Ha Long Bay, just a few hours from Hanoi, is one of Vietnam’s most spectacular sights. With thousands of limestone islands and sparkling emerald-green water, it’s best seen on a junk boat cruise, where you’ll stop at caves, hidden lagoons and floating fishing villages along the way. After the buzz of Hanoi, a night or two in Ha Long Bay is very much a welcome change of pace and a must as part of any Vietnam Multi Centre Holiday.
1. Spend a night on board a junk boat cruise
2. Kayak into the lagoon at Luon Cave
3. Walk through the chambers of Sung Sot (Surprise) Cave
4. Take in the view from the top of Ti Top Island
5. Visit Cua Van or Vung Vieng fishing village by bamboo boat
6. Learn how pearls are cultivated at Tung Sau
7. Visit Cat Ba Island and swim in Lan Ha Bay
8. Cross the water by cable car
9. Try the local seafood
10. Take a day trip and visit the pagodas of Yen Tu
Junk boats are the traditional way to travel around Ha Long Bay and one of the best things to do in Vietnam, but don’t let the name ‘junk’ put you off. The word comes from the Malay ‘jong’, meaning a large ship. Many are more like floating boutique hotels with comfortable cabins, sun decks and restaurants serving Vietnamese food.
A day trip gives you a good taste of the scenery, but to really make the most of it and enjoy the peace when the day boats go back to shore, we’d highly recommend staying overnight.
There’s plenty to do on board, too. You can watch the sun set over the islands from the top deck or join a gentle tai chi session at dawn. Many cruises also run Vietnamese cooking classes and squid fishing at night.
Not every cruise that leaves from Ha Long actually stays in Ha Long Bay. Some head into neighbouring Lan Ha Bay or Bai Tu Long Bay, which have similar limestone scenery and usually fewer boats. Others combine them, taking in Ha Long Bay’s sights before moving somewhere quieter for swimming and kayaking.
Most cruises include at least one stop for you to take out a kayak and get into corners of the bay that the larger boats can’t reach. This allows you to slip beneath low rock arches and into quiet lagoons surrounded by huge limestone cliffs. The water is usually calm and sheltered, so it’s ideal even if you’ve never kayaked before.
Luon Cave is one of the best-known spots. You paddle through a low tunnel in the rock and come out in a hidden lagoon enclosed by steep cliffs.
The limestone islands are full of caves, and most Ha Long Bay cruises include a visit to at least one. Sung Sot Cave, also known as Surprise Cave, is one of the largest. Its chambers are vast and full of stalactites and stalagmites, with a walkway that leads you through them.
Thien Cung Cave, or Heavenly Palace Cave, is another popular spot, known for its intricate rock formations. Nearby Dau Go Cave is also a good option.
If you’ve seen a postcard of Ha Long Bay, there’s a good chance the photo was taken from the viewpoint on Ti Top Island. It’s a steep climb of a few hundred steps to the top, but the view of the islands spread out across the water below makes it well worth the workout.
Back at the bottom, there’s a small sandy beach where you can cool off with a swim.
Fishing has been part of life in Ha Long Bay for generations, and local families once lived in floating villages of houses and fish farms on the water. Although many have since moved to the mainland, fish farming has carried on in some areas.
Many cruises stop at one of these villages, where you swap your larger junk boat for a small bamboo rowing boat and a local guide paddles you between the houses and fish farms. Cua Van is the best-known and is included on many Ha Long Bay routes, but it can get busy. For a quieter visit, choose a cruise to Bai Tu Long Bay, which usually stops at Vung Vieng instead.
Tung Sau Pearl Farm is the best-known pearl farm in Ha Long Bay, and many cruises include a stop here. You’ll see how pearls are cultivated, from tending the oysters to harvesting, using a mix of traditional Vietnamese techniques and Japanese technology.
Cat Ba is the largest island in the area, and much of it is protected as Cat Ba National Park. The park is home to dense forest, hiking trails and the critically endangered Cat Ba langur, a rare monkey found nowhere else in the world.
Head up to Cannon Fort for panoramic views over the island. You can also hire a bike and cycle through the countryside to Viet Hai, a small village tucked away in the hills.
Just offshore, Lan Ha Bay has hundreds of limestone islands and islets, plus little sandy beaches that are perfect for a swim. Some cruises stop at Cat Ba, but you can also stay on the island and take boat trips out into the bay, which gives you more time to explore beyond the usual cruise stops.
If you’re spending a night in Ha Long City before or after your cruise, take the Queen Cable Car. It carries you over the water from the Bai Chay seafront to Ba Deo Hill, with views over the bay and the city on the way.
At the top, you’ll find the Sun Wheel, a giant observation wheel, and a Japanese garden.
It’s no surprise that seafood dominates the local food scene. If you’re staying in Ha Long City, make sure you try banh cuon cha muc, a local speciality and popular breakfast dish of steamed rice rolls served with squid cakes. Bai Chay Market is a good place to find it.
In the evening, head to a local seafood restaurant for freshly cooked squid, clams and prawns. At many places, you can pick your seafood before it’s cooked, so you know exactly what you’re getting. Ha Long’s night market is fun to wander around too, with lots of food to try and a lively atmosphere.
If you have time to venture beyond the bay, Yen Tu Mountain is an easy day trip from Ha Long. It’s around an hour away by car and has a very different feel, with slopes covered in thick forest, ancient temples and pagodas.
Yen Tu is an important Buddhist pilgrimage site and the birthplace of Truc Lam Zen Buddhism, and in 2025, Yen Tu became part of the UNESCO-listed Yen Tu–Vinh Nghiem–Con Son, Kiep Bac Complex of Monuments and Landscapes.
You can take a cable car most of the way up or follow the old pilgrim trail on foot, passing temples and pagodas as you go. At the small bronze pagoda near the summit, the view across the mountains on a clear day is spectacular.
Ha Long Bay fits perfectly into a holiday to Vietnam, especially if you’re starting with a few days in Hanoi. Our Best of Vietnam itinerary takes you to Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, Hue, Hoi An and Vietnam’s best beaches, combining cities, culture and coastline in the same trip.
If you’re thinking about a trip to Vietnam, simply get in touch with our team. We’d love to help you put together your perfect multi-centre holiday.
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