Ha Long Bay has achieved a level of fame where even people who can’t name Vietnam’s capital have heard of it, and some even know it’s near Hanoi—poor Ho Chi Minh City, so left in the lurch. But without experiencing it in person, or rather, without lounging in Ha Long Bay’s embrace, you really can’t fully grasp its charm.
Before actually arriving at Ha Long Bay, I figured it was just another famous, definitely over-touristed spot. After all, so many World Heritage Sites these days are just financial properties moved in to make money, so I didn’t want to get my hopes too high. But then, during those three days and two nights in Ha Long Bay,it felt utterly cut off from the world. I got to enjoy the sunrises, sunsets, and starry skies of this beautiful land, took cyclo rides sightseeing, paddled around in a kayak playing with the seawater, and searched along the way for monkeys willing to chat with me—the scene was too beautiful to miss. I then came to understand that Ha Long Bay’s beauty is absolutely beyond question, truly deserving of its World Heritage name!
Even though I’ve been bouncing around New Zealand—that magical land—over this past year, exploring several comparable popular fjords (even though Ha Long Bay is formed by limestone islands within a bay, unlike these fjords), and I’ve admired Queen Charlotte Sound, visited Milford Sound, and even spent a night aboard an overnight ship cruising Doubtful Sound, when I really sit down and savor it all, Ha Long Bay is still what I find most unforgettable. Its ever-changing faces and rich variety of activities made those three days and two nights feel full and satisfying. Never mind no wifi—I barely had time to enjoy this beautiful nature (though now it seems ships provide WIFI to keep you connected to the world, afraid you might get so lost in Ha Long Bay you won’t want to leave).
So it was only after several years had passed that a reader showed up in my fan page inboxcalling me outrequesting a tutorial on booking an overnight cruise in Ha Long Bay. Since this cruise booking website apparently hasn’t improved and still has no Chinese version, I was happy to write something right away so more independent travelers could access this amazing experience with fewer hurdles.
The overnight cruise I took in Ha Long Bay was operated by Bhaya Cruises, which actually operates three different ship brands: Bhaya Cruises, The Au Co, and Legend Halong. Bhaya Cruises and The Au Co are both larger cruise ships—luxury big-group vessels where everyone celebrates together. The Au Co is even more refined, while Legend Halong is a wooden vintage ship. The equipment on board still has quality, but with more atmosphere. These smaller ships offer quiet moments and are also great for chartering a private party or romantic plans like proposals.
→ The most budget-friendly cruise: Bhaya Classic
→ The premium experience cruise: The Au Co
→ The wooden ship for private charters or events: Legend Halong
This booking tutorial will focus on and provide detailed instructions for Bhaya Cruises, the accessible mainstream brand, while the other two websites operate similarly, so I’ll explain them more briefly.
Bhaya Cruises Booking Tutorial
Bhaya Cruises official website here →https://www.bhayacruises.com/
When you enter the Bhaya Cruises website, you can only choose English, Japanese, or Vietnamese. If your Japanese is good enough to understand the booking instructions, feel free to switch(Looks like this guide won’t be useful for you then—see you next time ~ *waving through tears*), otherwise let’s just accept our fate and face English.
1. The quickest way to understand Bhaya Cruises tour types and start booking is to search directly from the homepage. Select your expected departure date and expected trip length—either two days and one night or three days and two nights. If you select the first option ‘Any Cruise Length’ in the trip length section, you can search all tour types.You don’t need to be too precise with the expected date—you’ll fill it in again when you actually enter the booking process.
2. I chose three days and two nights as an example and got three tour options. The Bhaya Cruises website will also show some Au Co tours, like the third option in the image below. You can choose based on your budget and preference.
Let’s start by looking at the most budget-friendly tour. You just click ‘BOOK CRUISE’ to start booking, but actually the next step will have you re-enter the date and tour type, so you can click on any one here.
3. Now you’re officially in the booking process. Whatever you clicked on the homepage doesn’t matter—from here on, you need to get serious about your cruise life. Choose the cruise tour type, departure date, and number of days you want to participate.
4. After you’ve made selections in the previous step, matching cabins and prices will automatically appear. You can select the number of people traveling together here. If you want to book multiple cabins, you can click ‘Add another cabin’ below the number of people. There are two pricing options to choose from:‘Flexible Rate’ is the flexible option—you can cancel for free up to seven days before departure, etc. ‘Smart Deal’ is cheaper, but once you book you can’t change your mind。
They also provide round-trip transfers from Hanoi city center to Ha Long Bay dock. The default is to add this directly, but you can adjust based on your needs or choose private car transfers instead. Finally, you can add extras like onboard spa packages or fishing excursions depending on your interests and budget.
The right side shows the total price in real time. After selecting everything, click next.
The ‘INCLUSION’ section shows what services are provided with your tour/cabin. Get a sense of what services come with what you’re booking. Below is a rough translation to reduce language barriers, but it’s not official and the content may change yearly, soplease refer to what’s on the official website。
5. Next comes the ‘DETAILS & PAYMENT’ step. Fill in your contact/passenger information and select a payment method. The image below has translations—just fill in your info according to the instructions! The passenger information section defaults to ‘LATER’, so you can leave it blank for now and fill it in within two days of booking. It’s up to you when you want to complete it.
You can pay by credit card or PayPal. Remember to check the terms and conditions box, then click ‘PROCESS PAYMENT’ to pay.
6. Now for the sacred payment step! Whip out your credit card and enter the card information below. After filling it in, select ‘Process Payment’. If your credit card processes without any issues, you’ll see the success screen and your booking is complete!(Unfortunately I don’t have a screenshot to show everyone—feel free to provide one! Haha)
All the tours above are best for two people sharing a room—looks like they completely ignore single travelers’ feelings? (crying). The more I looked, the sadder I got, so from the homepage I switched to ‘Any Cruise Length’ and kept clicking ‘VIEW MORE’ until I finally found an option for solo travelers. This booking method requires you to do a little finger work and brain work—write an online request email to contact them and you might get a reasonable single rate to enjoy Ha Long Bay solo and unwind.
The Au Co Booking Tutorial
The Au Co official website here →https://www.aucocruises.com/
1. The Au Co’s website design and booking process are quite similar to Bhaya Cruises. When you enter The Au Co website, you can similarly select departure date and trip length, then click ‘SEARCH’ to query.
2. Then several package options will appear. Let me taste some romance—riding The Au Co ship through Ha Long Bay plus Sofitel Hanoi, it’d be hard not to want to get married… but first you need a partner before you book, okay?
3. The next screen lets you adjust the date. The Au Co’s website lets you directly see ship schedules and prices for nearby dates—more thoughtful. After selecting a date, various cabin options appear below. Choose the number of people and plan for your desired cabin. There are the same ‘Flexible Rate’ and ‘Smart Deal’ options with different cancellation policies.
Then click next to enter the information and payment screen. It’s the same process as Bhaya Cruises, so refer to the steps for Bhaya Cruises above 5. & 6. .
Legend Halong Booking Tutorial
Legend Halong official website here →https://www.legendhalong.com/
Legend mainly focuses on small group tours and private charters. If you want to charter, just email them directly. The website provides booking services for their small group tours.
1. Once on the website, click the hamburger menu (three lines) in the top right corner.
2. A menu appears. You can click ‘Set Packages’.
3. Then you’ll see the package services Legend currently offers, ranging from two days and one night to five days and four nights. Legend has even more options. Here we’ll use the two days and one night option from HIGHLIGHT PACKAGES as an example.
4. The screen shows detailed information for this itinerary, including a schedule and activities you can do. If you’re sure you want to book, select ‘BOOK NOW’ on the screen.
5. Next, select the number of people and the date.
Scroll down the screen. You can similarly select a package and transfers. After selecting everything, click ‘NEXT STEP’ to enter the information and payment step, just like with the other two websites. The required information is similar, so refer to the Bhaya Cruises steps above5. & 6. .
With this step-by-step guide, doesn’t everything seem so much easier? Now you’re just one website and one credit card away from Ha Long Bay. This World Heritage Site, so close to Taiwan, lets you see the massive island-bay landscape rarely found in Taiwan. The charm of Vietnam and Ha Long Bay is worth exploring!
