Is Halong Bay worth it? An honest Halong Bay cruise review

Real talk: Not all destinations are as they seem on Instagram. I don’t want to burst any bubbles or ruin any bucket lists here but I’m all about sharing the misadventures as well as the adventures, so I wanted to give you an honest Halong Bay cruise review and give you some Halong Bay alternatives too. Read on to find out, is Halong Bay worth it?

But first, a disclaimer!

Let me prefix this by saying that everyone has different experiences when they travel somewhere. Weather can impact your enjoyment of a place, expectations can affect how you feel when you’re faced with the reality, and the people around you can make or break it.

I had many people tell me that Halong Bay was one of their life highlights, and with perfect weather and a great group of travel buddies on your boat I can totally see how this could be true.

But in the interest of showing the reality of travel rather than just the highlights, I think it’s important to share honest experiences even when they might not look like what you would normally post on social media. Sometimes there’s rubbish, sometimes it rains, sometimes a place doesn’t live up to what you were hoping for, and that’s totally okay.

Let’s all commit to sharing authentic travel experiences truthfully, rather than just the infinity pools and the cocktails, and then other travellers have a more realistic idea of what to expect when they visit for themselves.

ALSO my three weeks in Vietnam were one of my top trip highlights and it’s definitely one of my favourite countries, so one unsatisfying experience doesn’t taint a whole destination.

What is Halong Bay?

Halong Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in northern Vietnam, and it’s probably graced your Instagram feed multiple times in the past. It’s famous for bright emerald water, an infinite number of jagged limestone karsts protruding from the ocean, and white wooden junk boats sailing around the islands. It is, in a word, otherworldly.

This tourist hot spot quickly became Vietnam’s most recognisable icon when it was picked out by UNESCO in 2000, and it sees over six million tourists a year.

How do you get from Hanoi to Halong Bay?

Most Halong Bay cruises offer a pick up and drop off service from your Hanoi hotel. If your tour doesn’t offer this service or if you want to spend extra time in Halong Bay before or after your cruise, you can choose a private driver, shared bus transfer, shared minibus or a train.

The distance between Hanoi and Halong Bay is about 170km, and a private driver will get you from A to B in three hours (not accounting for any stops). You can book a Halong Bay private transfer on Klook from £56 for up to three people.

The best value option for getting from Hanoi to Halong Bay and back is a shared transfer, you can jump on a tourist bus from £4 or ride in style in an air-conditioned minibus from £8.

There’s a Hanoi to Halong Bay train too and prices start at £2.50, but it’s a six or seven hour journey so I don’t think it’s worth it.

About my Halong Bay cruise

There are day trips from Hanoi to Halong Bay, or overnight cruises for two, three or more days.

I opted for the three-day two-night cruise, as I liked the idea of having one full boat day without hours on a bus. This meant we managed to explore deeper into the bay on a day boat, where there were far fewer people, which made a big difference.

I booked this two-night deluxe cruise on Klook for £193 for a single room (vs £295 for two people in a double room). All of the cruises I saw have a single supplement, except for a couple which will pair you with another traveller, not necessarily the same age or gender as you.

The boat company my trip was with was Phoenix Cruises, who have 5 stars on TripAdvisor. Overall the Phoenix team were brilliant! Hotel pick-up and drop-off were smooth and easy, our guide was hilarious and super friendly, and the staff were always eager to help.

If you’re looking for a bit of a boat party kind of vibe then consider booking a trip to Castaways Island, the private island that is run by Vietnam Backpackers Hostel.

Or if you’re feeling fancy, check out this five star luxury cruise with President Cruises.