5 Things you should know about Halong Bay overnight cruise

Halong Bay, without a doubt, is definitely a wonderful destination to spice up your holidays whether it is summer or winter. Besides all of the beautiful view of limestone mountain or the pure flow of water, Halong Bay is also famous for its one and only feature: Halong Bay overnight cruise. In order to experience how amazing Halong Bay could be, it is hard to stay in a hotel, call a “Grab” and drive through the city. Because of tremendous caves, beaches and the excited feeling of exploring the ocean on a cruise, Halong Bay overnight cruise has attracted numerous tourists, especially foreigner to visit Halong Bay every year. With the diversity and the development of cruises, the tourism business of Halong Bay grows day by day and still, has not had any evidence of stop. Therefore, why don’t you come with us to see 5 special features that only the Halong Bay overnight cruise has and prepare for yourself an amazing trip this year?

I. Exploring differences of each season on a Halong Bay overnight cruise

1. Halong Bay through different seasons of the year.   

Any tourists who have experienced the greatness of Halong Bay on an overnight cruise, they understand clearly how tremendous this place is. It is the best way to see special features of all 4 seasons of Halong Bay. To answer the question of the best time to travel to Halong Bay, we must first know what each season of Halong Bay will be and see will it suitable for you. Because of the differences in its own weather, foreigners and domestic tourists will have their own favorite season to have their Halong Bay overnight cruise trip. 

As a fact, Halong Bay weather is fantastic as always. Even with any season of the year, Halong Bay is still an attractive destination for tourists to visit. Due to its uniqueness in each different seasons, Halong bay appears in the eyes of tourists transform itself in variable weather of the year. 

a. Experience Halong Bay Overnight Cruise in Spring (from January to March) 

First of all, spring is the one which gives life to Halong Bay. The moment from January to the beginning of April, the weather could not be better for a cruise trip. With the warming sun after harsh cold weather of Halong December, limestone mountains appear with the color of green from total plant formation covering nearly full of that mountain. Trees and moss grow stronger and the atmosphere has never been fresher.

Of course, the weather of Halong in spring may still be a little bit cold, include with some drizzling rain. However, a special feature of spring in Halong Bay which will give tourists a new feeling is fog. Halong Bay spring is covered by some thin layers of fog left from the winter, as a unique thing which only appears in Halong Bay. Even though fog may make cruise and junk boat being harder to sail, the feeling of going through multiple layers of fog creates a dreamlike and illusory experience that guesses could never forget.

b. Experience Halong Bay Overnight Cruise in Summer (from April to July) 

It will be a mistake if we do not mention summer as a great season to have a Halong Bay overnight cruise trip. Needless to say, summer is always a perfect time for a trip to the beach and joining yourself in interesting activities such as exploring caves, mountains, cycling or swimming. Halong Bay is no exception, people come here every year at this time in order to have for themselves a nice holiday. You will enjoy these 2 wonderful features if you visit Halong Bay in summer:

• Great weather! Yes, it might be hot, but the beauty of Halong will appear and there is no better way to experience it other than an overnight cruise. Going to the beach, kayaking and other activities are all perfect to take part in. 
• It may sound weird, but foreigners usually not pick Halong Bay as a destination to come in summer. Therefore, the price for foreigners to have a Halong Bay overnight cruise trip in summer will especially cheaper than another season like winter or fall.

Besides that, please be noticed that there is also some disadvantage that I want to point out. Even though not many foreign tourists choose to visit Halong Bay in summer, but it is crowded by Vietnamese. Vietnam people love to go to Halong Bay in the summer because of the fact that it is quite near Hanoi and it is a beautiful location to enjoy a summer holiday without too much effort to transfer there unlike Nha Trang or Da Nang. Furthermore, you have to pay attention to the storm as well. Summer in Halong bay often has strong storms which can ruin your whole trip plan. 

Read more: 7 Steps To Choose Your Halong Bay Cruise - 2020 Travel Guide

c. Experience Halong Bay Overnight Cruise in Autumn (From July to September)

Starting from July, Halong Bay cruises will meet many obstacles, preventing them from sailing and serving their customers. Due to the fact that the rainfall is going to be more and more heavy, rising up the humidity of Halong Bay up to 77%, trips on cruise will mostly be delayed or canceled. Because they are the months of storms and typhoons, Halong Management Board may not permit any cruise to sail to ensure safety for passengers. Therefore, we definitely recommend to avoid going on a trip of Halong Bay overnight cruise on these months.   

d. Experience Halong Bay Overnight Cruise in Winter (From October to December)

Even though local people prefer summer at Halong Bay to winter, the foreigners usually in contrast. With the average temperature of 16 ^OC, Halong Bay winter is covered by a thick layer of fog, not just a thin one like spring. Travelling by cruiser to Halong Bay in winter, tourists will have a chance to see Halong in a dimmer colour of nature. The feeling of sadness may appear, but the cold gives you a thrill experience when going through mountains and caves. Especially, you will have an opportunity to dim yourself in the feeling of floating on a heavily foggy sea among limestone and cliffs and enjoying a hot cup of coffee. People come to Halong Bay cruiser in winter to know how beautiful Halong could be in the most amazing sunrise and sunset covered in a mysterious shadowy fog background, which is a different feature that no place could have. 

The matter of many foreigners put Halong Bay overnight cruise in their bucket list in Winter has caused the price to increase sharply such as the tour price, food and furthermore. 

Therefore, winter only attracts tourists who want to have a new experience in Halong Bay, enjoy the quietness and peacefulness of drizzling rain and foggy sky. 

2. Best time to visit Halong 

All in all, the best time to visit Halong Bay on an overnight cruise is definitely depend on you. As each season has its own differences, tourists can choose for themselves the best time based on their needs and wants. As our recommendation, with foreigners, we suggest to book for yourself a trip on an overnight cruise in winter (from October to December) and the beginning of Spring (from January to April). Although it can be a little more expensive than another season in Halong Bay, the experience is amazingly incomparable as mentioned above. 

II. Halong Bay overnight cruise - It is easy to book!

Booking in advance is always a good option when it comes to a cruise trip. In the peak seasons such as summer and winter, Halong Bay is full of people whether they are Vietnamese or foreigners. If you do not book before the trip, there is a high chance that you will miss your overnight cruise trip because there is no space left. 

Booking is obviously essential, but to avoid some issues like scams or low quality of services, we recommend you some of the finest companies which you can trust. The price is also included. 

But first, the information about the location to start your trip has to be addressed in detailed. There is a thing you should know that there are only 2 harbours for cruisers to pick up guesses. 1 of the 2 is Tuan Chau International Harbour [Tel: (+84) 0333842134], which is the main harbour at the moment. The other is Hon Gai Harbour, which is the new harbour of Quang Ninh province. The Hon Gai harbour project is started in July 2017, yet at the moment, the harbour is still in the working process and has not been put in action. Do not worry though because as soon as you have a great deal with the company, the company will provide you transportation to arrive at 1 of 2 harbours. 

Different types of Halong Bay overnight cruise. 

There are many different types of choosing your way to visit Halong on a cruise. If a 1-day trip is not enough for you, then, a Halong Bay overnight cruise is definitely a perfect choice. The table below will show the general price for a deluxe room per night of a Halong Bay overnight cruise.

 

As you can see, there are 3 main types of cruises, each type has its own uniqueness and will be suitable for each different kind of customers. Moreover, each company will have their own feature and differences to stand out and attract customers. In order to make thing easier for you, we provide the information of operators which provide the cruise services in Halong Bay. For a further understanding, it is necessary to visit their website and reviewing previous customers experience as well as the price of each company. 

Great companies for your overnight cruise trip. 

The 3-star cruises have the most reasonable price including with their nice quality of service. If you are looking for a cruise trip which demands a comfortable, not too luxurious experience, then a 3-star Halong Bay overnight cruise must be for you. Here is the list of famous 3-star cruises in Halong Bay

• V’spirit Halong Bay Cruise  

+Tel: (+84) 02432474488

+Address: 115/4, Hong Ha Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi, Vietnam

+Website: http://www.vspiritcruises.com/

• Oriental Sail Halong Bay Cruise 

+Tel: (+84) 02439264009

+Address: -    The OS Lounge, Hong Gai Wharf, No. 6A Le Thanh Tong Str., Hon Gai, Quang Ninh

• 113C Bui Vien, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.
• 8th Floor, No 77 Nguyen Thai Hoc street, Dien Bien Quarter, Ba Dinh District, Ha Noi city, Viet Nam

+Website: https://www.orientalsails.com/

• Aclass Legend Halong Bay Cruise

+Tel: (+84) 02439335419

+Address: 10 Phan Chu Trinh, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi

+Website: http://www.aclasscruises.com/

Furthermore it will be the 4-star cruise. With just a little bit higher price compared to the 3-star cruise, the 4-star cruise of Halong Bay brings you great experiences with their high quality of services and facilities. 

• Syrena Halong Bay Cruise

+Tel: (+84) 02033845810

+Address: 8 Halong Street, Bai Chay District, Halong, Quang Ninh

+Website: http://m.syrenacruises.com/Pages/2778/home.aspx

• Emeraude Classic Cruise

+Tel: (+84) 0906237899

+Address: Vinashin Pier, Hon Gai, 6 Le Thanh Tong, Halong City, Quang Ninh, Vietnam

+Website: http://www.emeraude-cruises.com/vi/trang-chu/

• Bhaya Classic Cruise

+Tel: (+84) 0933446542

+Address: 47 Phan Chu Trinh, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi

+Website: https://www.bhayacruises.com/vi

Last but not least, the 5-star cruise in Halong Bay gives you the best experience so that you can have a great trip and enjoy every second of your time during your trip. Without any doubt, the perfect quality of services and the completeness of facilities will brighten your holiday as a memorable moment. 

• Paradise Luxury Cruise

+Tel: (+84) 02439416666

+Address: Unit 201, 2nd Floor, Hanoi Towers, No. 49 Hai Ba Trung Str., Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi

+Website: https://www.paradisecruise.com/

• Starlight Cruises Halong Bay

+Tel: (+84) 0829098686

+Address: Zone 1 - Hai Boi - Dong Anh District, Hanoi

+Website: http://www.starlightcruises.vn/vi/

• Emperor Cruises

+Tel: (+84) 0836668879

+Address: No. 3, 65 Alley, Van Bao Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi

+Website: https://emperorcruiseshalong.com/

IV. Halong Bay overnight cruise - Wooden or steel? 

The Halong Bay overnight cruise is divided into 2 kinds of cruise: build by wood and by steel. For the future, UNESCO is pressuring the cruise team of Halong Bay to change all wooden cruise into cruise built by steel in order to increase the quality of tourism at Halong Bay. However, due to some discussion between the owners of the cruise companies, the first operation would be replacing and enhancing all the core of old cruise, so that the safety standard will be accepted.

Talking about the special feature of 2 types of cruise, each kind will have its own features. So, how can you tell which one is the best for you? Let’s get into detail. 

1. Halong Bay overnight cruise built by wood.

Halong Bay overnight cruises made from wood are totally safe and comfortable. This kind of cruise will be decorated with the old Vietnamese style, yet the quality of the cruise is still truly stable. The reason why foreigners like the feeling of the wood type of cruise are because of the decoration of the cruise mainly in the old Eastern culture. The tourists can be able to experience how the noble king of Vietnam had sailed and fight the aggressions’ army on the same cruise. What a real experience that cannot be missed! How about service quality? In Halong Bay, cruise services are famous as the best and they always put customers above. In addition, the price of the wooden type of cruise will be a little bit cheaper as a consequence of the cruise do not have too many modern facilities like the cruise which made by steel.  In my own though, I recommend this type of cruise for couples who are young and enthusiastic, want to explore the old and unique experience, also do not really need too many modern facilities and equipment. 

2. Halong Bay overnight cruise built by steel

This is a perfect choice for everybody as it has everything you will need during the whole trip. The price can be slightly higher, yet Vietnamese tourists prefer this type of cruise because of the quality is incomparable. This type of cruises usually from 4 to 5 stars. The cruise built by steel will normally have more than 16 bedrooms with numerous diverse modern facilities and equipment like plasma TV, refrigerator, modern bathroom, etc. On the cruise, many special services will be provided during the trip such as high quality of spas, massage and western restaurant. Furthermore, a special thing to choose a modern cruise is that there will have no feeling of shakiness or crankiness compare with the cruise built by wood. People with the fear of seasick will not have any hesitation or frighten anymore. In addition, these cruises will definitely be more imposing. Added with full of modern equipment and comfort, the guesses join in the trip only need to relax and enjoy the great moment beside the cruise’s balcony. With this type of cruise, my suggestion will be a huge family who has old people and children. They are people who need special health care, therefore, a cruise with enough facilities to bring convenience is always the best option. The cruise in Halong Bay also suitable for people who love to have time to relax and enjoy the best quality of services on their holidays. 

No matter the material of the cruise, the safety and the quality of services during the trip must be ensured in order to create the best experience of customers in Halong Bay. Therefore, whether you choose a wooden style cruise or steel cruise, please do not worry about any lack of minimum requirements for equipment or safety standard. 

V. Halong Bay overnight cruise - Your room is your choice 

Most people let the company choose their cabin room because it is quicker and some people do not really care about which cabin room they will get into. However, cabin room is also an incredibly vital element deciding whether your trip is great or not. Picking your own cabin room will help you to avoid unpleasant things during the trip like the smell or the shakiness of the cruise. Furthermore, if your crew has any of these people, be remembered to pay attention to choosing for them suitable cabin rooms: 

1. Kids needs special cares on a cruise!  

Kids need to be paid attention to wherever they go, especially in holidays with their parents. The location of your cabin room on the cruiser affects amazingly to your kids. As our suggestion, a 4 to 5-star cruiser will be a great choice for your trip as they have enough equipment and tool in case of bad thing happen. Therefore, a delightful cabin room for children would be like:

• Far away from the engine spot due to the fact that the engine smell will be annoying and not good for children and old people’s health. 
• Low and middle of the cruiser in order to minimize the feeling of seasick as the cruiser can balance in the middle. 
• Has sound-proof element in the cabin or far away from the engine of the cruiser to avoid noise during midnight. 
• Has no balcony to avoid children or old people fall off the cruiser. 

Moreover, with children, we have some extra tips for you in order to easier your trip and your preparation. Firstly, you should bring the food that your kids eat at home in case your kids do not like the food on the cruiser and do not forget to ask the crew member whether it is charged or not; remember to bring medicine and diaper for your kids as well. Secondly, always follow your kids no matter where they are. Lastly, do not forget to bring the swimsuit and life-jacket for your kids. 

2. More passionate for couples to enjoy a lovely trip! 

With couples, things are usually easier to choose. There are many couples who want to enjoy their holidays or their special events like honeymoon, wedding or anniversary by a trip on a Halong Bay cruiser. To get the most pleasant experience for the trip, we recommend the cabin room that couples should choose requires: 

• Private balcony in each cabin room to raise the flavour and romantic of your trip. 
• Can be able to go with 3 or 4-star cruiser to minimize the cost. 
• Have windows look to the sea to have a great view for the whole trip. 

Couples always need their private time and we understand that. Therefore, to increase the feeling of happiness throughout the whole trip, the most important factor for couples would be creating the privileged atmosphere to warming the romantic. 

3. Connecting room for your family 

In some Halong Bay overnight cruises have a typical room for a family from 4 to 5 people, called connecting room. This is one types of special room that it is not listed by the quality of the room in a hotel or more specific, in a Halong Bay overnight cruise. The room is quite large, and the unique thing about this room is that it is actually 2 separate rooms but has a connecting door to get to the other room. The room is most ideal for families who require more space, but at the same time, some privately. However, not all Halong Bay overnight cruises have this type of room. So if you want to travel in a connecting room, remember to ask and book the room in advance with the overnight cruises. 

VI. Don’t worry about the Halong Bay overnight cruise itineraries!

1. Halong Bay overnight cruise activities. 

Why you do not have to worry about the itineraries of the overnight cruise of Halong Bay? 1 surprising fact is that they are all the same. Companies, no matter what they are, provide the same activities during the tour. Of course, there will have some differences of 2 days 1 night tour with 3 days 2 nights tour. However, the differences are not big enough because of the fact that the itineraries of a longer period tour will just have some extra activities compare with the shorter period tour. Here are the lists of familiar activities that Halong Bay overnight cruises will prepare for you during the trip: 

• Kayaking: It is a bit tired to kayaking, but once you get used to it, kayaking is so much fun to experience it with friends. 
• Visiting beaches: Beaches are unforgettable when visiting Halong Bay. Although it is quite small, the sand and the water will not fail you. 
• Climbing to the top of the mountains: Some tourists will not enjoy this activity due to the exhaustion and tiredness. But only at the top, you can have a full view of the beauty of Halong Bay.
• Cave visiting: This activity, in my opinion, is the most exciting experience throughout the whole trip. After all, there must have a reason for Halong Bay to become 1 of the 7 Wonders of Nature in the world, right? 
• Cooking Class: the cooking class on the overnight cruise may happen with a longer period tour like 3 days 2 nights. The chef of the cruise will show us some technique to cook some cuisine from Halong Bay, pretty interesting, isn’t it? 

Naturally, no one will force you to participate in these activities. It is fine if you just want to rest and relax in your cabin room or doing some massage in the spas centre. However, I still recommend to asking the tour guide the plan of your tour to pick your favourite activities.

2. Halong Bay overnight cruise routes

In order to make it more easier for tourists who decided to have a Halong Bay overnight cruise trip by themselves, Halong Bay manager has given 5 routes that they allow cruise to operate on. The 5 routes are:  

• Route 1: Thien Cung - Dau Go - Cho Da Stone - Ba Hang village - Dinh Huong Stone - Trong Mai Stone - Hoa Cuong Village
• Route 2: Sung Sot Cave - TiTop/ Soi Sim - Me Cung Cave - Dong Tien Lake/ Trong Cave/ Trinh Nu Cave/ Bo Nau Cave/ Luon Cave

Route 2 can be able to stay overnight as your option. Place to rest: 690 - Lach Dau Xuoi - Lom Bo Stone/ Trinh Nu Cave - Trong Cave/ Dong Tien Lake - Luon Cave/ 578 Lat Cave

• Route 3: The Village Cultural Center Cua Van - Cua Van village - Tien Ong Cave - Ba Ham Lake
• Route 4: Co Cave - Thay Cave - Vong Vieng Village - Cap La Cave - Cong Dam Village/ Tung Ang (Ecotourism Destination) - Cong Do/ Hon Xep

Route 4 can be able to stay overnight as your option. Place to rest: Cong Do

• Route 5: Cho Da Stone - Ba Hang Village - Dinh Huong Stone - Trong Mai Stone - Hoa Cuong Village.

An extra destination for adults: Ba Hang Cave/Soi Sim

Please be noticed that there are 2 routes that you can choose to stay overnight, which are route 2 and route 4

What Halong Bay is famous for, definitely is because of their overnight cruise services as a traditional culture of Halong Bay. The top 5 things you should know will absolutely be useful to you. To me, the experience of having an overnight cruise trip is highly memorable and recommended. I hope these 5 things will help you as well as it has helped me during my holidays. We wish you having a great trip and the best of luck.