two bays, one choice

Lan Ha Bay vs Halong Bay: which bay for your one cruise

Lan Ha Bay vs Halong Bay, for a first visit with one night and a start in Hanoi: pick Halong Bay (Vịnh Hạ Long). The road from Hanoi goes straight to the piers at Tuan Chau or Bai Chay, and route 2 takes in Sung Sot Cave and Ti Top Island. If you want the islands off Cat Ba as well, pick an overnight cruise that crosses in from the Halong side, allowed since 20 April 2026. Board on Cat Ba Island only if you are staying there: from Hanoi it adds a bus and a boat.

The two bays are run by different authorities, Quang Ninh province and Hai Phong city, with their own fees and their own rulebooks. Lan Ha Bay is not a part of Halong Bay; both sit inside the UNESCO property "Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago", extended to Cat Ba in 2023.

That is a judgment, not a rule: the table below sets Lan Ha Bay vs Halong Bay row by row. Pick what matters to you and it marks the rows that decide it.

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.

Wide Halong Bay seascape with karst islands — A lone limestone pinnacle with smaller islands behind it on a clear day in eastern Halong Bay.Photo: Christophe95 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Lan Ha Bay seascape — Karst islands reflected in calm water in Lan Ha Bay.Photo: Christophe95 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

what matters to you

Halong Bay vs Lan Ha Bay, row by row

Every row is a rule, a fee or a pier, with the body that sets it. Bai Tu Long Bay, the third bay of the coast, joins as a column when you add it.

In short: one night from Hanoi on a first visit? Halong Bay: the road ends at its piers, and route 2 has Sung Sot Cave and Ti Top Island. Want the Lan Ha islands too? A crossing cruise from the Halong side gives you an evening there on the same road. Lan Ha Bay from Cat Ba Island suits you if you sleep on the island. Pick an option above to mark the rows that decide it.

Halong Bay. Its route 2 (VHL2) takes in Ti Top Island, Sung Sot Cave, Luon Cave and Me Cung, and overnight stays are priced on routes 2, 3 and 4. Lan Ha Bay has no published route list, so its stops vary by cruise: kayak and swim stops, Viet Hai village, Cai Beo floating village.

Lan Ha Bay. Its boats board at Ben Beo or Gia Luan pier on Cat Ba Island, so from a Cat Ba hotel you skip the road back to the Halong piers. From Hanoi, the Cat Ba trip takes a bus and a boat.

Lan Ha Bay. A day there costs VND 120,000 per adult per visit, against VND 250,000 per visit per person on Halong route 1 or 2. With one night on board it is VND 400,000 / 300,000 per person (adult / child), against VND 550,000 per visit per person on Halong route 2. The fee is a small part of a cruise price; the medians are in the next section.

A crossing cruise from the Halong side. Since 20 April 2026, boats on Halong routes VHL3 to VHL6 may sail on into Lan Ha Bay. The Ministry of Construction states that these connecting itineraries are all overnight cruises, with no day tours.

Bai Tu Long Bay. Decision 2119/QD-UBND gives it 10 routes of its own, reaching islands such as Quan Lan and Minh Chau, and three connecting routes from the Halong piers. Fewer listings sail it; check that the stops, not only the title, are in Bai Tu Long Bay.

Lan Ha Bay vs Halong Bay (and Bai Tu Long Bay), row by rowRules: Quang Ninh Decision 43/2024 and 2119/QD-UBND (Halong Bay, Bai Tu Long Bay); Hai Phong Decision 253/2025 (Lan Ha Bay); fees as named in each cell
Topic	Halong Bay	Lan Ha Bay	Bai Tu Long Bay
What you see	Karst islands close to the mainland piers; caves with walkways (Sung Sot Cave), the climb on Ti Top Island, Luon Cave by bamboo boat or kayak.	The islands and lagoons off Cat Ba Island; listings name kayak and swim stops, cycling in Viet Hai village and Cai Beo floating village.	The islands northeast of Halong Bay toward Van Don, such as Quan Lan and Minh Chau, with fewer boats.
Who runs it	Quang Ninh province. The fee is collected by the Ha Long Bay - Yen Tu World Heritage Management Board.	Hai Phong city. Fees are collected by the Cat Ba Bays Management Board, under the Cat Hai special zone.	Quang Ninh province. Decision 43/2024 names the Bai Tu Long National Park Management Board as its bay management board.
Official routes	VHL1 to VHL8 on the board's list; route 2 is Ti Top Island and Sung Sot Cave.	No fixed route list: routes are those announced by the competent authority under current rules, so ask which stops your cruise makes.	10 routes, BTL1 to BTL10, plus three connecting routes from Halong Bay.
Nights on board	Overnight fees are set for routes 2, 3 and 4. Boats must be inside the overnight anchorage by 19:00 in summer, 18:30 in winter.	Anchorages are those the authority announces; none is fixed in the rules, so ask where your boat spends the night.	The Mang Ha overnight anchorage (Điểm neo đậu nghỉ đêm Máng Hà) on routes BTL5 and BTL6; Lao Dong reported an anchorage opening at Hang Nha Tro in May 2026.
Bay fee, day visit	VND 250,000 per visit per person on route 1 or 2 (Quang Ninh Provincial People's Council, Resolution 51/2025)	VND 120,000 per adult per visit (Hai Phong City People's Council, Resolution 47/2025)	Collected by the Ha Long Bay - Yen Tu World Heritage Management Board; ask whether your listing includes it.
Bay fee, one night on board	VND 550,000 per visit per person on route 2, VND 500,000 per visit per person on route 3	VND 400,000 / 300,000 per person (adult / child), instead of the day fee	No per-route fee published; ask the seller whether an entrance fee is in the price.
Where you board	Tuan Chau International Marina or Ha Long International Cruise Port at Bai Chay.	Ben Beo or Gia Luan pier on Cat Ba Island; or the Halong piers on a crossing cruise.	Ao Tien port in Van Don, Cam Pha port, or the Halong piers on a connecting route.
From Hanoi	By road on the expressway: 105.5 km to Hai Phong, then 25 km to Ha Long. The listed shuttles state 2.5 to 3 hours.	Bus, then speedboat or ferry to Cat Ba Island. Viator's Cat Ba Express listing states 3 hours 15 minutes to 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.), as the operator gives it.	The same expressway past Ha Long; the Quang Ninh expressway runs on through Van Don, 176 km in all.
Crossing between bays	Since 20 April 2026, routes VHL3 to VHL6 may continue into Lan Ha Bay, overnight only.	Reached from the Halong side on those connecting overnight itineraries.	Three connecting routes follow Halong route 4, then sail on into Bai Tu Long Bay.
Kayaks and bamboo boats	Only between 5:30 and 18:30 local time. Whether kayaking runs on your date: check with your operator.	Only between 5:30 and 18:30 local time. Whether kayaking runs on your date: check with your operator.	The Halong rule applies to both bays. Check with your operator.
Boat hours	Summer 5:00 to 20:00 local time, winter 5:30 to 19:00 local time.	Hai Phong sets its own summer and winter hours.	The same hours as Halong Bay, under the same decision.
Who stops boats in a storm	The Quang Ninh Inland Waterway Port Authority stops departure permits.	No departure in a dangerous weather warning. When the port authority, traffic police, border guard or the Cat Ba Bays Management Board order boats back, the captain must comply.	The same Quang Ninh port authority as for Halong Bay.

Where each bay lies and how they join is on the home page chart of the three bays; the bays one by one are in the guides to Halong Bay and Lan Ha Bay.

fees and cruise prices

What a day or a night costs on each bay

Each bay's fee is set by its own council: Halong Bay by the Quang Ninh Provincial People's Council (Resolution 51/2025), Lan Ha Bay by the Hai Phong City People's Council (Resolution 47/2025, from 1 January 2026). Compare day with day and night with night.

Bay fee per adult, per visit, Halong Bay against Lan Ha BayResolution 51/2025 (Quang Ninh) and Resolution 47/2025 (Hai Phong)
Trip	Halong Bay	Lan Ha Bay
Day visit	VND 250,000 (route 1), VND 250,000 (route 2)	VND 120,000
One night on board	VND 550,000 (route 2), VND 500,000 (route 3)	VND 400,000 / 300,000 (adult / child)

On Lan Ha Bay the overnight fee replaces the day fee, and a child aged 6 or over pays VND 60,000 per child per visit for a day. In other currencies the Halong night fee on route 2 is about US$21, AUD 31 or GBP 16 and the Lan Ha day fee about US$4.7, AUD 6.8 or GBP 3.5. Many listings include the fee; where one is silent, ask.

The fee is the small part. One night on a mid-range Halong Bay cruise, per person for two sharing a cabin, comes to VND 3,910,000 (about US$153, AUD 222 or GBP 114). One night on a mid-range Lan Ha Bay cruise, per person for two sharing a cabin, comes to VND 4,020,000 (about US$157, AUD 228 or GBP 117). Both add the fee and the transfer from Hanoi where a listing leaves them out; how they are built is on Halong Bay cruise prices.

Ti Top Island beach and viewpoint — Panorama from the Ti Top viewpoint across the islands and anchorage.Photo: Steffen Schmitz (more photos) / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

sold as, sailed as

Which bay does your cruise really sail?

A cruise sold as "Halong and Lan Ha" may spend most of its time in one bay. Across the listed overnight cruises that sail Lan Ha Bay, the title and the stops often point different ways:

17 overnight listings sail Lan Ha Bay
11 of them board on the Halong side, 6 on Cat Ba
4 have a title that names other bays than their stops

Every one of them, title against stops, is on Lan Ha Bay cruises compared; Halong-only cruises are on the overnight cruise guide. Three cruises, one for each way of choosing:

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
GetYourGuide, Venezia Cruises

Hanoi: 2-Day 1-Night Lan Ha Bay Cruise with Meals & Activities

Sails: Lan Ha Bay. Route not stated in the listing. Pier: Pier not stated in the listing.
- 2 days 1 night, 1 night on board
- Bay fee not named in the inclusions: VND 400,000 per adult (Hai Phong City People's Council, Resolution 47/2025)
- Hanoi transfer not in the price
- Kayak or bamboo boat listed
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before start for a full refund (as listed)
from US$126 per person for the lowest option on the listing, as listed on 14 November 2026

All in from Hanoi: VND 4,350,000 (about US$170)

4.8 from 912 reviews

Check dates: 2-Day 1-Night Lan Ha Bay Cruise
1 night
GetYourGuide, Halong Bay Lux Cruises - Marvel Travel

Hanoi: 2-Day 1-Night Halong, Lan Ha Bay Cruise with Balcony

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 not named in the inclusions; the fee depends on a route the listing does not state
- Hanoi transfer not in the price
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before start for a full refund (as listed)
from US$126 per person for the lowest option on the listing, as listed on 14 November 2026

From Hanoi, before the bay fee: VND 3,870,000 (about US$151) plus a bay fee of VND 400,000 or more per adult

4.8 from 6,298 reviews

Check dates: 2-Day 1-Night Halong, Lan Ha Bay Cruise

All inclusive Bhaya Classic cruise 2-Day 1-Night Halong Bay Tour sails Halong route 2 from Tuan Chau. Hanoi: 2-Day 1-Night Lan Ha Bay Cruise with Meals & Activities boards on the Cat Ba side and stays in Lan Ha Bay. Hanoi: 2-Day 1-Night Halong, Lan Ha Bay Cruise with Balcony names both bays but does not itemize its stops, so ask which bay it anchors in.

piers and roads

Getting to each bay from Hanoi

Halong Bay boats board on the mainland side, at Tuan Chau International Marina or Ha Long International Cruise Port. Lan Ha Bay boats board on Cat Ba Island, at Ben Beo or Gia Luan pier, unless the cruise crosses in from Halong.

To the Halong piers

The road is the expressway: 105.5 km from Hanoi to Hai Phong, then 25 km on to Ha Long, both by road. The listed shuttles state 2.5 to 3 hours from Hanoi to Halong Bay. Most cruises offer a shuttle, in the price or at extra cost: the Bhaya Classic cruise offers Hanoi hotel pickup as an option, and the balcony cruise on GetYourGuide charges for the transfer separately.

To Cat Ba Island

The usual way is a bus to the coast and a speedboat or ferry across. Viator's Cat Ba Express listing states 3 hours 15 minutes to 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.), as the operator gives it. Some Cat Ba side cruises arrange the trip for you: the Lan Ha Bay cruise with meals and activities offers bus transfers depending on the option you book. Every leg is on Hanoi to Cat Ba Island.

The crossing cruises change the sum: boats on Halong routes VHL3 to VHL6 may carry on into Lan Ha Bay, so you can take the Halong road and still spend the evening among the Cat Ba islands.

For one night on board, the road takes most of the morning from either side, so the time on the water is set by the boat's own departure and return: the Victorious listing on Halong Bay is on board 24 hours 30 minutes pier to pier, and the Azura listing, which crosses from Tuan Chau to spend its night in Lan Ha Bay, 23 hours 45 minutes.

Kayaks or bamboo boats in Lan Ha Bay — Floating fish farms and houses in a sheltered cove of Lan Ha Bay.Photo: Christophe95 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

on the water

Kayaks, boat hours and storms on both bays

The water rules read almost the same on both bays. Who gives the order to stop is different.

Kayaks and bamboo boats

Quang Ninh allows water recreation craft on Halong Bay only between 5:30 and 18:30 local time; Hai Phong allows them on the Cat Ba bays only between 5:30 and 18:30 local time. Neither is allowed in a storm warning. Whether kayaking runs on your date, on either bay, is for your operator to confirm, so ask before you book if it matters. More on kayaking in Halong Bay and Lan Ha Bay.

Who stops the boats

On Halong Bay the Quang Ninh Inland Waterway Port Authority stops departure permits when a storm comes. On Lan Ha Bay boats may not leave port in a dangerous weather warning, and when the authorities order boats back the captain must comply. A crossing cruise sails under both. Storm odds by month are on Halong Bay weather; the stops already ordered are in the suspension log.

the third bay

Bai Tu Long Bay vs Halong Bay

Bai Tu Long Bay lies to the east of Halong Bay, in the same province and under the same boat rules, Decision 43/2024. Decision 2119/QD-UBND gave it 10 routes of its own from Ao Tien and Cam Pha, and three connecting routes from the Halong piers. Its overnight anchorage named in that decision is the Mang Ha overnight anchorage (Điểm neo đậu nghỉ đêm Máng Hà).

Fewer cruises sail it, and many that name it in the title sail through Halong Bay first. Of the 6 overnight listings that name Bai Tu Long Bay, 2 keep every named stop there. 2-Day 1-Night Cruise: Visit Bai Tu Long Bay is one whose title and stops agree; Bai Tu Long Bay 2 Day 1 Night Cruise names only Bai Tu Long Bay but lists stops in Halong Bay too. The ports, routes and cruises are on the Bai Tu Long Bay guide.

before you book

Lan Ha Bay or Halong Bay: questions

Is Lan Ha Bay better than Halong Bay?

Not for a first visit from Hanoi with one night, in our view: Halong Bay boards at the end of the expressway and its route 2 has Sung Sot Cave and Ti Top Island. Lan Ha Bay is the better start if you already sleep on Cat Ba Island, where its boats board. A crossing cruise from the Halong side gives you an evening in both.

Is Lan Ha Bay part of Halong Bay?

No. Lan Ha Bay is the bay of the Cat Ba Archipelago, run by Hai Phong city, while Halong Bay is run by Quang Ninh province. Both belong to the UNESCO property "Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago", extended to Cat Ba in 2023, but each has its own fee and its own rules for boats.

Can one cruise visit both Halong Bay and Lan Ha Bay?

Yes, on an overnight cruise. Since 20 April 2026, boats on Halong routes VHL3 to VHL6 may continue into Lan Ha Bay. The Ministry of Construction states that these connecting itineraries are all overnight cruises, with no day tours, so a day trip cannot cross between the two bays.

Is the Lan Ha Bay fee lower than the Halong Bay fee?

Yes. A day on Lan Ha Bay costs VND 120,000 per adult per visit under Hai Phong's Resolution 47/2025, against VND 250,000 per visit per person on Halong route 1 under Quang Ninh's Resolution 51/2025. With one night on board, Lan Ha Bay charges VND 400,000 / 300,000 per person (adult / child), and Halong route 2 charges VND 550,000 per visit per person.

How far is Lan Ha Bay from Hanoi?

Lan Ha Bay is reached through Cat Ba Island: a bus to the coast, then a speedboat or ferry. Viator's Cat Ba Express listing states 3 hours 15 minutes to 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) from Hanoi, as the operator gives it. Or take the expressway to the Halong piers and a crossing cruise into Lan Ha Bay.

Sources

Quang Ninh Provincial People's Committee Decision 2119/QĐ-UBND of 19 Jul 2024 announced this many sightseeing routes on Bai Tu Long Bay 10 routes. Lao Dong (state press), 24 Jul 2024, reporting Quang Ninh PPC Decision 2119/QĐ-UBND of 19 Jul 2024, 19 July 2024.
The Halong Bay sightseeing fee for day route VHL1 (Thien Cung, Dau Go, Ba Hang, Trong Mai), set by the Quang Ninh Provincial People's Council and collected by Ha Long Bay Management Board (now named the Ha Long Bay - Yen Tu World Heritage Management Board), is VND 250,000 per visit per person. 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 Halong Bay sightseeing fee for day route VHL2 (Ti Top, Sung Sot, Luon Cave, Me Cung), set by the Quang Ninh Provincial People's Council and collected by Ha Long Bay Management Board (now named the Ha Long Bay - Yen Tu World Heritage Management Board), is VND 250,000 per visit per person. 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 Ha Long Bay Management Board states the overnight sightseeing fee for Halong Bay route 2 with 1 night as VND 550,000 per visit per person. 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 Ha Long Bay Management Board states the overnight sightseeing fee for Halong Bay route 3 with 1 night as VND 500,000 per visit per person. 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 body that runs the Halong Bay website halongbay.com.vn and collects the sightseeing fee now names itself Ha Long Bay - Yen Tu World Heritage Management Board (Ban Quản lý di sản thế giới vịnh Hạ Long - Yên Tử). Ha Long Bay Management Board website footer and news titles, 14 November 2026.
Under Quang Ninh Decision 43/2024/QĐ-UBND, the 'Bay Management Board' for Bai Tu Long Bay is the Bai Tu Long National Park Management Board. 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, overnight boats must be inside the overnight anchorage area by 19:00 in summer, 18:30 in winter 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.
The UNESCO World Heritage List names the property Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago. UNESCO World Heritage Centre, World Heritage List record 672ter 'Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago' (UNESCO open data, dataset whc001).
UNESCO added the Cat Ba Archipelago to the property through a significant boundary modification in 2023 year. UNESCO World Heritage Centre, World Heritage List record 672ter 'Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago' (UNESCO open data, dataset whc001).
Decision 2119/QĐ-UBND (Quang Ninh PPC, 2024) names as the overnight anchorage on Bai Tu Long Bay routes BTL5 and BTL6 Mang Ha overnight anchorage (Điểm neo đậu nghỉ đêm Máng Hà). Quang Ninh Provincial People's Committee, Decision 2119/QĐ-UBND (19 Jul 2024) on sightseeing routes on Halong Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay, full text as reproduced by thuvienphapluat.vn, 19 July 2024.
Under Hai Phong Resolution 47/2025/NQ-HĐND (from 1 Jan 2026) the day sightseeing fee for the route on the bays of the Cat Ba Archipelago (Lan Ha Bay) is, per adult per visit, VND 120,000 per adult per visit. Hai Phong City People's Council, Resolution 47/2025/NQ-HĐND (10 Dec 2025), full text as reproduced by thuvienphapluat.vn, 10 December 2025.
Under Hai Phong Resolution 47/2025/NQ-HĐND the day sightseeing fee for the Cat Ba bays route for a child aged 6 or over is VND 60,000 per child per visit. Hai Phong City People's Council, Resolution 47/2025/NQ-HĐND (10 Dec 2025), full text as reproduced by thuvienphapluat.vn, 10 December 2025.
Under Hai Phong Resolution 47/2025/NQ-HĐND the fee for touring the Cat Ba bays with 1 overnight stay(s) on the bays is (adult / child 6+) VND 400,000 / 300,000 per person. Hai Phong City People's Council, Resolution 47/2025/NQ-HĐND (10 Dec 2025), full text as reproduced by thuvienphapluat.vn, 10 December 2025.
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.
Under Hai Phong Decision 253/2025/QĐ-UBND, when the port authority, traffic police, border guard or Cat Ba Bays Management Board order boats back to a safe anchorage in bad weather, the captain must comply. 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.
Under Hai Phong Decision 253/2025/QĐ-UBND, the body that sells tickets and collects the Cat Ba bays sightseeing and overnight fees is Ban Quản lý các vịnh thuộc quần đảo Cát Bà (Cat Ba Bays Management Board), under the Cat Hai special zone People's Committee. 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.
Viator lists Bus Hanoi to Cat Ba Island with Cat Ba Express with a stated duration of 3 hours 15 minutes to 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.). Viator product page (as listed on the read date).
In summer (1 April to 31 October) tourist boats on Halong Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay may leave port from 5:00 and must be back by 20:00, under Quang Ninh Decision 43/2024/QD-UBND 5:00 to 20:00 local time. Quang Ninh Provincial People's Committee, Decision 43/2024/QD-UBND, Article 14(1), 8 October 2024.
In winter (1 November to 31 March) tourist boats on Halong Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay may leave port from 5:30 and must be back by 19:00, under Quang Ninh Decision 43/2024/QD-UBND 5:30 to 19:00 local time. Quang Ninh Provincial People's Committee, Decision 43/2024/QD-UBND, Article 14(2), 8 October 2024.
The Hanoi to Hai Phong expressway, the first leg of the expressway route from Hanoi to Ha Long City, is, as stated by Vietnam's Ministry of Industry and Trade, long 105.5 km. Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam, 'Chính thức thông xe toàn tuyến cao tốc kết nối vùng dài nhất Việt Nam', 01/09/2022, 1 September 2022.
The Hai Phong to Ha Long expressway segment, as stated by Vietnam's Ministry of Industry and Trade, is long 25 km. Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam, 'Chính thức thông xe toàn tuyến cao tốc kết nối vùng dài nhất Việt Nam', 01/09/2022, 1 September 2022.
The expressway across Quang Ninh province (Ha Long to Van Don to Mong Cai) was completed when the 80 km Van Don to Mong Cai section opened; the whole Quang Ninh expressway is long 176 km. Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam, 'Chính thức thông xe toàn tuyến cao tốc kết nối vùng dài nhất Việt Nam', 01/09/2022, 1 September 2022.
Cruise boats began crossing between Halong Bay and Lan Ha Bay on four connecting itineraries (VHL3, VHL4, VHL5, VHL6 to Lan Ha Bay); the first two sailings left Tuan Chau International Marina and the Sun Group inland pier at Ha Long International Cruise Port on 20 April 2026. Ha Long Bay Management Board website, post 698 (2026-04-20), 20 April 2026.
Storm suspensions on Halong Bay stop departure permits; they are issued by the Quang Ninh inland waterway port authority (Cảng vụ Đường thủy và Đăng kiểm phương tiện thủy nội địa, under the provincial Department of Construction) on the direction of the provincial disaster steering committee, or come as a notice of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment to that authority (Matmo 2025, Storm No.1 2026); the body that stops the permits is Quang Ninh Inland Waterway Port Authority. Ha Long Bay Management Board website, suspension notices 2025-2026 (posts 240, 268, 287, 292, 990, 1215), 3 July 2026.
Exchange rates. VND per unit of each currency. USD: State Bank of Vietnam (Ngân hàng Nhà nước Việt Nam), Tỷ giá page, 14 November 2026; AUD: State Bank of Vietnam (Ngân hàng Nhà nước Việt Nam), Tỷ giá page, 12 November 2026; GBP: State Bank of Vietnam (Ngân hàng Nhà nước Việt Nam), Tỷ giá page, 12 November 2026
Headline costs. Added up from the listed prices, bay fees and fares each cost names; each part has its own source in this list
Lan Ha Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay cruises: bay in the title against bay in the itinerary. Each partner listing's title, itinerary, pier and inclusions as read on its read date
Partner listing details. Each partner listing page as read on its read date (pier, cancellation terms, rating)
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)
Distances in a straight line. Measured on the site from OpenStreetMap coordinates (great circle, 6,371 km earth radius). A straight line between two points, not a sailing or road distance. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).

Photographs

Wide Halong Bay seascape with karst islands. Photo: Christophe95 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Lan Ha Bay seascape. Photo: Christophe95 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Ti Top Island beach and viewpoint. Photo: Steffen Schmitz (more photos) / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Kayaks or bamboo boats in Lan Ha Bay. Photo: Christophe95 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0