Boarding is at Cai Beo Cruise Port at around 12:00. Guests disembark between 11:45 and 12:00 on day two. Pickup from Cat Ba is at around 11:45, or from Hanoi and Ninh Binh at around 07:00 if that transfer package is selected.

Yes. Solo travellers pay a single supplement of 70 US dollars for a private cabin. Without it you share a cabin with another guest of the same sex. The boat has 11 cabins, so private cabins are limited and worth booking early in high season.

Included are the welcome drink, tea, coffee and two bottles of mineral water in the cabin, the Lan Ha Bay entrance ticket, kayaking, swimming, the Viet Hai village visit by bike or electric car, night squid fishing, a Tai Chi class, a Vietnamese cooking class, one breakfast, two lunches and one dinner.

Absolutely! Our cruise is highly family-friendly. We offer spacious connecting cabins, kid-friendly meal options, and completely safe activities. Life jackets of all sizes are strictly provided for all water excursions.

The cruise is capped at 25 guests, which is small for a bay cruise. Guests frequently contrast it with the large party cruises visible elsewhere on the water. The boat has 11 cabins and averages 22 to 25 guests per departure, so it runs close to full without ever carrying the numbers a large cruise does.

The day boats leave around four in the afternoon and the bay goes quiet. Dinner is on board, then squid fishing or drinks on the sundeck. Tai Chi starts at 6:30 the next morning. The 3D2N Cruise runs the same route for longer.

The single supplement is 70 US dollars, the highest in our Lan Ha Bay lineup, because a cabin held for one guest is a cabin nobody else can book. Without it you share with another guest of the same sex. With 11 cabins on board, private ones go early in high season.

We highly recommend booking at least 2 to 4 weeks in advance. Cabins sell out very quickly during the peak summer holidays and the beautiful autumn season, so early booking secures your preferred room type.

The cruise runs year round and the timetable does not shift with the season. Sea temperature is what changes: 30.5 degrees in July against 19.6 in January. For the swim stop, aim for May through October, as the best time to visit Cat Ba guide sets out.

Your bay entrance ticket is inside the rate. Because this cruise sleeps on the water, Hai Phong charges the overnight rate of 400,000 VND (~$16) per adult, not the 120,000 VND (~$5) day rate paid on a day tour, under Resolution 47/2025.

Boarding and disembarking times never change with the season. Nothing on this cruise is a trek, so weather changes only whether boats sail, and that call belongs to the bay management board.

• What still runs: kayaking, the swim stop, night squid fishing, sunrise Tai Chi, the cooking class and the Viet Hai visit by bike or electric car.
• What we swap in: if a walking route is ruled out, Tien Duc cave and Viet Hai village, both inside Cat Ba National Park. 
• Who calls it off: the bay management board, not the operator. No fixed wind grade is written into the rule.
• How long: one to three days at a time. Storm season in the Gulf of Tonkin runs June through September, as the Lan Ha Bay travel guide sets out.
• If your departure is cancelled: the 15-day cancellation terms do not apply. Refund, change of date, or the land route

Cabins have air conditioning, a private ensuite bathroom with hot shower, and twin or double bedding, similar to a small hotel room rather than a basic dorm. Windows or a balcony, depending on cabin category, let you see the bay from your room.

Wifi coverage on the boat is limited and can drop out once you're away from Cat Ba Island, so treat the overnight cruise as mostly a break from connectivity. Signal is generally better near the sun deck than inside the cabins.

Lan Ha Bay is sheltered by limestone islands, so the boat moves gently and seasickness is uncommon overnight. If you're prone to motion sickness, ask for a cabin on the lower deck near the middle of the boat, where movement is smallest.

Yes, tell us about any vegetarian, vegan or allergy requirements when you book so the onboard kitchen can prepare accordingly. Dinner is typically a set seafood-forward menu, and substitutions are easier with advance notice.

Casual, comfortable clothing is fine for dinner — there's no formal dress code on this cruise. Bring a light layer for the evening, since it can feel cooler on deck after sunset even in warm months.

You're booking directly with the local crew who runs this boat, not a resold listing bundled by someone else. Our team on Cat Ba Island handles your questions, seat availability and any last-minute changes personally, from the day you book to the day you sail, and your booking supports a local, family-run business based on the island.

Yes — Cat Ba and Lan Ha Bay share the same limestone karst scenery as Halong Bay, but with far fewer boats and quieter water. Most travelers who do both find Lan Ha Bay the more peaceful, less touristy half of the trip, especially on an overnight cruise like this one.

A day trip covers the main sights in a single day and suits travelers short on time, while this 2 days 1 night cruise adds sunset, sunrise and a full evening on the water without the crowds of a day-tour boat. If you can spare the extra night, most guests find it changes the pace of the trip rather than just adding more sightseeing.

Both are valid, and it comes down to what you want from the night: staying on this cruise puts you out on the water with sunset and stargazing over the bay, while a night in Cat Ba town gives you access to restaurants and nightlife. This tour keeps you on board, which most guests choose specifically for the quiet, on-the-water experience.

One day is enough to see the main highlights, but two days lets you reach quieter corners of the bay that day boats do not have time for, plus an evening and morning on the water. If your schedule only allows one day, our Day Tour covers the essentials; if you can spare the extra night, this cruise goes further.

Cat Ba and its surrounding Lan Ha Bay have the same karst scenery as Ha Long Bay but noticeably less boat traffic, since most large tour groups concentrate on Ha Long Bay itself. If you want photos without other boats in the frame and a slower pace, Cat Ba and Lan Ha Bay are generally the better choice.

A day cruise covers the sights but you are back on land by evening, while an overnight cruise like this one adds sunset, a full evening on deck, and sunrise over the bay before breakfast. Whether it is worth the extra cost depends on whether you value that slower pace — most guests who choose the overnight option say the evening and early morning are the highlight, not just extra sightseeing hours.

One night is enough to get a proper taste of Lan Ha Bay if you spend it on an overnight cruise like this one, since you get sunset, evening and sunrise on the water in a single stay. If you also want time on Cat Ba Island itself — beaches, the national park, or Cat Ba town — plan for at least one additional night before or after the cruise.

Yes, Cat Ba is worth visiting for the same limestone bay scenery as Ha Long Bay with a fraction of the boat traffic, plus Cat Ba National Park and beaches you cannot access from Ha Long City. It is a working island town rather than a resort strip, so expect a more local, lower-key atmosphere than the main Ha Long Bay tourist route.

Combining a Halong Bay cruise with a separate night on Cat Ba works well if you want to see both bays, but it means two different boats and two check-ins rather than one continuous trip. If you would rather keep it simple, this Lan Ha Bay 2 days 1 night cruise covers similar limestone-bay scenery in a single booking without switching boats.