Ha Long Travel Forum

I have read lots of bad experiences of the Halong bay cruise.Can anyone recommend a really good company? Should I book before I get to Vietnam? Also is it essential to do an overnight tour on a junk or can I get a good idea of the place just with a day trip and return to Hanoi to sleep on dry Land (I prefer that) Thanks in advance.

I would recomend an overnight trip, I think the day trip would be too rushed and the sunset on Halong Bay was really lovely. We booked with Handspan Travel located in Ma May street behind the The Tamarind restaurant. We were on the Huong Hai boat paid about USD100 pp, which gave us our own bathroom, staff were really good and food excellent.

Maybe I was lucky, but I simply booked a tour from our hotel in Hanoi. Price was 40 usd in 2006 for an overnight tour and sleeping on the boat. It was one of the smaller boats with only 6 bedrooms, so maximum of 12 persons. If you take an overnight tour, you really can get away from the other boats and appreciate the spectaculair limestone rocks more.

Con:
The place where you are dropped is terrible : thousands of others tourists will be waiting there too. And you have to climb from one boat to another to get to the right boat. There is no other way. But I had to do that even with a Rhine cruise in Germany, Europe. Make sure you only have a backpack for 2 days and leave your other luggage at your hotel in Hanoi.
The tourguide was crap. But who cares, you are only there to marvel at the rocks.
Don't visit the caves. There is really nothing to see and you will sweat a lot. I was soaked when I got out of the cave.

Pro:
Our boat was really OK. The bedrooms were nicely decorated and with A/C. Food was plenty and good. Nothing fancy, but just good.
And ofcourse Halong Bay itself. I found it really beautiful. It's an UNESCO World Heritage Site after all.

It is your decision, but Halong Bay was one of the highlights from my visit to Vietnam. Why don't you check with Sinh Café, which is a reputable firm. I did some other tours with Sinh Café, which were OK.

Mate, if there's one thing in Vietnam on which to splurge it is Halong Bay. Tonkin Travel arranged a trip for us on the Bhaya and it was expensive (in Vietnamese terms) but absolutely fabulous! We went for two nights/three days.

Do an overnight cruise. One day will be very rushed, particularly if you're commuting from Hanoi.
Remember, you don't have to say on the boat either. Lots of tours have overnighters on Cat Ba Island - for you landlubbers!

From my research at the time, good options would be Bhaya (obviously!), Dragon's Pearl, Emeraude, Ginger, Jasmine (beautiful!), and Lagoon Explorer (very private, exlusive!).

Santa Maria Maria is much more affordable and apparently room 202 is the best.

Other junks you may want to consider include Annam Junk, Bai Tho, Bien Ngoc, Hai Long Dream, Huong Hai, Indochina Sail, Jewel of the Bay, Phoenix and Princess.

Good luck!

thanks Johan it's not so much the money. I am all for spending money when on a trip for worthwhile things. But nobody has really told me what's the difference between a day trip and a 2 or 3 day.I am not much of a swimmer, (or snorkeller for that matter) and I am really going for the scenery, and as I said ,I prefer to sleep on the island not the boat, so the luxury of the boat is not an issue for me. What except for more of the same,would be the benefit of a 2 day trip?
(not going to spend 3 days for sure)
thanks again

"I am all for spending money when on a trip for worthwhile things."
Halong Bay is one of the most stunning geographical areas in the world - no doubt it qualifies as a worthwhile thing.

"...nobody has really told me what's the difference between a day trip and a 2 or 3 day."
Several posters pointed out that a 1-day trip would be rushed. Other posters pointed out the different perspectives one gets at different times of the day and evening. It is not just a question of a few limestone karsts sticking out of the water. The Bay of the Descending Dragon offers many sights worthy of exploration: more than 20 caves, including Hang Sung Sot and Hang Trinh Nu; a floating fishing village; 1969 islets; photographing the Human Head, Stone Dog or Fighting Cocks; a pearl farm; cruising through sea caves into Ba Ham (an ocean lake surrounded by limestone mountains); night time squid fishing; interacting with young Vietnamese girls coming alongside and selling huge shells; kayaking to secluded beaches; walking tracks to stupendous lookouts over unbelievable scenery; Cat Ba Island; enjoying a sundowner on deck as the sun dips beneath the horizon etc. etc.
So what you get to see and experience will depend on how much time you invest.

"I am not much of a swimmer, (or snorkeler for that matter) and I am really going for the scenery."
It is not really a swimming or snorkelling destination. As for scenery, that is merely a synonym for Halong Bay.

"I prefer to sleep on the island not the boat"
Each to his or her own.

"What except for more of the same, would be the benefit of a 2 day trip?"
Aside from enjoying the peace, calm, tranquillity, it is not merely more of the same. Refer back to my response above.

I hope this answers some of your questions. Have you included Sapa in your itinerary? Maybe more time among the minorities of the northern mountains (on dry land!) will hold greater appeal...

thanks Johan it's not so much the money. I am all for spending money when on a trip for worthwhile things. But nobody has really told me what's the difference between a day trip and a 2 or 3 day.I am not much of a swimmer, (or snorkeller for that matter) and I am really going for the scenery, and as I said ,I prefer to sleep on the island not the boat, so the luxury of the boat is not an issue for me. What except for more of the same,would be the benefit of a 2 day trip?
(not going to spend 3 days for sure)
thanks again

thanks Johan I will think it over.Maybe one day, and an extra day with the hilltribes in Sapa, my husband is keen on that...
You have given a very full and helpful answer.