and rules.
Lan Ha Bay from Cat Ba. The Venezia listing starts on the Cat Ba side and stays in Lan Ha Bay. More Lan Ha Bay cruises, and the rules there, are on Lan Ha Bay cruises; the bay itself is on Lan Ha Bay.
Bai Tu Long Bay. None of the most-reviewed cruises on the board is a dedicated Bai Tu Long Bay trip; only the Viator listing that lets you pick a bay at booking offers it. If the northern bay is the point of your trip, filter by bay in the Halong Bay cruise chooser.
the full price
What these cruises cost, all in
A listed price is where the cost starts. The cards add the bay fee where a listing leaves it out and the Hanoi transfer both ways where it is not included, so the all-in figures compare like for like.
| Trip | VND | US$, AUD, GBP |
|---|---|---|
| 2 days 1 night on board, Halong Bay, mid-range, per person, two sharing a cabin | VND 3,910,000 | about US$153, AUD 222 or GBP 114 |
| 2 days 1 night on board, Lan Ha Bay, mid-range, per person, two sharing a cabin | VND 4,020,000 | about US$157, AUD 228 or GBP 117 |
| 2 days 1 night on board, Lan Ha Bay, solo with the single supplement the listing states | VND 5,630,000 | about US$220, AUD 320 or GBP 165 |
Each figure is a mid-range cruise of its kind with the fee and the transfer added; how each part is set is on Halong Bay cruise prices.
- Transfers are often an add-on. Both GetYourGuide balcony cruises sell the round trip from Hanoi separately, at US$25 per person, round trip each, as listed.
- Solo travelers pay a surcharge where the listing states one: US$80 and US$90 on the two GetYourGuide balcony cruises, US$50 on the Venezia Lan Ha Bay cruise.
- Cabin upgrades change the price per person: the Lan Ha & Halong balcony cruise on GetYourGuide lists senior suite, VIP and President cabins above its junior suite.
- Drinks, spa and tips are extra on every listing here that names them, and holiday gala dinners carry surcharges on several.
six checks
Six checks before you book
- The bay as sailed. Read the itinerary's stops, not the title. A title that names two bays may spend the night in one; "your choice at booking" means you must ask which boat the price buys.
- The nights. Two days means one night on board. A second night adds a full day with no transfer; the two-night cruises are compared on Halong Bay 2-night cruises, and one night hour by hour on Halong Bay overnight cruises.
- The cabin the price is for. A balcony or bathtub in the title may belong to an upgrade.
- What the price holds. The bay fee, the Hanoi transfer, kayaking and meals: the cards say which are in and add the rest.
- The cancellation terms. Across the board they range from free cancellation shortly before departure to none at all; storms can stop departures in the season, so read them before you pay. Season odds are on the best time to visit Halong Bay.
- The company and the boat. Look the company up in the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism's license database, quanlyluhanh.vn. The Ha Long Bay Management Board's overnight-boat list showed 8 boats on its website (14 November 2026), a showcase rather than a full register.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office advises travelers, before taking an overnight boat trip on Halong Bay, to consider safety standards carefully (FCDO travel advice, dated 21 September 2026). What to look for on board, and how the boat classes work, is on Halong Bay junk boats and safety on a Halong Bay cruise.
before you book
Questions about choosing a cruise
Which is the best overnight cruise in Halong Bay?
There is no official answer, because no body ranks the boats. By review count, the leaders on GetYourGuide and Viator are one-night cruises: a balcony cruise that names Halong Bay and Lan Ha Bay on GetYourGuide, and on Viator a cruise that lets you pick the bay. For a first trip on Halong Bay alone, the Hera listing names its stops and includes the activity tickets.
What is the top rated Halong Bay cruise?
By review count per site, the top listing on GetYourGuide is the balcony cruise that names Halong Bay and Lan Ha Bay, and on Viator the overnight cruise with a choice of three bays. Their ratings sit close to every other cruise on the board, so compare the bay, the cabin and the cancellation terms instead.
Can I add up review counts from different booking sites?
No. Each count is the number of reviews a listing has on its own booking site, from travelers who booked there. Two sites can list similar trips under different titles, and nothing shows whether they are the same departure. The board keeps each site's pool separate and orders it by that site's count only.
Is a cruise sold as 5-star officially ranked?
No. A boat sold as 5-star is described that way by its seller. Quang Ninh Decision 43/2024 makes star ranking of overnight boats on Halong Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay voluntary, and Hai Phong Decision 253/2025 does the same on the Cat Ba bays. Neither province publishes a list of ranked boats.
What is the best Halong Bay cruise for a family?
Look for a cabin that sleeps three and a child price stated in the listing. Of the cruises on the board, only the Aspira listing prices a suite for two or three sharing, and none states a child price, so ask the seller before you book. A cruise with a Hanoi transfer in the price saves arranging the road trip with children.
next
Choose your cruise
Compare every cruise by bay, nights and all-in budget in the Halong Bay cruise chooser. For the top end, see Halong Bay luxury cruises; for the boats themselves, Halong Bay junk boats.
Sources
- Under Quang Ninh Decision 43/2024/QĐ-UBND, star ranking of overnight cruise boats on Halong Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay is voluntary (Article 50, Law on Tourism 2017). Quang Ninh Provincial People's Committee, Decision 43/2024/QĐ-UBND of 8 Oct 2024 (in force 20 Oct 2024), Regulation on managing inland waterway vessels serving tourists on Halong Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay, 8 October 2024.
- The Ha Long Bay Management Board's fee page prices overnight stays on Halong Bay only for routes 2, 3 and 4. Ha Long Bay Management Board (halongbay.com.vn), 'Mức phí tham quan vịnh Hạ Long', citing Quang Ninh Provincial People's Council Resolutions 62/2017/NQ-HĐND and 51/2025/NQ-HĐND, 31 March 2025.
- The UK FCDO advises travelers before taking an overnight boat trip on Halong Bay to consider safety standards carefully. UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, Foreign travel advice: Vietnam, 21 September 2026.
- The Vietnam National Authority of Tourism runs the official online database of licensed travel businesses (search by company name, license number, province and scope) at quanlyluhanh.vn. Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (Cục Du lịch Quốc gia Việt Nam), travel business database quanlyluhanh.vn.
- The Ha Long Bay Management Board website's overnight-boat list (each with QN registration number, home port, phone and capacity) showed a number of boats on 14 November 2026 of 8 boats. Ha Long Bay Management Board, halongbay.com.vn, boat list 'Tàu lưu trú nghỉ đêm', 14 November 2026.
- GetYourGuide lists Hanoi: 2-Day Lan Ha & Halong Bay 5-Star Cruise with Balcony with an optional round-trip shared transfer from Hanoi Old Quarter or Ninh Binh at US$25 per person. GetYourGuide product page (as listed on the read date).
- GetYourGuide lists Hanoi: 2-Day Lan Ha & Halong Bay 5-Star Cruise with Balcony with a solo traveller surcharge of US$80. GetYourGuide product page (as listed on the read date).
- GetYourGuide lists Hanoi: 2-Day Ha Long, Lan Ha Bay 5-Star Cruise with Balcony with a solo traveller surcharge of US$90. GetYourGuide product page (as listed on the read date).
- GetYourGuide lists Hanoi: 2-Day Lan Ha Bay Cruise with Meals & Activities with an extra US$50 for a solo traveller. GetYourGuide product page (as listed on the read date).
- Partner listing details. Each partner listing page as read on its read date (pier, cancellation terms, rating)
- Headline costs. Added up from the listed prices, bay fees and fares each cost names; each part has its own source in this list
- Bay and route of each cruise. Each partner listing's itinerary as read on its read date, set against the route list of the Ha Long Bay Management Board
- Days and nights of each cruise. Each partner listing's duration and itinerary as read on its read date
- Times and inclusions of overnight cruises. Each partner listing's itinerary, inclusions and cabin text as read on its read date, set against the latest anchorage time in Quang Ninh Decision 43/2024/QD-UBND (Halong Bay, Bai Tu Long Bay) and Hai Phong Decision 253/2025/QD-UBND (the Cat Ba bays)
Photographs
- Ti Top Island beach and viewpoint. Photo: Jakub Hałun / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
- Lan Ha Bay seascape. Photo: Christophe95 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Cruise boat sundeck. Photo: Christophe95 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Overnight cruise boats at anchor in Halong Bay. Photo: Shyamal L. / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kayaks in Halong Bay. Photo: Christophe95 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sung Sot Cave interior. Photo: lumoplank / Wikimedia Commons, CC0
- Bai Tu Long Bay seascape. Photo: Benjamin Smith / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Lan Ha Bay seascape. Photo: Preparetavalise.com / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Halong Bay in mist or fog. Photo: aschaf / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
- Wide Halong Bay seascape with karst islands. Photo: Christophe95 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sunset over the bay. Photo: Catatine / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Overnight cruise boats at anchor in Halong Bay. Photo: lumoplank / Wikimedia Commons, CC0
