Jon Beyond Borders

Home to nearly 2,000 islands, Ha Long Bay is a twice recognised UNESCO world heritage site that offers tourists a chance to experience a once in a lifetime opportunity enjoying a luxury overnight cruise in the bay. Is the experience worth the price or is it just an overcrowded trap? 

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How much is it?

On our overnight trip to Ha Long Bay, we took a cruise with the company Aqua Luxury Cruises. Booking through GetYourGuide, it cost us £208 for a 2-day 1 night stay in the junior room (around $278 USD).  It’s worth noting that Aqua Luxury Cruises also offers rooms such as the senior suite ($340 USD) and the king suite terrace cabin ($692 USD), boasting a large balcony/deck area at the back of the boat.  

There is a vast amount of cruise companies offering similar services (too many for us to look through). For budget travellers, it is possible to get an overnight experience for as little as £80 ($100) per person. If you are looking to enhance your experience, there is also stays that cost up to £240 ($300). 

What to expect

The rooms provided to us were clean, and included amenities such as a balcony, a fridge and a bath featuring a large window to view the bay from. Complimentary fruit, coffee/tea and water were provided as per the room.  

The rooms were airconditioned providing a nice break from the heat after soaking in the sun and the views from the balcony. Speaking of which, I had seen a YouTuber take one of these tours and have a Vietnamese lady come up to the side of the boat selling snacks and drinks. Luckily, we had the pleasure of meeting a lovely lady off the side of the boat who we bought a couple of ice-cold beers from (we paid 150K VND, which we thought was a bit steep but we didn’t haggle and later found out it was the same price as the menu on the cruise so we were convinced they know).  

Four meals were provided across the package (2 lunches, dinner and breakfast). Lunches and breakfast were served buffet style, and dinner boasted a 6-course meal. Overall, the buffets were tasty and offered a wide range of foods, both Vietnamese and western suiting everyone’s needs. Overhearing a family sat near us in the dining room, they had requested a vegetarian menu and were provided with a set menu of their home cuisine which was served via table service. The dinner featured 6 courses of mixed cuisines, the main course being a selection of either sea bass or tenderloin steak. The food was relatively tasty but nothing to be blown away by in our opinion. The dinner was promptly followed by a fashion show, showcasing traditional Vietnamese attire, a magic show and a karaoke session. 

An example itinerary

Onboard activities included; kayaking around the bay, an early morning tai chi class, a cooking class and a sunset party (with heavy emphasis on cocktail/mocktail 3 for 2 deals).  The kayaking was a 45min session around the boat, although we were not told too much about where we can and can’t go, and the sunset party was a 2-hour session before dinner on the top deck in an enclosed bay area. Unfortunately, due to the surrounding islands, it was hard to see the sun as it went down, but we enjoyed the cocktails nonetheless (albeit very strong). 

The itinerary is packed, and it felt as though the company wants to get in as much as possible for customers to feel their value for money. You can tell this from the early wake up call for breakfast at 6:30am. For the beauty of the bay, I don’t think all the other activities are necessary, and I believe a cheaper rate and maybe an activity or breakfast less might be better for those who are unsure about whether it is worth it. 

Is it worth it?

The bay comes under controversy by young backpackers for being not worth it due to how busy it can get during peak season. I can see where they are coming from, it does get busy with boats, but not that busy to take away from the experience. When going kayaking or when the cruise settles in a spot for the evening dinner, you can spot a few other boats, but what can you expect from one of Vietnam’s biggest attractions during the era of affordable travel. If you’re looking for a unique and secluded experience, maybe it’s not your cup of tea, but if you want a luxury and relaxing experience while in Vietnam, you’re in the right spot.