Halong bay overnight cruise a must-do in Vietnam

Driving by land from Hanoi to Halong Bay is the most common way. Besides, the visitors can take a seaplane ride in only 45 minutes instead of the 2.5-hour drive via the new expressway or nearly 4 hours via the old route. With the seaplane, there is an extension of flying 15 minutes more to admire the picturesque Halong Bay from above. 

This heaven on earth can be discovered mainly by hiking, kayaking, and swimming. Immersing yourself on a single kayak is a good choice to see the dried caves, lagoons, a few of which are home to Macaca mulatta monkeys, fishing villages, or Pearl farms. It is hard to resist the attractions of white-sand beaches formed at some little islands like Soi Sim or TiTop. Swimming and hiking up for a panoramic view of the stunning Bay are also intriguing. Some of the Halong Bay overnight cruises may color your trip by organizing some special celebrations like cooking demonstrations, some entertainment after dinner, honeymoon gifts, New Year special dinners or weddings at those fine beaches. Any of these arrangements will make your trip more memorable.

Halong bay has around 24 karst caves, 10 of which are open to the public now. The biggest cave is Sung Sot (or Amazing Cave), situated right at the core area of Halong Bay. It is roughly 10,000m2 comprising 3 chambers together with thousands of stalactites and stalagmites. Walking step by step into this cave, and then getting wowed by its enormous size or attracted by some guide playing his flute for their guests. Expediting the cave is so enjoyable and inspiring. Other caves on Halong Bay are Thien Cung (Heavenly Palace), Me Cung (Maze Palace), Trong (Drum Gotto), Hang Sang Toi (Dark and Bright Caves), and so on.

There were 7 fishing villages on Halong Bay, just like those in Thailand. However, only 2 of them remain as village museums as a result of moving an estimated 2000 fishermen to the mainland in 2014. The villages are now quieter with just floating houses, communal houses, and fish farms. The government has created favorable conditions for the locals to earn their living by fishing in the bay and carrying tourists to their former villages on bamboo boats. It’s such a great chance to interact with locals and learn more of the bay via their sharing. 

This area of breathtaking beauty thoroughly deserves to be seen. Obviously, due to its natural beauty, Halong Bay has been a UNESCO natural heritage site twice in 1994 and 2000. 

Back to the main concern of whether to visit Halong Bay. If you are looking for a place of both mountains and sea experiences, Ha Long Bay, a world heritage site and also one of the 7 natural wonders, is the right choice for you. It works for those ones value nature, outdoor activities, and pleasant escape among scenic marine landscapes. The visitors prefer nightlife and some recreational can stay overnight at hotels in Halong City instead so that you can visit the night market, enjoy the water park, Queen Park, or the cable car the Sun World Halong, get to a beach, or eat more seafood at local restaurants. 

Halong Bay is also considered the most highlighted place in the northern, as well as in any Vietnam travel package of all traveling styles. Hence staying overnight on Halong Bay for one or two nights is highly recommended for the explorers at heart. The fact is that compared to other services in Vietnam, the overnight cruise costs are not so reasonable. 

There are dozens of overnight cruises on Halong Bay of cheap but not ensured services and expensive but not affordable that each traveler has to make wise decisions. Those who can’t spend an overnight or have very limited traveling durations can go on a day trip to Halong Bay from Hanoi within a day. While most of the boats just sail for 4 hours on a cruise in a short distance, there are some better designs for up to 7 hours of journey for the visitors to explore the most famous spots on Halong Bay.