5-Day Halong Bay Adventure: Cruise, Kayaking, and Island Hopping from Hanoi
Highlights:
Halong Bay is a famous natural wonder in Vietnam and the world.
Cat Ba has become a renowned landscape complex with majestic beauty and long white sandy beaches, considered a world biosphere reservation.
Vietnamdrive suggests a trip to Hanoi and Ha Long for 5 days and 4 nights to find out the highlights of Northeast Vietnam. You spend a vacation on a beautiful cruise through magnificent islands, taste flavorful food, and visit the eye-catching attractions of Halong Bay, Cat Ba Island, and Tuan Chau Island.
Let’s go!
Details of experience:
Day 1: Visit Hanoi City (L)
8:00 am, The car/van picks you up at your hotel in Hanoi (or from Noi Bai airport), then starts to do the city tour.
We will start with the journey to visit:
- Ngoc Son Temple in Hoan Kiem Lake,
- Hanoi Old Quarter, which owns 36 old streets,
- Dong Xuan Market, the largest market in Hanoi where sells different products from the city and nearby provinces,
- The ancient citadel of Hanoi capital,
- The Mausoleum and the Museum of Ho Chi Minh and his Stilt House,
- One Pillar Pagoda, a long-standing relic named Dien Huu Pagoda, with the meaning of lasting blessing.
At noon, we will stop at Pho Restaurant to enjoy the famous noodle soup in Vietnam.
Continuing your journey, you will explore:
- A beautiful complex in the west of the city, Quan Thanh temple, also known as Tran Vu, with a black bronze statue of Thanh Tran Vu weighing 3600kg.
- Tran Quoc Pagoda, where you can take beautiful landscapes. Tran Quoc is on the list of the oldest temples in Vietnam, built in 541.
- Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam (Literature of Temple) is the first university in Vietnam with many beautiful architectural buildings.
4:00 pm, we end the tour at your hotel to relax. You spend your own time exploring the beauty of Hanoi night around Hoan Kiem Lake or enjoy the Water Puppet Show for your option.
Day 2: Travel from Hanoi to Ha Long (B, L, D)
Today, you get up early to have breakfast and prepare to travel to Ha Long Bay – a stunning landscape set up with thousands of islands in the sea.
8:00 am, we depart for Ha Long Bay from your hotel in Hanoi. On the way, you can enjoy the countryside view.
After around 2.5 hours, the view of Halong Bay starts zooming in our eyes.
We come to Tuan Chau Tourist Boat Station to make the procedure to get on a beautiful cruise for an overnight journey to discover Halong Bay.
12:30 at noon, you have lunch on the cruise with dishes made from the freshest ingredients. During lunch, you can enjoy the beautiful scenery on Ha Long Bay while the ship gradually moves through the islets, such as Stone Dog, Lu Huong Peak, Ga Choi Hon, and thousands of rock islands in Halong Bay.
After lunch, you return to your cabin to rest before continuing to explore Halong Bay.
- The group will visit Sung Sot Cave – one of the most beautiful caves in Ha Long Bay.
- Then you can try to experience the Kayak boat to freely enjoy the vast scenery of the bay with water and mountains.
- After an hour of kayaking, you will visit Titop Island, which has a beautiful beach.
- The group can freely swim or conquer the top of Titop and watch the bay panorama from above.
- Here, you may also participate in other recreational activities on the beach, such as beach volleyball, shuttle coak, etc.
17:30, The group returns to the cruise, rest, and have dinner at the restaurant onboard. Dinner will be cooked directly by the chefs on the boat, and you can enjoy fresh and delicious seafood dishes.
After dinner, you can rest or participate in activities, such as night squid fishing, watching movies, or relaxing to listen to the wave sounds.
Overnight on the cruise.
Please note that the itinerary is the basic one. Depending on each cruise, a few places on the itinerary can be changed. However, most activities and services are planned carefully to create an incredible experience in Halong Bay.
Day 3: Explore Ha Long – Cat Ba Island (B, L)
Today is a good chance to watch the sunrise on Halong Bay in the early morning, and do not forget to keep this beautiful moment with the best photos.
7:00 am,breakfast is available to serve you.
- After that, the cruise takes you to Pearl Island in Cat Ba. You will stop at the pearl farm to research the process of growing pearls and are free to visit and buy products made from pearls.
- Continue the excursion, and the ship comes to Van Gia fishing village to see the daily life of fishermen.
- Your journey will come to Viet Hai boat station. Take your bike and start the ride in Viet Hai village and Cat Ba National Park, a vital biosphere reserve region.
12:00 at noon, we return to the cruise and have lunch.
After lunch, you admire the beautiful scenery of Lan Ha Bay – one of the most famous tourist destinations in Cat Ba.
Then, you will stop at Monkey Island, there are white sand beaches and plenty of mischievous monkeys. You are free to immerse yourself in the clear blue water of Cat Ba Beach.
3:30 pm, we come back on the boat to return to Cai Beo tourist wharf. Here, the car/van will pick you up and drive you to the hotel on the island for check-in procedures.
After check-in, you can relax or freely swim at the beautiful beach of Cat Co 1 or Cat Co 2 on Cat Ba Island.
At night, you can have dinner at your hotel or enjoy seafood in a restaurant on the island on your own budget. After dinner, do not forget to see Cat Ba at night.
Overnight at a hotel on the island.
Day 4: Cat Ba – Tuan Chau (B)
Have breakfast and prepare for the journey from Cat Ba to Tuan Chau Boat Station.
In the morning, we depart for Gia Luan station. Say goodbye to Cat Ba island, and check in to the cruise to take you back to Ha Long Bay City.
On the way back, you can enjoy the beautiful scenery of the islands in Halong Bay combined with the green ocean.
11:30 pm, you come to Tuan Chau Boat Station. Also, the can or van pick you up and take you to check in at your hotel in Halong City. The rest of the day is your leisure.
You freely relax, roam, admire the famous tourist area of Tuan Chau, immerse yourself in the clear blue water of Tuan Chau Beach, and participate in games, such as water canoe and parachute jumping (expenses are your own budget).
You will have your free leisure and have dinner.
At night, you can walk or taxi to watch water music performances at the Tuan Chau entertainment area, see seals and sea lions, or watch 3D movies. All these activities are optional.
Overnight at your hotel in Halong Bay.
Day 5: Tan Chau – Visit Chu Yen Tu – Hanoi (B, L)
It is time to get up early to admire the beautiful scenery on the bay.
8:00 am, check out the hotel. The car welcomes you to depart for the Yen Tu scenic complex.
9:30 am, you can walk or use a cable car to Hoa Yen Pagoda (cable car is optional). This first step leads you to the journey to Yen Tu Temple (cable car tickets are excluded). This temple is one of the holy places for the Buddhist people to pray for peace for their family and relatives.
11:30 am, after having lunch at the restaurant at the foot of the mountain with many rustic dishes of Northeast Vietnam, you will continue the journey to conquer the highest peak of the Yen Tu mountain range at an altitude of 1,068m.
After the Buddha’s ceremony at Dong Pagoda, we depart to go down the mountain and visit a shrine to worship An Ky Sinh. This man is a famous Taoist monk who used to go to Yen Tu to find medicinal plants.
3:30 pm, we get back in the car to go back to Hanoi. On the way to stop in Hai Duong, enjoy a cup of fragrant tea with the mung-bean cake that is Hai Duong specialties. Then continue your journey to your hotel in Hanoi.
The tour ends.
Inclusion:
Accommodations:
03 nights at the 4-star hotel, including 2 nights in Hanoi, 1 night on the island, and 1 night in Halong City
Comfortable 4-star hotel (air-conditioner, hot and cold water, mini-bar)
Standard room type: 2 adult guests/room, if the group has an odd number, the 3-bed rooms will be supplied. If one guest wants to use a single room, the surcharge will be applied.
Please note that all accommodations can be changed when a hotel cannot receive the booking. We try to keep the same standard or higher.
Cruise in Halong Bay:
4-star cruise to explore Halong Bay
Transportation:
New modern cars/vans/buses with air-conditioners and safe belts throughout the program (the size of the vehicle depends on the number of groups)
Guide:
English-speaking guide to experience throughout the program, but on board, the cruise staff will take care of you.
Entrance fee:
+ Tickets to visit the attractions in the itinerary (admission 1 time)
+ Entrance fee to visit island and caves during the tours
Meals:
+ Breakfast at the hotel
+ 04 lunches, and 01 dinner onboard
Note: B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner
Travel Insurance:
Travel insurance with Vietnamese standards is compulsory. But, this insurance travel has low quality and almost is not fixed for foreign tourists. Thus, you have to buy your own international insurance before traveling with us.
Exclusion:
Flights/ trains:
Airfare, train, and car for traveling to Hanoi to start the tour.
But, we can support you in booking these tickets on your request.
Optional Activities:
The tour price does not cover the optional activities mentioned in the itinerary.
Additional services:
* Personal expenses, extra food, self-ordered drinks during meals
* Transportation outside the program
* The cost of a single room
* Tips for the guide and driver
International travel insurance:
International travel insurance is not included in the price. You have to have this insurance when traveling with us. When all guests own international travel insurance with international standards, it is much better to travel to Vietnam.
What to note:
This standard schedule is designed and arranged with a standard. When you want to customize some activities or destinations for your needs, please contact us! We will plan the tour according to your requirements to make your holidays in Hanoi and Ha Long more valuable.
The trip is private on land. The private cabin but on the big cruise, and visit islands with the people on the cruise.
Cancellation and changed policy
Cancellation policy
Conditions for tour cancellation (weekdays):
* After registering for the tour cancellation, 10% of the tour price is lost.
* Cancellation of the tour 45 days before departure 30% of the price charged.
* Cancellation of the tour 30 days before departure 50% of the price charged.
* Cancellation of the tour 15- 30 days before departure 75% of the price charged.
* Cancellation of the tour within 14 days before departure 100% of the price charged.
* Flight cancellation fee according to the airline’s regulations.
Change policy
Conditions for change of departure date (only one time):
* Change before 45 days compared to the date of departure: transfer fee 0% of the tour.
* 30 days before the departure date: 20% of tour cost.
* Under 30 days before the departure date, the cancellation policy can be applied.
* Flight change fee according to the airline’s regulations.
Notes:
* Guests wishing to check out late on the last day will be charged an additional room fee according to the hotel’s regulations.
* Check in the hotels from 2:00 pm.