Halong Bay day cruise or overnight cruise: which one should I choose?

Halong Bay day cruise opportunities

A day trip on Halong Bay normally lasts from 4 to 6 hours. The time is short but still adequate to visit some of the best parts of Halong Bay.

Have a glimpse of Halong Bay

If you’re traveling on a tight budget and a shortage of time but still want to explore Halong Bay, you’ll definitely love the economically day cruise program. Most day cruises go to prominent attractions such as Sung Sot Cave, Thien Cung Cave, Titop Island so you can have an overview of the bay as well as join some typical activities such as swimming, kayaking, and climbing.

Photo: @_halongbay_ - Titop Island

One-day tour with Phoenix Day Cruise: you will be transferred from Hanoi to Halong Bay then embark on the Phoenix Day Cruise at noon. The traditional wooden junk sails through beautiful islets such as Fighting Cocks, Incense Burner, and stopover Thien Cung Cave – one of the most famous caves in Halong Bay.

One-day tour with L’Azalee Classic Cruise: after lunch, you will reach Sung Sot Cave – the biggest cave in Halong Bay and then try kayaking at Luon Cave. The experiences are very interesting and memorable!

Photo: @lllrrrphotos - Luon cave

Admire the spectacular Halong Bay view from the top view

For those who want to reach Halong Bay in the most unique and time-saving way, getting aboard a seaplane is the best choice. Instead of 4 driving hours, a seaplane, operated by Hai Au Aviation will take you only a 60-minute scenic flight to Halong Bay. Don’t miss the chance to take stunning photos of the bays from the height of hundreds of meters.

Flight schedule

Flight route	Departure time	Arrival time	Public fare
			16 Apr – 30 Sept 2023	1 Oct – 31 Oct 2023
Hanoi - Halong	9:00	10:00	7.750.000 VND	9.700.000 VND
Halong – Hanoi	12:30	13:30	7.750.000 VND	9.700.000 VND
Hanoi - Halong	14:30	15:15	4.200.000 VND	4.200.000 VND
Halong - Hanoi	16:00	16:45	5.550.000 VND	6.950.000 VND

At present, L’Azalee Classic Cruise is the only day cruise that provides a flight in combination with a 1-day itinerary.

L’Azalee Classic Cruise

Pros:

For visitors with a shortage of time and a tight budget, spending a day tour on Halong Bay is the optimal way to capture the views.
Day cruises specialize in well-researched itineraries that take you to the worthiest places.
Those who have seasickness and kids should also choose this kind of program.

Cons:

With only 4 or 6 hours onboard, you won’t be able to delve into the local culture and visit all tourist destinations.
You do not have a chance to take part in beach sports and overnight entertainment activities onboard.

Why should you choose Halong Bay overnight cruise?

Unlike the rush one-day tour, an overnight cruise program opens up many opportunities for travelers with plenty of time to experience all fascinating and thrilling activities.

Capture fantastic bay views from the seaplane

At present, there are two overnight cruises namely L'Azalee Deluxe Cruise and Emeraude Cruise that cooperate with Hai Au Aviation to provide tour packages including an overnight program and a 25-minute scenic flight over Halong Bay.

A lot of fun-filled activities await you both onboard and offshore!

The most significant benefit when you take an overnight cruise is that you can enjoy Halong Bay at its fullest.

Pelican Cruise

A 2 day 1 night tour with Pelican Cruise: At noon, you’ll check-in the cabin and then have lunch at the restaurant. Interesting activities on day one are visiting the Tung Sau area, swimming on Titop Beach, cooking class, Happy Hour, and evening entertainment onboard. On the second day, you will go to Sung Sot Cave and have a brunch buffet before disembarking the ship.

Photo: @tranit.photo - Sungsot cave

A 2 day 1 night tour with Margaret Cruise: start from Tuan Chau Harbour, Margaret Cruise glides to the pearl farm village and Titop Island where you have time to swim and climb on top of the mountain. Next, join the sunset party and cooking class on board. Day one is complete with evening entertainment activities like squid fishing. On day two, you’ll visit Sung Sot Cave and back to the ship to have brunch.

Margaret Cruise

Pros:

Grasp the in-depth knowledge about Halong Bay
Participation in an abundance of activities

Cons:

An overnight cruise is not suitable for those who lack traveling time.
Some budget-minded travelers cannot afford the program.

Conclusion

Both day cruises and overnight cruises have their own advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, depending on your situation in terms of time, money, and preference, you should choose the program that suits you the most.