kayaking

Halong Bay kayaking: where kayaks run, and where they stop

Halong Bay kayaking runs on two limits. Kayaks and bamboo boats are water recreation craft, which Quang Ninh Decision 43/2024 allows only from 5:30 to 18:30. In 2023 state press reported that the province named four zones that meet the national conditions: the Luon Cave lagoon, the Cua Van fishing village, Ho Dong Tien with Trinh Nu Cave, and Cong Do. Vung Vieng and Ba Hang, two long-used spots, were left off that list. On Lan Ha Bay the city's zones were not yet announced by the city when Hai Phong's state newspaper last reported in May 2025, so kayaking there is as each listing states it.

Swimming follows the route: the beach stops on the official route lists are Soi Sim beach and Ti Top Island on Halong Bay route 2, and Cai Lim and Luong Ngoc beaches on Bai Tu Long Bay. The table below sets every kayak place in Halong Bay, Vietnam (Vịnh Hạ Long) and on Lan Ha Bay side by side, with its route, its status and its hours.

5:30 to 18:30 kayak hours on Halong Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay
7:30 to 17:30Luon Cave visitor hours in summer, per the board
5:30 to 18:30 kayak hours on the Cat Ba bays, where zones are still pending

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.

Kayaks spread across a green-water cove ringed by limestone islands.

where it runs

Kayak status, place by place

Each row is a place where cruises have taken kayaks or bamboo boats: the official route that stops there, its status under the 2023 zone list, the hours kayaks may run and the hours the Ha Long Bay Management Board keeps for visitors. Pick a bay to narrow the table. The rules beside it apply to every row.

Show Both bays Halong Bay Lan Ha Bay

Kayak and bamboo-boat status, place by placeStatus from the 2023 Quang Ninh zone list as state press reported it, and from Hai Phong state press for the Cat Ba bays; hours as Decision 43/2024 and Decision 253/2025 set them and as the Ha Long Bay Management Board states them (summer 16 Apr to 31 Oct, winter 1 Nov to 15 Apr)
Place	Route	Status	Kayak hours	Visitor hours, summer and winter	What the source names
Luon Cave lagoonHalong Bay	VHL2	In a zone the province announced (2023)	5:30 to 18:30	7:30 to 17:30; 7:30 to 17:00	The board names rowing boats or kayaking
Cua Van fishing villageHalong Bay	VHL3	In a zone the province announced (2023)	5:30 to 18:30	8:00 to 17:30; 8:00 to 17:00	The board names kayak or traditional bamboo boat
Ho Dong Tien and Trinh Nu CaveHalong Bay	VHL2	In a zone the province announced (2023)	5:30 to 18:30	Not listed	The board calls the Trong Cave and Trinh Nu Cave area a popular overnight stop for Halong Bay cruises
Cong DoHalong Bay	VHL4	In a zone the province announced (2023)	5:30 to 18:30	Not listed	A stop on route 4; the board names no activity here
Vung Vieng fishing villageHalong Bay	VHL4	Left out of the 2023 zone list	5:30 to 18:30	7:30 to 17:00; 8:00 to 16:45	The board’s route page still names fishing with locals, bamboo boats, kayaking, pearl farm visit
Ba HangHalong Bay	VHL1, VHL5	Left out of the 2023 zone list	5:30 to 18:30	7:30 to 17:30; 7:30 to 17:00	One listed day cruise offers a kayak or bamboo boat here, as the listing states
Tung Sau inletHalong Bay	VHL2	Left out of the 2023 zone list	5:30 to 18:30	Not listed	A stop on route 2
Cong NgangHalong Bay	Not on a route list	Left out of the 2023 zone list	5:30 to 18:30	Not listed	Not a stop on the board’s route lists
The Cat Ba baysLan Ha Bay	No current list: routes are announced by the competent authority under current rules	No zone announced for the Cat Ba bays (May 2025 report)	5:30 to 18:30	Not listed	In October 2026 Bao Hai Phong reported tour programs that include kayaking among the limestone islets; kayaking there is as each listing states it

Zone the province announced (2023)
Left out of the 2023 list
Cat Ba bays: no zone announced (May 2025 report)

Ba Hang, Tung Sau and Cong Ngang have no mapped point and are not drawn.

The clock

Water recreation craft may run on Halong Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay between 5:30 and 18:30 (Quang Ninh Decision 43/2024), and on the Cat Ba bays between 5:30 and 18:30 (Hai Phong Decision 253/2025). A paddle before the first hour or after the last falls outside both.

The weather

On Halong Bay, when weather turns unsafe the captain must tell passengers and move the boat to shelter, and the departure permit rests with the Inland Waterway Port Authority (Cảng vụ) (Decision 43/2024). On the Cat Ba bays, tourist boats may not leave port when there is a dangerous weather warning.

Beach stops on the route lists

Soi Sim beach VHL2. The board gives the island an area of about 66,300 m²
Ti Top Island VHL2. Board hours in summer 7:30 to 17:30
Cai Lim beach BTL6
Luong Ngoc beach BTL7, BTL8, BTL9

Quang Ninh

Kayaking on Halong Bay: the four announced zones

The four zones come from a 2023 announcement by the Quang Ninh Provincial People's Committee, as Bao Dau Tu reported it on 8 August 2023: the areas of Halong Bay that meet the conditions of Decree 48/2019 for water recreation. They are the Luon Cave lagoon, the Cua Van fishing village, Ho Dong Tien with Trinh Nu Cave, and Cong Do.

Luon Cave is the one most cruises use. It is a low tunnel into an enclosed lagoon on route 2, and the board names the ways in: rowing boats or kayaking. Its visitor hours are 7:30 to 17:30 in summer and 7:30 to 17:00 in winter. The Halong Bay caves guide has the other caves on the same route.

Cua Van is a fishing village on route 3 with a floating cultural center, where the board names kayak or traditional bamboo boat. The fishing villages guide covers how a visit there works and the hours.

Ho Dong Tien and Trinh Nu Cave sit in the route 2 overnight area, which the board calls a popular overnight stop for Halong Bay cruises. Cruises with a night on board anchor in this area; see the Halong Bay overnight cruise page for the hour by hour. Cong Do is a stop on route 4, further east.

Luon Cave (boat or kayak through the arch) — The rock arch of Luon Cave seen from the water, with a boat beyond.Photo: Mig Gilbert from Brighton / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0

not announced

Spots left off the 2023 list

The same report named the places where boats had taken kayaks and bamboo boats for years but which did not make the list: Vung Vieng, Ba Hang, Cong Ngang, Tung Sau. The reason given was missing facilities: a pier, signs or safety equipment.

The sources do not agree on every spot. The board's own route page for Vung Vieng, a fishing village on route 4, still names fishing with locals, bamboo boats, kayaking, pearl farm visit. One listed day cruise, Explore Halong Bay on a 4-Hour Scenic Cruise with Kayaking and a Cave Visit, offers a kayak or bamboo boat at Ba Hang on route 1, as the listing states. If a spot on your itinerary is one of the four left out, ask the operator in writing whether kayaking runs there now and on what basis.

Ho Ba Ham lagoon on route 3 is on neither list: the board states that visitors enter it by traditional bamboo boat at low tide, so plan on a rowed boat rather than a kayak.

Kayaks in Halong Bay — Kayakers paddling in a sheltered stretch of water between steep limestone walls.Photo: Christophe95 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Hai Phong

Lan Ha Bay kayaking: what the listings sell and what the city has announced

Lan Ha Bay is run by Hai Phong, not by the Ha Long Bay Management Board, and its rules differ. Hai Phong Decision 253/2025, in force since January 2026, lets water recreation craft run between 5:30 and 18:30. The designated zones for kayaking in Lan Ha Bay are another matter: in May 2025 Bao Hai Phong reported that the city's announcement was still being prepared and that the zones were not yet announced by the city.

The tours have gone on selling it. In October 2026 the same paper described tour programs on Lan Ha Bay that include kayaking among the limestone islets. The kayak status for Lan Ha Bay: No zone announced for the Cat Ba bays (May 2025 report). So when a Lan Ha Bay listing names kayaking, read it as the listing states it, and ask the operator where the kayaks launch.

Hanoi: 2-Day 1-Night Halong and Lan Ha Bay Cruise with Kayaking is one such listing: it boards at Beo harbor on the Cat Ba side and lists kayaking on the first afternoon, as the listing states. Its card is further down. For the bay itself, the Lan Ha Bay guide covers the piers, fees and routes.

Kayaks or bamboo boats in Lan Ha Bay — Yellow sea kayaks tied up at a floating fishing platform below limestone cliffs off Cat Ba Island.Photo: Tuyencabr / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

when

The clock, the seasons and the weather

Three clocks decide when you paddle. The first is the craft rule: kayaks may run from 5:30 to 18:30 on Halong Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay, and from 5:30 to 18:30 on the Cat Ba bays. The second is the board's visitor hours at the stop, which change on 16 April and 1 November: Luon Cave keeps 7:30 to 17:30 in summer and 7:30 to 17:00 in winter. The third is your cruise's own schedule, which the listing sets.

Weather overrides all three. Under Quang Ninh Decision 43/2024, when conditions become unsafe the captain must tell passengers and move the boat to shelter, and departure permits rest with the Inland Waterway Port Authority (Cảng vụ). On the Cat Ba bays, tourist boats may not leave port when there is a dangerous weather warning. When boats stay in port, so do the kayaks; the storm cancellations page covers what happens to the booking.

beaches

Halong Bay beaches and swim stops by route

Swimming happens where a route names a beach, not wherever the boat stops. On Halong Bay that means route 2: Soi Sim beach and Ti Top Island are its first two stops, and the board gives Soi Sim Island an area of about 66,300 m². Ti Top Island takes its name from the Soviet cosmonaut Gherman Titov, who visited with Ho Chi Minh in 1962, the board states. Its visitor hours are 7:30 to 17:30 in summer and 7:30 to 17:00 in winter.

On Bai Tu Long Bay, the 2024 route list of Decision 2119 names Cai Lim beach on route 6 and Luong Ngoc beach on routes 7, 8 and 9. For Halong Bay beaches on a day trip, the route 2 cruises on the Halong Bay day cruise page are the ones that stop at Ti Top Island.

The Cat Ba bays have no current route list, so no official beach stop either, and no Cat Ba Island beach appears on the lists above. A listing that names a swim stop on Lan Ha Bay is again the listing's word; ask where the boat anchors.

Ti Top Island beach and viewpoint — The Ti Top beach with swimming buoys and a cruise boat offshore.Photo: Jakub Hałun / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0

listed cruises

Listed cruises that include kayaking

Each card prints the bay and route as the itinerary sails them, what the price includes and the listed price with its read date. Under each, the place the listing paddles and its status.

Day
Klook, Cozy Bay Cruise

Halong Bay Day Tour with Sung Sot and Ti Top by Cozy Bay Cruise

Sails: Halong Bay route 2 (VHL2). Pier: Cozy Vietnam Travel - Halong Cruises, Tuan Chau Harbor.
- Day cruise, no night on board
- Bay fee in the price
- Hanoi transfer at extra cost
- Kayak or bamboo boat listed
- Free cancellation 24 hours before (as listed)
from about US$42 listed as AUD 60.75 per person for the lowest option on the listing, on 14 November 2026

All in from the pier: VND 1,070,000 (about US$42)

4.9 from 7,000 reviews

Check dates: Halong Bay Day Tour with Sung Sot
Kayak at Luon Cave, route 2: In a zone the province announced (2023), as the listing states.
Day
GetYourGuide, Authentic Travel DA NANG

Explore Halong Bay on a 4-Hour Scenic Cruise with Kayaking and a Cave Visit

Sails: Halong Bay route 1 (VHL1). Pier: Tuan Chau International Marina.
- Day cruise, no 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 start for a full refund (as listed)
from US$56 per person for the lowest option on the listing, as listed on 14 November 2026

All in from the pier: VND 1,440,000 (about US$56)

4.5 from 2 reviews

Check dates: Explore Halong Bay on a 4-Hour Scenic Cruise
Kayak at Ba Hang, route 1: Left out of the 2023 zone list, as the listing states.
1 night
GetYourGuide, Sunlighttravel

Hanoi: 2-Day 1-Night Halong and Lan Ha Bay Cruise with Kayaking

Sails: Lan Ha Bay. Route not stated in the listing. Pier: Beo Harbor.
- 2 days 1 night, 1 night on board
- Bay fee in the price
- Hanoi transfer in the price
- Kayak or bamboo boat listed
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before start for a full refund (as listed)
from US$133 per person for the lowest option on the listing, as listed on 14 November 2026

All in from Hanoi: VND 3,410,000 (about US$133)

4.6 from 419 reviews

Check dates: 2-Day 1-Night Halong and Lan Ha Bay Cruise
Kayak at Lan Ha Bay: No zone announced for the Cat Ba bays (May 2025 report), as the listing states.

A route 1 cruise, Dragonfly Day Cruise: Halong Bay, Thien Cung Cave, Kayaking, lists kayaking around the islands; its listing shows no price, so it has no card. The things to do in Halong Bay guide sets kayaking beside the caves and viewpoints.

checklist

Before you paddle

Match the place to the list. Find the kayak stop in the listing and look it up in the status table. One of the four zones is the plain case; one of the spots left out, or anywhere on Lan Ha Bay, is a question for the operator.
Ask for the life jacket and the briefing. The UK Foreign Office advises travelers joining any boat in Vietnam to have a full safety briefing and a life jacket, in its advice dated 21 September 2026. Australia's Smartraveller advises that if proper safety equipment is not there, you use another provider.
Watch the hour. A late-afternoon slot can run into the board's closing time at the stop before the craft rule ends. Winter hours are shorter.
Expect bamboo boats in place of kayaks. Several listings name a kayak or bamboo boat; at some stops, such as Ho Ba Ham, the rowed boat is the only way in.

questions

Questions about Halong Bay kayaking

Is it safe to kayak in Halong Bay?

In 2023 the province named four zones that meet the national conditions for water recreation: Luon Cave, Cua Van, Ho Dong Tien with Trinh Nu Cave, and Cong Do. Spots outside them, and all of Lan Ha Bay, have no announced zone. The UK Foreign Office advises a full safety briefing and a life jacket on any boat, and Smartraveller advises using another provider if safety equipment is missing.

Can you kayak in Lan Ha Bay?

Tours on Lan Ha Bay list kayaking, and state press described programs with kayaking in October 2026. The designated water-recreation zones for the Cat Ba bays were not yet announced when Hai Phong's state newspaper reported in May 2025. Read a Lan Ha kayak stop as the listing states it and ask the operator where the kayaks launch.

What time can you kayak in Halong Bay?

Quang Ninh Decision 43/2024 lets water recreation craft such as kayaks run on Halong Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay from 5:30 to 18:30. Each stop also keeps the board's visitor hours, which are shorter in winter (1 November to 15 April). Your cruise schedule sets the slot inside those limits.

Where can you swim on a Halong Bay cruise?

Where the route names a beach. On Halong Bay that is route 2, with Soi Sim beach and Ti Top Island as its first stops. On Bai Tu Long Bay the route list names Cai Lim beach and Luong Ngoc beach. Day cruises on route 2 stop at Ti Top Island; check that the listing names it.

Sources

Decision 2119/QĐ-UBND (Quang Ninh PPC, 2024) lists Bai Tu Long Bay route 6 as Ao Tien port - Tra Than inlet (Tra Ngo Lon) - Cai Lim beach - Mang Ha overnight anchorage - Cai De area. Lao Dong (state press), 24 Jul 2024, reporting Quang Ninh PPC Decision 2119/QĐ-UBND of 19 Jul 2024, 19 July 2024.
Decision 2119/QĐ-UBND (Quang Ninh PPC, 2024) lists Bai Tu Long Bay route 7 as Cam Pha port - Luong Ngoc beach - Vung Duc - Ong Cu island - Reu island - Cua Ong. Lao Dong (state press), 24 Jul 2024, reporting Quang Ninh PPC Decision 2119/QĐ-UBND of 19 Jul 2024, 19 July 2024.
Decision 2119/QĐ-UBND (Quang Ninh PPC, 2024) lists Bai Tu Long Bay route 8 as Cam Pha port - Luong Ngoc beach - Vung Duc - Ong Cu island - Reu island - Cua Ong - Tay Hoi island - Ban Sen. Lao Dong (state press), 24 Jul 2024, reporting Quang Ninh PPC Decision 2119/QĐ-UBND of 19 Jul 2024, 19 July 2024.
Decision 2119/QĐ-UBND (Quang Ninh PPC, 2024) lists Bai Tu Long Bay route 9 as Cam Pha port - Cua Ong - Reu island - Ong Cu island - Vung Duc - Luong Ngoc beach - Ngoc Vung - Thang Loi - Quan Lan - Minh Chau. Lao Dong (state press), 24 Jul 2024, reporting Quang Ninh PPC Decision 2119/QĐ-UBND of 19 Jul 2024, 19 July 2024.
The Ha Long Bay Management Board states visitor hours at Ti Top Island in summer (16 Apr to 31 Oct) as 7:30 to 17:30 local time. Ha Long Bay Management Board, 'Thời gian đón khách tham quan' (visitor hours at attractions), 6 November 2024.
The Ha Long Bay Management Board states visitor hours at Ti Top Island in winter (1 Nov to 15 Apr) as 7:30 to 17:00 local time. Ha Long Bay Management Board, 'Thời gian đón khách tham quan' (visitor hours at attractions), 6 November 2024.
The Ha Long Bay Management Board states visitor hours at Luon Cave in summer (16 Apr to 31 Oct) as 7:30 to 17:30 local time. Ha Long Bay Management Board, 'Thời gian đón khách tham quan' (visitor hours at attractions), 6 November 2024.
The Ha Long Bay Management Board states visitor hours at Luon Cave in winter (1 Nov to 15 Apr) as 7:30 to 17:00 local time. Ha Long Bay Management Board, 'Thời gian đón khách tham quan' (visitor hours at attractions), 6 November 2024.
Bao Dau Tu (state press) reported on 8 Aug 2023 that the Quang Ninh Provincial People's Committee announced the Halong Bay areas meeting Decree 48/2019/NĐ-CP conditions for water recreation (kayak, bamboo boat) as Hang Luon (5.23 ha), Cua Van fishing village (29.56 ha), Ho Dong Tien - Trinh Nu Cave (32.55 ha), Cong Do (62.36 ha) zones. Bao Dau Tu (state press) report of a Quang Ninh PPC announcement, 8 Aug 2023, 8 August 2023.
Bao Dau Tu (state press) reported on 8 Aug 2023 that the Quang Ninh Provincial People's Committee's list of qualifying water-recreation zones left out these long-used kayak and bamboo-boat spots on Halong Bay (missing pier, signs or safety facilities) Vung Vieng, Ba Hang, Cong Ngang, Tung Sau. Bao Dau Tu (state press), 8 Aug 2023, 8 August 2023.
The Ha Long Bay Management Board lists the stops of Halong Bay route VHL1 as port - Thien Cung Cave - Dau Go Cave - Cho Da islet - Ba Hang - Dinh Huong islet - Trong Mai islet. Ha Long Bay Management Board (halongbay.com.vn), fee page listing the 8 Halong Bay routes, 31 March 2025.
The Ha Long Bay Management Board lists the stops of Halong Bay route VHL2 as port - Soi Sim beach - Ti Top Island - Sung Sot Cave - Tung Sau inlet - Me Cung Cave - Bo Nau Cave - Luon Cave - Trong Cave - Trinh Nu Cave - Ho Dong Tien. Ha Long Bay Management Board (halongbay.com.vn), fee page listing the 8 Halong Bay routes, 31 March 2025.
The Ha Long Bay Management Board lists the stops of Halong Bay route VHL4 as port - Hang Co (Thien Canh Son) - Hang Thay - Cap La Cave - Vung Vieng - Tung Ang ecological area - Cong Do island - Hon Xep park. Ha Long Bay Management Board (halongbay.com.vn), fee page listing the 8 Halong Bay routes, 31 March 2025.
The Ha Long Bay Management Board lists the stops of Halong Bay route VHL5 as port - Thien Cung Cave - Dau Go Cave - Cho Da islet - Ba Hang - Dinh Huong islet - Trong Mai islet - Gia Luan pier (Cat Ba, Hai Phong). Ha Long Bay Management Board (halongbay.com.vn), fee page listing the 8 Halong Bay routes, 31 March 2025.
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, when weather becomes unsafe the captain must tell passengers and move the boat to shelter, and the decision to grant a port departure permit rests with the Inland Waterway Port Authority (Cảng vụ). 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 gives the area of Soi Sim Island as about 66,300 m². Ha Long Bay Management Board, Halong Bay route pages (halongbay.com.vn/en/tours).
The Ha Long Bay Management Board states Ti Top Island was named by Ho Chi Minh after his visit with Soviet cosmonaut Gherman Titov in 1962 year. Ha Long Bay Management Board, Halong Bay route pages (halongbay.com.vn/en/tours).
At Luon Cave the Ha Long Bay Management Board names these visitor activities in the enclosed lagoon rowing boats or kayaking activities. Ha Long Bay Management Board, Halong Bay route pages (halongbay.com.vn/en/tours).
The Ha Long Bay Management Board names the Trong Cave and Trinh Nu Cave area as a popular overnight stop for Halong Bay cruises. Ha Long Bay Management Board, Halong Bay route pages (halongbay.com.vn/en/tours).
At Cua Van floating cultural center the Ha Long Bay Management Board names these visitor boats kayak or traditional bamboo boat activities. Ha Long Bay Management Board, Halong Bay route pages (halongbay.com.vn/en/tours).
The Ha Long Bay Management Board states visitors enter Ho Ba Ham lagoon by traditional bamboo boat at low tide. Ha Long Bay Management Board, Halong Bay route pages (halongbay.com.vn/en/tours).
At Vung Vieng the Ha Long Bay Management Board names these visitor activities fishing with locals, bamboo boats, kayaking, pearl farm visit. Ha Long Bay Management Board, Halong Bay route pages (halongbay.com.vn/en/tours).
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.
In May 2025 Bao Hai Phong (Hai Phong state newspaper) reported that the city's announcement of designated water-recreation zones on the Cat Ba bays was still being prepared, with completion targeted for 2025; at that date the zones were not yet announced by the city. Bao Hai Phong (Hai Phong state newspaper), 'Chung tay bảo vệ Di sản thiên nhiên thế giới', 26 May 2025, 26 May 2025.
In October 2026 Bao Hai Phong reported tour programs on Lan Ha Bay that include kayaking among the limestone islets. Bao Hai Phong, 'Cát Bà níu chân du khách quốc tế bằng trải nghiệm xanh', 15 Oct 2026, 15 October 2026.
Under Hai Phong Decision 253/2025/QĐ-UBND, water recreation craft may operate on the Cat Ba bays between 5:30 and 18:30 local time. 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.
Under Hai Phong Decision 253/2025/QĐ-UBND, tourist boats on the Cat Ba bays may not leave port when unsafe or when there is a dangerous weather warning. 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.
Hai Phong Decision 253/2025/QĐ-UBND does not itself list Cat Ba bay routes; routes and overnight anchorages are those announced by the competent authority under current rules. 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.
Where kayaks and bamboo boats may go. Quang Ninh Provincial People's Committee zone list as reported by Bao Dau Tu (8 Aug 2023); Bao Hai Phong (26 May 2025) on the Cat Ba bays; hours under Quang Ninh Decision 43/2024/QĐ-UBND and Hai Phong Decision 253/2025/QĐ-UBND.

Photographs

Kayaks in Halong Bay. Photo: Christophe95 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Luon Cave (boat or kayak through the arch). Photo: Mig Gilbert from Brighton / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Kayaks in Halong Bay. Photo: Christophe95 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Kayaks or bamboo boats in Lan Ha Bay. Photo: Tuyencabr / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Kayaks or bamboo boats in Lan Ha Bay. Photo: Tuyencabr / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Ti Top Island beach and viewpoint. Photo: Jakub Hałun / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0