Halong Bay Overnight Junk Boat Cruise

Hanoi, Vietnam

Imagine waking up surrounded by the tranquil beauty of Halong Bay - one of Vietnam's most spectacular natural wonders. Dotted with limestone islands in a sea of azure blue water you will explore the World Heritage listed Halong Bay aboard a junk boat. While you cruise the bay, enjoy a seafood lunch, dinner, swimming, kayaking (optional) or visit one of the many limestone caves.

Halong Bay covers an area of 1,500 square km. With more than a thousand limestone peaks rising up from its crystalline emerald waters this area is rightly viewed as one of the natural wonders of Vietnam and is one of five World Heritage-listed sites. This two-day itinerary gives you the chance to enjoy Halong Bay from the comfort of your junk.

Here you can relax on the tanning deck, swim in the clear waters and enjoy the best cuisine available in the bay. All the while you will be looked after by our dedicated and attentive crew. There is also the option of exploring some of the bay's most secluded lagoons using our fleet of modern easy-to-maneuver kayaks for some unforgettable scenery only accessible by kayak.

Whilst on board you will indulge in two seafood lunches, one dinner and one breakfast. Tan overnight tour of Halong Bay also provides the perfect opportunity to sit back and watch the sunset or to try a spot of night fishing.

Akin to a floating hotel, here are some of the junk's facilities:

• 5 ensuite twin cabins with air-conditioning and ensuite tiled bathroom
• Hot and cold running water and shower in each bathroom
• Dining room serving Vietnamese fare
• Licensed bar with extensive wine list
• Sun tanning area with eight adjustable sun lounges
• 5 lightweight western made (New Zealand) sea kayaks
• Night fishing from the boat
• Fully staffed crew of 7 including Customer Services Manager

• Full Name as on passports
• Date of Birth
• Passport Number
• Nationality
• Vietnamese Visa dates

USD $175.00

Review by: Amanda W	January 2012
Hmmm...so easy for this to be the most amazing trip, yet so royally messed up by the tour company. The actual boat was great, with much nicer cabins than I had expected and especially good food. The staff were helpful, but only when they had to be. And here is the problem. Once they had done their duty (e.g. served dinner), they disappeared into their private quarters. So if you wanted a drink, you had to go and rouse someone and it felt very awkward, particularly if you wanted a hot drink that they then had to make. They also did not conduct any kind of 'tour' - we were told nothing at all about Halong Bay, or the boats etc. When you get to the caves, the guide just gave us the ticket and pointed the way. When we were in there, there were loads of other groups with their guide explaining and pointing out interesting things. It got worse too - they started making repairs to the boat doors whilst we were sat there enjoying the tranquillity (literally, man turned up with a drill and just set to work next to us), and then they tried to charge us for all of the drinks we had had. This included tea and coffee - eventually they relented as I still had our booking form which clearly stated 'free tea and coffee throughout', but even then they tried to argue that this only meant 'free at breakfast'. And drinks were expensive - a good 3 times more than you'd pay on land. Also be warned that this is not 2 days - on the 2nd day, you get served lunch at 10.30am and then you're off before 12. Do this trip - but with a different company.

Review by: Elise T	January 2012
4 hours in an unsafe mini van to get there from Hanoi (broken seat back rest and no seat belt) with a driver whose manner of driving I would consider unsafe. I was quite frightened. We were herded around like cattle, not told what was going on. A lot of waiting at the dock (over an hour). "Guide" with very minimal English. Communication was extremely difficult, frustrating and time consuming. No information given to us at all as to where we were, where we were going or what we were looking at. We got yelled at if we took to long to do something. We were never given time to get our things together (eg water bottles, jackets and medications) before being forced off the main junk and onto another boat to go caving. Guide refused to let us fish or kayak even though our itineraries said that those things were part of the cruise. Eventually relented about the kayaking, if we paid US$30 extra! We didn't. Drinks on board very over priced (US$30 for bottles of wine). Nothing to eat for a vegetarian. VERY disappointed and would not recommend at all.

Review by: Archangel	December 2011
The highlight of our trip, tour takes you around halong bay on a fantastically furnished boat. The dinner/lunch was more than anyone could possibly eat and unbelievably tasty (surprising what they cook in a galley these days!!)

Review by: Grace G	December 2011
Would definitely recommend to others. Service was amazing and along it is only a short time spent in Halong Bay itself due to the 4 hour trip from Hanoi it is still worth it. _br/_ There is soooo much food on this boat, you will never go hungry and it was all delicious. _br/_ Our tour guide was really lovely and helpful. We visited a cave, climbed to the top of a mountain (ish) and also went kayaking and swimming. _br/_ It's a small group as well which is nice.

Review by: Carman T	March 2011
Had fantastic time. Great people and food. Value for money

Review by: Sarah B	February 2011
It was a really good trip, the weather was quite cold and overcast but still well worth it. The boat was quite empty and more of an "adult" trip, I think there are other boat trips that are for a younger partying types - I think these are also cheaper.

Review by: Ashish D	November 2010
This was really good. It was a lot better than I expected. Food was great and staff was friendly. Must do and a popular activity in Vietnam from Hanoi. No negative comments about it at all.

Review by: Mark W	May 2010
We've done several Buffalo Tours and this was not one of their best. The driver didnt communicate with us the entire 3 hour trip except to tell us we had 20 minutes at the halfway stop. Upon arrival at Halong we were met by our guide who escorted us onto Buffalo's 'Jewel of The Bay'. We gathered in the dining area to be given our cabin key. We were told to meet back in the dining room for lunch. We advised that we didnt eat seafood but this information hadnt been passed on. We were told the chef would try to cater to us as the food was pre-purchased. After lunch we were taken on a hike to the caves, then went kayaking through a cave which was great. After a swim, we were left alone until dinner. The chef did a great job of trying to cook non-seafood dishes. However, the food was barely restaurant quality. Drinks on board were expensive in comparison to cost of alcohol in Vietnam. Staff record drinks on a chit system, we suggest you keep an eye on this as we discovered additional entries made which we hadnt consumed. The quide didnt speak English well and didn't offer much information regarding Halong Bay. After dinner again we were left alone. No entertainment, music or information was provided. No ambiance. The cabin was uncomfortable. Our aircon needed to be fixed. People in other cabins complained their aircon cut out during the night and they got a shock when they turned on their lights. The 2nd day we had a storm so we couldnt go on a hike or to the beach. Instead of a "wet weather plan" the trip was just cut short and were returned to the dock. For the price of this tour we were very disappointed.

Review by: Nora G	April 2010
The food and service on board was terrific. The boat is old but I understand they are retiring it and the new one will be in service soon. I am not convinced that the overnight is better than a morning tour, I did both. On the morning tour we saw the same cave, there was more activity in the bay and we stopped to visit the fishing village. On the overnight they cruised by the fishing village without stopping and the two additional activities were not interesting to me. Kayaking in a polluted waterway, climbing up an island in the rain when there would be no view. Unless you are confident you will have a sunny day, I think the morning tour is a better value. Be prepared that it looks prettier in pictures because the pollution isn't on display in the shots. The transportation from Hanoi to Ha Long Bay and back was in a good minivan but there was no guide and the driver didn't speak English, so there was much confusion about what was going on. Also, they piled in their staff who were going to check out the new junk and that made it crowded. This staff spoke English and was minimally helpful in explaining what was going on to us.

Review by: Roslyn W, Australia	December 2009
Excellent tour. Value for Money.

Review by: Chee Keong L, Singapore	July 2008
Very beautiful and peaceful place that you will forget the city life. And able to get to see all the limestone sites. Will be going back again.

Review by: CHEE KEONG L	July 2008
Very beautiful and peaceful place that you will forget the city life. And able to get to see all the limestone sites. Will be going back again.

Review by: Nina D, United States of America	May 2008
We loved the experience. We were picked up on time in Hanoi, joined by other delightful travelers and transported through the countryside which was beautiful. The crew on board our boat couldn't have been better. Our every need was met before we realized we had it. We were a little disappointed in the condition of the boat but we realized that most of the junks on Halong Bay were in like condition. The tour of the cave was fabulous. The food was delicious and the evening meal was presented as if we were in a 5 star hotel. Cruising back to the dock the next morning was a surreal experience. Don't miss this experience!

Review by: Nina J. D	May 2008
We loved the experience. We were picked up on time in Hanoi, joined by other delightful travelers and transported through the countryside which was beautiful. The crew on board our boat couldn't have been better. Our every need was met before we realized we had it. We were a little disappointed in the condition of the boat but we realized that most of the junks on Halong Bay were in like condition. The tour of the cave was fabulous. The food was delicious and the evening meal was presented as if we were in a 5 star hotel. Cruising back to the dock the next morning was a surreal experience. Don't miss this experience!

Review by: Amanda S, Australia	April 2008
The small amount of passengers on board made this cruise great! Halong Bay is such a beautiful part of Vietnam.

Review by: Anonymous	April 2008
It was an interesting experience. My wife and I were concerned with the pollution in the bay. The Jewel of the Bay Junk was very good and the food fantastic. We were lucky to meet some lovely people on the Junk as well. The walks that were conducted were good. The drive to the bay could have lent itself to a few explanations of the sites on the way, instead of nothing, which was not the case when my wife did the Malacca straights with Viator. Also, getting onto the junk is organized chaos. On the bus ride back, we were cramped into the back of a mini bus and sat on top of the wheels, which was painful. I am glad we have made the effort to see Halong Bay, however the other experiences that await exploring in Vietnam are equally good and considerably less in price.

Review by: Kerrie M, Australia	March 2008
We were not sure what to expect from this tour, but were pleasantly surprised. The cabins were lovely and clean. The staff made our trip most enjoyable and nothing was too much trouble. The meals were more than we expected. The food was presented in a way that you felt like you were at a five star restaurant. Not being a boating person, I was concerned about sleeping on the boat, but I shouldn't have worried. I had the most enjoyable sleep ever. I would definitely do this trip again.

Review by: David A, Australia	October 2007
A beautiful place, I wish I had the time to stay two nights instead of one.

Review by: Ian D, Australia	September 2007
We had the best time and met some wonderful people. Our tour guide was great and a lovely friendly man who spoke excellent English and taught us many things about local history and other events. Halong Bay is absolutely beautiful. Our cabin was great and very comfortable with good air conditioning. The food was fantastic, plenty to eat and the drinks were reasonably priced. We had no issues with security and felt completely safe, and even left our valuables in our cabin with peace of mind, even though a safe was available. Our only regret was that we didn't do the two-night cruise.

Review by: Kelly L, Australia	August 2007
We had a great tour host and even better food! Halong Bay was beautiful. It's a shame it was overcast and there was lots of rubbish!

Review by: Anonymous, Australia	July 2007
We had great service, excellent views, and superb food in an amazing area of the world. I wasn't aware of the level of fitness required, but I still had a most enjoyable time. I highly recommend it!

Review by: Anonymous, United States of America	June 2007
The tour operator did a great job. The van pickup was on time, and the guide was courteous and well-informed. The junk was comfortable, with good food and service. Halong Bay itself was out of this world. I strongly recommend this trip.

Review by: Sandra B, Australia	April 2007
A fantastically calming experience after the buzz of Hanoi. Great vessel, crew and amenities.

Review by: Judy W, Australia	April 2007
Had a great time. Pity the weather was so foggy, wrong time of year. Was looking forward to sunrise and sunset, but saw neither. If I go to Vietnam again would definitely do trip again. The crew were friendly and helpful. Couldn't get hold of the tour company to confirm booking, the phone just kept ringing till rung out, so was worried about the pick up.

Review by: Denise H	April 2007
A fantastically calming experience after the buzz of Hanoi. Great vessel, crew and amenities.

Review by: Susan E	April 2007
The boat was a bit run down. They did not put up the sails which were not needed for movement, but were part of the feel of the trip.

Review by: Mick E, Australia	March 2007
The trip was for 2 nights and was fantastic - just what we needed after the hustle and bustle everywhere else in Vietnam. The service, food and activities were first class. We would recommend for anyone.

Review by: Lynn T, Australia	January 2007
The Jewel of the Bay was a nice way to wind down after 10 busy days before moving on for another 10 busy days. The only downside was the lighting in the cabin wasn't great.

Review by: George W	January 2007
The shower in the bathroom was just a shower head coming out of the wall, the shelves we had put our clothes on were dirty and there was a lack of coffee in the morning when we woke up, but other than that it was great.

Review by: Patricia E, United States of America	December 2006
The crew and director did an excellent job. The facilities and food were fabulous. We loved the activities.