List reviewed on October 22, 2026 · prices updated hourly
Bai Tu Long Bay cruises compared: 5 boats, real prices
Bai Tu Long Bay, north-east of Ha Long Bay, is the quietest of the three bays, and few cruises really sail there. We list 5 of them, checked stop by stop: the itinerary of the option we price includes Bai Tu Long sights such as Vung Vieng floating village or Thien Canh Son Cave. For each one we show the price of a precise option, not the cheapest "from" price.
The 5 Bai Tu Long Bay cruises in our comparison
Price per adult for two adults sharing a double cabin, for the option described on each card: the lowest price over the next 30 days, converted into USD. Only cruises whose itinerary includes Bai Tu Long stops are listed.
- 2 days / 1 nightBai Tu Long BayBudget
Bai Tu Long cruise (Asia Vacation Travel)
An agency offer with the Hanoi transfer included and a Bai Tu Long route (Thien Canh Son Cave, Vung Vieng); the agency picks the boat among several, so ask which one before paying.
Option priced: 2 days / 1 night, double cabin, Hanoi transfer included
kayak or bamboo boat included
Loading prices…See prices and dates on Viator → - 2 days / 1 nightBai Tu Long BayHa Long BayBudget
Bai Tu Long 5-star cruise (Indochina Today)
A balcony cabin at a budget price and a route into quiet Bai Tu Long Bay, but the agency does not name the boat.
Option priced: 2 days / 1 night, double cabin with balcony, meet at Tuan Chau port, transfer from Hanoi extra
kayak or bamboo boat included
Loading prices…See prices and dates on Viator → - 2 days / 1 nightBai Tu Long BayMid-range
Amira Bai Tu Long cruise
A small group boat (20 guests at most) on a true Bai Tu Long route via Thien Canh Son Cave, Cong Do and Vung Vieng, boarding at Hon Gai pier; the bus from Hanoi is extra.
Option priced: 2 days / 1 night, double cabin, meet at Hon Gai pier, transfer from Hanoi extra
kayak or bamboo boat included
Loading prices…See prices and dates on Viator → - 2 days / 1 nightBai Tu Long BayMid-range
Cycad Cruise
A boat that stays in Bai Tu Long Bay, with Vung Vieng floating village, the Cong Do area and Thien Canh Son Cave; the option we price has a standard cabin and no transfer.
Option priced: 2 days / 1 night, double cabin, meet at Ha Long International Cruise Port, transfer from Hanoi extra
kayak or bamboo boat included
Loading prices…See prices and dates on Viator → - 3 days / 2 nightsBai Tu Long BayHa Long BayBudget
Bai Tu Long 5-star cruise (Halong Bay Lux Cruises)
Two nights with a day in Bai Tu Long Bay and a balcony cabin; the agency does not name the boat and adds a peak-season surcharge from October to April.
Option priced: 3 days / 2 nights, double cabin with balcony, meet at Tuan Chau port, transfer from Hanoi extra
kayak or bamboo boat included
Loading prices…See prices and dates on Viator →
Cruises from our partner Viator: booking and payment on viator.com. We may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. Cruise companies do not pay to appear in this list.
What Bai Tu Long Bay is
Bai Tu Long Bay lies north-east of Ha Long Bay, off Ha Long City, Cam Pha and the Van Don district of Quang Ninh province. It belongs to the same limestone seascape as Ha Long Bay, with more open water and fewer boats. Bai Tu Long National Park protects part of it, including marine areas.
For a cruise, "Bai Tu Long" is above all a route through the north-eastern part of the bay. Vung Vieng floating village, Thien Canh Son Cave, the Cong Do area and Cap La Island are Bai Tu Long stops; if an itinerary only names Sung Sot Cave, Ti Top Island or Luon Cave, it is a Ha Long route.
Routes, ports and prices
The boats leave from the piers of Ha Long City: in our list, Hon Gai pier, Ha Long International Cruise Port or Tuan Chau, depending on the company. From Hanoi, count about 2.5 to 3.5 hours by road. Each card says whether the option we price includes the transfer.
A typical 2 days / 1 night route combines Thien Canh Son Cave, the Cong Do area and Vung Vieng floating village, visited by kayak or bamboo boat, over the first afternoon and the next morning. On 3 days / 2 nights, the middle day goes further out, often on a smaller day boat. On the survey date, the cruises in our list cost from $153 per person for one night and from $330 for two nights.
Fewer boats, fewer choices
Few companies sail Bai Tu Long, so few offers reach our review threshold. Some are sold by agencies that do not name the boat, or that choose it among several: the verdict on each card says so. Ask which boat you will be on before you pay, and read the list of stops.
When to go
Departures depend on the weather: the port authorities suspend them when a storm is forecast, mainly during the typhoon season, roughly June to October. September to November usually brings calm seas and clear light; winter is cooler and often misty. Vietnamese holidays, Tết and the Christmas to New Year period bring more boats, even in Bai Tu Long.
Bai Tu Long Bay cruises: your questions
Is Bai Tu Long Bay better than Ha Long Bay?
It is quieter, with fewer boats and more open water, but it has fewer cruises to choose from. Ha Long Bay has the best-known sights and the widest choice of boats.
How much does a Bai Tu Long Bay cruise cost?
In our list, on the survey date, per adult for two adults: from $153 for 2 days / 1 night and from $330 for 3 days / 2 nights. The transfer from Hanoi, drinks and holiday surcharges can add to the bill.
How do I know a cruise really goes to Bai Tu Long?
Read the list of stops: Vung Vieng floating village, Thien Canh Son Cave, the Cong Do area and Cap La Island are in Bai Tu Long. If the itinerary only names Sung Sot Cave, Ti Top Island or Luon Cave, it is a Ha Long route.
Can I visit Bai Tu Long Bay as a day trip?
Day boats exist, but none reaches our review threshold, and a day only covers a small part of the bay. A night on board is the usual way to see it.
Where do Bai Tu Long cruises leave from?
From the piers of Ha Long City: in our list, Hon Gai pier, Ha Long International Cruise Port or Tuan Chau, depending on the company. The company confirms the meeting point after booking.
Bai Tu Long or Lan Ha?
Choose Bai Tu Long for the quietest bay and a route through floating villages and caves. Choose Lan Ha for beaches, lagoons, a wider choice of boats and Cat Ba Island close by.
How we chose these cruises
This page lists the cruises of our comparison whose itinerary includes Bai Tu Long stops, with at least 100 reviews and a combined Viator and Tripadvisor rating of at least 4.8, a Viator-only rating of at least 4.3 when based on 10 Viator reviews or more, a bookable date within 30 days, mandatory extra charges below 40% of the price, and one cruise per company. Few Bai Tu Long cruises have 300 reviews, the threshold of our main comparison: the cruises listed here but not in the main comparison have fewer reviews, so their rating rests on a smaller sample.
The bay, cabin, kayak and transfer details and the one-line verdicts are ours, written from the itinerary and the inclusions of the option we price. Prices and ratings come from Viator and are updated every hour; we do not show review texts. The list was last reviewed on October 22, 2026.
Cruises from our partner Viator: booking and payment on viator.com. We may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. Cruise companies do not pay to appear in this list.