Lan Ha Bay Cruise & Kayaking
One full day in the quieter bay next door to Ha Long. Kayak into lagoons, swim off a near empty beach, eat seafood cooked on board.
No prepayment to check availability. We reply on WhatsApp within minutes, 7AM to 11PM Vietnam time.
Quick facts
| Duration | Full day, roughly 08:00 to 16:30 |
|---|---|
| Group size | Maximum 12 guests |
| Pickup | Your hotel in Cat Ba Town, included |
| Activity level | Easy to moderate. Around 90 minutes of flat water paddling |
| Swimming | Yes, one swim stop at a quiet beach |
| Meals | Seafood lunch cooked on board, included |
| Guide | Licensed, English speaking |
| Best months | October to April for clear air, May to September for warm water |
| Bring | Swimwear, towel, sunscreen, hat, dry bag for your phone |
Trip highlights
- Kayak through floating fishing villages and secret lagoons
- Swim and relax at a secluded beach
- Visit a working floating fishing village
- Fresh seafood lunch cooked on board
- Small group, far fewer boats than Ha Long
A day on the trip
Times move with the tide and the weather. On a good day we will stretch the swim stop rather than rush you back to the pier.
What is included
Included
- Day boat cruise
- Licensed English speaking guide
- Kayak and paddling gear
- Lunch on board
- Life jackets and route fees
- Hotel pickup and drop-off in Cat Ba Town
Not included
- Drinks and snacks
- Travel insurance
- Tips for guide and crew
- Personal expenses
Places on the route
Lan Ha Bay
Quiet lagoons and hundreds of limestone islands, away from the crowds.
Kayaking
Paddle beneath towering cliffs into sheltered coves.
Floating village
A working fishing village where families live on the water.
Good to know
Booking runs on WhatsApp. You get the full inclusions list in writing before you pay anything.
Weather. Boats do not sail in unsafe conditions, and that call belongs to the captain rather than to a booking screen. Typhoon risk on this coast peaks in July and August, and August alone averages around 280 mm of rain across 17 wet days. If a trip cannot run we contact you the evening before or first thing that morning and set out the options available that day: move to another date, switch to a land based alternative, or cancel. The exact terms for your booking are confirmed in writing before you pay.
Changing or cancelling. Message us as early as you can. The earlier we know, the more we can do, and in most cases moving your date is simpler than cancelling outright.
Wildlife on the water. We keep our distance from the cliff faces where the Cat Ba langur groups feed, engines idle down in the sensitive channels, and there is no feeding of any animal, including the macaques on Monkey Island. Fewer than 70 langurs survive and UNESCO lists them as sensitive to tourism disturbance. If an operator offers to take you closer, that is not a feature.
Common questions
Same limestone seascape, inscribed together by UNESCO in 2023, but Lan Ha carries a fraction of the boat traffic. Around 400 islands and 139 mostly undeveloped beaches, and on most mornings you will paddle a lagoon with nobody else in it. That is the whole reason to leave from Cat Ba rather than Ha Long City.
None. The water is flat, the session is about 90 minutes, and the guide paddles with the group. Double kayaks are standard so nobody is alone. If you would rather stay on the boat, that is completely fine and costs you nothing.
No. Life jackets are provided and worn on the water. The swim stop is optional. Tell your guide at pickup if you are not a swimmer.
Light rain and the trip runs, there is covered deck space. Unsafe seas and the boat does not sail, which is the captain call. See Good to know above for what happens then.
Read more before you go
Ask us or reserve your spot
Fastest on WhatsApp, we usually reply within minutes. Or leave your details and we will get back to you.