If your reason for going to Ha Long Bay is the limestone, you can skip it: Lan Ha Bay next door is part of the same World Heritage site, has the same karst islands, and carries a fraction of the boat traffic. Ha Long is not a bad place. It is a busy one, and in April 2026 the government ordered a conservation plan that will set a carrying capacity for the bay and, on that basis, caps on the number and types of tourist boats. No cap is in force yet. We are the Lan family in Viet Hai, a village inside the Lan Ha side of the archipelago, and this is how we answer guests who ask us whether Ha Long is still worth it.
| Short answer | Skip it for scenery alone; keep it if you have one night from Hanoi or want a large cruise ship |
| Same scenery? | Yes: Ha Long Bay and the Cat Ba archipelago are one UNESCO site since 16 September 2023 (775 islands on the Ha Long side, 358 on the Lan Ha side) |
| Boat caps | Planned, not yet in force: a conservation plan approved on 21 April 2026 will define the bay’s carrying capacity and propose limits on boats |
| Both bays in one trip | Possible since 20 April 2026 on licensed cross-bay cruises, which are overnight trips |
| Hanoi to Ha Long | About 2.5 hours by expressway |
| Hanoi to Cat Ba | 3–3.5 hours by bus and ferry via Dong Bai pier |
| Lan Ha Bay ticket | 120,000 VND adult / 60,000 VND child |
In this guide: Why people ask · What the 2026 boat plan means · Ha Long, Lan Ha and Bai Tu Long compared · When Ha Long is still the right call · What to do instead · FAQ
Why do people want to skip Ha Long Bay?
Almost every guest who asks us this has read the same complaint: too many boats in the same few places at the same time. Ha Long has the largest tourist fleet in the north — more than 500 registered tourist boats, from day boats to overnight ships — and most of them run the same popular routes out of Tuan Chau and the Ha Long city piers. Foreign visitors have also complained about rubbish in the water, and the national press reported both problems when the conservation plan was announced.
What people are really asking is whether they can have the islands without the queue. For most of them the answer is yes, because the islands do not stop at the provincial line. Lan Ha Bay, on the Hai Phong side, is the southern half of the same limestone archipelago. Our full Lan Ha Bay vs Ha Long Bay comparison goes through the differences point by point; this page answers the narrower question of whether Ha Long itself is worth the trip in 2026.
What does the 2026 boat plan mean for visitors?
On 21 April 2026 the Deputy Prime Minister signed a decision approving the task of drafting a conservation, restoration and rehabilitation plan for Ha Long Bay. The plan is meant to define the environmental carrying capacity of the bay, and that figure becomes the basis for proposed limits on how many tourist vessels operate, what kind they are, and which zones they can use.
Three things follow from that, and we want to be precise about them:
- Nothing is capped yet. The decision approved the drafting of a plan. If you book a Ha Long cruise for this winter, the fleet and routes are what they were last year.
- The direction is clear. Fewer boats, fixed zones and more structured stops are the likely result, which should help the bay but may also mean stricter departure times.
- Lan Ha is not part of that decision. It is administered by Hai Phong under its own rules, including the state bay ticket of 120,000 VND per adult.
If you read elsewhere that Ha Long “now limits boats”, check the date. As of our last check in September 2026, the limits were still a plan. We will update this page when the numbers are published.
Ha Long, Lan Ha and Bai Tu Long compared
There are three bays in the same stretch of coast, and travel agents often blur them. This is how they differ for a visitor. We do not print boat prices because they change with the season and the size of the group; the fixed fees are the state tickets.
| Ha Long Bay | Lan Ha Bay | Bai Tu Long Bay | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Province | Quang Ninh | Hai Phong (Cat Ba archipelago) | Quang Ninh |
| Heritage status | World Heritage since 1994 | Part of the same World Heritage site since 16 September 2023 | Next to the heritage area; Bai Tu Long National Park |
| Boats | More than 500 registered tourist boats, the largest fleet in the north | A fraction of Ha Long’s fleet; long stretches with no other boat in sight | A smaller fleet, mostly overnight cruises |
| Where boats leave from | Tuan Chau and the Ha Long city piers | Ben Beo harbour and the Cat Ba piers, or Viet Hai pier | Ao Tien port in Van Don and the Cam Pha piers |
| State sightseeing fee | Set by route and by day or overnight itinerary; the cruise tells you the current figure | 120,000 VND adult / 60,000 VND child; free under 6 or under 1.2 m | Quang Ninh had not charged a separate sightseeing fee as of 2025; you pay the boat and port fees |
| How crowded | Busiest at the famous caves and islets, especially at midday | Quiet away from the few main lunch stops | Quiet; the trade-off is a longer drive from Hanoi |
| What you do there | Cruise, cave visits, a scheduled kayak slot | Kayaking as the main activity, swimming beaches, a village night, the Cat Ba national park | Cruise-based, with some kayaking and swimming |
| From Hanoi | About 2.5 hours by expressway | 3–3.5 hours by bus and ferry via Dong Bai pier | Longer than Ha Long; cruises arrange the transfer |
Bai Tu Long is the choice for people who want a cruise ship but a quieter bay. Lan Ha is the choice for people who want to be in the water rather than on a deck: it is where we kayak, swim and fish, and the islands are close enough to the village that a day on the bay ends at dinner at home. The cruise or day tour guide helps if you are deciding between a night on a boat and a night on land.
When is Ha Long Bay still the right call?
We live on the other side of the water, and we still send people to Ha Long when it fits them better. Three cases:
| Your situation | Our advice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| One night from Hanoi, back the next afternoon | Ha Long | No ferry and about an hour less on the road each way |
| You want a large ship with a pool or spa on a specific date | Ha Long | That is where most of the overnight fleet is based |
| You want to see the famous caves on the Ha Long side and also the quiet side | A cross-bay cruise | Since 20 April 2026, licensed overnight routes start in one bay and finish in the other |
| You want to kayak, swim and spend a night in a village | Lan Ha and Viet Hai | Kayaking is the day, not a slot, and there is no road traffic in the village |
| You also want a forest hike | Lan Ha and Cat Ba | The Cat Ba national park and Navy Peak are a walk from the village |
The cross-bay routes are explained in our guide to Cat Ba as the gateway to both bays, and the practical side — the cable car and the new route — is in Cat Ba cable car and the new Ha Long–Lan Ha route.
What to do instead of a Ha Long day trip
If you skip Ha Long, give the time to Lan Ha properly. A rushed day trip from Hanoi to anywhere on this coast spends more hours on the road than on the water. What works for our guests:
- Two days, one night. A full day on the bay by boat and kayak, then a night in Viet Hai after the day boats have gone. The 2-day, 1-night Viet Hai and Lan Ha Bay trip is built for this.
- Three days. Add the national park trek or Navy Peak (259 m, about three hours up and down). Our two days in Viet Hai itinerary shows how a slow stay fits together.
- A night on the water after dark. On the darkest nights of the month there is bioluminescent plankton in the bay; we explain when it is worth going in our bioluminescent kayaking guide.
New to kayaking? The beginner’s guide to kayaking in Lan Ha Bay covers what to expect, and the boat safety guide is the two-minute check we suggest before boarding any boat, on either bay.
Tell us how many days you have and where you are coming from. We will tell you honestly whether Ha Long, Lan Ha or a cross-bay cruise fits better, arrange the bus from Hanoi or Hai Phong and the speedboat from Ben Beo, and plan the bay day around the weather. The full-day Lan Ha Bay tour is the day most guests start with. Getting here is explained on our transport page; rates move with the season and the size of the group, so message us.
Frequently asked questions
Answered by the Lan family in Viet Hai — the people who run the boats, cook the dinner and pick you up at the pier.
Is Ha Long Bay overcrowded in 2026?
At the famous caves and islets, at midday, yes. Ha Long has more than 500 registered tourist boats and most use the same main routes. A conservation plan approved on 21 April 2026 is meant to set limits on boats, but no cap is in force yet.
Is Lan Ha Bay the same scenery as Ha Long Bay?
Yes. They are two halves of the same limestone archipelago, and since 16 September 2023 UNESCO lists them as one World Heritage site. Lan Ha has 358 islands in the heritage core, Ha Long 775, and far fewer boats on the Lan Ha side.
Can I see both bays in one day now?
Not comfortably. The cross-bay routes licensed on 20 April 2026 are overnight cruises, typically two days and one night, starting in one bay and finishing in the other. A day boat still stays in its own bay.
Is Bai Tu Long Bay a better alternative than Lan Ha?
It depends on the trip. Bai Tu Long suits people who want a cruise ship in a quieter bay. Lan Ha suits people who want to kayak, swim and stay a night on land in a village, with the Cat Ba national park next door.
Not sure which bay fits your dates? Send us your dates and how many days you have, and we will tell you what we would do. WhatsApp +84 363 934 325 or message us here.
Read next
- Lan Ha Bay vs Ha Long Bay: which should you choose?
- Cat Ba cable car and the new Ha Long–Lan Ha route
- Lan Ha Bay: cruise or day tour?
- Hai Phong to Cat Ba in 2026
