Ninh Binh and the bay

3 days from Hanoi: Ninh Binh, then a night on a 5-star Ha Long and Lan Ha Bay balcony cruise

4.8/5

1,526 reviews on GetYourGuide

North Vietnam’s two great limestone landscapes in one booking: a day in Ninh Binh with a hotel night, then a night on a 5-star cruise with a balcony and bathtub in Lan Ha Bay, with transport, a guide and meals arranged. Rated 4.8 from more than 1,500 reviews, taxes included, from €199.57 (GetYourGuide, 15 Nov 2026).

Starts inHanoi

Day one: a limousine bus collects you in Hanoi at 07:10 to 07:40 for about two and a half hours to Ninh Binh (some streets do not allow large buses, so you may walk 300 to 400 metres to it). You visit Hoa Lu, the ancient capital, have a Vietnamese buffet lunch, then at 13:30 take a wooden boat on the rivers and through the caves of the Trang An Landscape Complex. At 16:00 you climb about 500 steps to the Mua Cave viewpoint over Tam Coc, then check in to your hotel.

Day two: the limousine leaves Ninh Binh at 07:15 to 07:30 for Tuan Chau, where you board for a welcome drink and a buffet lunch as the cruise heads into Lan Ha Bay. A bamboo boat takes you through Dark and Light Cave, then you swim, sit in the jacuzzi at the sunset party, join the cooking class and have dinner, with squid fishing after.

Day three: tai chi at sunrise, breakfast, then an hour of kayaking in Lan Ha Bay from 07:30, brunch on the way back and disembarkation at about 11:00, with a shuttle back to Hanoi. The cruise night is in a first-floor junior suite with a private balcony and a bathtub.

What guests love

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

Seamless communication with the agency and guides
A well-located hotel in Ninh Binh
An excellent cruise with good food and a helpful crew

Worth knowing: Drinks on the cruise are pricey

Good for

Travellers with three days who want Ninh Binh and the bay
First-time visitors to north Vietnam
Vegan and vegetarian travellers

Not for

Anyone who wants two nights on the water

How the day goes

07:10Hanoi
Limousine pick-up 07:10 to 07:40.
10:30Hoa Lu
The ancient capital; buffet lunch at 12:00.
13:30Trang An
Wooden boat through rivers and caves.
16:00Mua Cave
About 500 steps to the viewpoint; hotel night in Ninh Binh.
07:15Ninh Binh
Day 2: limousine to Tuan Chau.
Lan Ha Bay
Cruise, Dark and Light Cave by bamboo boat, swim, cooking class.
07:30Lan Ha Bay
Day 3: kayaking, then brunch.
11:00Tuan Chau
Disembark; shuttle to Hanoi.

Included

Limousine Hanoi to Ninh Binh and Ninh Binh to Ha Long; shuttle bus Ha Long to Hanoi
English-speaking guide in Ninh Binh and on the bay
One night in a private hotel room in Ninh Binh
One night in a 5-star junior suite with balcony and bathtub
Meals, with vegan, vegetarian and allergy-friendly options
Tai chi, cooking class and kayaking
Taxes and insurance

Not included

Drinks
Dinner on the Ninh Binh night

Why this one

It is the best-reviewed Ninh Binh and bay combination, and it saves you organising three transfers. The 6-star version upgrades the ship; if you have only two days, the Ninh Binh and Ha Long day-cruise combo is shorter.

The facts

Where it starts: Hanoi hotel pick-up 07:10 to 07:40
Duration: 3 days, 2 nights (hotel, then cruise)
Road transfer: About 2.5 hours Hanoi to Ninh Binh; Ninh Binh to Ha Long and Ha Long to Hanoi by bus
Bay: Lan Ha Bay and Ha Long Bay
Cabin: 5-star junior suite with balcony and bathtub
Price: From €199.57 per person, taxes included (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

500 steps at Mua Cave
The listing says you climb around 500 steps to the Mua Cave viewpoint on day one.
What to do. Wear trainers and take water; you can wait at the bottom if you prefer.