Lan Ha and Ha Long Bay 2-Day 6-Star Cruise with Infinity Pool

Lan Ha Bay: the quiet side of the karst

Lan Ha Bay lies south-east of Ha Long Bay, off the eastern shore of Cat Ba Island, and belongs to the Cat Ba archipelago in Hai Phong. The limestone scenery is the same family of towers and arches, but with fewer boats, small white-sand coves and clear green water in the sheltered lagoons. Since 2023 the Cat Ba archipelago has been part of the same UNESCO World Heritage listing as Ha Long Bay.

Is Lan Ha Bay worth visiting? For many travellers it is the best part of the trip: here the ship slows down, anchors in calm water and you take to a kayak or a bamboo boat rowed by a local to glide between the cliffs and floating fish farms. An overnight cruise also lets you enjoy the bay in the evening and early morning, after the day boats have gone home.

Ha Long Bay on the way out

The cruise begins in Ha Long and sails south through Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site famous for its forest of limestone islands rising from jade water. From the sundeck or your balcony you watch the islands shift and overlap as the ship moves, with fishing boats and the occasional floating house below the cliffs. The bay's name, descending dragon, comes from a legend of dragons that scattered jewels to form the islands.

This crossing is part of the pleasure of a 2-day cruise: there is time to settle into your suite, take a first swim in the pool and enjoy lunch while the scenery passes. Best time to visit Ha Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay is usually March to May and October to November, with mild, clearer weather; summer is hot and good for swimming, but storm warnings can suspend cruises from June to October.

Your suite, the infinity pool and life on board

The default option is a first-floor suite with a private balcony and a bathtub placed to face the bay, so you can watch the karst islands from your bath or your chair outside. Cabins are private for your group and take up to three guests; children up to 10 share the parents' beds. A second-floor suite option sits higher, with wider views over the islands, and both include bottled water, a welcome soft drink and a cold towel on arrival.

The ship's outdoor infinity pool is open in every season and seems to pour straight into the bay, while the gym and sundeck give you space to move between meals. The restaurant serves refined Asian and European dishes: lunch, dinner, breakfast and a final brunch. Spa treatments are available on board at extra cost. Vegetarian meals are prepared on request; the kitchen is not halal-certified, but no-pork meals can usually be arranged if you tell us in advance.

Sunset, squid fishing and sunrise Tai Chi

In the late afternoon guests gather on the sundeck as the sun drops behind the islands, with a spring-roll cooking demonstration where the chef shows how to roll the classic Vietnamese dish. After dinner the crew lights lamps over the water and hands out lines for squid fishing, a gentle, often funny activity that children enjoy as much as adults.

The ship spends the night at anchor in sheltered water, far from city lights, so the evening is quiet and the stars are often bright. Early risers join a short Tai Chi session on the sundeck as the first light reaches the cliffs, followed by breakfast. The morning continues with more time on deck or in the pool before brunch is served and the ship cruises back to Ha Long.

Getting to the cruise harbour in Ha Long

How to get to Ha Long Bay for this cruise: check-in is at the cruise harbour in Ha Long between 08:00 and 08:15. From Hanoi the drive takes about two and a half hours on the expressway, so most guests leave their hotel around 05:30. Travellers flying in can use Van Don International Airport, about 50 minutes away, and from Ninh Binh the road takes about three hours.

Transfers are not included in this cruise, but we arrange them on request: a shuttle or a private air-conditioned vehicle from Hanoi Old Quarter, Ninh Binh or your Ha Long hotel, and you may even start in one city and finish in another. You can bring your luggage on board, so it is easy to continue your trip straight after the cruise.