We cruise. It’s one in every of our responsible journey pleasures. We love the bite-sized stops at a number of locations, the top-notch service and watching the world sail by in consolation. So when after we had been planning our Vietnam vacation it was a no brainer to incorporate a Ha Lengthy Bay cruise.
However would it not be that very same as an ocean cruise? And, when evaluating the value of two nights onboard to the opposite lodging we’d booked, would it not be value it?
Ha Lengthy Bay is one in every of Vietnam’s vacationer sizzling spots. A whole bunch of vessels rotate across the 1969 jungle-draped limestone islands that appear like the set of a Jurassic Park film.
It’s acquired a popularity for being a bit crowded and, regardless of being a World Heritage Website for the previous 30 years, having numerous garbage floating round.
It’s additionally not low cost to do a cruise. This was the most costly two nights of our fortnight in Vietnam by fairly a margin.
We knew all of this earlier than we booked, so went with our eyes open.
I completely get it that the worth and value of an expertise is subjective. On this submit I’m sharing what we fabricated from our Ha Lengthy Bay cruise so you possibly can determine whether or not it’s value it for you.
In addition to our cruise itinerary and a evaluate of our ship, I’m overlaying just a few helpful issues to find out about:
- the climate – we cruised within the top of the wet season on the finish of July
- the floating outlets that may provide you with further drinks and snacks
- transfers to the ships
- and the elephant within the bay, the air pollution.
*This submit comprises affiliate hyperlinks*
Our Ha Lengthy Bay Cruise
The overwhelming majority of Ha Lengthy Bay cruises are offered as both two days and one evening or three days and two nights. We booked a 3 days and two evening cruise with Mon Cheri Cruises which is a part of the Large Bay Group that additionally runs Peony Cruises and Lily Cruises.
The best way the cruise itineraries work is that you just be part of your ship in time for lunch and are off once more earlier than lunch on the day you depart. So in case you ebook a two day and one evening cruise you actually solely get two half days and an evening.
We determined that to profit from our cruise we wanted greater than 24 hours onboard.
As soon as onboard, every thing however our bar invoice was included. A really beneficiant sized breakfast, lunch, dinner and afternoon snacks, plus all of the actions and excursions had been wrapped up within the room price.
This in itself made the value tag of £1,100 or £137.50 per individual, per evening appear much more affordable.
Our cruise itinerary
Most Ha Lengthy Bay cruise itineraries are very comparable in format. Your cruise firm could go to completely different islands however the actions onboard are very comparable.
Right here’s an outline of our three day and two evening Ha Lengthy Bay cruise with Mon Cheri:
Day 1
- 8.30am: picked up from our lodge in Hanoi’s Previous Quarter. We paid further for this service.
- 11.30am: arrived on the port in Ha Lengthy the place we checked in on the Large Bay Group reception space.
- 12pm: we boarded a young boat that may switch us to our ship.
- 12.45pm: we arrived on the Mon Cheri 2 had been we went straight as much as the restaurant on deck three for a welcome transient and buffet lunch.
- 1.45pm: we had been proven to our cabins whereas the ship relocated.
- 3.30pm: kayaking and swimming at Tra Bau.
- 5pm: pleased hour on the highest deck.
- 6pm: an illustration on the way to make spring rolls.
- 7pm: 5 course dinner within the restaurant.
- 8.30pm: squid fishing.
Day 2 (NB. In the event you ebook a one evening cruise then skip this and rely Day 3 as your Day 2)
- 6am: Tai Chi on the highest deck.
- 6.30am: buffet breakfast within the restaurant.
- 8am: we caught a young switch to a day boat that took us on our island tour.
- 10.50am: arrived on Cat Ba island for a tour of Viet Hai village.
- 12.30pm: again on the day boat for a 5 course lunch.
- 1.30pm: kayaking within the Three Peach space.
- 3.30pm: again on board the day boat to return to Mon Cheri.
- 4.15pm: arrive again on the cruise ship which had modified location.
- 5pm: pleased hour on the highest deck.
- 6pm: an illustration on the way to make spring rolls.
- 7pm: 5 course dinner within the restaurant.
- 8.30pm: squid fishing.
Day 3
- 6am: Tai Chi on the highest deck.
- 6.30am: buffet breakfast within the restaurant.
- 7.20am: journey to Trung Trang Caves (nevertheless our tour was cancelled on account of unhealthy climate. We kayaked once more as a substitute)
- 9.30am: try of cabin
- 9.45am: buffet brunch within the restaurant.
- 10.45am: disembark and return to the port on the tender boat.
- 11.30am: we arrived again at port and after a brief wait had been proven to our non-public switch bus to Noi Bai Worldwide Airport in Hanoi. We paid further for this service.
Check out my Vietnam Story Highlights on Instagram for extra from our cruise and our 14 days in Vietnam.
One evening or two evening Ha Lengthy Bay cruise?
This choice will come all the way down to time and prices for lots of people. However having finished the 2 evening cruise I personally assume one evening would have been too brief for us.
We went from Hanoi. It took three hours to get to the bay after which one other hour to get onboard. So it’s an extended day of journey and doing the identical once more the subsequent day would have been an excessive amount of.
We additionally discovered that the primary afternoon and last morning of our cruise had been fairly jam-packed with actions. We didn’t have numerous time to chill out.
Our full day (day two) was after we had time to cease, chill out and admire the surroundings.
So, I’d advocate doing a two evening and three day cruise in case you can. It’s undoubtedly value it.
Our ship: Mon Cheri 2
Our 5 star luxurious cruise ship, Mon Cheri 2*, had 20 balcony cabins, a restaurant, an infinity pool and a bar with numerous seating on the highest deck. There was additionally a treadmill and bike in a small indoor gymnasium space and mini golf on deck.
Cabins
We booked adjoining cabins – the Magnificence Connecting Door cabins. There’s additionally an Magnificence Household Balcony cabin which has a wardrobe-style divider between the rooms however not a door.
The beds in our two rooms had been configured as a double and twins after we arrived. Aside from that the rooms had been equivalent, spacious, clear and nicely adorned.
We liked having the bath with a view. It felt very luxurious.
I might inform the children had been impressed. As quickly as we walked into our cabins they wished me to take photographs.
Cabins include robes, slippers, a TV (I’m unsure once you’d have probability to look at it), a paid mini bar, toiletries and seating on the balcony.
Meals
Earlier than we’d even left the port our cruise host, Jasmine, had requested if we had any dietary necessities and we had been requested once more onboard.
Our first meal was a buffet lunch with loads of seafood, salads, rice, noodles, contemporary fruits and cake.
Dinner was a 5 course set menu that we had been proven over lunch to verify we had been OK with all of the dishes. By now we knew the meals was glorious so we had been pleased to eat something put in entrance of us.
The ladies opted for the children menu on the primary night are had been served an enormous plate of breaded rooster, spaghetti in tomato sauce and fries. They ploughed by means of this whereas we ate 4 programs earlier than having the identical dessert.
The following evening the 11-year-old opted for the set menu having checked out our plates longingly the night earlier than.
Breakfast is buffet fashion once more with eggs cooked to order, toast, cereal, fruit and yogurt in addition to conventional Vietnamese cooked choices.
High tip: in case you’re on the 2 evening cruise it’s nonetheless value attending to breakfast at 6.30am because the folks on their final day can be on the buffet early. We discovered a lot of the cooked meals had been snaffled after we arrived simply earlier than 7am.
There was nonetheless lots to fill the tiny areas in our tummies after the feast the evening earlier than. Identical to an ocean cruise, it might be exhausting to really feel hungry on a Ha Lengthy Bay voyage.
The crew
The entire crew had been extremely pleasant and useful all through our cruise and the service was precisely what we’d count on from an ocean cruise liner.
We had our personal waiter, Mario, who was sensible with our children. He observed the nine-year-old folding a serviette like a ship – it’s one in every of her and Mr Tin Field’s social gathering tips – and confirmed her the way to make a rose. He additionally helped the 11-year-old with the difficult process of de-shelling a tiger prawn.
Our cruise host Jasmine was round from the time we arrived on the port till the second we disembarked, telling us what was occurring subsequent and ensuring we had been pleased.
The passenger turnaround is fairly fast in Ha Lengthy Bay nevertheless it felt like we had been getting a private service all through.
All-in-all our cruise with Mon Cheri was undoubtedly definitely worth the price ticket.
Cruise actions
The actions included in Ha Lengthy Bay cruises are largely the identical: kayaking, swimming, cooking demonstrations and squid fishing.
In the event you ebook one evening you’ll get an optionally available tour off the ship for just a few hours like a visit to a cave. And in case you ebook two nights you get an optionally available full day tour, like our journey to Cat Ba Island, plus the half day tour.
We actually loved the actions included in our cruise. The chance to kayak 3 times was a vacation spotlight for my youngsters. Cat Ba island was stunning and definitely worth the go to on day two to be taught extra about life within the bay.
We had been cruising initially of the squid season so didn’t have a lot success dangling our rods however the youngsters nonetheless loved attempting.
Sadly our journey to Trung Trang Cave, which is the most important in Vietnam, was cancelled due to the storms which had flooded the entry street. It was a disgrace to overlook it however we had been all content material to have a bit extra time to kayak.
Tour to Cat Ba island
On day two of our cruise we had been up and breakfasted by 8am prepared for our tour to Cat Ba island, the most important of the islands in Ha Lengthy Bay with a inhabitants of 45,000.
Cat Ba means ‘girl island’, so named as a result of individuals who visited it solely discovered ladies there. Their husbands had been fisherman so had been not often on land.
The tender that had introduced us from the cruise port and had been towed behind the ship got here again into service to take us to the Large Bay Group’s day boat, Orchid.
We had been joined by passengers from the opposite Large Bay boats Mon Cheri 1 and Peony and even a short by our information, Karl.
It was a little bit of a reduction that we weren’t spending the entire day on the tender as a result of it was raining closely. Orchid had a eating room, indoor lounge and solar deck in addition to loos and showers.
The voyage to the island took almost three hours so we’re in a position to sit again, play video games and browse our books. If the climate had been higher we’d have be up on deck having fun with some solar.
The water was principally flat however the final 20 minutes had been bumpy as we got here round to the jap finish of the island and into the open sea.
Viet Hai village
After we reached the dock on Cat Ba we should always have had the choice to cycle 5km to the village of Viet Hai or take a extra leisurely golf buggy journey. However the climate wasn’t on our aspect and biking wouldn’t have been snug or secure.
It was a little bit of a disappointment till we noticed a number of the hills. However what superb views.
On the village we had been informed about a number of the uncommon wildlife on the island, the langur, which is a primate solely discovered right here after being hunted to close extinction. We didn’t spot any throughout our go to – they’re clearly good climate animals.
We additionally tried native wine, noticed a standard house and had our ft nibbled by fish in a pond. It was all very touristy however fascinating never-the-less.
Tip: in case you are interested by shopping for pearls throughout your time in Vietnam then Cat Ba island is the place to do it. Plenty of Vietnam’s pearls are produced right here so that you get a greater worth than on the mainland.
After Viet Hai we returned to Orchid. It has its personal galley for the all necessary preparation of lunch. I’d actually been anticipating a sandwich bag such as you is likely to be given at a lodge. However as a substitute we had one other freshly ready 5 course meal served by our waiter for the day, Ducky.
As soon as we’d cleared plates filled with crispy rooster, stir fried beef and shrimp salad it was time to kayak close to a reasonably little fisherman’s temple.
We had almost an hour within the water earlier than it was time to catch the tide again to Mon Cheri 2 in time for the children to have a swim within the pool forward of the night’s actions.
If I’ve tempted you to do this Ha Lengthy By a cruise right here’s the place to verify availability and costs for Mon Cheri cruises*.
Switch to Ha Lengthy Bay
Most individuals becoming a member of a Ha Lengthy Bay cruise arrive from Hanoi, which is about three hours away with a consolation break. You can also make your individual manner or ebook a switch along with your cruise firm. For ease, we requested Mon Cheri to choose us up from our lodge in Hanoi.
Mon Cheri Cruises provide non-public or group transfers by ‘luxurious limoscene’. These are 10 seater mini buses which we discovered to be good however not pristine.
One of many reclining seats on the bus that picked us up wouldn’t sit straight once more as soon as laid again. And the wifi and USB plugs on the return bus didn’t work.
The service was punctual however on the best way again our driver didn’t appear to have the ability to maintain a gradual pace. He repeatedly took his foot off the accelerator making the three hour journey very juddery.
This was by far the ropiest a part of our cruise expertise however nonetheless not horrible.
Verify costs for taxis from Hanoi to Halong*.
Air pollution in Ha Lengthy Bay
In the event you’ve finished any analysis in regards to the bay you’ll have heard it has a air pollution drawback. We knew this earlier than our journey and nonetheless wished to expertise this superb place.
On our first afternoon we kayaked round a smaller island within the Tra Bau space in Lan Ha Bay to the south of Ha Lengthy.
This was nice enjoyable however the women commented on the garbage we noticed floating by.
After we acquired within the water after kayaking there was no seen garbage.
Nevertheless, on our final morning in precisely the identical location the water was clearly not so clear. The crew didn’t provide swimming as an exercise this time.
Because the cruise continued we noticed extra garbage slicks. It was miserable. The junk is a mix of damaged home items, litter and plastic containers. One of many largest items of garbage I noticed was a half sunk inflatable dingy.
I’m no marine skilled however the waste isn’t simply created by tourism within the bay. It’s being pushed on the tide from past the islands too.
What we didn’t see was any effort to scrub it up. Nevertheless, a few of our fellow passengers had been on a cruise right here earlier within the yr and mentioned there was so much much less garbage then. So possibly one thing is being finished about it at completely different instances.
Our cruise ship had refillable glass bottles within the cabins however they didn’t share a lot about the rest they did to cut back plastic waste or assist the surroundings.
Floating outlets – enjoyable however persistent
One thing else we’d heard about when researching our cruise was the small boats that strategy cruise ships to promote passengers drinks and snacks.
These are a enjoyable novelty till you realise what number of there are. In the event you’re sat in your balcony they are going to come over to ask in order for you beers or wine, usually in fast succession.
We purchased just a few beers and a few crisps on our first day and rapidly learnt it’s best to haggle the value. Whereas every thing is basically low cost, we realised the 200,000 VND (about £6) we’d paid for 5 cans of beer was greater than we might have paid onboard.
Are you able to take pleasure in Ha Lengthy Bay within the wet season?
You’ll be able to see from my photos that we didn’t have numerous solar in Ha Lengthy Bay. The wet season is at its peak in July and August and we had been there slap bang in the course of it.
And it’s not simply rain. Actually, you will get typhoons in the summertime months. Issues didn’t get that unhealthy for us nevertheless it was stormy. The rain was torrential from the primary evening till late morning on the day we left.
However we nonetheless had an excellent time.
A few of the lightening was actually spectacular. We had been woken up by an enormous clap of thunder on our first evening and watched the flashes for a couple of minutes earlier than returning to mattress.
The following day a crew member informed us a number of the bigger ships wanted to evacuate their friends to the shore throughout {a partially} massive storm just a few weeks earlier than.
Fortunately it wasn’t that unhealthy throughout our cruise however the climate did have an effect on our actions. We weren’t in a position to cycle on Cat Ba island and our tour to the Trung Trang caves was cancelled.
All excursions are marketed as climate dependant and the crew provided different actions to maintain us entertained.
We’ve had entire ports cancelled whereas on ocean cruises so get it that plans have to alter typically.
However in case you are coming to Ha Lengthy Bay for an exercise that requires good climate (or you possibly can’t grin and bear the rain) choose dates exterior the moist season.
Abstract: is a Ha Lengthy Bay cruise value it?
In the event you’ve learn this far you most likely already know what my reply is.
Regardless of the climate, regardless of the air pollution, and regardless of that incontrovertible fact that this cruise ate up numerous our vacation finances, we liked it.
We had been wowed by the pure fantastic thing about Ha Lengthy Bay. The hovering islands coated in tumbling greenery that plunges into turquoise water had been like nothing we’ve seen earlier than.
It was an exquisite expertise to kayak across the coves, even after we had been joined by artifical garbage slicks.
We had been actually impressed by our expertise on Mon Cheri 2. From the second we arrived on the port to the second we disembarked we acquired nothing however glorious service, dwelling as much as the identical requirements as ocean cruises.
The ship actually did run like a nicely oiled machine, which isn’t any imply feat with the each day turnover of friends. However moderately than feeling like we had been on a manufacturing line, we felt like we acquired a private service due to the attentive crew.
So sure, we thought our cruise was completely value it and are very proud of our choice to ebook two nights.
Have you ever been on a Ha Lengthy Bay cruise? What did you assume?
In the event you’d like to seek out out extra about our cruise and the remainder of our 14 day Vietnam itinerary try my Instagram Tales. There’s three devoted to this journey.
Disclosure: this submit comprises affiliate hyperlinks marked with *. In the event you click on on one in every of these and make a purchase order I could earn some fee. This doesn’t have an effect on the value you pay.