Lan Ha Bay

Lan Ha Bay tours from Cat Ba and Hanoi

Lan Ha Bay is the southern neighbour of Ha Long Bay, a maze of around 400 limestone islands, hidden lagoons and small white-sand beaches off Cat Ba Island. It has the same dramatic karst scenery as Ha Long but far fewer boats, so it is the best place in the region to kayak, swim and see floating fishing villages up close. Our team lives on Cat Ba, so every tour below is run locally, with hotel pickup and clear prices.

Lan Ha Bay day trip

Short on time? The full-day Lan Ha Bay & Ha Long Bay cruise (from $27) covers Cai Beo floating village, kayaking at Dark & Bright Cave, a swim at Ba Trai Dao beach and a sunset party. For an afternoon only, the Viet Hai village & sunset tour (from $28) adds cycling through a car-free village.

Lan Ha Bay 2 days 1 night

Most travellers choose two days. Sleep on the water with the luxury overnight cruise from Cat Ba or the same style of cruise with transfers from Hanoi, or combine a day cruise with a night in Cat Ba Town on our Lan Ha Bay & Cat Ba 2D1N tour. Want something special? Our glowing plankton kayaking tour takes you onto the bay after dark.

Lan Ha Bay 3 days 2 nights

With three days you can slow down: the floating house trip adds a night in the middle of the bay with fishing and plankton kayaking, while the 3D2N luxury cruise & island adventure mixes a Hera cruise with a national park trek.

What you can do on Lan Ha Bay

Kayaking and swimming

Kayaking is the highlight of almost every Lan Ha Bay tour. Paddle through low cave arches such as Dark & Bright Cave and Bat Cave into enclosed lagoons that big boats cannot enter. Most cruises also stop at a quiet beach such as Ba Trai Dao or Van Boi for swimming. Life jackets are always provided.

Floating villages and fish farms

Cai Beo is one of the oldest floating fishing villages in Vietnam. Many tours sail through it and stop at a floating fish farm, where families raise fish, lobster and shellfish in nets under their houses.

Monkey Island and Viet Hai village

Monkey Island has a sandy beach and a short, steep trail to a viewpoint (keep food out of sight of the monkeys). Viet Hai is a tiny village inside Cat Ba National Park, reached only by boat, where you cycle between rice fields and limestone cliffs.

Sunset, sunrise and glowing plankton

Sunset parties on deck are part of most tours. On an overnight cruise you also get sunrise over the karsts, and on dark nights in the warmer months you can see bioluminescent plankton sparkle in the water.

Where do Lan Ha Bay tours depart from?

Most boats leave from Ben Beo pier or Cai Beo wharf on Cat Ba Island, 5–10 minutes from Cat Ba Town. Luxury day cruises such as the Hera start from Tuan Chau Harbour near Ha Long City and sail south into Lan Ha Bay. From Hanoi, the journey to Cat Ba takes about 3–3.5 hours by bus and boat or bridge; all our Hanoi tours include pickup in the Old Quarter.

Lan Ha Bay vs Ha Long Bay

Many of our tours visit both bays in one trip. See our Ha Long Bay tours and Cat Ba Island tours.

When is the best time to visit Lan Ha Bay?

March to May and September to November bring calm seas and comfortable temperatures. June to August is hot and the best time for swimming and plankton, with occasional storms. December to February is cool and often misty – still beautiful, but less suited to swimming. If weather makes a cruise unsafe, the authorities close the bay and we reschedule or refund you in full.

Frequently asked questions