Ha Long Bay

Best Oct – Nov Northeast Vietnam Nature & Adventure 2 – 3 nights

Ha Long Bay is the image most people carry of Vietnam — thousands of limestone pillars rising from emerald water, junk boats drifting through the mist, and sunsets that seem to last for hours. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1994, the bay spans 1,553 square kilometres and holds 1,969 islands.

For honeymooners, the experience is the overnight cruise. Fall asleep in a private balcony cabin anchored between the karsts, wake for tai chi on the sundeck at sunrise, and spend the next day kayaking through hidden lagoons and exploring caves the size of cathedrals. Heritage Line Ylang takes just 20 guests. Paradise Elegance offers cooking classes and piano bars. It is one of Southeast Asia's great romantic journeys.

Why Honeymoon in Ha Long Bay?

The bay sits in Quang Ninh province on the Gulf of Tonkin, roughly 170 kilometres east of Hanoi. The name means "Descending Dragon" — legend holds that a mother dragon and her children spat jewels into the sea to defend Vietnam, the jewels becoming the thousands of islands. The karst landscape has been forming for around 20 million years, producing the world's most extensive example of marine-invaded tower karst.

Most couples book a two-day, one-night cruise, though three days gives you time for the quieter Bai Tu Long or Lan Ha bays. Sung Sot Cave on Bo Hon Island is the star — discovered in 1901, it spans over 10,000 square metres with stalactites hanging 30 metres overhead. Ti Top Island, named after cosmonaut Gherman Titov who visited with Ho Chi Minh in 1962, has a crescent beach and a hilltop viewpoint. Cua Van is a 500-year-old floating fishing village once home to 800 residents.

Evenings on the cruise are unhurried. Sunset cocktails on deck, squid fishing off the stern after dark, and the kind of silence you only find when anchored among islands with no roads. It is the opposite of a beach holiday — and all the better for it.

Highlights of Ha Long Bay

Sunrise Tai Chi on the Sundeck

Sunrise tai chi on deck as 1,969 limestone islets emerge from morning mist across the Gulf of Tonkin.

Kayaking Through Luon Cave

Paddle a two-person kayak through Luon Cave into a hidden lagoon enclosed by jungle-draped karst walls.

Sung Sot Cave

Climb 25 metres to the bay s largest cave, discovered in 1901 — two chambers spanning over 10,000 square metres.

Ti Top Island Viewpoint

Summit this island named after cosmonaut Gherman Titov for 360-degree views and a crescent-moon beach below.

Cua Van Floating Village

A 500-year-old floating community of 300 houses, named one of the worlds most beautiful ancient villages.

Heritage Line Ylang Suite

Ten-suite Heritage Line Ylang with private balcony, outdoor Jacuzzi and a maximum of 20 guests on Lan Ha Bay.

Best Time to Visit

October and November offer the clearest skies, calmest seas and comfortable temperatures of 20 to 28 degrees. March and April are equally pleasant. Avoid July and August when typhoons can affect itineraries. December to February is cooler and occasionally misty, but atmospheric and uncrowded.

Getting There

Van Don International Airport is 50 kilometres from the bay, about 75 minutes by car. Most couples transfer from Hanoi's Noi Bai Airport, 170 kilometres west, in 2.5 to 3.5 hours via the Hai Phong Expressway. We arrange private car transfers and cruise boarding for all our honeymoon packages.