Plying the Halong waters since 2015, Swan Halong Bay Cruise is a wonderful mid-range option. Designed with the style of a traditional Chinese junk boat in mind, the Swan Cruise offers 3-star service and facilities to their guests.
The ship itself is 26 meters long, and fitted with 8 cabins which have all been decorated to show off a subtle blend of traditional Vietnamese and modern international styles. Each cabin is decorated with rich wooden panels and large windows that allow guests to enjoy sweeping views of the stunning scenery outside.
The decor of the bar and dining area echo the traditional junk-boat style seen throughout the rest of the ship. The chef onboard boasts years of professional culinary experience, and is passionate about showing off the local flavours of Halong Bay to all his customers. Each day he offers an array of both local and international dishes, which guests can enjoy while taking in the beautiful landscape passing by the windows.
The well-trained staff onboard Swan Cruise Halong Bay are welcoming, hospitable, and attentive. The Cruise team promise to make the touring experience of each of their customers one to remember.
8.00 – 8.30
- The Swan shuttle bus will pick you up from your hotel and heading to Northeast of Vietnam. (The transfer is included in the price).
12.30
- Arrive at Swan office, transferred by tender to Swan Cruise.
12.45
- Enjoy welcome drink, be briefing about safety on boat and activities included then check in cabin.
13.30
- Delicious Vietnamese set menu while leisurely cruising to the core of Bai Tu Long Bay.
15.00
- Arrive to Cap La Island the beautiful area in Bai Tu Long bay. Enjoy kayaking through the karst and breathtaking nature, swimming and relaxing.
17.30
- Get back to the boat and enjoys Sunset party while our cruise sailing to the overnight anchorage.
19.00
- Sumptuous set-dinner onboard.
20.30
- Free time for joining Games, you may also try your luck with squid fishing. Overnight onboard with Swan Cruise.
6.30: Starting your day with Tai Chi on the Sundeck.
7.00
- Breakfast will be served in Western style and furthermore with Vietnamese traditional food.
8.00
- Explore the Thien Canh Son. Guide will explain the history of Ha Long Bay, Bai Tu Long Bay and this Cave, made by Mother Nature.
9.30
- Upon return to the boat you will have 30 minutes to freshen up and finish packing.
- Please remove all of your belongings from your cabin, you may leave heavy luggage outside of the cabin (staff will transfer directly to the pier).
10.30
- Vietnamese cooking demonstration on boat.
11.00
- Enjoy a traditional Vietnamese lunch.
12.00
- Disembark in Hon Gai pier.
12.30
- Farewell Halong Bay then returns to Hanoi.
17.30
07.45 – 8:30
- The Swan shutter bus will pick you up from your hotel in old quarter area, Hanoi and heading to northeast of Vietnam
10:30 – 11:00
- Quick stop at middle of the way to stretch your legs & relax.
12.00
- Arrive at Swan office in Ha Long, enter our waiting lounge for short break before getting on boat. Then guests will transfer to Swan Cruises by tender.
12.45
- Enjoy welcome drink, be briefing about safety on boat and activities included then check in cabin.
13.30
- Have lunch while leisurely cruising to the core of Bai Tu Long Bay.
15.30
- Arrive to Cap La Island – the beautiful area in Bai Tu Long bay. Kayaking through karsts and breathtaking scenery, relaxing on beach
- (Attention: Swimming activities need to be allowed by Halong Bay Management Authority daily)
17.30
- Get back to the boat and join in Sunset Time ( enjoy tea and fresh fruits). This time is regarded as “ Happy Hour” while our cruise is sailing to the overnight anchorage.
19.00
20.30
- Free time for joining in Games, some activities on board such as squid fishing, karaoke,..
( Please inform our guide if you want to sing karaoke on board)
Overnight on Swan Cruise in Cong Do area.
06.30
- Start your day with Tai Chi on the top deck and enjoy the bay’s morning landscape.
07.00
- Have breakfast in the open air. ( Tea and coffee are free)
08.30
- Transfer to the Day Boat and start cruising to contemplate the stunning beauty of Bai Tu Long Bay.
Attention: Because of the weather condition and tide level, the itinerary can be changed flexibly. The itinerary will follow 1 of 2 options as below. Our tour guide will inform you the exact itinerary when you are on tour.
Option 1:
- 09.30: Start cruising to Cong Dam while discovering geological values of Bai Tu Long Bay.
- 09:45- 11:30 : Reach to Hon Co Island for swimming or relaxing.
- 12.00 – 13.30 Have a BBQ lunch on Beach (Depending on the availability and weather condition).
- 14:00 Enjoy kayaking through the hidden lagoons and geological park in Cong Dam.
- 16.30 : Return to the main boat and join in Sunset Time ( Enjoy tea and fresh fruits). This time is regarded as “ Happy Hour” – “buy one get one” while our cruise is sailing to the overnight anchorage. In addition, cooking class is also organized by our guide at this time. You have a chance to make Vietnamese cuisine by yourself.
- 19.00: Dinner will be served in the dinning room.
- 20.30 : Free time for joining games, you may also try your luck with squid fishing. If you want to sing karaoke, please inform our tour guide to be supported.
Option 2:
- 09.30: A day of fun and relaxation with more kayaking to discover Bai Tu Long Bay. You also have a great chance to go fishing with the local fisherman.
- 11.45: Back to the boat for a delicious hot lunch at noontime while the cruise is moving to Vung Vieng floating fishing village.
- 14.00: You are on a rowing boat to explore Vung Vieng village and learn how pearls are grown.
- 16.30: Return to the main boat and enjoy sunset Time with tea and fresh fruit. This time is regarded as “ Happy Hour” – “buy one get one” while our cruise is sailing to the overnight anchorage. In addition, cooking class is also organized by our guide at this time. You have a chance to make Vietnamese cuisine by yourself.
- 19.00: Dinner will be served in the dining room
- 20.30: Free time for joining games, you may also try your luck with squid fishing. If you want to sing karaoke, please inform our tour guide to be supported.
- Overnight on Swan Cruise in Cong Do area.
06.30
- Start early with Tai Chi on the sundeck. Enjoy early morning landscape of the bay.
07.00
07.45
- Visit Thien Canh Son cave- It is one of the most beautiful and famous cave of Bai Tu Long Bay.
8.45
09.30
- Finish packing and check out of your cabin. (Please remove all of your belongings from your cabin, you may leave heavy luggage outside of the cabin (our staff will support you transfer directly to the pier).
10.00
- Join in and show your creativity in fruit carving activity.
10.45
- Enjoy lunch while the cruise is returning to Hon Gai harbor.
12.00
- Disembark in Hon Gai pier
12.30
- Farewell Halong Bay then returns to Hanoi
17.00: End of 3-day-2-night trip on Swan Cruises.
Overall rating
4.0 / 5
based on 20 reviews
Review summary
- Cruise condition/Cleanliness
4.1 / 5
- Room comfort/Standard
3.6 / 5
- Staff Performance
4.0 / 5
-
Food/Dining
3.6 / 5
- Service Quality
4.3 / 5
- Value for money
4.3 / 5
A lovely few Days
We have just returned from a three day long cruise in Halong Bay with Swan Cruise line. Everything lived up to expectations, they collected our group from our hotel in Hanoi and drove us to the quay. It’s a bit of a drag as the road is bad, but they appear to be working on improving that so hopefully it will make the journey easier. Once we arrived on the boat though it was all forgotten and we relaxed in the bar with a glass of wine. There is plenty to keep you occupied and enough time for just chilling out. The standards of accommodation, food and decor onboard are all extremely high. The crew deserve a special mention,lovely people, just as we found everywhere we went in Vietnam. One small criticism, the bar prices were quite high which when you have already paid for the cruise seems a bit mean. If you want a few drinks, I’d suggest putting a bottle in your case. But everything was really great and we all loved it.
Christina Helmsley
Australia
October 4, 2018
Group
3 Days 2 Nights on September 30, 2018
We Loved Halong Bay
Together with my life long friend Sandra we booked on the Swan Cruise Boat to sail in Halong Bay in Vietnam. What a trip. We had two weeks travelling from South to North in Vietnam, calling in a various cities and resorts until we arrived in Hanoi. After one night in our hotel the staff from Swan collected us at out hotel. It is well organised, you can just take a small bag and leave your heady luggage in Hanoi. As we had three more days after the cruise this was ideal for us. The bus ride out to the bay took up the morning but we were soon excitedly boarding our fabulous cruise boat. It was really beautiful. Our room was amazing, in fact it was the best room we had on the whole trip. The food was also good. Staff on board are very friendly and helpful. It was over far too quickly and we were soon on our way back to Hanoi.
Martha Middleton
Australia
September 17, 2018
Couple
2 Days 1 Night on September 11, 2018
Excellent trip!
Very good food, friendly and helpful staff, nice ensuite room. The boat cruise in Bai Tu Long Bay area so it was not crowded and I can see beautiful limestone islets and amazing view of Ha Long. Thanks to Swan Cruises I had a very great time in Ha Long Bay. I also booked this cruise for many clients and they were all happy with the trip. I would recommend Swan Cruises to everyone!
Carla F
New Zealand
August 15, 2018
Couple
2 Days 1 Night on August 9, 2018
Well done Swan staff
Kien and his team were awesome, their fantastic hospitality made for a very enjoyable trip! Our team had a great time, will definitely be using this company in the future.
Katrina A
Singapore
Group
2 Days 1 Night on August 10, 2018
Best team ever
Whole tour was very good, sunny and the team took great care of us in a beautiful environment. Highly recommended this tour if you find yourself in Hanoi.
Connie S
Australia
August 12, 2018
Family
2 Days 1 Night on August 8, 2018
Beautiful !
Excellent time in Halong Bay. The crew did everything possible for us to have a great time. Plenty of food and very delicious. Highly recommend to visit Halong Bay with Swan. As for the scenery, words can’t describe how incredible beautiful it is nor camera able to capture the beauty of it.
Amelia E
United Kingdom
August 11, 2018
Group
2 Days 1 Night on August 6, 2018
Awesome Experience!
The cruise offered great views of Ha Long Bay, our tour guide Kien was very entertaining and provided us with an unforgettable experience through his stories and history lessons of Vietnam! The Tai Chi lesson guided by him was wonderful, and he constantly cared for us throughout the cruise. Would highly recommend this cruise to those who want to visit Ha Long Bay 🙂 Thank you Kien!
Meghan G
United Kingdom
August 10, 2018
Couple
2 Days 1 Night on August 4, 2018
Excellent service and a comfortable cruise
We went on a 2D/1N tour to halong Bay. It was probably the best decision to go on this tour. Apart from the mesmerizing place that Halong is, the cruise was too good. My guide was so enthusiastic, she kept us busy all the time. The whole crew was very nice and involved us in all the activities. It’s a paradise for people who like sea food, too much variety and amazing preparations.
Deanna D
Australia
August 9, 2018
Couple
2 Days 1 Night on August 4, 2018
Superb service
What was Impressed me the most by this company was human service. Firstly my best tour guide ever was Jenny, she was very nice, friendly, enthusiastic, knowledgeable and extremely attentive. She took us on kayaking to a natural beach, the scenery was unbelievable. I think Bai Tu Long bay was absolutely beautiful, and i didn’t see many other Cruises which was great. Secondly the Crew members were very pleasant and so helpful, they always be there to give me a hand. The Food was very delicious, fresh and plentiful. I definitely recommend Swan Cruises and Jenny. Great thanks to your team.
Homer P
New Zealand
August 8, 2018
Family
2 Days 1 Night on August 5, 2018
Great experience, awesome crew
Went on a cruise in Halong Bay with Swan Cruise as part of our organized tour of Vietnam. Great choice from the tour company, very nice room, large comfy bed, food was excellent. Actually they overfed us, as I am sure I gained a few pounds. Excellent drinks, and the selection of activities, such as kayak and cave tour was great, overall the schedule was filled with enough activities that you could still enjoy the boat and the view, which is what you go there for. The bus ride from Hanoi and back was good, only thing is am a big guy, so the little asian seats are a bit too narrow for me.
Nam – our guide was excellent, very professional and good sense of humour. Highly recommended.
Warren P
United Kingdom
Couple
2 Days 1 Night on August 3, 2018
Wonderful trip. Far exceeded expectations.
From the moment our family (with 13 & 11yo kids) were picked up at our hotel in Hanoi until we were dropped off at the airport we were entertained, educated, pampered and above all fed. Our guide / host Mia was fantastic. Young, enthusiastic, knowledgeable and fun. The boat was great – traditional and very nice. . Beautiful clean en-suite cabins. Really nice. My daughter says ‘like a little hotel on water’. The food was great….and near endless. 6 dishes at lunch 10+ for dinner. The scenery, fantastic. We kayaked. We swam. This has been a great 36 hours. I believe there are 200 companies that run in total about 600 boats on Halong Bay. I’d be surprised if there is a better operator than Swan. Even better if your guide is Mia.
Meghan C
United Kingdom
August 6, 2018
Family
3 Days 2 Nights on August 2, 2018
Wondeful trip
Good experience on cruise and nice tour guide – Mai Anh. She is very friendly, helpful, informative!!!
We will come back soon!!!
Blanche A
New Zealand
Group
2 Days 1 Night on August 3, 2018
Amazing Trip.Amazing Tour Guide
It is a lovely and experienced trip with family and loved one. Especially with a nice, friendly and caring tour guide name MIA. Thank you for your services. And all other crews too.
Elisa B
Canada
August 5, 2018
Family
2 Days 1 Night on August 2, 2018
Thank you for a great trip !!
Kien was an amazing tour guide and the staff on this boat had excellent service 🙂
We enjoyed kayaking a full on hour trip and my mom and I had the best time ever! Thank you for the beautiful experience
Nathaniel V
Singapore
Couple
2 Days 1 Night on August 2, 2018
Must see yourself
Swan Cruises gave us a magnificent time – loved every minute and saw the limestone caves (spectacular)as well as swimming off the boat and kayaking. Fantastic tour guide in Tommy – outstanding in communication, his knowledge of the area and historical insights as well as his great sense of humour! He included everyone and made sure everyone was ok despite losing his voice in the later stages. How lucky are Swan Cruises to have such a wonderful young leader. It made the tour for all in our group.
Todd M
United Kingdom
August 4, 2018
Family
2 Days 1 Night on August 1, 2018
Great cruise at Bai Tu Long Bay
This was a great trip! At arrival you immediately get a magnificient lunch and some time to recover from the bus drive to Halong city. The activities organised as part of the cruise are really great and well organised by a very capable crew. Our guide Tam was really friendly and preoccupied with everybody enjoying their stay.
The only downside is the fact we booked only one night, out of fear for seasickness. With hindsight we absolutely advice against this, the sleeping bay is very quiet and the ship is completely still during the night. The trip was so great we would have loved to stay one day more.
Georgia R
New Zealand
August 3, 2018
Group
2 Days 1 Night on July 31, 2018
Good trip to go!
The boat tour was great! Our guide Tam did a great job. Good trip to go!
Danny R
United Kingdom
July 31, 2018
Couple
2 Days 1 Night on July 26, 2018
Nothing but recommendation
We felt very comfortable on the ship. Swan cruises probably does not use very overflowing roads, so you can really enjoy the magnificent scenery. Staffs took good care of us, attentively and humorously. The meal was excellent. We can recommend the tour.
Corey S
Singapore
July 28, 2018
Group
3 Days 2 Nights on July 22, 2018
Great fun
I went to Vietnam with three mates, we got back a few weeks ago. It was a blast from start to finish. Saigon was great fun, Hoi An was a neat little place with good food but the best part was three days in Halong Bay. We booked with Swan Cruise Halong. The cabins were great, with large windows and our own balconies. It was a mixture of relaxing and doing activities. The kayaking was a great laugh. The scenery is amazing and the time flew by. In the evenings we just chilled up on deck playing cards and drinking. It was a great way to spend a few days.
Barry Evans
Australia
July 27, 2018
Group
3 Days 2 Nights on July 20, 2018
Good 2-days trip
Had a good trip. The food on the boat is mixed and quite taste specific. The tour guide Tom Cruise is quite overpowering but an otherwise nice guy.
Overall, the price were fair and acceptable.
Nina S
New Zealand
July 26, 2018
Couple
2 Days 1 Night on July 24, 2018
