Ha Long Bay Junk Cruise: How to Get the Best Possible Experience

Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay (or Halong Bay) is one of the most popular UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Southeast Asia. Although it’s highly commercialized and was at one point plagued by overtourism, Ha Long Bay’s ethereal beauty is worth the trip – especially if you do an overnight cruise.

On my trip to Hanoi, my friends and I had had our qualms about booking a Halong Bay junk cruise tour due to horror stories of filthy boats and shady tour guides demanding tips before they’d let you disembark. Hence, I did quite a bit of research to prepare for any possible hiccups – and ended up having a fabulous time!

If you intend to cruise Halong Bay, keep reading this guide for tips on booking and enjoying your Halong Bay cruise.

Why a junk boat cruise?

My two girlfriends and I booked a overnight tour aboard a “junk”, which can be more accurately described as a yacht decorated with oriental-style fittings and two junk-like sails on top. Doesn’t matter – it was comfortable enough to let us enjoy the beautiful weather and scenery of this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Time flew by and the 1-night cruise ended as soon as it’d started. With the fresh, chilly spring air of Halong Bay in our veins, we headed back to Hanoi with renewed vigor, ready to tackle the hordes of people and overwhelming traffic. If you’re traversing northern Vietnam, a Halong Bay junk cruise is a must.

What happens during a Ha Long Bay cruise

The activities available depend on the tour company you choose and the duration of your tour: a day cruise, overnight cruise, or multi-day cruise.

Seafood feasts and cooking lessons

Nearly every Halong Bay cruise itinerary includes a seafood lunch. After all, the bay is home to thousands of species of fish and other marine creatures. The dishes served on the cruise might not be fancy, but they’re definitely fresh and delicious: calamari with salt, stuffed crabs, grilled fish, Vietnamese spring rolls, and more. Even if you don’t eat seafood, most of the junk boat cruise operators are happy to accommodate dietary restrictions.

Want to learn how to cook the dishes you eat? Some cruises include a cooking class on the itinerary (those who aren’t interested can simply enjoy some downtime – it’s a relaxing cruise, after all!)

Cave explorations

One of the standard activities when you cruise Halong Bay is visit Hang Sung Sot, which means “Cave of Surprises”. This limestone grotto consists of a series of caves linked by narrow pathways. Our guide, a young man named Lang, very solemnly told us that once we entered “there’s no turning back”. Thankfully, the caves were colder than an air-conditioned room and my severely unfit calf muscles held up as we climbed ever higher towards the way out.

Apparently if your imagination’s working (mine wasn’t), you can see an assortment of shapes and figures in the rocks.

Kayaking

The calm waters of Ha Long Bay make it a marvellous kayaking spot, even for beginners. I went tandem kayaking with one friend while another stayed on board, but we didn’t go very far. Some cruises will have a guide lead these kayaking excursions so if you’re a keen explorer, make sure this is available on your boat.

Warning: Always follow safety instructions when kayaking in Halong Bay. Wear a life jacket, do not kayak while intoxicated, and be aware of tides, currents, and wind conditions.

Floating village tours

Did you know that people have lived on Ha Long Bay for thousands of years? The bay used to house several floating villages where fishermen and pearl farmers could gather to process their catch, gossip, trade, or even send their children to school. Some villages had only a dozen or so families, while others were large enough to house hundreds.

However, after a government directive forced these people onto land, there are now only a handful of villages where locals still work and receive tourists, but no longer live full-time. Each village consists of several floating houses tethered together, serving as a landing for fishing boats, and during your tour you’ll be able to meet the locals and learn about how they live on the water.

Nighttime karaoke

Believe it or not, nighttime karaoke sessions in Ha Long Bay can be a fun way to make friends with fellow adventurers – especially if you’re like my friend Serene, who travelled solo to Vietnam and had an amazing time on her Halong Bay cruise.

Although I didn’t participate in my boat’s karaoke programme, I did go stargazing on the top deck of the boat, enjoying the cool night air as the music and voices echoed around the bay.

Choosing the right Ha Long Bay junk cruise

Halong Bay’s popularity is evident from the dizzying number of cruise tours available for booking…but how do you decide which one is the best value for money, especially when they all seem to boast 5-star reviews? Here are my picks before you read on.

1. Decide on your cruise length

Day cruise, overnight (2D1N) cruise, or two-night (3D2N) cruise.

2. Check for boat name and capacity

It’s imperative to recognize that most Halong Bay tours (even on Klook or Viator) don’t own the junks/boats on which they’re selling cruises. Even if you see 10 different Halong Bay cruises listed, they may actually be on the same few boats – and the cruise listing doesn’t always mention which boat is being used. Here’s what to look out for:

Boat names. Halong bay cruises can be on a junk boat – wooden-hulled boats fitted with junk sails and traditional wood interiors – or more modern steel-hulled yachts. If you can find the name of the boat, you’ll get more accurate reviews by searching it online.

Capacity. Do you prefer a larger cruise or a smaller, more intimate one? Even if you don’t have the name of the boat you’ll be sailing on, the maximum group size of the tour will give you an idea of how busy your cruise will be.

Comfort level. The boat name and price of your cruise will typically (but not always) reflect whether your cruise is a “classic” mid-range cruise or a “luxury” cruise. Popular mid-range cruises include Calypso Cruises, Peony Cruises, and Indochine Cruise, while popular upscale cruises include Stellar of the Seas, Athena Royal, and Paradise Elegance.

My cruise was in a triple room on the mid-range Oriental Sails, and was happy with the value I got for my money, but it is now a rather old boat.

2. Book from a Reputable Source

The number one reason for negative reviews on Halong Bay junk tours – even for more well-known junks – is a shady travel agent. Here’s what to look out for:

• Most Halong Bay tours from Hanoi will include a pit stop at a craft/souvenir factory, but you should not be forced to buy anything.
• At the end of your junk cruise, the crew on the junk will mention that tips are appreciated, but they should be anonymous and non-obligatory. Don’t feel compelled to fork out more cash if your tour guide claims the tips aren’t enough.
• If you read a negative review about an otherwise fantastic Halong Bay junk, try to find out where the junk tour was booked and avoid that website/company.

I recommend booking a tour with AmoVietnam – they were wonderful hosts when I stayed in their Hanoi homestay, and helped book my friends and I a wonderful Halong Bay junk tour.

3. Be Prepared

Don’t feel guilty or paranoid about asking questions before booking or while on your cruise, especially if you’re going for a small private cruise instead of a larger one with more passengers on board. Try to get more details on the company that owns the junk or the travel agency so that if a nightmarish experience really does happen, you can make a complaint to the appropriate persons.

Of course, you shouldn’t expect perfection either – showers can leak, the food may not be to your taste, and the crew may not speak perfect English. Just enjoy yourself, delight in the view, and travel happy!

Are Ha Long Bay cruises sustainable?

Ha Long Bay has faced a sustainability crisis in the past decade. Most recently, the region has struggled with growing amounts of rubbish dumped in the bay.

Best time to visit Ha Long Bay

The best time to visit Ha Long Bay (and northern Vietnam, including Hanoi) is in the drier months of March-May and September-November. I went in early March and while it was cloudy, I enjoyed having a few days of cooler weather before returning to Singapore.