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Ha Long Bay or Lan Ha Bay: which should I cruise?
The short answer
Choose Ha Long Bay for the classic cave and island route, with Sung Sot Cave and Titov Island, about 2 to 2.5 hours from Hanoi. Choose Lan Ha Bay, beside Cat Ba island, for kayaking, beach stops and village visits, on a route that cruise lines describe as less crowded. Pick by the stops and the pier.
Where are Ha Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay?
Ha Long Bay lies off Ha Long in Quang Ninh province. Lan Ha Bay is to the south, between Ha Long Bay and Cat Ba island, in Hai Phong city. Since 1 July 2025 Cat Ba and the islands around it have formed the Cat Hai special zone of Hai Phong.
In September 2023 UNESCO extended the Ha Long Bay World Heritage Site to include the Cat Ba Archipelago and renamed it Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago: 1,133 islands and islets across Quang Ninh and Hai Phong. UNESCO's description does not name Lan Ha Bay itself, though cruise lines present it as part of the site.
How do the two bays compare?
The table sets out what each bay's cruises usually include, where they leave from and what the authorities charge. Check that your cruise price includes the sightseeing fee; Ambassador's inclusions list it, for example.
| Ha Long Bay | Lan Ha Bay | |
|---|---|---|
| Where | Quang Ninh province, off Ha Long | Hai Phong city, south of Ha Long Bay and east of Cat Ba island |
| Typical stops | Sung Sot Cave, Titov Island, Luon Cave by bamboo boat or kayak | Viet Hai village, Dark and Bright Cave, kayaking, Ba Trai Dao (Three Peaches) beach |
| Piers | Tuan Chau, and the Halong International Cruise Port in Bai Chay | Got pier on Cat Hai island; some ships board at Tuan Chau or Bai Chay and sail across |
| Drive from central Hanoi | About 2 to 2.5 hours (Ambassador Cruise) | About 2 to 3 hours to Got pier, by booking agencies' estimates |
| Day sightseeing fee | Set per route (VHL1 to VHL8); the three routes added in May 2025 cost 70,000 to 600,000 VND | 120,000 VND for adults and 60,000 VND for children aged 6 and over, from 1 January 2026 |
| Overnight fee | Not confirmed on a government page | 400,000 VND per adult for one night, from 1 January 2026 |
| 2 days, 1 night, from the cruise line | Paradise Elegance or Legacy: from US$330 per cabin, cabin type not stated (paradisevietnam.com) | Ambassador Signature: US$360 per Balcony cabin for two on 28 October 2026 (ambassadorcruise.com) |
Which bay is quieter?
Cruise lines describe Lan Ha as quieter and less crowded than Ha Long, and the boat counts we found point the same way. Quang Ninh's transport department counted 508 tourist boats on Ha Long Bay in 2024. The Cat Ba bays had 66 overnight and 61 day boats in 2019, and we found no newer count.
That gap may narrow. Since 1 April 2026 new boat routes link Ha Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay, and local authorities expected them to bring 5,000 to 6,000 extra visitors a day. UNESCO's 2026 decision on the site also raised concern about the scale and pace of tourism and urban development around it.
Which bay suits which traveller?
Both bays are limestone seascapes. The choice comes down to the stops, the pier and how much time you have.
- First visit and short on time: Ha Long. Day cruises from Bai Chay reach Sung Sot Cave and Titov Island and are back by late afternoon.
- Kayaking, swimming and a slower pace: Lan Ha, where routes add Viet Hai village by bicycle and beach stops such as Ba Trai Dao.
- Staying on Cat Ba island: Lan Ha is on your doorstep.
- A Lan Ha cruise without the drive to Got pier: some ships board at Tuan Chau or, like the Ambassador Signature, at Bai Chay, and sail across.
How do I get there from Hanoi?
For Ha Long, Ambassador Cruise gives about 2 to 2.5 hours by expressway from central Hanoi to the cruise port at Bai Chay. Cruise lines sell shared transfers, or include one in some rates.
For Lan Ha, booking agencies put Got pier on Cat Hai island at about 2 to 3 hours from Hanoi. Some Lan Ha ships board at Tuan Chau instead, and the Ambassador Signature boards at Bai Chay.
Questions people ask
Is Lan Ha Bay part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site?
UNESCO added the Cat Ba Archipelago to the Ha Long Bay site in September 2023, and Lan Ha Bay lies among those islands, east of Cat Ba island. UNESCO's description does not name Lan Ha Bay itself; cruise lines and the Vietnamese press present it as part of the site.
How much is the Lan Ha Bay sightseeing fee?
From 1 January 2026, Hai Phong charges 120,000 VND for an adult day visit and 60,000 VND for children aged 6 and over. An overnight visit costs 400,000 VND per adult for one night, according to Bao Hai Phong. Check whether your cruise price includes it.
Is Bai Tu Long Bay another option?
Yes. Bai Tu Long Bay lies north-east of Ha Long Bay, and some cruise lines, such as Indochina Junk, sail there for a route away from central Ha Long. Ambassador's day cruise also passes through Bai Tu Long on its way to Sung Sot Cave.
Sources
Checked on by the Top Tours Vietnam editor. Rules and prices change: the sources below are where we checked them.
- UNESCO, Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago checked
- UNESCO, decision 48 COM 7B.74 (2026) on tourism pressure checked
- VTC News, 17 June 2025: Hai Phong communes and the Cat Hai special zone checked
- Ha Long Bay Management Board, 3 March 2025: fees for three new routes checked
- Bao Hai Phong, 16 December 2025: Cat Ba and Lan Ha sightseeing fees from 2026 checked
- Thoi bao Tai chinh, 13 November 2024: 508 tourist boats on Ha Long Bay checked
- Dien dan Doanh nghiep, 18 June 2019: boats in the Cat Ba bays checked
- Tuoi Tre, 2 April 2026: routes between Ha Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay checked
- Ambassador Cruise, FAQs (drive time from Hanoi) checked
- Ambassador Cruise, Lan Ha Bay article checked
- Ambassador Cruise, Three Peaches beach checked
- Ambassador Cruise, booking page for 28 October 2026 (price seen) checked
- Paradise Cruises, Ha Long Bay 2 days 1 night (price seen) checked
- Bhaya Cruises, Lan Ha Bay cruises checked
- halongbaycruises.com (booking agency), Lan Ha Bay piers and drive times checked
- Hanoi Explore Travel (agency), Lan Ha Bay cruise from Hanoi checked
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