Ha Long Bay overnight cruise to Lan Ha Bay
US$360 per cabin on Ambassador Cruise's site, seen
Ha Long Bay
A bay of limestone islands and islets in Quang Ninh province, part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago, seen by day boat or overnight cruise.
Vịnh Hạ Long
When should I visit Ha Long Bay?
Vietnam's tourism authority suggests April to June or September to November, and names September to November for Ha Long in particular. June to August brings storms that can cancel cruises, and December to March is cool and often misty.
How do I get to Ha Long Bay?
- About 2.5 hours from Hanoi by expressway (vietnam.travel); cruise lines give 2 to 2.5 hours from central Hanoi.
- Cruises leave from Tuan Chau and from the Halong International Cruise Port in Bai Chay.
- Van Don International Airport (VDO) is about 50 km from Ha Long ward.
Tours and experiences from Ha Long Bay
Ha Long Bay day trip from Hanoi
US$85 per person on Ambassador Cruise's site, seen
Decide before you go
Ha Long Bay or Lan Ha Bay: which should I cruise?
Ha Long Bay or Lan Ha Bay? Compare routes, piers, sightseeing fees and transfer times from Hanoi, with cruise prices seen on cruise-line sites in October 2026.
Questions people ask
Is Ha Long Bay a UNESCO World Heritage Site?
Yes. UNESCO inscribed Ha Long Bay in 1994 and changed its boundaries in 2000 and 2023. Since the September 2023 extension it is listed as Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago, with 1,133 islands and islets across Quang Ninh province and Hai Phong city.
Is Ha Long still a city?
Not as a city. Quang Ninh province kept its boundaries in the July 2025 reforms, but district-level units, including Ha Long city, were abolished. The area is now a set of wards, among them Hạ Long, Bãi Cháy, Hồng Gai and Tuần Châu.
Should I choose Ha Long Bay or Lan Ha Bay?
Ha Long's classic routes visit caves such as Sung Sot and islands such as Titov, while Lan Ha, near Cat Ba island in Hai Phong, is known for kayaking and village stops. Our guide compares fees, piers and transfer times side by side.
Sources
Checked on by the Top Tours Vietnam editor. Rules and prices change: the sources below are where we checked them.
- vietnam.travel, Ha Long checked
- vietnam.travel, weather and climate in Vietnam checked
- UNESCO, Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago (coordinates, inscription) checked
- Vietnam News, 18 September 2023: Cat Ba Archipelago added checked
- Quang Ninh provincial portal, 7 July 2025: new wards and communes checked
- Wikipedia, Van Don International Airport checked
- Ambassador Cruise, FAQs (drive time from Hanoi) checked
- Tuoi Tre News, 16 June 2025: district-level administration abolished from 1 July 2025 checked
Nearby
HanoiHà Nội
Vietnam's capital in the Red River Delta, with the narrow trade streets of the Old Quarter, Hoan Kiem Lake and the UNESCO-listed Imperial Citadel of Thang Long.
Ninh BinhNinh Bình
Limestone karsts, rice fields and river caves south of Hanoi, home to the UNESCO-listed Trang An Landscape Complex and the old royal capital at Hoa Lu.