2 days in Ha Long Bay

Day by day

1. Day 1: Sung Sot Cave and Luon Cave kayaking

   Sung Sot Cave, Luon Cave kayaking, Ti Top Island and Fighting Cocks Islet, then Overnight bay cruise in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Sung Sot Cave

      Lit walkways lead through two vast chambers with stalactites and rock formations that guides compare to animals and figures. The terrace at the exit looks over a busy anchorage of cruise boats.

   2. Late morning

      Luon Cave kayaking

      Visitors paddle through in kayaks or are rowed in bamboo boats by local boatwomen, which is the most peaceful part of many day cruises.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Ha Long squid cake

      Seafood restaurants in Bai Chay and Hon Gai, and vacuum-packed at Ha Long market to take home.

   4. Afternoon

      Ti Top Island

      The view from the top looks across dozens of islands and the anchored boats below and is one of the best-known panoramas of the bay.

   5. Late afternoon

      Fighting Cocks Islet

      Cruise boats slow down or circle it rather than landing.

   6. Evening

      Overnight bay cruise

      Ask which route the boat takes and how many hours are spent cruising rather than at stops; quieter routes through Bai Tu Long or Lan Ha are worth a slightly longer transfer.

2. Day 2: Thien Cung Cave and Cua Van fishing village

   Thien Cung Cave, Cua Van fishing village, Lan Ha Bay by kayak and boat and Cat Ba National Park, then Sun World Ha Long in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Thien Cung Cave

      It is on the classic day-cruise route from Bai Chay together with nearby Dau Go Cave, and is one of the closest major caves to the port.

   2. Late morning

      Cua Van fishing village

      Most families were resettled on land from around 2014, but some houses, fish farms and a small cultural centre remain, and visitors are rowed around the village by local boat operators.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Rice rolls with squid cake

      Breakfast shops in Hon Gai and around Ha Long market from early morning.

   4. Afternoon

      Lan Ha Bay by kayak and boat

      The area is calmer and greener than the main Ha Long anchorages, and many trips include lunch on board.

   5. Late afternoon

      Cat Ba National Park

      The most popular trail climbs to the Ngu Lam peak lookout tower in about an hour from the headquarters; longer guided treks cross the island to Viet Hai village.

   6. Evening

      Sun World Ha Long

      Ride the cable car late in the afternoon to see the bay at sunset from the Sun Wheel, then eat in Bai Chay.

Before you go

• Overnight bay cruise: Book a few weeks ahead for weekends, Vietnamese holidays and July–August; check the cancellation policy for weather.

If it rains

• Swap in Hospital Cave (Cat Ba Island): Combine it with the national park on the same morning; a local guide at the entrance explains how the rooms were used.
• Swap in Quang Ninh Museum (Hon Gai): The marine floor with skeletons and models is the part children enjoy most.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 17–22 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 10.9 hours in December to 13.4 hours in June.

Getting between stops: Boat. Licensed tourist boats and cruises leave from the international cruise port at Bai Chay, Tuan Chau Marina and Cat Ba harbour on set routes approved by the bay's management board.

More or fewer days

• One day in Ha Long Bay
• 3 days in Ha Long Bay

Questions travellers ask