Heritage Halong & Lan Ha Explorer

Hanoi - Halong Bay - Lan Ha Bay. Arrive in Hanoi the day before the start of the tour. You are picked up from your hotel in Old Quarter Hanoi, Hanoi Opera House, or the Local Tours Vietnam office if staying elsewhere, between 8 am and 8:30 am if you've booked our shuttle bus, for the drive to Tuan Chau International Marina in Halong City. By midday, you're welcomed into the marina lounge for refreshments before boarding.

Once aboard, we settle in with a welcome drink, run through the safety briefing, check into our suites, and sit down to lunch in the ship's restaurant. As the afternoon gets underway, we sail towards the limestone mountains of Lan Ha Bay in the Cat Ba Archipelago, a remote and untouched stretch of the bay seen by few other cruise boats.

By mid-afternoon, we approach Ba Trai Dao, or the Tra Bau area if the weather doesn't allow it - a natural frontier between Halong and Haiphong provinces, scattered with beaches, caves and coves among roughly 400 islands. Here, you can kayak or simply swim in the crystal-clear water before returning to the ship as evening sets in.

Back on board, there's time to relax with a cocktail as the sun sets over the Gulf of Tonkin, followed by afternoon tea and a Vietnamese cooking class with the chef. Dinner is served in an intimate setting with a menu of local dishes, before the evening winds down at the rooftop bar - a chance to try squid fishing or simply take in the night views, with the bars open late.

Lan Ha Bay - Viet Hai Village - Cai Beo Floating Village. An early Vovinam session on the sundeck is on offer for those who want it, followed by coffee, tea and pastries.

We transfer by speedboat to Viet Hai Village. From here, you can take a bicycle ride or electric car through a rainforest tunnel to sweeping rice-field views. We then visit a traditional house deep within the national park to gain insight into local life, before lunch in the village, and return by speedboat to Lan Ha Bay.

In the afternoon, we continue to the Cat Ba Archipelago, cruising past Cai Beo floating village before reaching the Ba Trai Dao beaches. Here, you can explore a secret trail enclosed by vertical cliffs, tide and weather permitting, or simply swim and kayak in the Tra Bau area.

Back on board by late afternoon, we enjoy cocktails, beer and fine wine as the sky changes colour, followed by free time before sunset over the Gulf of Tonkin and a Vietnamese cooking class with the chef. Fine dining follows in the main restaurant, before the evening winds down at the rooftop bar, with squid fishing and late-night bars on offer.

Cai Beo Floating Village - Halong Bay - Hanoi. Today, there's one last chance to join the sundeck Vovinam session this morning, if you fancy it, followed by a light breakfast on board. We then head out by bamboo boat to explore Dark and Bright Cave, admiring its sparkling stalactites and the atmosphere of the surrounding nature.

Back on the ship, you check out before lunch. We then cruise back towards the mainland, arriving at Tuan Chau Marina, where you disembark to continue your onward journey, with time to relax in the marina lounge while you wait. If you've booked our limousine service, your chauffeur will collect you to take you to your hotel in Hanoi. Safe travels!