Kevin & I are generally low-budget travelers, but since we were meeting my sister & her husband to go to Halong Bay together, we decided to splurge (a lot).  We joined Huong Hai Sealife Cruise’s 2 Day/1 Night cruise & loved it!  You can find details of the full itinerary on their website.  They also offer a 2 Night/3 Day cruise, but I felt that the 1 night was enough for us.

Note: If you fear motion sickness, you shouldn’t worry too much as the boat is relatively still since you are in the bay (Bai Tu Long Bay) & still quite close to shore.  I generally get motion sickness very easily, and I did experience some discomfort, but did not have to resort to taking meds (just don’t look out the window while you’re eating).  You should still carry some Gravol with you, just in case.

Here’s a quick review & summary of our activities:

Rooms – 5-star (in my opinion).  Their rooms look exactly as they do in the company’s photos; the beds are comfy & the washroom facilities are clean.  Each of our cabins had a little balcony as well, which is a nice touch.

Food – Excellent.  Lunch & Breakfast were served buffet style, but the selection was very good and they will accomodate any dietary restrictions or allergies you may have.  Our ‘gala dinner’ was very nice.  We got to dress up a bit & enjoy some entertainment as well as a nice sit-down dinner.  We had a 4-course meal, all of which was very tasty.

Cooking Demonstation – This was really fun and interactive.  Our cruise manager was pretty funny!  This transitioned nicely into their happy hour where you can buy drinks at a reduced rate.

Day 1 Excursions – We visited Hang Sung Sot (Surprise Cave) and wandered leisurely around as our guide pointed out interesting shapes formed by the limestone.  The cave is nicely lit up and there is a defined path constructed for the large groups of tourists who file through every day.  We were transported back to the boat for a brief 15 min break, and we were off again to Ti Top Island.

You have the opportunity to walk up to the summit and/or enjoy the beach.  I believe it was about 20 min to make it to the top, where you’ll have panoramic views of Halong Bay and all its beautiful islets.  As we were walking back down to the beach, the sun was just starting to set, and it was really beautiful.  🙂
We had only 15-20 min to play on the beach.  The sand is soft, so kick off your shoes and enjoy.

Day 2 Excursion – We woke up, had a light breakfast and climbed into our kayaks.  We paddled around the bay for about 45min, getting pretty close to some monkeys and to the limestone structures.

Added Options, which we had included in our package:

2-Way Transfer between Hanoi & Halong City – It is a 4 hour ride each way, although our return trip was over 4.5 hours because our driver was going at a snail’s pace.  There is 1 rest stop, which also includes 20min of mandatory shopping time.  You can make your own way to Halong City by taking the regular buses leaving Hanoi, but keep in mind that your cruise may not wait for you if you arrive late.  We were actually late on arrival due to road construction and the cruise manager was waiting to escort us directly to the boat.

 Kayaking – If you have the opportunity and the energy, this is a great option to add to your package!