Halong Bay? or Bai Tu Long Bay? or Lan Ha Bay?

We all know that Halong Bay is a “ must see” destination when you plan a trip to visit Vietnam. However, most of tourists do not know that there are gorgeous 3 bays in the area that are: Halong Bay, Bai Tu Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay.
Which bay will be the best and meet your expectaion for your Vietnam Holiday? Ama Journey would like to introduce an article about these destinations.

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About Halong Bay

Halong Bay is part of the Gulf of Tonkin. Located in the northeast Vietnam.  It covers an area of approximately 1,553 km² and includes 1,969 islands of various sizes and shapes, 989 of which have been named. The islands are primarily composed of limestone and schist, with the topography dating back between 250 and 280 million years.

Halong Bay

The dense concentration of limestone islands, caves, and grottos creates the stunning scenery that forms the central area of Halong Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This protected area spans 434 km² and includes 775 beautiful islands.

Places to visit  in Halong Bay

Titop Island, Soi Sim Beach, Tuan Chau Beach, and Bai Chay Beach are among the most attractive beaches in Halong Bay. Titop Island features the most accessible beach for visitors, often leading to serious congestion during peak season.

Soi Sim Beach offers a panoramic view from its summit but is still under development. Its mystery is preserved, largely due to its recent development and the charming presence of thatched-roof umbrellas in various shapes.

Sung Sot Cave is a natural masterpiece, renowned for its expansive caverns adorned with stalactites and stalagmites. Thien Cung and Trinh Nu caves are also celebrated for their magnificent beauty. Historically, Dau Go (Cave of the Wooden Stakes) is significant, as it stored the wooden stakes used to repel the Mongol invasion in the 13th century.

Halong Bay cruise itinerary

Day 1: Hanoi – Halong Bay
Pick up from Hanoi to Halong Bay
Check in the cruise. You will be given a short briefing about your cruise itinerary and safety regulations while enjoying your welcome drink
Enjoy a sumptuous lunch
Visit Titov Island – the island is named after the Russian cosmonaut Gherman Titov
Visit Luon Cave - a fascinating natural wonder located in the heart of Halong Bay. Admire the amazing rock formations and crystal-clear waters via bamboo boat or kayak.
Dinner on Halong Bay cruise

Day 2: Halong Bay – Tien Ong cave – Cua Van floating village
Breakfast on cruise
Transfer to explore Halong Bay by a day boat. the boat passes by iconic sites of Ha Long Bay such as Ho Dong Tien cave, Trong cave, Trinh Nu cave, Hang Dau islet, Hang Than islet, etc.
Visit Tien Ong Cave
Enjoy lunch on the boat
Visit Cua Van fishing village - the first floating cultural village model for fishers of the sea in Vietnam. Enjoy kayaking* or bamboo boat here.
Return to the overnight cruise
Dinner on the cruise

Day 3: Sung Sot Cave – Tuan Chau island
Visit the biggest cave in Halong Bay – Sung Sot cave. Let your imagination run wide with stalactites and stalagmites of various shapes and sizes.
Enjoy Brunch and return to Tuan Chau island
Transfer back to Hanoi.

For 2 day - 1 night Halong Bay cruise, that would be Day 1 and Day 3 of the 3 day itinerary.

Halong Bay cruise route

Halong Bay cruise list

Paradise Cruises
Bhaya Cruises
Indochina Sails
Valentine Cruises
Jasmine Cruises
Violet Cruises
Aclass Legend Cruise
Glory Legend Cruise
Pelican Cruises
Legend Cruises
Au Co Cruises

About Bai Tu Long Bay

Bai Tu Long Bay, located in northern Vietnam to the east of Halong Bay in Quang Ninh Province, is a stunning natural landscape renowned for its pristine beauty and crystal-clear waters. This off-the-beaten-path location is a hidden gem, offering travelers a unique and authentic experience away from the crowds of more touristy areas.

Bai Tu Long Bay - Vietnam

Bai Tu Long Bay boasts equally breathtaking landscapes, making it an ideal destination for those seeking a more genuine and tranquil experience. With its unspoiled beaches, impressive karst mountains, and wild nature, Bai Tu Long Bay is a must-visit destination for travelers to Vietnam.

Places to visit in Bai Tu Long

In this expansive area, visitors can discover pristine natural landscapes. Bai Tu Long Bay remains largely unexplored, and in many ways, it is even more stunning than Halong Bay due to its relatively untouched nature as a travel destination. Bai Tu Long offers numerous attractions: Cong Do area, Vung Vieng fishing village, Da Xep Park, Cong Dam area, Thien Canh Son cave, and Tra Gioi beach.

There are also several populated islands, including Quan Lan, Ngoc Vung, Cong Dong, and Cong Tay, each boasting beautiful beaches. Additionally, Bai Tu Long Bay National Park is rich in biological diversity and variety of flora and fauna.

Bai Tu Long Bay cruise itinerary

Day 1: Hanoi – Bai Tu Long – Thien Canh Son cave
Pick up in Hanoi and transfer to Halong. Check in for the Bai Tu Long cruise.
Enjoy lunch while cruising through the magnificent Bai Tu Long Bay, admiring the fascinating rock formations along the way.
Visit Vung Vieng, a floating fishing village and one of the largest in Halong Bay. Do canoeing or kayaking. Dinner will be served in the onboard restaurant. In the evening, participate in a night squid fishing activity. Overnight on the Bai Tu Long cruise.

Day 2: Bai Tu Long – Cong Dam area
Begin your day refreshed with a Tai Chi session and delight in the sunrise beyond the horizon. Enjoy a light breakfast served in the onboard restaurant. Transfer to a day boat to venture into the pristine area of Bai Tu Long Bay – the Cong Dam Area. Embark on a kayaking adventure to explore the breathtaking scenery. Return to the cruise for lunch onboard.
Witness the stunning sunset over the bay. You can also join a cooking class featuring spring rolls, a Vietnamese cuisine specialty. Dine at the onboard restaurant for dinner.

Day 3: Bai Tu Long Bay – Vung Vieng fishing village
Start your day energized with a Tai Chi.
A light breakfast will be served in the onboard restaurant.
Explore Thien Canh Son Cave, located on the top of the mountain, with a long history, geological significance, and natural beauty.
Return to the cruise to relax and check out at the front desk
A light lunch will be served in the restaurant while the cruise returns to the harbor.
Back to Hanoi.

For 2 day - 1 night Bai Tu Long Bay cruise, that would be Day 1 and Day 3 of the 3 day itinerary

Bai Tu Long Bay cruise list

Lily Cruise
Renea Cruise
Dragon Pearl Junk Cruises
Red Dragon Cruises
L’Amour Cruises
Prince Cruises
Dragon Legend Cruise
Swan Cruise
Paloma Cruises
Huong Hai Sealife Cruises
Emperor Cruise
Signature Cruises

Bai Tu Long Bay cruise route

About Lan Ha Bay

Lan Ha Bay is situated in the east of Cat Ba Island (Hai Phong Province), the south of Halong Bay and has around 400 karst limestones island surrounded by evergreen charm and vegetation. By going around this bay, you’ll a have chance to contemplate many islets with small and untouched beaches.

Lan Ha Bay - Vietnam

Lan Ha Bay is the home of lots of mountains with different names depending on the imagination of tourists, for example, Hon Quoc Islet, Dao Khi – Monkey Island and etc. Lan Ha Bay possesses about 139 beautiful sandy beaches and spreads over 7,000 ha including that the area of 5,400 ha is under-managed by The Biosphere Reserve recognized by UNESCO – Cat Ba National Park.

Places to visit in Lan Ha Bay

Lan Ha Bay also has amazing destinations to attract visitors to this area. There are  139 beaches lying scattered throughout Lan Ha Bay, which allows tourists to contemplate from the cruises. The trio of Cat Co 1,2 and 3 Beach, Van Boi Beach, Ba Trai Dao Beach (Three Peaches Beach) and Tung Thu Beach are known as one of the most appealing beaches in Lan Ha Bay.

Ba Trai Dao Beach has attracted tourists by not only its charming beauty but an interesting myth to explain the appearance of the three rocks that give the islet its name as well.

Tung Thu is another attractive one offering on the south coast of Cat Ba Island, while Van Boi offers the chance to engage in scuba-diving to watch the colorful coral reefs underwater. It’s true that Lan Ha Bay has remained more tranquil and pristine beaches than Halong Bay.

Light and Dark Caves which are the two opposing ones, as their names, show the difference in the amount of light entering from outside. The Dark Cave is longer, so it’s necessary to require torches for discovering meanwhile, the Light Cave has a short corridor opening up into an amazing lake covered by stretching limestone cliffs.

Lan Ha Bay cruise itinerary

Day 1: Hanoi – Tuan Chau – Lan Ha Bay
Pick up from Hanoi and transfer to Tuan Chau island in Halong Bay
Check in cruise and enjoy Lunch
Visiting Tra Bau area where has known as an area famous for its unspoiled, poetic natural beauty and attractive seascape of Lan Ha Bay. This is the best time for kayaking to discover the truest beauty of the limestone islands.
Dinner and overnight in Lan Ha Bay

Day 2: Lan Ha Bay – Viet Hai Village – Three peaches area
Breakfast on the cruise.
Transferred to a day trip boat and set sail for the further Lan Ha Bay - cruising along the peaceful and quiet nature of the bay.
Arrive Viet Hai jetty, the guest will have a great experience in cycling or having a ride on an e-cart to explore Viet Hai village.
Return to the day trip boat and enjoy lunch at the restaurant while the boat is cruising to the kayaking and swimming spot in the Three peaches area.
Return to the cruise for dinner and overnight.

Day 3: Lan Ha Bay – Tuan Chau island – Hanoi
Transfer to Gia Luan pier to explore Trung Trang cave in Cat Ba island
Return to the cruise for lunch and check out later.
The cruise arrives in Tuan Chau island at noon. Get a transfer back to Hanoi.

For 2 day - 1 night Lan Ha Bay cruise, that would be Day 1 and Day 3 of the 3 day itinerary

Lan Ha Bay cruise route

Lan Ha Bay cruise list

Heritage cruise
Stellar of the Seas Cruise
Orchid Cruises
Ginger Cruise
Ylang Cruises
V’spirit Cruise
Mon Chery Cruise
Peony Cruise

>>> See more: Lan Ha Bay Cruises from Cai Beo pier ( Cat Ba island)

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