the junk

Halong Bay junk boat tour: what kind of boat you actually board

On a Halong Bay junk boat tour, the word junk describes a look, not a kind of boat in the rules. Quang Ninh Decision 43/2024 sorts the tourist vessels on Halong Bay (Vịnh Hạ Long) and Bai Tu Long Bay into seven classes: sightseeing boats (no overnight), overnight cruise boats, floating restaurants, explorer yachts, transfer boats, recreation craft and speedboats. A day junk tour sails as a sightseeing boat; an overnight junk cruise is an overnight cruise boat. The decision encourages, but does not require, sightseeing boats to keep a white hull and sails colored brown.

So the junk you see in the photos is a style the province encourages on day boats, and one that overnight boats may copy. What matters more for your Halong Bay junk boat cruise is the class of boat, what it may do and when, and whether you can look up the company and the boat before you pay. Star ranking of overnight boats is voluntary (Article 50, Law on Tourism 2017), so a junk sold as 5-star has ranked itself.

Before you book: check the boat class, the company's license and what the travel advisories ask of boat trips. All three are below.

Written by Rainer Lang Updated 14 November 2026

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.

Karst islands and a wooden junk reflected in still water in early morning mist.

vessel classes

Seven classes of tourist boat on Halong Bay

Every Halong Bay junk boat tour runs on one of these classes. The drawings show the seven side by side; the ledger gives what each is for and the hours and rules the province sets for it.

Sightseeing boat
Overnight cruise boat
Floating restaurant
Explorer yacht
Transfer boat
Recreation craft
Speedboat

Brown sails appear only on the class the color rule names. The drawings show types, not any one boat.

What each class is for, and the rules set for itQuang Ninh Decision 43/2024 for Halong Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay; Hai Phong Decision 253/2025 where named
Class	What it is for	Hours and rules
Sightseeing boat	Day trips on the bay, no overnight stay: the class a same-day junk boat tour sails as, unless it is a yacht or a speedboat.	Back in port by 20:00 in summer (April to October) and by 19:00 in winter. Owners are encouraged, not required, to keep the hull white and fit sails colored brown.
Overnight cruise boat	Cabins and a night at anchor. What listings sell as an overnight junk cruise.	The Ha Long Bay Management Board's fee page prices overnight stays on Halong Bay only for routes 2, 3 and 4. Star ranking is voluntary (Article 50, Law on Tourism 2017). No color rule.
Floating restaurant	Meals afloat close to shore.	Kept to the coastal strip Tuan Chau port to Ha Long International Cruise Port, and Ben Doan/Ha Long International Cruise Port to Nam Cau Trang, back in port by 23:00.
Explorer yacht	A yacht class of its own, apart from the cruise boats.	The general rules for tourist vessels in the same decision.
Transfer boat	The tender between the pier and a cruise boat at anchor.	On the Cat Ba bays, which hold Lan Ha Bay, Hai Phong Decision 253/2025 requires passengers to wear life jackets for the whole transfer.
Recreation craft	Kayaks and bamboo boats.	On Halong Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay only between 5:30 and 18:30.
Speedboat	A class of its own for fast motor boats.	The general rules for tourist vessels in the same decision.

Decision 43/2024 replaced the earlier Halong Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay boat rules, Decisions 4088/2015/QĐ-UBND, 1069/2016/QĐ-UBND, 110/2017/QĐ-UBND. Lan Ha Bay sits on the Cat Ba bays under Hai Phong, which sets its own rules in Decision 253/2025.

the junk look

Why every Halong Bay junk boat looks the same

White hull, wooden trim, brown sails: the picture on almost every listing. Here is where it comes from and what it does not tell you.

The look has a rule behind it, but only for one class. Among the criteria it encourages for sightseeing boats, Quang Ninh Decision 43/2024 asks owners to keep the hull above the waterline white and to fit sails colored brown. It is encouraged, not required, and the decision sets no color rule for overnight cruise boats.

Overnight boats may copy the look as well, so a cruise boat with cabins over several decks can still be sold as a junk. The word in a listing title tells you the style the seller wants you to picture. It tells you nothing about the boat's age, its build, its cabins or how it is run.

The Ha Long Bay Management Board's own website does not use the word either. It groups tourist vessels into overnight vessels, daytime sightseeing boats, restaurant boats. For choosing a boat, read the listing's cabin, inclusions and itinerary the way you would for any cruise; the best Halong Bay cruises sets the most-reviewed ones side by side, with the bay each one sails.

Overnight cruise boats at anchor in Halong Bay — A cruise boat and tender close to a limestone island in Halong Bay.Photo: Shyamal L. / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

day or overnight

Junk boat tours in Halong Bay: a day trip or a night on board

A day junk tour sails as a sightseeing boat: no overnight stay, and back in port by 20:00 from April to October or by 19:00 from November to March. Kayaks and bamboo boats launched from it may only be on the water between 5:30 and 18:30.

An overnight junk cruise is an overnight cruise boat with cabins. The Ha Long Bay Management Board prices overnight stays on Halong Bay only for routes 2, 3 and 4, so those are the routes an overnight Halong Bay junk boat cruise sleeps on. Connecting cruises that cross from Halong Bay into Lan Ha Bay are all overnight cruises too, according to the Ministry of Construction, and started on 20 April 2026.

The night changes more than the boat class: the late light, the anchorage, the early morning on the water. How one night runs, hour by hour, is on Halong Bay overnight cruises. If you want the dearer end, the cabins, balconies and pools that a higher price buys are taken apart on Halong Bay luxury cruises.

A floating restaurant is a class of its own: it stays in the coastal strip Tuan Chau port to Ha Long International Cruise Port, and Ben Doan/Ha Long International Cruise Port to Nam Cau Trang and must be back in port by 23:00, so a dinner junk is not a night at anchor.

star claims

A junk sold as 5-star: who ranks the boats

A star class in a junk boat's title is the seller's word: no list of ranked boats is published on either side of the bays (who ranks the boats). None of the three tours below carries a star word in its title; two are sold as all inclusive. Neither label changes the class of boat you board or the rules it keeps.

the boat and the company

How to check a Halong Bay junk boat before you book

The company's license. Search the company name or license number in the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism's database of licensed travel businesses, quanlyluhanh.vn.
The boat. The Ha Long Bay Management Board's website lists overnight boats, each with its Quang Ninh registration number, home port, phone and capacity. The list holds 8 boats (14 November 2026), so treat it as a showcase, not a full register: a boat missing from it is not for that reason unlicensed. See the board's overnight-boat list.
The registration. The US Department of State advises boat travelers in Vietnam to make sure the boat is properly registered and follows Vietnamese maritime law (State Department advice, page dated 2 July 2026).
The briefing and the life jacket. The UK FCDO advises travelers joining any boat in Vietnam to check with the guide the boat's safety record and registration and the staff's certification, and to have a full safety briefing and a life jacket (FCDO travel advice, dated 21 September 2026).
No life jackets, no trip. Australia's Smartraveller advises that if proper safety equipment such as life jackets is not available on a tour or boat trip, travelers should use another provider (Smartraveller, dated 24 September 2026).

The advisories are plain about the record. The FCDO states that overcrowding and poor safety standards have led to boat accidents in past years and that some boats have sunk quickly and without warning, and that transport and tour operators' safety and maintenance standards in Vietnam may not meet UK standards. Smartraveller states that boats in Vietnam may not meet Australian safety standards and that vessels have sunk and people have died, including on Halong Bay (updated 24 September 2026).

On the tender out to your boat, Hai Phong's Decision 253/2025 requires passengers on transfer boats on the Cat Ba bays to wear life jackets for the whole transfer. Where a crew does not hand you one, ask. Complaints, storms and the rest of the boat picture are on safety on a Halong Bay cruise.

Sunset over the bay — A fishing boat silhouetted against the setting sun among low karst ridges.Photo: Mustang Joe / Wikimedia Commons, CC0

three listings

Overnight Halong Bay cruises sold in the junk style

Three overnight cruises with large review pools on Viator, each with the bay it sails, the pier, what the price holds and the cost all in from Hanoi. None of the three listings says its boat is a wooden sailing junk, and the third does not name its boat at all, so ask the seller which boat your date and price buy.

1 night
Viator, Bhaya Cruises Company Limited

All inclusive Bhaya Classic cruise 2-Day 1-Night Halong Bay Tour

Sails: Halong Bay route 2 (VHL2). Pier: Bhaya Cruise Center, No. 9 International Port, Ngoc Chau Harbor, Tuan Chau, Quang Ninh.
- 2 days 1 night, 1 night on board
- Bay fee not named in the inclusions: VND 550,000 per adult (Quang Ninh Provincial People's Council, Resolution 51/2025)
- Hanoi transfer at extra cost
- Free cancellation up to 6 days before the experience for a full refund (as listed)
from US$120 per person for the lowest option on the listing, as listed on 14 November 2026

All in from Hanoi: VND 4,230,000 (about US$165)

4.9 from 2,363 reviews

Check dates: All inclusive Bhaya Classic cruise 2-Day 1-Night Halong
1 night
Viator, A Travel Mate And Trading Company Limited

Overnight Halong Bay Cruise on the Starlight

Sails: Halong Bay route 2 (VHL2). Pier: Halong International Cruise Port.
- 2 days 1 night, 1 night on board
- Bay fee not named in the inclusions: VND 550,000 per adult (Quang Ninh Provincial People's Council, Resolution 51/2025)
- Hanoi transfer not named as included
- Kayak or bamboo boat listed
- Free cancellation up to 6 days before the experience for a full refund (as listed)
from US$145 per person for the lowest option on the listing, as listed on 14 November 2026

All in from Hanoi: VND 4,870,000 (about US$190)

4.8 from 756 reviews

Check dates: Overnight Halong Bay Cruise on the Starlight
1 night
Viator, Halong Bay Cruise Hunters

Halong Bay Overnight Cruise All Inclusive 2 Days

Bay unknown: bay, route and pier not stated in the listing; ask the seller which bay it sails.
- 2 days 1 night, 1 night on board
- Bay fee in the price
- Hanoi transfer not named as included
- Kayak or bamboo boat listed
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience for a full refund (as listed)
from US$44.85 per person for the lowest option on the listing, as listed on 14 November 2026

All in from Hanoi: VND 1,760,000 (about US$68)

4.7 from 3,560 reviews

Check dates: Halong Bay Overnight Cruise All Inclusive 2 Days

The Bhaya and Starlight listings both stay on Halong Bay, and both list the same terms: Free cancellation up to 6 days before the experience for a full refund (as listed). The third lets you pick Halong Bay, Lan Ha Bay or Bai Tu Long Bay at booking, so ask which boat your price buys. More cruises, by party, are on the best Halong Bay cruises.

before you book

Halong Bay junk boat questions

What is a junk boat in Halong Bay?

On Halong Bay, junk is the name sellers use for a tourist boat with a white hull and brown sails. It is not a class in the rules. Quang Ninh Decision 43/2024 sorts tourist vessels into seven classes, from sightseeing boats and overnight cruise boats to transfer boats and speedboats, and encourages the junk look only on sightseeing boats.

Are Halong Bay junk boats traditional wooden junks?

The listing tells you the look, not the build. Quang Ninh Decision 43/2024 encourages owners of sightseeing boats to keep a white hull and brown sails, which is where the junk picture comes from, and sets no such rule for overnight boats. For a boat's build, age and cabins, ask the seller and read the listing's cabin and inclusions.

How do I know a junk boat is properly registered?

Look the company up in the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism's license database at quanlyluhanh.vn, and get the boat's name and QN registration number from the seller in writing; the Ha Long Bay Management Board's boat list shows registration numbers but holds only a handful of boats. The US State Department advises making sure a boat is properly registered and follows Vietnamese maritime law.

How much does a junk boat cruise cost in Halong Bay?

The three Viator cruises on this page are listed from US$120, US$145 and US$44.85 per person, as listed on 14 November 2026. The bay fee and the Hanoi transfer may come on top; each card adds them for an all-in figure from Hanoi.

Is a junk boat sold as 5-star officially ranked?

No. Star ranking of overnight cruise boats is voluntary under Quang Ninh Decision 43/2024 for Halong Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay, and under Hai Phong Decision 253/2025 for the Cat Ba bays. Neither province publishes a list of ranked boats, so a star class in a title is the seller's own description.

Choose your boat

Compare every cruise by bay, nights and all-in budget in the Halong Bay cruise chooser, or start from the best Halong Bay cruises, matched to first-timers, couples, families and solo travelers.

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.
Quang Ninh Decision 43/2024/QĐ-UBND sorts tourist vessels on Halong Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay into sightseeing boats (no overnight), overnight cruise boats, floating restaurants, explorer yachts, transfer boats, recreation craft and speedboats categories. 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.
Quang Ninh Decision 43/2024/QĐ-UBND (Art. 6.1e, criteria encouraged, not required, for sightseeing boats) encourages owners to keep the hull above the waterline painted white and to fit sails colored brown. 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.
Quang Ninh Decision 43/2024/QĐ-UBND limits floating restaurants on Halong Bay to the coastal strip Tuan Chau port to Ha Long International Cruise Port, and Ben Doan/Ha Long International Cruise Port to Nam Cau Trang area. 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 website groups tourist vessels into overnight vessels, daytime sightseeing boats, restaurant boats categories. Ha Long Bay Management Board, boat lists (halongbay.com.vn/en/boats?type=1,2,3).
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.
Under Quang Ninh Decision 43/2024/QĐ-UBND, tourist boats on Halong Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay in summer (1 Apr to 31 Oct) may leave port from 5:00 and must be back by 20:00 local time. 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.
Under Quang Ninh Decision 43/2024/QĐ-UBND, tourist boats on Halong Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay in winter (1 Nov to 31 Mar) may leave port from 5:30 and must be back by 19:00 local time. 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.
Under Quang Ninh Decision 43/2024/QĐ-UBND, water recreation craft (such as kayaks) may operate on Halong Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay between 5:30 and 18:30 local time. 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.
Under Quang Ninh Decision 43/2024/QĐ-UBND, coastal restaurant boats must return to port by 23:00 local time. 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.
Decision 43/2024/QĐ-UBND replaced the earlier Halong and Bai Tu Long boat rules 4088/2015/QĐ-UBND, 1069/2016/QĐ-UBND, 110/2017/QĐ-UBND. 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.
Smartraveller states that boats, hydrofoils and ferries in Vietnam may not meet Australian safety standards and that vessels have sunk and people have died, including in Ha Long Bay. Australian Government DFAT, Smartraveller, Vietnam travel advice (updated 24 Sep 2026, still current 14 Nov 2026), 24 September 2026.
Smartraveller advises that if proper safety equipment such as life jackets is not available on a tour or boat trip, travelers should use another provider. Australian Government DFAT, Smartraveller, Vietnam travel advice (updated 24 Sep 2026, still current 14 Nov 2026), 24 September 2026.
The US Department of State advises boat travelers in Vietnam to make sure the boat is properly registered and follows Vietnamese maritime law. US Department of State, Vietnam travel advisory and country information (page last updated 2 Jul 2026; advisory issued 24 Jun 2026), 2 July 2026.
Under Hai Phong Decision 253/2025/QĐ-UBND, passengers on transfer (tender) boats on the Cat Ba bays must wear life jackets for the whole transfer. Hai Phong City People's Committee, Decision 253/2025/QĐ-UBND (31 Dec 2025), Regulation on tourism and tourist boats on the Cat Ba bays, full text as reproduced by thuvienphapluat.vn, 31 December 2025.
The UK FCDO advises travelers joining any boat in Vietnam to check with the tour guide the boat's safety record and registration and the staff's certification, and to have a full safety briefing and a life jacket. UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, Foreign travel advice: Vietnam, 21 September 2026.
The UK FCDO states that overcrowding and poor safety standards have led to boat accidents in past years and that some boats have sunk quickly and without warning. UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, Foreign travel advice: Vietnam, 21 September 2026.
The UK FCDO states transport and tour operators' safety and maintenance standards in Vietnam may not meet UK standards. 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.
Ha Long Bay to Lan Ha Bay connecting cruises (itineraries VHL3, VHL4, VHL5 and VHL6 to Lan Ha Bay) are all overnight cruises with no day tours, according to the Ministry of Construction, and started on 20 April 2026. Ministry of Construction news, 'Chính thức vận hành tàu chạy tuyến kết nối Vịnh Hạ Long - Vịnh Lan Hạ', 21/04/2026, 21 April 2026.
Partner listing details. Each partner listing page as read on its read date (pier, cancellation terms, rating)

Photographs

Halong Bay in mist or fog. Photo: aschaf / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Overnight cruise boats at anchor in Halong Bay. Photo: Shyamal L. / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Overnight cruise boats at anchor in Halong Bay. Photo: lumoplank / Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Sunset over the bay. Photo: Mustang Joe / Wikimedia Commons, CC0