Aqua Luxury Cruise Ha Long & Lan Ha Bay 3 Days 2 Nights
Aqua Luxury is the flagship of the Aqua fleet: 32 cabins, every one of them with its own balcony and a bathtub facing the water. It is the only ship in the group with a lift between decks and a mini-golf green on the sundeck, and one of two that carries a gym. It works the Lan Ha Bay side of the UNESCO site, where there are fewer boats than in the main Ha Long channel and the limestone comes in closer.
Two nights on board buys you the part of the bay that the one-night boats never reach. The first afternoon is the sheltered anchorage at Tra Bau. The whole of the second day is spent on a day boat in southern Lan Ha Bay: Viet Hai, a farmed village inside the Cat Ba Biosphere Reserve reached by bicycle through a gap in the hills, then kayaking around the Tai Keo islets and a fishing hamlet, and swimming at Ba Trai Dao, the Three Peach beach that only appears at certain tides. The third morning is Trung Trang Cave inside Cat Ba National Park.
Why two nights rather than one
- The second day is the trip. One-night cruises go out and come straight back; the middle day is what takes you into southern Lan Ha Bay, which the overnight boats do not have time for.
- Viet Hai is farmed, not staged — water buffalo, vegetable plots and a handful of houses, reached by bicycle or electric buggy from the landing.
- Two sunsets and two dinners on board, instead of one of each.
- A balcony and a bathtub in every cabin, including the entry-level Junior Suite, and the only lift on the bay.
- A swimming pool, a jacuzzi, a gym and a mini-golf green on a ship that is quiet enough to use them.
Price per person — 3 days, 2 nights
Per person in US dollars, sharing a twin or double cabin, for the complete programme: the return limousine-bus transfer from the Hanoi Old Quarter, two nights in the cabin, all seven meals, the full day on the day boat in southern Lan Ha Bay, kayaking, the English-speaking cruise guide and every bay fee and tax. Low season is 1 May to 30 September; high season is 1 October to 30 April.
| Cabin category | Low season, per person | High season, per person |
|---|---|---|
| Junior Suite Balcony | US$339 | US$368 |
| Senior Suite Balcony | US$359 | US$397 |
| Honey Moon Suite | US$440 | US$513 |
| Queen Suite VIP | US$489 | US$609 |
| King Suite VIP | US$609 | US$803 |
Travelling on your own
A cabin to yourself is charged as single occupancy:
| Cabin category | Low season, single | High season, single |
|---|---|---|
| Junior Suite Balcony | US$556 | US$604 |
| Senior Suite Balcony | US$588 | US$654 |
| Honey Moon Suite | US$728 | US$851 |
| Queen Suite VIP | US$810 | US$1,015 |
| King Suite VIP | US$1,015 | US$1,343 |
Dates that carry a surcharge
US$117 per person over 24 and 31 December, for the gala dinners the ship makes compulsory on those nights, and US$49 per person over 30 April, 1 May, 2 September and the first three days of Tet. Drinks, the spa and tips for the crew are not in the fare.
The ship and the cabins
Ha Long Bay cruises carry no official star rating, so the cabin categories are set out below instead of a grade. All cabins are en-suite with air conditioning, and tea and coffee are replenished daily.
| Cabin category | Sleeps | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Junior Suite Balcony | 2 guests | The entry cabin, private balcony and bathtub. |
| Senior Suite Balcony | 2 guests | Larger than the Junior, same balcony and bathtub. |
| Honey Moon Suite | 2 guests | Laid out for two, with the cabin decoration set up on request. |
| Queen Suite VIP | 2 guests | A top-deck suite with a wide private terrace. |
| King Suite VIP | 2 guests | The largest suite on board, panoramic outlook. |
On board: a swimming pool and jacuzzi, a gym, a lift between decks, a mini-golf green on the sundeck, a restaurant, a bar and a spa.
Planning your trip
- The middle day is spent off the ship. You transfer to a day boat after breakfast and are away until about four in the afternoon, and lunch that day is on the day boat. Take what you need with you — sun cover, swimwear and a dry bag for a phone or camera.
- Viet Hai. From the landing it is five kilometres to the village. Bicycles are provided and electric buggies are there for anyone who would rather not cycle.
- Trung Trang Cave. A tender to Cat Ba Island and a short bus ride, then about three hundred metres of level passage. The floor is wet in places and the roof is low in two or three spots.
- Ba Trai Dao. The Three Peach beach is only above water at certain tides, so whether you swim there depends on the day.
- Weather. Ha Long is a working port under a harbourmaster who can suspend departures when the weather turns, usually in the typhoon months from July to October. If that happens we work the options with the cruise line and confirm in writing.
- Wifi and food. There is wifi on board but the limestone blocks the signal for stretches of the route. The menus are set rather than à la carte; tell us about allergies or dietary requirements at least three days before departure.
Tour at a glance
| Tour code | WMLHAQL3D27 |
|---|---|
| Duration | 3 days / 2 nights — Hanoi to Hanoi |
| Ship | Aqua Luxury, 32 cabins |
| Bay | Ha Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay, Cat Ba archipelago |
| Anchorages | Tra Bau and southern Lan Ha Bay |
| Cabins | Every cabin has a private balcony and a bathtub |
| On board | Swimming pool, jacuzzi, gym, lift, mini-golf green, restaurant, bar, spa |
| Transfer | Return limousine bus, Hanoi Old Quarter – Tuan Chau Marina, about 2.5 hours each way |
| Meals | 2 lunches, 2 dinners, 2 light breakfasts, 1 brunch |
| Day 2 | Full day on a day boat in southern Lan Ha Bay, lunch on board the day boat |
| Activities | Cycling at Viet Hai, kayaking, swimming, cooking demonstration, squid fishing, tai chi |
| Excursions | Viet Hai village, Tai Keo islets, Ba Trai Dao, Trung Trang Cave |
| Seasons | Low 1 May – 30 September; high 1 October – 30 April |
| From | US$339 per person, twin share, low season |
- Cruise
- Bus
- Beach
- Caves
- Bicycle
- Cooking class
- Fishing
- Gastronomy
Itinerary, day by day
Morning Pick-up from your hotel in the Hanoi Old Quarter by Aqua limousine bus. The run east to Tuan Chau International Marina takes about two and a half hours on the Hanoi – Hai Phong and Ha Long expressways, with one comfort stop on the way.
Late morning You are met at the Aqua guest lounge at the marina, where the luggage and the check-in formalities are handled for you, and a tender takes you out to the ship a little before midday.
Midday Welcome drink and safety briefing while your cabin is readied. Lunch is served as the ship works out of the harbour and in among the limestone towers — close to two thousand of them, inscribed by UNESCO in 1994 and extended across the Cat Ba archipelago in September 2023.
Mid-afternoon The ship anchors at Tra Bau, a sheltered inlet in the heart of Lan Ha Bay with water clear enough to see the bottom in the shallows. Kayaks go in here and you can swim straight off the ship.
Sundown A cooking demonstration with the head chef, the sunset party on the top deck, then dinner in the restaurant. Afterwards the bar is open and the crew set up the squid lines off the stern. Overnight at anchor in Lan Ha Bay.
After breakfast You transfer to the day boat for a full day in the southern part of Lan Ha Bay. Take with you what you need for the day; you are away from the ship until mid-afternoon.
Morning Viet Hai, a village inside the Cat Ba Biosphere Reserve reached through a gap in the hills. From the landing it is five kilometres to the village — bicycles are provided, and electric buggies are there for anyone who would rather not cycle. The village is farmed rather than staged: water buffalo, vegetable plots, a handful of houses.
Lunch Vietnamese, served back on the day boat.
Afternoon Kayaking around the Tai Keo islets and a fishing hamlet, or swimming at Ba Trai Dao, the Three Peach beach, which is only above water at certain tides.
About four o’clock Back aboard the ship for the sunset party, with dinner in the restaurant that evening. Second night at anchor.
First light Tai chi on the sundeck for anyone who wants it, then a light breakfast in the restaurant.
Morning A tender runs you across to Cat Ba Island and a short bus ride takes you up to Trung Trang Cave, which cuts right through a hill inside Cat Ba National Park — about three hundred metres of passage, stalactites and stalagmites throughout, and a steady cool draught. The floor is level but wet in places, and the roof is low enough in two or three spots that tall visitors will want to duck.
Late morning Back on board you settle any bar account and leave your luggage outside the cabin door. Brunch is served as the ship works her way back towards Tuan Chau.
Midday Disembark at Tuan Chau International Marina, where the limousine bus is waiting for the run back to Hanoi.
What's included
Included
- Return limousine-bus transfer between the Hanoi Old Quarter and Tuan Chau International Marina
- Two nights on board Aqua Luxury in the cabin category selected, en-suite with air conditioning
- All meals on board as listed in the programme: 2 lunches, 2 dinners, 2 light breakfasts and 1 brunch
- The full day on the day boat in southern Lan Ha Bay, with bicycles or electric buggy at Viet Hai
- Welcome drink on boarding, a seasonal fruit plate in the cabin, and tea and coffee replenished daily
- The sunset fruit party, the cooking demonstration and the morning tai chi session
- Kayaking as shown in the programme
- All bay entrance, sightseeing and cruising fees, with the insurance that comes with the ticket
- Use of the swimming pool, the jacuzzi, the gym, the lift between decks and the mini-golf green
- Evening squid fishing, karaoke in the restaurant and wifi on board
- Cabin decoration for a honeymoon, anniversary or proposal, and a birthday cake if the date falls on board
- English-speaking cruise guide on board throughout
- Onboard insurance, government tax and service charge
Not included
- International and domestic airfares, airport transfers and departure taxes
- Vietnam visa fee and any visa service charges
- Hotel accommodation in Hanoi before or after the cruise
- Personal travel insurance — we strongly recommend cover that includes boat travel
- All drinks and beverages, including those taken with meals
- Spa and massage treatments on board
- Gala surcharge on 24 and 31 December and the holiday surcharge on 30 April, 1 May, 2 September and Tet
- Tips for the crew and your driver
- Personal expenses and anything not listed under the inclusions
Age pricing
| Traveller | Age | Rate per person | Sleeping arrangement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infant (parents pay any entrance fees) | 0 to 2 years | No charge | No extra bed |
| Child sharing parents' bed | 3 to 10 years | $231 · 68% of the adult fare | No extra bed |
| Child in own single bed | 3 to 10 years | $292 · 86% of the adult fare | Extra bed |
| Child sharing a twin room with one adult | 3 to 10 years | $339 · 100% of the adult fare | Own bed in a twin room |
| Child 11 and over (adult fare) | 11 years and over | $339 · 100% of the adult fare | As an adult |
Frequently asked questions
From US$339 per person sharing a Junior Suite Balcony in low season (1 May to 30 September), and from US$368 in high season (1 October to 30 April). The larger suites run to US$609 per person in low season and US$803 in high season for the King Suite VIP. A cabin to yourself starts at US$556. The fare covers the return limousine-bus transfer from the Hanoi Old Quarter, two nights in the cabin, all seven meals, the full day on the day boat in southern Lan Ha Bay, kayaking, the English-speaking cruise guide and every bay fee and tax.
The whole of day two. One-night cruises run out to an anchorage and come straight back the next morning. The second day here is spent on a day boat in southern Lan Ha Bay: Viet Hai village inside the Cat Ba Biosphere Reserve, kayaking around the Tai Keo islets and a fishing hamlet, and swimming at Ba Trai Dao. You also get a second sunset and a second dinner on board.
It sits inside the Cat Ba Biosphere Reserve, reached through a gap in the hills. From the landing it is five kilometres to the village; bicycles are provided and electric buggies are there for anyone who would rather not cycle. It is a working farming village — water buffalo, vegetable plots and a handful of houses — rather than a built attraction.
No. On day two you leave the ship after breakfast, spend the day on a day boat in southern Lan Ha Bay with lunch served there, and come back aboard around four in the afternoon. Nights one and two are both on Aqua Luxury, and the cabin stays yours throughout.
Yes. Every one of the 32 cabins is en-suite with air conditioning, a private balcony and a bathtub facing the water, including the entry-level Junior Suite Balcony. The ship also has the only lift between decks on Ha Long Bay, which is worth knowing if stairs are difficult.
Included: the return transfer, two nights in the cabin category you choose, seven meals, the day boat on day two, the welcome drink, two sunset parties, the cooking demonstration, morning tai chi, kayaking, squid fishing, wifi, the English-speaking cruise guide and all bay fees and taxes. Not included: drinks of any kind, the spa, the Vietnam visa, personal insurance, tips for the crew and driver, and the gala or holiday surcharges listed on this page.
Yes. US$117 per person over 24 and 31 December, for the gala dinners the ship makes compulsory on those nights, and US$49 per person over 30 April, 1 May, 2 September and the first three days of Tet. We state these in writing in your quote before you commit.
Yes. Children are charged on the age scale shown on this page, as a share of the adult fare in the same cabin and season. Cabins take a limited number of extra beds, so tell us the ages when you enquire and we will confirm what the ship can hold. A child taking a seat on the limousine bus is charged for the transfer.
Not especially. The cycling at Viet Hai is five kilometres on the flat and a buggy is there if you would rather not ride. Trung Trang Cave is a level walk of about three hundred metres, wet in places, with a low roof in two or three spots. Kayaking and swimming are offered, not required, and you can stay on board while the rest of the party goes ashore.
There is wifi on board, but the limestone blocks the satellite signal for much of the route and the connection comes and goes. Plan on being out of contact for stretches of the itinerary, and for most of the day boat day.
Ha Long is a working port under a harbourmaster who can suspend departures when the weather turns, usually between July and October. If it happens we work the options with the cruise line — a change of date, a different ship, or a refund of what the line releases — and confirm the outcome to you in writing. Kayaking and swimming are the first things dropped when the sea gets up.
Send an enquiry and we confirm the cabin and the price in writing within 24 hours. Nothing is charged on this website. To hold the booking we take a 30% deposit by bank transfer or card, with the balance due at least 14 days before you arrive.
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