Halong is spectacular and exploring it within a day is obviously impossible. However, if that is your only choice left, this blog will help you make it doable by suggesting the best Halong bay day tours you can get.
Reasons You Should Take a Halong Bay Day Trip
One of the major reasons many had to give up on visiting Halong is due to a time-limit. But it’s now less of a problem! 160km far from Hanoi, Halong did not sound appealing for a day tour in the past as it normally took 4 – 5 hours to get there from the capital. However, with the arrival of the high way as well as Limousine service, it now takes only 2 comfortable hours from Hanoi to Halong, leaving us lots of time for exploring. It has saved a lot of people from headaches as not many have enough time and energies for a trip mostly spent in a bus.
Halong Bay one-day tour helps you save not only time but also money. As one of the most touristy places all over Vietnam, accommodation in Halong can’t be cheap. A tour longer than just one day will require a hotel/hostel or even fancier, a night on boat, while with a 1 day tour, you can go back to your place within the night or move to a less expensive area. If budget is one of your concerns, Halong Bay day trip is obviously your perfect solution.
Also, if you are lucky enough to get a great trip, you will be able to experience lots of activities, both on land and islands. A well-designed one day trip will give you a brief but impressive look at the UNESCO World Heritage site. Sometimes the number of days spent does not matter, what matter is the things that you are able to experience.
Tips to Choose a Day Cruise
To make your trip worth it, the most important thing is choose the right tour! You can have all your plans well-prepared, but it takes only one wrong decision to ruin your whole trip, and most of the times, that decision lies on which cruise you take.
The first thing you need to consider is set your expectation suitably. You might have fallen in love with all the gorgeous sails featured on Halong travel blogs, but if you are going for a one day trip, you won’t be able to step on those sails. Typically, a Halong Bay day trip takes place on a double-decker junk capable of transporting 46 passengers. Another thing you should expect is that most of day trips won’t let you swim, kayak or explore caves on bamboo boat one at a time (you must choose one among them) due to time constraints, again. Here are some tips for you to make sure you’re able to get the best tour out there!
Book ahead: Don’t just look for good luck at the Bai Chay pier. First, junks no longer leave from there (as of January 2016). Second, you might be scammed if you just walk down without a plan. Search on the Internet for the tour providers that have the best reviews. Contact them beforehand to ask for all the necessary information (the cost, the length and what’s included).
Pick up outside the pier area: You will pay $30/person if you require being picked up at the pier parking lot as that’s the price ports charge guides. To avoid it, simply tell the booking agent that you’re willing to meet outside.
Time length: Normally there are 4-hour, 6-hour and 8-hour tours, you should consider them carefully as each of them will offer different activities. In our opinion, the 6-hour one is highly recommended.
Best One Day Cruises in Halong Bay
Paradise Luxury
You will surely be surprised with these 6 hours onboard! This tour will start from Hanoi at 7:30 and include savor lunch aboard, cave visit (Sung Sot Cave, the largest cave in Halong Bay, and Luon Cave), kayaking, island visit (Soi Sim Island) and foot reflexology treatment/cooking demonstration. Return to Hanoi at 17:30.
Escape Sails
Starting from Hanoi at 7am, this 8-hour cruise will offer you a multi-choice lunch, kayaking at Tra Bau area, cave visit (Dark & Bright caves), relaxing time, cooking class and fruit-carving demonstration before leaving for Hanoi at 17:30.
Incredible Asia Cruise
With just only $55 for a Halong Bay one day tour, Incredible Asia Cruise tour is among the best! Starting from 8am, you will arrive in Halong after 3.5 hours and soon embark on a dreamy 4 hour long cruise to stunning scenery with thousands of limestone mountains and have seafood lunch before stopping at Ba Hang fishing village for kayaking. The tour also includes cave visit (Fighting-Cock islet and the Heavenly Palace (Thien Cung) cave. Head back to Hanoi at 17:00.
Jade Sails
One-of-a-kind chance to experience the new definition of contemporary luxury as Jade Sails is the top notch luxury cruise exploring the Ha Long bay and Lan Ha bay for the one day trip. Picking up at 7am, this 7 hour long tour will take you to explore deeply through remote Ha Long Bay – Lan Ha Bay, discovering many hidden splendors of untouched natural wonders. The trip starts with savory lunch before visiting magical sea cave and hidden lagoons by local bamboo boat or kayaking. After having a quick look at a small floating fishing village, the cruise will head to Lan Ha Bay for swimming in the crystal clear water. You will be involved in a cooking demonstration and a sunset party before going back to Hanoi at 17:20.
Deluxe Cruise
Starting from about 7:30, this 6 hour long tour will get you on board at 12:00. Lunch will be provided soon after while cruising though the amazing rocks: Insence Bunner, Stone Dog, Cock fighting… First stop is at the longest, biggest and the most beautiful grotto of Ha Long bay – Sung Sot grotto. You then can kayak or relax at Luon Cave before swimming, trekking Titop island. The trip ends with a sunset party and you will be dropped off at 21:40 in Hanoi.
