We cruise. It’s one among 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 have 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 price it?
Ha Lengthy Bay is one among Vietnam’s vacationer scorching spots. Tons of of vessels rotate across the 1969 jungle-draped limestone islands that appear to be the set of a Jurassic Park film.
It’s bought a repute for being a bit crowded and, regardless of being a World Heritage Website for the previous 30 years, having a lot of 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 put up I’m sharing what we manufactured from our Ha Lengthy Bay cruise so you’ll be able to resolve whether or not it’s price it for you.
In addition to our cruise itinerary and a assessment of our ship, I’m overlaying just a few helpful issues to find out about:
- the climate – we cruised within the peak of the wet season on the finish of July
- the floating retailers that may provide you with further drinks and snacks
- transfers to the ships
- and the elephant within the bay, the air pollution.
*This put up comprises affiliate hyperlinks*
Our Ha Lengthy Bay Cruise
The overwhelming majority of Ha Lengthy Bay cruises are bought as both two days and one night time or three days and two nights. We booked a 3 days and two night time cruise with Mon Cheri Cruises which is a part of the Massive Bay Group that additionally runs Peony Cruises and Lily Cruises.
The way in which the cruise itineraries work is that you simply be a 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 guide a two day and one night time cruise you actually solely get two half days and an evening.
We determined that to profit from our cruise we would have liked 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 have been wrapped up within the room price.
This in itself made the value tag of £1,100 or £137.50 per individual, per night time appear much more cheap.
Our cruise itinerary
Most Ha Lengthy Bay cruise itineraries are very related in format. Your cruise firm could go to totally different islands however the actions onboard are very related.
Right here’s an outline of our three day and two night time Ha Lengthy Bay cruise with Mon Cheri:
Day 1
- 8.30am: picked up from our resort 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 Massive Bay Group reception space.
- 12pm: we boarded a young boat that will switch us to our ship.
- 12.45pm: we arrived on the Mon Cheri 2 have been we went straight as much as the restaurant on deck three for a welcome transient and buffet lunch.
- 1.45pm: we have been proven to our cabins whereas the ship relocated.
- 3.30pm: kayaking and swimming at Tra Bau.
- 5pm: comfortable hour on the highest deck.
- 6pm: an indication on make spring rolls.
- 7pm: 5 course dinner within the restaurant.
- 8.30pm: squid fishing.
Day 2 (NB. Should you guide a one night time cruise then skip this and depend 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: comfortable hour on the highest deck.
- 6pm: an indication on 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 (nonetheless our tour was cancelled attributable to unhealthy climate. We kayaked once more as an alternative)
- 9.30am: take a look at 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 have been proven to our personal 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 night time or two night time Ha Lengthy Bay cruise?
This resolution will come all the way down to time and prices for lots of people. However having completed the 2 night time cruise I personally assume one night time 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 a protracted 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 remaining morning of our cruise have been fairly jam-packed with actions. We didn’t have a whole lot of time to calm down.
Our full day (day two) was after we had time to cease, calm down and admire the surroundings.
So, I’d advocate doing a two night time and three day cruise in case you can. It’s undoubtedly price 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 a lot of seating on the highest deck. There was additionally a treadmill and bike in a small indoor fitness center space and mini golf on deck.
Cabins
We booked adjoining cabins – the Class Connecting Door cabins. There’s additionally an Class Household Balcony cabin which has a wardrobe-style divider between the rooms however not a door.
The beds in our two rooms have been configured as a double and twins after we arrived. Aside from that the rooms have been equivalent, spacious, clear and nicely adorned.
We liked having the bath with a view. It felt very luxurious.
I might inform the youngsters have been impressed. As quickly as we walked into our cabins they needed me to take photographs.
Cabins include robes, slippers, a TV (I’m unsure if you’d have probability to observe 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 have 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 have been proven over lunch to verify we have been OK with all of the dishes. By now we knew the meals was glorious so we have been comfortable to eat something put in entrance of us.
The women opted for the youngsters menu on the primary night are have been served an enormous plate of breaded rooster, spaghetti in tomato sauce and fries. They ploughed via this whereas we ate 4 programs earlier than having the identical dessert.
The subsequent night time the 11-year-old opted for the set menu having checked out our plates longingly the night earlier than.
Breakfast is buffet model 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 night time cruise it’s nonetheless price attending to breakfast at 6.30am because the individuals 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 loads to fill the tiny areas in our tummies after the feast the night time earlier than. Identical to an ocean cruise, it will be onerous to really feel hungry on a Ha Lengthy Bay voyage.
The crew
All the crew have 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 youngsters. He observed the nine-year-old folding a serviette like a ship – it’s one among her and Mr Tin Field’s get together tips – and confirmed her make a rose. He additionally helped the 11-year-old with the difficult activity 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 have been comfortable.
The passenger turnaround is fairly fast in Ha Lengthy Bay but it surely felt like we have 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.
Should you guide one night time you’ll get an elective tour off the ship for just a few hours like a visit to a cave. And in case you guide two nights you get an elective 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 children. Cat Ba island was lovely and definitely worth the go to on day two to study extra about life within the bay.
We have been cruising originally of the squid season so didn’t have a lot success dangling our rods however the children nonetheless loved making an attempt.
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 highway. It was a disgrace to overlook it however we have been all content material to have a bit extra time to kayak.
Tour to Cat Ba island
On day two of our cruise we have 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 girls there. Their husbands have been fisherman so have 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 Massive Bay Group’s day boat, Orchid.
We have been joined by passengers from the opposite Massive 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 bogs 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 have been bumpy as we got here round to the jap finish of the island and into the open sea.
Viet Hai village
Once 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 trip. However the climate wasn’t on our aspect and biking wouldn’t have been comfy or secure.
It was a little bit of a disappointment till we noticed among the hills. However what wonderful views.
On the village we have been advised about among 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 toes nibbled by fish in a pond. It was all very touristy however fascinating never-the-less.
Tip: in case you are occupied with shopping for pearls throughout your time in Vietnam then Cat Ba island is the place to do it. A variety 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 essential preparation of lunch. I’d truthfully been anticipating a sandwich bag such as you may be given at a resort. However as an alternative we had one other freshly ready 5 course meal served by our waiter for the day, Ducky.
As soon as we’d cleared plates stuffed with crispy rooster, stir fried beef and shrimp salad it was time to kayak close to a fairly 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 youngsters 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 may make your personal method or guide a switch along with your cruise firm. For ease, we requested Mon Cheri to choose us up from our resort in Hanoi.
Mon Cheri Cruises supply personal 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 way in which again our driver didn’t appear to have the ability to maintain a gradual velocity. He repeatedly took his foot off the accelerator making the three hour trip very juddery.
This was by far the ropiest a part of our cruise expertise however nonetheless not horrible.
Examine costs for taxis from Hanoi to Halong*.
Air pollution in Ha Lengthy Bay
Should you’ve completed 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 needed to expertise this wonderful 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 ladies commented on the garbage we noticed floating by.
Once we bought 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 supply swimming as an exercise this time.
Because the cruise continued we noticed extra garbage slicks. It was miserable. The junk is a mixture of damaged home goods, litter and plastic containers. One of many largest items of garbage I noticed was a half sunk inflatable dingy.
I’m no marine professional 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 wash it up. Nevertheless, a few of our fellow passengers had been on a cruise right here earlier within the yr and stated there was rather a lot much less garbage then. So perhaps one thing is being completed about it at totally different instances.
Our cruise ship had refillable glass bottles within the cabins however they didn’t share a lot about anything they did to cut back plastic waste or assist the atmosphere.
Floating retailers – 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. Should you’re sat in your balcony they may come over to ask if you’d like beers or wine, typically 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’d 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 footage that we didn’t have a whole lot of solar in Ha Lengthy Bay. The wet season is at its peak in July and August and we have been there slap bang in the midst of it.
And it’s not simply rain. In reality, you will get typhoons in the summertime months. Issues didn’t get that unhealthy for us but it surely was stormy. The rain was torrential from the primary night time till late morning on the day we left.
However we nonetheless had a superb time.
A few of the lightening was actually spectacular. We have been woken up by an enormous clap of thunder on our first night time and watched the flashes for a couple of minutes earlier than returning to mattress.
The subsequent day a crew member advised us among the bigger ships wanted to evacuate their visitors 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 supplied different actions to maintain us entertained.
We’ve had complete ports cancelled whereas on ocean cruises so get it that plans have to vary generally.
However in case you are coming to Ha Lengthy Bay for an exercise that requires good climate (or you’ll be able to’t grin and bear the rain) choose dates exterior the moist season.
Abstract: is a Ha Lengthy Bay cruise price it?
Should 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 indisputable fact that this cruise ate up a whole lot of our vacation finances, we liked it.
We have been wowed by the pure fantastic thing about Ha Lengthy Bay. The hovering islands coated in tumbling greenery that plunges into turquoise water have been like nothing we’ve seen earlier than.
It was a beautiful expertise to kayak across the coves, even after we have been joined by artifical garbage slicks.
We have been actually impressed by our expertise on Mon Cheri 2. From the second we arrived on the port to the second we disembarked we bought 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 is not any imply feat with the each day turnover of visitors. However somewhat than feeling like we have been on a manufacturing line, we felt like we acquired a private service because of the attentive crew.
So sure, we thought our cruise was completely price it and are very pleased with our resolution to guide two nights.
Have you ever been on a Ha Lengthy Bay cruise? What did you assume?
Should you’d like to seek out out extra about our cruise and the remainder of our 14 day Vietnam itinerary take a look at my Instagram Tales. There’s three devoted to this journey.
Disclosure: this put up comprises affiliate hyperlinks marked with *. Should you click on on one among these and make a purchase order I’ll earn some fee. This doesn’t have an effect on the value you pay.
