Louis our guide and Thom our driver were incredible. Let me start with Thom the driver. He was cautious in Chaos. Traffic is not for the faint of heart here and he navigates like a pro. Next Louis. Oh what can I say. He was kind and smart and just so personable. His telling of the Hanoi Hilton was quite dofferemt from what we had been told so it was an interesting perspective. He took us to some gorgeous temples and a little shopping. However my favorite part was just sitting having an egg cream coffee ( which is delicious by the way) and talking about life in Vietnam. Ask for Louis if you book this tour!!!
It’s a very full - half day cruise with lots of brilliant aspects. Wear sturdy shoes for the cave / climb. The caves are stunning, as is the climb to the summit of Ti Top the views are brilliant. And the sunset disco on the way back was awesome. (And happy hour was a bonus). Great value for money and superb staff.
What a beautiful experience! It's a good feeling to enjoy the beauty of nature without exhausting yourself. From the reminders, to the pickup point, and all throughout the day tour, Hiep, of Arcady Cruise, made sure no one was left out. It's a day of nature, food and adventures.
Ha Long Bay experience is very much recommended!
Ms. Lily (Mi Van), our guide, was very good. She met us exactly where we were told she would be (information centre). Small group, which was good. Ha Long Bay was lovely. My favourite part of the excursion was the speedboat ride (I felt like James Bond 007 being chased). The onboard meal was more than enough for all of us at our table. It was a cultural treat, and so well prepared. The whole excursion was worth every penny spent. Even the obligatory shopping stop was a pleasant surprise, as the surroundings were so picturesque.
From the moment we were picked up in a luxury bus (with seats like business class plane) to getting on the boat, we were treated so well by our wonderful guide, Jake. The whole day was so well planned, with 3 fabulous stops on the cruise to explore beaches and caves. It was a busy day, with many crowds from multiple other cruise ships, but it did not impact on our day as we all really enjoyed ourselves. The food is quite nice, with a surprise sunset party on the roof while sailing home. I would definitely recommend this tour to anyone wanting to have a special day out in Ha Long bay.
Viktor did a great job taking care of us. Everything went smoothly the whole day. from bus trip from/to Hanoi to the fabulous experience on the Catamaran. The staff on the Catamaran were very attentive and helpful.
Weather was incredible - sunny and warmer than expected. Halong Bay is an incredible place to see. So majestic.
One.thing to note - jacuzzi is not heated.
This was a simple transfer from the cruise terminal port in Halong Bay to a hotel in Hanoi. The transfer went very smoothly. The operator confirmed the day before via WhatsApp. The driver was right on time. The trip to the hotel was very smooth. This was an excellent want to transfer from the cruise port to downtown.
The trip to Ha Long was quite okay. The tour guide was friendly and enthusiastic — he picked me up right at my hotel door and walked me to the shuttle bus. This morning, he even introduced me to Vietnamese coffee and baguette at a rest stop. The coffee was amazing, full of that signature Vietnamese flavor! The bread was alright — I guess Hanoi probably has better ones, haha.
Lunch was simple and not particularly impressive, but it was enough to fill me up. The weather has turned a bit chilly, so I wasn’t really in the mood for kayaking or taking a boat ride. Instead, I decided to just sit on the cruise and enjoy a refreshing coconut.
Overall, it was a pleasant trip, and I believe my next journey to Ninh Binh will be just as wonderful!
Don’t miss this experience with JadeSail, over the top value. Ha Long bay and cultured pearls.
Total experience was outstanding: beautiful ship, great food and entertainment, row boat and kayak into caves, spectacular scenery, engaging staff. Great value and much more than I expected. The limousine is worth the money for 2 hr transit. The cultured pearl farm was super interesting/informative.
This was an absolutely incredible experience I would recommend to everyone visiting Vietnam.
Our tour guide Hana was 10/10 explaining the local culture of fisherman, differences between Lan Ha Bay and Halong Bay and explaining the surrounding area throughout the tour.
The bus picked us up and dropped us off right at our air bnb in Old Town Hanoi where we had a 3 hour bus (including 1 hour ferry) to Cat Ba island where you board the boat. We went for about 1.5 hour tour along the bay to our kayaking location where we explored multiple caves and attempted to find some local monkeys. Lunch was included and we had a few hour break to go swimming. Then we explored a local fish research center where we were taught about the aquaculture (different types of fish).
I felt that the excursion didn’t feel too touristy and we were able to receive a more authentic experience!
We loved our trip to Ha Long Bay! The boat was very comfortable and our room was gorgeous with a balcony and tub bath. The staff was extremely attentive to our every need. The food was very good, a mix of buffet style for lunch and breakfast and then plated meal for dinner. You do have to pay extra for any drinks you want. The excursions are great, including swimming, kayaking, and bicycle riding. I would definitely recommend the two nights stay because you get to do more activities and the one night seemed very rushed.
With its dramatic limestone islands and emerald-hued waters, you need hours to enjoy the highlights of Halong Bay. While most Halong Bay day trips explore on cruises from Halong City, Halong Bay Port, or Hanoi, some include a seaplane ride for a unique perspective of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. For cruise ship passengers, Halong Bay day trips can also include a tour of Halong City, Hanoi, or the mountains of northern Vietnam, and take care of all logistics for a hassle-free experience.