Lan Ha Bay day tour from Cat Ba, Hanoi - Serenity Boutique Cruise
Recommended by 99% of travelers
Hanoi, Vietnam
- 15 to 16 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Explore our promoted experiences
Overview
Instead of visiting the crowded tourist spots, you can enjoy a day exploring the lesser-known spots in Lan Ha Bay during this cruise tour from Cat Ba Island or Hanoi. The curated itinerary takes you quieter locations and gives you the chance try outdoor activities like kayaking, swimming, snorkeling, and even jumping into the water. Immerse yourself in the beauty of Lan Ha Bay as you paddle through picturesque landscapes.
- Visit Lan Ha Bay and experience a lot of fun outdoor activities
- Enjoy kayaking, snorkeling, swimming, and jumping off the cliffs
- Savor a lunch of fresh seafood and Vietnamese dishes on the boat
- Round-trip transportation from your hotel in Cat Ba Town or Hanoi
What's Included
- Round trip transfer
- Comfortable cruise
- Entrance ticket, sightseeing ticket
- Lunch on cruise
- Experienced and professional tour guide, English speaking guide on boat
- Kayak, swimming
- Drinks at bar
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Pickup details
5:30 AM - 5:45 AM: Pick-up at your hotel located in Hanoi Old Quarter. 6:00 AM: Pick-up at the Serenity Cruises Office (No. 214 Tran Quan Khai, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi). Pick up at Hai Phong: Công ty TNHH Vận Tải Du Lịch Cát Bà - Bến xe Vận Tải Cát Bà, No. 16 Ben Binh, Minh Khai Ward, Hong Bang District, Hai Phong at 6:30 AM. Pick up at Cat Ba Island: Cat Ba Express office, No. 191, 1/4 Street, Cat Ba Town, Hai Phong at 8:30 AM.
Itinerary
1
Hanoi
3 hours 20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Hai Phong (Pass By)
2
Cat Ba
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
Lan Ha Bay
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
4
Cai B
40 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
5
Lan Ha Bay
1 hour • Admission Ticket Included
6
Dark & Light Cave
2 hours • Admission Ticket Included
7
Lan Ha Bay
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
8
Ba Trai Dao
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
9
Lan Ha Bay
1 hour • Admission Ticket Included
10
Cat Ba
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Hai Phong (Pass By)
11
Hanoi
3 hours 20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Ninh Binh (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 48 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
This experience is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason. If you cancel or ask for an amendment, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Liam_L
If you don't have the time to stay on Cat Ba for a couple days, then this is your best bet to see Lan Ha Bay from Hanoi. Scenery was beautiful, food on the cruise was delicious, guides were fun and helpful. Lan Ha Bay wasn't overcrowded and getting to kayak and swim a bit made the cruise really fun. It was relaxing (some people stayed on the boat and read or napped while we kayaked) even though it was a long day to and from Hanoi. Definitely recommend it for those who only have a day to get to the bay.
Reviews
5.0
based on 477 reviews
Klei_M, Mar 2026
Weather wasn’t great. But the tour itself was.
Nature in Han La bay is beautiful. You might even see some monkeys. I did the trip from and to Hanoi, which can be very tiring. But it was the only 1 day tour I found from Hanoi. If you can go to Cat Ba island first (or stay there after), makes it easier.
Tour was incredibly well organized, people come from Hanoi, from Cat Ba and leave in Cat Ba or Hanoi (or airport) and it’s all organized perfectly. The guide speaks very good English and is funny. Special note for the food. They give you a great meal with lots of different seafood! All fresh and good.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you very much for taking the time to share such a thoughtful review of your experience with our Lan Ha Bay day tour.
We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed the trip, especially the beautiful scenery of Lan Ha Bay, the organization of the tour, and the food on board. Our team always strives to make the logistics as smooth as possible for guests traveling from different locations such as Hanoi, Cat Ba Island, or even those continuing to the airport, so your kind words about the organization truly mean a lot to us.
We are also very happy that you enjoyed the guiding and the fresh seafood lunch prepared by our crew. Providing a memorable experience in the bay — even when the weather is not perfect — is always our goal.
Thank you as well for sharing your helpful advice for future travelers about staying on Cat Ba Island to make the journey more relaxed. We really appreciate it.
We hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you again on another journey in Lan Ha Bay.
Warm regards,
Liam_L, Feb 2026
If you don't have the time to stay on Cat Ba for a couple days, then this is your best bet to see Lan Ha Bay from Hanoi. Scenery was beautiful, food on the cruise was delicious, guides were fun and helpful. Lan Ha Bay wasn't overcrowded and getting to kayak and swim a bit made the cruise really fun. It was relaxing (some people stayed on the boat and read or napped while we kayaked) even though it was a long day to and from Hanoi. Definitely recommend it for those who only have a day to get to the bay.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you very much for your wonderful review and for recommending our Lan Ha Bay day tour from Hanoi.
We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed the beautiful scenery of Lan Ha Bay, the kayaking and swimming activities, as well as the relaxing atmosphere on board. One of the things many guests appreciate about Lan Ha Bay is that it remains less crowded, allowing visitors to truly enjoy the peaceful beauty of the bay.
We are also very happy that you enjoyed the food on the cruise and the support from our guides and crew. Our team always strives to make the experience both enjoyable and well organized, especially for travelers coming from Hanoi who may only have one day to explore the bay.
As you mentioned, it is a long day of travel, but we are glad that the experience made the journey worthwhile. Thank you again for your recommendation — it truly means a lot to our team.
We hope to welcome you back again for another memorable trip in Lan Ha Bay, perhaps next time with a little more time to explore Cat Ba Island as well.
Warm regards,
christina_o, Dec 2025
This was such an amazing trip. We had been told this was so much less commercialised than Halong Bay and it didn’t disappoint! Very few other vessels and excellent service on the Serenity Cruises boat.
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Thank you so much for your lovely review! 🌟
We’re thrilled to hear that you had such an amazing trip and that Lan Ha Bay lived up to its reputation as a quieter, less commercialized alternative to Ha Long Bay. It’s wonderful to know you appreciated the peaceful scenery, the limited number of vessels, and the excellent service on board Serenity Cruises.
Thank you for choosing Serenity Boutique Cruise. We truly hope to welcome you back for another unforgettable experience in Lan Ha Bay!
Shell_G, Nov 2025
The tour was planned exceptionally well and we had a brilliant time from start to finish. Our guides, Tony and Tunah, were both incredibly friendly and polite. Tony looked after us for most of the day and did an excellent job. He shared plenty of interesting facts, kept us updated throughout, and made sure we always knew what was coming next.
The activities were also fantastic. We especially enjoyed the swimming and kayaking, which were great fun and really added to the experience.
Overall, it was a memorable day and we were very impressed with how smoothly everything ran.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Thank you so much for your wonderful review!
We’re thrilled to hear that you had a brilliant day from start to finish. Tony and Tunah will be delighted to know that their friendliness, guidance, and updates made your experience even more enjoyable.
It’s great that you had fun with the swimming and kayaking activities and that everything ran smoothly for you. We truly appreciate your kind words and hope to welcome you back for another memorable adventure soon! 🌿✨
Rebecca_B, Feb 2025
Great recently remodeled boat and fun itinerary! It was one of the coldest days of the year and the guide did a great job to pivot our plan to explore an island instead of swimming.
Marsha_F, Dec 2024
Tony our tour guide arranged for us to be picked up at our hotel and whisked with our fellow travelers to the boat cruise. We had perfect weather and Tony and the boat staff worked efficiently to serve drinks and lunch and afternoon tea. The Light/Dark caves were not accessible due to maintenance (or something like that) but Tony still helped us navigate around the beautiful rock formations in the bay with the Kayaks. We also had lots of time to swim and never felt rushed. Worth every penny. Thanks for a great day!!
Monica_D, Nov 2024
This was a great choice, we had an amazing time. The boat was spacious and in good condition, it navigated smoothly and not noisy at all, especially compared with other boats we passed by. The kayaks were new and light, again we saw people kayaking on very old and heavy looking kayaks.. But definitely the highlight was the tour guide, he is a charming and enthusiastic person who truly love his job. He made sure we have a great experience even though the tie was high by giving us alternative this to visit. Definitely recommend It
MIchele_G, Aug 2024
We were very happy that they didn’t cancel the cruise when there were only 8 of us booked for the tour. The boat was very nice and the food was fantastic!
Hidde_J, Jun 2024
Tony and the rest of the crew was great! Very hospitable and kind crew. Would recommend it to everyone!
Eli_T, May 2024
Negatives: My partner and I requested vegetarian food but were forgotten about at lunch. When I raised the issue with the guide “Tony” he said that we never told him. He then dismissed me and we only able to eat rice for lunch while the rest of the table (including other vegetarians) ate their lunch.
There was also an incident with a “Banana Boat” activity that a few guests paid for which led to someone being taken to hospital for stitches.
Positives: The boat is nice and spacious and the views around the bay are beautiful.
The kayaks were in good condition and we managed to see some sights until we were met with around 100 other kayakers
Marissa_L, May 2024
Really great. Happy (the tour guide) is so awesome and nice. The tour felt well explained and organized. One general con (not specific to this tour) is that Lan Ha Bay, although fairly quite, still has a trash issue in the water (although looks much better than Ha Long Bay), which took away from the view a bit. Caution: if you are prone to sea sickness, our ride was a bit wavy - so be sure to take some gravol beforehand if you want to be on safe side.
Julie_O, Apr 2024
Fantastic day. Beautiful boat with amazing food. Friendly guide. Perfect day that I would definitely tecommend.
1gregheat, Apr 2024
The tour guide, "Happy", was an extremely likeable and energetic person who did a great job of ensuring all persons were picked up and returned home during a peak period due to the festival being held.. Cat Ba Express bus, guided by Binh on the outward journey did a great job of multiple pickups - on time using a motor bike outrider to ensure collection of guests.
Being an older couple we did not share in all offered physical activites, obviously enjoyed by the younger set. The provided lunch was a bit ordinary
The bus drivers used remained calm at all times and gave a great, smooth ride. Thanks to all for the day!
Jason_D, Mar 2024
Great value for money
Well organised and very enjoyable
Highly recommended and Phil our guide was superb
Shauna_D, Mar 2024
Everything was attended to from start to finish. The boat was beautiful and comfortable and food was excellent. Best kayaks!
Sarah_V, Jan 2024
They do an incredible job taking care of you. Activities were perfectly paced to allow for relaxing while not getting bored.
Arnaud_Y, Dec 2025
Extraordinary experience with very friendly people! Me and my wife recommend 100%. Both the landscapes and the kindness of the organizers
Auto-translated
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Merci beaucoup pour votre superbe avis ! 🌟
Nous sommes ravis d’apprendre que vous et votre épouse avez vécu une expérience extraordinaire avec Serenity Boutique Cruise. C’est un vrai plaisir de savoir que vous avez apprécié à la fois la beauté des paysages et la gentillesse de notre équipe.
Merci infiniment pour votre recommandation à 100 %. Nous espérons avoir le plaisir de vous accueillir à nouveau très bientôt pour une autre belle aventure dans la baie de Lan Ha !
Andrea_B, Aug 2024
La barca era ottima, molto spazio, buoni servizi, anche le prese per elettriche per ricaricare telefoni e macchine fotografiche. Ottimo e abbondante il pranzo. Ben organizzata la gita in kayak e la sosta per il bagno. La baia di Lan Ha e’ semplicemente spettacolare.
Katja_L, Jun 2024
Ich habe schon 2 Touren in der Halong Bay gemacht und das war die langweiligste. Zuerst wurde vergessen, mich am Hotel abzuholen, obwohl der Guide Sean am Abend zuvor noch die Abholzeit schickte. Als ich nach 20 Minuten nachfragte, wurde anscheinend irgendjemand mit seinem Privatwagen geschickt. Am Pier steht man dann erstmal rum und alles wirkt chaotisch. Nettes kleines Boot, nichtmal zur Hälfte ausgelastet. Lahme Gruppe, nur Pärchen, also nichts für Alleinreisende. Der Guide machte die nötigen Ansagen, mehr aber auch nicht und war dann verschwunden. Keine Infos zur tollen Landschaft oder den Locals im Fischerdorf. Lunch war sehr lecker, obwohl es wie abgezählt wirkte. Bei der Kanutour war auch erst nicht klar, ob die geführt ist und dann ging der Guide auch noch fast verloren in der Strömung. Nicht sehr professionell. Für das regnerische Wetter kann der Guide nichts, tut aber auch nichts zur Erheiterung oder gegen die Langeweile.
La_D, Mar 2024
Une journée de rêve.
Un bus passe nous chercher à l’hôtel puis petit bateau pour arriver sur le Serenity Premium Cruise. Le bateau est magnifique. Nous n’avons pas vu la journée passer. Entre la balade, le kayak, nager dans la baie, sauter du haut du ponton. Tout était parfait. Le repas du midi est très copieux. Notre guide Tony était vraiment très sympa et chaleureux. Le temps était un peu nuageux mais ça n’a pas empêché de passer une super journée. Je recommande vivement cette croisière. C’est la 2ème fois que je fais la baie d halong et avec cette prestation vous êtes sûrs de passer un vrai bon moment.
Nicolas_C, Feb 2024
Excellente croisière !! Même si le temps n’était pas top, bonne visibilité, température de l’eau agréable et circuit qui couvre toute la baie. Les sorties canoë donnent une autre expérience, vue imprenable. Équipage super, repas et boissons très bons et copieux. On recommande fortement le guide, Son et toute l’équipe. Vous pouvez y aller les yeux fermés. En plus ils feront au mieux pour vous ramener à votre hôtel à Cat ba ou sur Hanoï à l’heure que vous souhaitez. Merci pour cette belle journ ée !
Daniela_T, Jan 2024
Muy buen guia el kayak fue lo mejor y una excursion muy tranquila. Nos llevaron a la isal de los monos tambien y no estaba incluido en el tour.
Melanie_L, Nov 2023
Nous avons passé un très bon moment avec Serenity Cruise. L'équipage était très serviable et Tony Stark notre guide était professionnel et drôle. Il parlait très bien anglais et nous a donné pleins de détails sur la Baie de Lanha. Les paysages sont magnifiques et il y avait très peu d'autres bateaux. Le repas était copieux. C'est une croisière calme et agréable. Nous recommandons.
From $38.00
per person-You will not receive a refund if you cancel.
Compare Similar Experiences
Current
Lan Ha Bay day tour from Cat Ba, Hanoi - Serenity Boutique Cruise
477
16 hours
Free Cancellation
From
$38.00
Customers Who Bought This Tour Also Bought
Explore Similar Things to Do
- Water Tours
- Underground Tours
- Full-day Tours
- Bus Tours
- Historical Tours
- Cruises & Sailing
- Tours, Sightseeing & Cruises
- Day Trips
- Private and Luxury
- Cultural Tours
- Hanoi
- Full-day Tours - Mai Chau
- Bus Tours - Mai Chau
- Water Tours - Ha Long Bay
- Underground Tours - Ha Long Bay
- Full-day Tours - Ha Long Bay
- Bus Tours - Ha Long Bay
- Historical Tours - Ha Long Bay
- Water Tours - Cat Ba
- Underground Tours - Cat Ba
- Full-day Tours - Cat Ba
- Bus Tours - Cat Ba
- Historical Tours - Cat Ba
Attractions in Hanoi, Vietnam
- Ha Long Bay Tours & Tickets
- Ninh Binh Tours & Tickets
- One-Pillar Pagoda (Chua Mot Cot) Tours & Tickets
- Long Bien Bridge (Cau Long Bien) Tours & Tickets
- Sun World Fansipan Legend Tours & Tickets
- Bat Trang Ceramic Tours & Tickets
- Phu Tay Ho Tours & Tickets
- Hoa Lo Prison Tours & Tickets
- Ho Chi Minh Museum (Bao Tang Ho Chi Minh) Tours & Tickets
- Trang An Landscape Complex (Trang An Grottoes) Tours & Tickets
- Vietnam National Museum of History Tours & Tickets
- Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre Tours & Tickets
- Vietnam National Fine Arts Museum (Bao Tang My Thuat) Tours & Tickets
- Tran Quoc Pagoda (Chua Tran Quoc) Tours & Tickets
- Pu Luong Nature Reserve Tours & Tickets
- Quang Ba Flower Market Tours & Tickets
- St Joseph’s Cathedral (Nha Tho Lon) Tours & Tickets