Cruising on the Ha long Bay or the Lan Ha Bay is one of the biggest highlights of any Vietnam trip. I mean you may or may not explore the other quaint parts like Hoi An or Sa Pa, but this cruise is something that no one wants to miss. Having said that, the cruises are really expensive. I mean the barest minimum of one night on the Ha Long Bay is 170 USD onwards per person, which of course you wouldn't like. We were a 6 family members travelling so it would have cost a bomb, just paying 1200 USD for a single night on the water. So we started looking for more feasible options.

That's our sweet guide in the backdrop

After a ton of research, we decided to not to do Ha Long Bay and go to Lan Ha Bay instead. Now Lan ha Bay is in Hai phong district, and the journey is through the Cat Ba island, which is impossible to cover in a single day (to and fro). So we based our trip in Cat Ba island and did our cruise from there.

Can you spot the little one nesting beneath her Granny's dupatta?

Now I wanted the big boat with the traditional Vietnamese sails, so we went for Serenity Cruises, which were the only ones to have those sails. However since the boat bigger, we had to take a smaller boat from the dock to reach the main cruise ship. And my my, it was so beautiful!

A typical day cruise involves a pick and drop from the resort, welcome drinks, lunch and evening snacks. The boat keeps sailing throughout the day, passing around 300 limestone karsts; the main attraction of this region. The Lan Ha Bay also has a historical fishing village, which is 7000 years old. The village is still very much thriving, with a ship assigned to pick and drop the kids for school on the Cat Ba island. Those who opt for Ha Long Bay cruise, they sail upto here to see this fishing village.

Overlooking the fishing village

7000 years old fishing village

Then they take us to the Gulf of Tonkin, where we are given kayaks, and we row through the Dark caves and light caves and swim in the middle of the South China Sea. In short, it's an adrenaline packed day.

Since this is a day cruise, the ship is small. The top deck has loungers to relax and plants for decoration. The lower cabin has couches, television and a book shelf. And the lowest level is the dining hall with a big bar (useless for us) and washrooms.

Thankfully it did not rain that day and was neither too sunny. So we spent our whole time on the top deck. The limestone karsts are something that one can never bored of; they are so freaking mesmerising! My mom stayed back with the little one whenever we jumped in to the sea or disappeared for hours kayaking through the limestone caves.

We love connecting with fellow travellers while on trips

The cruise culminated with a sunset party. We were served fresh fruits and lemonade, while we all witnessed the sun dip behind those limestone karsts. It was one hell of an unforgettable day! So while we did not spend the night on the cruise, it surely was the biggest highlight of our trip!

This post is a part of Blogchatter Half Marathon 2023