This Halong Bay shore excursion is a private day trip for cruise passengers, with pickup and drop-off at the same berth at Halong International Cruise Port or Cai Lan Port.
The full-day program spends about six hours on the water, stops at Sung Sot Cave, the Luon Lagoon, and Ti Top Island, and returns you at least one hour before all-aboard.
A shorter five-hour version follows Route 1 to Thien Cung cave and the rock islets near the harbor.
Halong Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Quang Ninh province, northern Vietnam, with close to 2,000 limestone islands and islets spread over about 1,553 km².
Vietnam Trails Travels guests disembarking beside a white cruise ship at Halong port
It is one of Vietnam’s most visited destinations, and among all the things to do in Halong, a day on the water shows the most in the hours a ship spends in port.
For a first visit to Halong Bay, Route 2 is the most requested excursion Halong Bay offers to day visitors, because it combines a large cave, a lagoon and a viewpoint with a beach.
Your group travels as a private tour with its own English-speaking local tour guide, a private boat and, where a road transfer is needed, an air-conditioned van.
Entrance tickets, a seafood lunch on deck and kayaking are already covered.
We check every time in this itinerary against your confirmed cruise schedule and your cruise line’s all-aboard time before the call, so nothing is left to guesswork on the day.
Halong Bay Shore Excursion Itinerary
07:30 to 08:00: Meeting at Halong International Cruise Port or Cai Lan Port gate
For a Halong Bay shore excursion from Halong International Cruise Port, our guide waits just outside the cruise terminal exit with a sign showing your name.
Many cruise documents list this port as Halong International Port or Halong Bay Port.
The day-boat pier sits inside the same complex, which makes this Ha Long Bay excursion from Ha Long port the quickest way onto the water.
Cai Lan Port is a container terminal, and guests cannot walk through the port areas, so the ship’s shuttle bus takes you to the gate.
The guide and driver meet you there for the 15-minute transfer to the Bai Chay boat station or Tuan Chau International Marina.
From that point, the day runs like a Ha Long Bay excursion from Halong Port.
Halong Port terminal square filled with tour groups on a clear sunny morning
If your cruise ship arrives earlier than planned, we move the meeting time forward rather than leave you waiting inside the port.
The ship’s port instructions, handed out the evening before, show the confirmed port.
Once you send it to us, our team will reach the port exit before you do.
If the ship is moved to Hai Phong port at short notice, we shift the pickup accordingly; the drive from Hai Phong to the bay takes around one hour.
08:00 to 09:15: Boarding the boat, sailing past Incense Burner Islet and Fighting Cock Islet
Your boat leaves the pier once everyone is on board and the crew has shown where the life jackets are stored.
Coffee and tea are served on deck as the boat heads south through the central bay.
The first landmark is Hon Dinh Huong, the rock printed on the 200,000 VND note.
Two limestone rocks shaped like kissing chickens at Fighting Cock Islet
Next comes Fighting Cock Islet, the pair of rocks that has become Halong Bay’s best-known symbol.
Along the way, your guide explains how rain and sea shaped the limestone over millions of years.
09:15 to 10:30: Sung Sot cave (Surprise cave) on Bo Hon Island
Bo Hon Island is the first landing, and its Surprise Cave ranks as one of Halong Bay’s largest.
A stone stairway leads to the entrance, and a lit path runs through two large chambers before ending on a terrace above the anchorage.
The cave visit takes about 45 minutes at an easy pace.
10:45 to 11:45: Kayaking or bamboo boat ride at Luon Cave
Luon Cave is a 15-minute ride away. After a short safety briefing, two guests share each kayak and paddle through a low tunnel into a lagoon enclosed by cliffs, where wild monkeys are sometimes seen on the rocks.
Bamboo boat tour past limestone karsts in the turquoise water of Halong Bay
Kayaking here suits beginners because the water is calm and sheltered.
Guests who prefer not to paddle ride through in a wooden rowing boat with a local oarsman.
11:45 to 12:45: Seafood lunch on board
Lunch is served on board as the boat moves to the next stop. The menu is Vietnamese and seafood-based, with grilled fish, steamed prawns, squid, spring rolls, rice and fresh fruit.
Vegetarian, vegan and halal meals are cooked separately on request.
13:00 to 14:30: Ti Top Island, summit viewpoint and beach
Ti Top Island gives you 90 minutes ashore. The island takes its name from Soviet cosmonaut Gherman Titov, who came here in 1962 with President Ho Chi Minh.
Travelers swimming and relaxing on Titov Island beach in Halong Bay Vietnam
About 400 steps lead to the summit viewpoint, the best place to explore Halong Bay from above, and the beach below is open for swimming from April to October.
14:30 to 15:45: Cruising back to the harbor
The boat turns back toward the harbor, usually through a different channel from the morning route. On the way, the guide points out floating fish farms.
Most families from the old fishing village communities moved ashore in 2014, and fish farming is what remains on the water.
The open top deck is the best spot to take in the natural beauty of the bay on this last stretch.
16:00: Drop-off at Halong International Cruise Port
You are back at the terminal exit of Halong International Cruise Port by 16:00.
That is at least 60 minutes before a 17:00 all-aboard, the minimum we keep on every Halong Bay full-day tour. For Cai Lan Port, drop-off at the gate is about 20 minutes later, with a 90-minute margin.
The tour guide takes a picture with his guests before goodbye at Halong International Cruise Port
Your local guide stays with you until you reach the ship’s shuttle or the terminal entrance, so the return to your ship is never rushed.
Travel tips:
Confirm Your Port: Check your ship’s daily bulletin the night before to confirm whether you dock at Halong International Cruise Port, Cai Lan Port, or Hai Phong.
Meeting Point: For Halong International Port, walk outside the main terminal exit. For Cai Lan Port, take the ship’s port shuttle bus to the main gate to meet your guide.
Walking & Climbing: Wear comfortable, slip-resistant walking shoes or sneakers. Sung Sot Cave has stone stairs, and Ti Top Island requires climbing around 400 steps to the viewpoint.
Kayaking & Swimming: Bring a small dry bag, a light towel, sunscreen, and a change of clothes or swimwear (swimming is permitted at Ti Top beach from April to October).
Port Safety Margin: Always reconfirm your ship’s all-aboard time with your guide before departing; reputable private tours maintain a safety buffer of 60 to 90 minutes.
Local Currency: Keep small bills of Vietnamese Dong (VND) or USD on hand for personal expenses, souvenirs, or tipping your boat crew and guide.
