Lan Homestay · Viet Hai · Cat Ba

2 Days in Viet Hai

A full day on Lan Ha Bay, then a night in a village with no cars, no traffic and no crowds — inside Cat Ba National Park.

Group of kayakers on emerald green water below jungle-covered karsts, Lan Ha Bay
Day 1 on Lan Ha Bay — the same karsts as Ha Long, a fraction of the boats.

$130 per person · all-inclusive

Solo travellers $160. Covers everything from Hanoi pickup to Hanoi drop-off — transport, boat trip, tickets, room and all meals.

Why this trip is different

Most Lan Ha Bay tours put you on a boat for the night. This one puts you in a village of 300 people that cars have never reached.

  • A village without roads. Viet Hai sits deep inside Cat Ba National Park. You arrive by boat and leave by boat.
  • You eat with the family. Dinner is one long table shared with everyone staying that night. Not a restaurant — our kitchen.
  • Thatched-roof bungalows. Garden bungalows and mountain-view rooms, each with a private bathroom.
  • A real second morning. Most tours put you straight on the road after breakfast. Here you cycle the park or walk to the caves first.
Aerial view of Viet Hai village surrounded by green fields and limestone mountains, Cat Ba Island
Viet Hai — 300 people, ringed by national park, no road in or out.

Day 1 — Hanoi to Lan Ha Bay to Viet Hai

  • 06:00 — Pickup from your hotel in Hanoi Old Quarter. Road and ferry, roughly three hours.
  • 09:10 — Arrive at Ben Beo pier, Cat Ba Island.
  • 09:15 — Board and cast off into Lan Ha Bay, cruising past Cai Beo floating fishing village.
  • 11:00 — Kayaking through the Bright and Dark Caves — paddle through a low rock tunnel into a hidden lagoon. If tide or weather is against us, your guide swaps in another sheltered spot. We never put kayaks on unsafe water.
  • 12:30 — Vietnamese lunch cooked fresh on board, anchored where Lan Ha meets Ha Long Bay.
  • 13:30 — On to Ba Trai Dao (Three Beaches).
  • 14:30 — Swimming, and jumping off the boat if you fancy it.
  • 15:00 — Stop at a working fish farm.
  • 15:30 — The boat brings you straight to Viet Hai. No transfers, no backtracking. Check in, tea in the garden.
  • 18:30 — Family dinner at the long table.
  • Evening — Optional night kayak to see the bioluminescent plankton (warm months only).
Cai Beo floating fishing village with houses on pontoons in Lan Ha Bay
09:15 — Cai Beo floating village
Group of kayaks gathered at the mouth of a sea cave, Lan Ha Bay
11:00 — Bright and Dark Caves
White sand beach in a limestone cove with turquoise water, Lan Ha Bay
13:30 — Ba Trai Dao, Three Beaches
Aerial view of Viet Hai pier with boats, Cat Ba Island
15:30 — the boat drops you at the village pier
Guests eating together at the long shared dinner table at Lan Homestay, Viet Hai Village
18:30 — one long table, everyone eats together

Day 2 — Viet Hai to Ben Beo to Hanoi

  • 06:00-09:00 — Breakfast in the garden, served whenever you come down.
  • 08:00 — Cycle the valley road through the national park, hike the forest trail, or walk to the caves. Bicycles are rented in the village — around 30,000₫ per bike, arranged for you on the spot.
  • 10:30 — Lunch at the homestay.
  • 11:30 — Check out, then the speedboat back to Ben Beo — 30 minutes across the bay.
  • 12:30 — Bus and ferry back to Hanoi.
  • ~15:45 — Drop-off in the Old Quarter, with the rest of your day still ahead of you.
Aerial view over the rooftops of Viet Hai Village surrounded by jungle, Cat Ba National Park
The whole of Viet Hai from above — one road, 300 people, jungle on every side.

Want longer in the village? Ask for the 16:00 bus.
Tell us when you book and we will put you on the later departure at no extra cost. You check out at 12:00 as usual — we store your bags, and the garden and shared shower room stay open to you, so you can wash and change after the morning ride. The whole afternoon is then yours. Speedboat at 15:00, bus at 16:00, back in Hanoi around 19:15.

We need a day’s notice to hold the later boat, so please ask when you book rather than on the morning itself.

What $130 covers

Included

  • Return transport Hanoi to Cat Ba (bus + ferry)
  • Speedboat transfers to and from Viet Hai
  • Full-day Lan Ha Bay boat trip with kayaking
  • All national park and bay entrance tickets
  • 1 night in a private-bathroom bungalow
  • All meals: 2 lunches, 1 family dinner, 1 breakfast
  • Drinking water on the boat
  • English-speaking host at the homestay
Lan Homestay bungalows and tropical garden at dusk, Viet Hai Village
Garden bungalows at dusk
Wooden double room interior with window at Lan Homestay, Viet Hai Village
Inside — private bathroom in every room

Not included

  • Travel insurance
  • Drinks other than water
  • Bicycle rental — around 30,000₫ per bike, hired in the village
  • Optional night kayak
  • Tips
  • Solo supplement (+$30, so $160 for one traveller)

Good to know

  • Getting there — Hanoi to Ben Beo pier is about three hours by road and ferry, with pickup and drop-off inside the Old Quarter. The speedboat between Ben Beo and Viet Hai takes 30 minutes.
  • Group size — Small groups. We do not run this trip with large coach parties.
  • Best season — October to April is clearest and driest. July to September is the rainy season — cruises occasionally move or cancel for weather, and we will always tell you honestly in advance.
  • Fitness — Easy. The cycling is flat valley road; the forest walk is optional and takes about an hour.
  • Bring — Swimwear for the bay swim on day 1, light rain jacket, sunscreen, comfortable shoes, and a small cash reserve — there is no ATM in Viet Hai.
  • Special meals — Vegetarian and allergy-friendly meals available. Seafood hotpot or BBQ can be added with one day’s notice.

Check availability

Tell us your dates and we will reply within a few hours. No payment now — we confirm availability first.