Everyone knows a Halong Bay cruise worths a lifetime. But why should you limit yourself visiting a familiar and extremely crowded tourist spot? Vietnam not only has Halong Bay; it also has Lan Ha Bay – a less traveled, forgotten bay. Lan Ha Bay is less-touristy to foreign tourists, and that’s how it remains the pristine landscape and peaceful atmosphere. If you prefer visiting a quiet, unpolluted, and unspoiled destination, a Lan Ha Bay cruise is absolutely perfect for you.

Where is Lan Ha Bay

Lan Ha Bay is the combination of over 400 islands and islets, more than 130 beaches, natural biodiversity, and unspoiled scenery. It has an area of 4000 km2. Lan Ha Bay is located in Hai Phong City, in the south of Halong Bay as well as the east of Cat Ba Island. As a result, you can have a cruise from Halong Bay to Lan Ha Bay, or go to Cat Ba Island and travel to the bay. 

When to visit Lan Ha Bay

The weather in Lan Ha Bay is cool and enjoyable, so you can travel here around the year. However, the best time for a Lan Ha Bay journey is the summer and the autumn, which is from April to October. The summer is when the plants and vegetation are spectacular, while the autumn is when the weather is not boiling and the sunlight is gentle. 

How to reach Lan Ha Bay

There are two options: you can go overnight by boat from Halong Bay to Lan Ha Bay (which means you will have a Halong Bay – Lan Ha Bay cruise), or else, you can go to Cat Ba Island and either rent a boat or book a cruise to Lan Ha Bay. 

If you want to visit Lan Ha Bay directly, you have to reach Hai Phong first. The distance between Hai Phong and Cat Ba Island is 40 kilometers, so it won’t take too much time. From Cat Ba Island, you will book a cruise to Lan Ha Bay easily. You can choose either Binh Harbor or Dinh Vu Harbor in Hai Phong to reach Cat Ba Island. From Binh Harbor, you will reach Cat Ba Island by high-speed ship or normal ship in about 15-45 minutes. From Dinh Vu Harbor, you will be carried by ferry. A ferry is available every hour with a duration of 45 minutes. 

You should book the cruise 2 to 3 days before your schedule. It gives you more opportunities to find the best cruise that fits you. You can either book the cruise online or ask the hostel or hotel to book for you. The cruise will include meals and drinks for you, so you don’t have to worry about food. Remember to prepare yourself some snacks as you will consume lots of energy while exploring Lan Ha Bay.

You can also go to the Beo Harbor in Cat Ba Island and ask the local people to carry you by canoe. However, it is only suitable for a small number of people who have a detailed plan about where to go in Lan Ha Bay, and like adventurous activities. 

How would your Lan Ha Bay cruise be like

Spectacular destinations during your cruise

Lan Ha Bay is less popular in comparison to Halong Bay. And thanks for that, it remains the pristine beauty, outstanding biodiversity, marvelous distinctive limestone islands and islets, jade-colored ocean, and fresh salty air. Domestic tourists highly recommend Lan Ha Bay as a perfect tourist destination for a hot summer. 

Some highlighted destinations you shouldn’t miss in your cruise are:

Dark Cave and Bright Cave: While Dark Cave is quite dark and you hardly see the pathway, the Bright Cave is full of daylight. In these caves, you will admire the distinctive twinkle stalactite that has been formed thousands of years ago. 

Nam Cat Island: You can hardly find the traces of human on this island since the landscape is so natural and pristine. Nam Cat Island is like true heaven existing on the Earth with crystal clear greenish ocean, golden sand along the beach, and sunlight streaming across the bushy trees.

Cat Dua Island: Another interesting name for Cat Dua Island is the Monkey Island. It has a long stunning beach with lots of trees, extremely perfect for a lazy afternoon. Especially, there are about 20 monkeys live here, being protected by Cat Ba National Park. They are quite naughty and very friendly with tourists. 

Van Boi Beach: It is considered as the most beautiful and most visited beach in Lan Ha Bay. The beach is unpolluted, quiet, and less-touristy, even in the season. Don’t forget to prepare sunscreen, hat, sunglasses for a perfect beach day. 

Lots more destinations, caves, beaches in Ha Lan Bay that are waiting for you to visit, such as Dau Be Island, Luon Cave. There are at least 139 beaches to explore. Having a 3-day cruise would be spectacular since you can visit as many spots as possible, enjoy seafood on the boat, watching the sunrise and sunset on the bay, and let the oceanic feelings embrace you all night long. 

Enjoying the cruise by some outdoor activities

Let’s have some outdoor activities during your cruise for a memorable trip. There are various things to do when visiting this amazing bay. You can sunbathe on the beach, trek in caves, or kayak through them in order to experience the stalactite in unique formations above the caves. You can join some water activities such as windsurfing, surfing, swimming, diving, deep water soloing, and snorkeling. The most interesting thing is that there are not many visitors in Lan Ha Bay, so you can enjoy the activities freely. 

If you get bored of water, there are lots of limestone mountains to climb and plants to discover. And if you stay overnight (which you definitely should do), you can also go camping and have a BBQ party on the beach. Your journey would be as fantastic as a movie. Some islands and villages in Lan Ha Bay such as Viet Hai Village and Cat Dua Island offer hotels, hostels, bungalows to stay the night, so don’t hesitate. 

You would never regret having a Lan Ha Bay cruise. It is the most flawless destination for your summer vacation. You will never forget the gentle gusts of air against your face, the tinge of the salty air on your tongue, and the alluring smells of the limestone mountain forest that this cruise would bring to you.