Every week, guests sitting at our dinner table in Viet Hai village ask us the same question: “Should we book an overnight cruise on Lan Ha Bay, or is a day tour enough?” We are the Lan family, we have lived beside this bay all our lives, and our answer is honest but not simple: it depends on your time, your budget, and what kind of traveler you are. Here is the truth as we see it from our village β including the option most tourists never hear about.
First, Why Lan Ha Bay at All?
Lan Ha Bay sits just south of the famous Ha Long Bay, sharing the same emerald water and limestone towers β around 400 of them β but with far fewer boats. It belongs to the Cat Ba archipelago, a UNESCO World Heritage area, and it is where local fishermen still live in floating villages. Since April 2026, new official inter-bay cruise routes connect Ha Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay directly, and Viet Hai village β our home β is one of the stops.
The Day Tour: Lan Ha Bay in One Day
What you get
- A full day on the water (9:00β15:30), departing from Ben Beo pier on Cat Ba island.
- Kayaking through lagoons and caves, swimming stops, beaches, and a visit to floating fish farms.
- A seafood lunch cooked on board, entrance fees and kayaks included.
What it costs
Our full-day Lan Ha Bay boat tour costs 45 USD per person, all-inclusive. Want more? Our sunset & bioluminescent kayaking tour (9:00β20:00) includes all the daytime activities plus sunset viewing, dinner on the bay, and night kayaking among glowing plankton β 55 USD per person.
Who it suits
Travelers with 2 days or less, families with young children, and anyone staying on Cat Ba island who wants a full bay experience without repacking their bags.
The Overnight Cruise: Sleeping on the Bay
What you get
- A cabin on the water: sunset and sunrise over the karsts, squid fishing at night, quiet anchorages day boats never reach.
- All meals on board, kayaking, swimming, cave exploration and floating village visits.
- The new 2026 inter-bay itineraries: some routes now sail from Ha Long Bay into Lan Ha Bay, stopping at the Viet Hai village entrance.
What it costs
We arrange a boutique small-group cruise with around 10 cabins for 135 USD per person, all-inclusive β accommodation on board, all meals and all activities. Larger luxury boats on the bay can run 200β350+ USD per night, but our guests rarely find the extra cost worth it.
Who it suits
Couples, photographers, and travelers for whom the bay IS the trip β if you dream of waking up surrounded by limestone towers, no day tour can replace that.
Side by Side
| Day tour | Overnight cruise | |
|---|---|---|
| Time needed | 1 day | 2β3 days |
| Cost (per person) | 45 USD (day) / 55 USD (with sunset & night kayaking) | 135 USD all-inclusive (boutique, ~10 cabins) |
| Kayaking & caves | Yes | Yes, plus quieter spots |
| Sunset & sunrise on the bay | Sunset on the 55 USD tour | Both |
| Floating village visit | Yes | Usually |
| Comfort | Simple boat | Cabin, restaurant, deck |
| Best for | Short trips, families | Couples, slow travelers |
The Third Option Nobody Tells You About
Here is our local secret: you can have the best of both. Stay in Viet Hai village β inside Cat Ba National Park, on the shore of Lan Ha Bay β and take a day boat from Ben Beo or a private boat from our village pier. You sleep in a quiet valley for a fraction of a cruise cabin’s price, eat home-cooked food from our garden, and still spend the whole day on the bay. Many of our guests do the day tour on their first day and the sunset & bioluminescent tour on their second. Total cost: still less than one night on a luxury cruise.
How Lan Homestay Can Help
We arrange both options for our guests at local prices: the 45 USD full-day boat tour, the 55 USD sunset and bioluminescent kayaking tour, and the 135 USD boutique overnight cruise (including the new 2026 inter-bay routes that stop at our village). We know which boats are well-run and which to avoid β we hear the honest reviews at our dinner table every night. And whichever you choose, our Cat Ba homestay in Viet Hai village is the quiet green base before and after your bay day.
Ready to Choose Your Bay Day?
Tell us your dates, budget and travel style, and we will recommend the right boat honestly β even if that means telling you a day tour is enough. Email info@lanhomestay.com or WhatsApp us at +84 363 934 325. See you on the water!
