Day cruises from Hanoi

Ha Long Bay round trip from Hanoi on the overnight-boat route: caves, kayaking and Ti Top

4.6/5

435 reviews on GetYourGuide

A straightforward day cruise that spends about five hours on the water, following the route the overnight boats use, with a seafood set lunch, Surprise Cave, kayaking and Ti Top. Rated 4.6 from more than 400 reviews, from €40.00 (GetYourGuide, 15 Nov 2026).

Starts inHanoi Old Quarter

The bus and guide collect you from your hotel between 08:00 and 08:45 and take the expressway to Tuan Chau Island, with a rest stop. You board at 12:00 for a safety briefing and a Vietnamese seafood set lunch as the boat sets off.

The operator describes the route as the one the two-day sleeper boats take, through passages between uninhabited islets with names such as Fighting Chicken. At 13:45 you reach the Bo Hon area for Surprise Cave, then kayak or ride a bamboo boat into the Luon Cave lagoon and stop at Ti Top for the beach and the climb to the peak.

Afternoon tea is served on the way back to Tuan Chau, with time to sit on the upper deck. You leave the boat at 18:00, and the listing gives a return to Hanoi of between 19:30 and 21:00.

Through the year

The listing advises warm clothes from December to March, and a change of clothes in case you get wet kayaking.

What guests love

Our summary of the reviews GetYourGuide shows on the product page.

Knowledgeable, helpful guides
Activities well paced and organised
A great day, highly recommended by reviewers

Good for

Travellers who want plenty of time on the water
Seafood lovers
Old Quarter guests

Not for

Anyone staying outside the Old Quarter who wants hotel pick-up

How the day goes

08:00Hanoi
Hotel pick-up 08:00 to 08:45.
12:00Tuan Chau harbour
Board, safety briefing, seafood lunch.
13:45Bo Hon area
Surprise Cave, then Luon Cave kayak or bamboo boat, then Ti Top.
16:30On board
Afternoon tea on the way back.
18:00Tuan Chau harbour
Leave the boat; bus to Hanoi.

Included

Return shuttle bus, on the option with transport
Hotel pick-up and drop-off in the Old Quarter (Hoan Kiem)
Boat cruise
Seafood set lunch on board
Guide
Bay and Tuan Chau admission fees, on the all-inclusive option
Kayak or bamboo boat, on the all-inclusive option

Not included

Pick-up outside the Old Quarter
Drinks
Personal expenses
Tips

Why this one

It keeps things simple and spends a long afternoon on the water. The classic day cruise is cheaper and more reviewed; the Amethyst luxury day cruise has more comfort on board.

The facts

Where it starts: Hotel pick-up in the Hanoi Old Quarter, 08:00 to 08:45
Duration: About 5 hours cruising; about 12 hours from Hanoi
Road transfer: About 3 hours each way with a rest stop
Bay: Ha Long Bay
Guide: English
Price: From €40.00 per person (GetYourGuide, 15 Nov 2026)
Cancellation: Free up to 24 hours before

Checked against the GetYourGuide listing on 15 November 2026. Prices and options change: the calendar shows the current ones.

Before you book

Entry fees and kayaks depend on the option
The listing includes the bay admission fees and the kayak or bamboo boat on the all-inclusive option only.
What to do. Choose the all-inclusive option so nothing is left to pay on the day.