Once you have your travel plan, you should book cruise in advance. You will have time to check out which cruise suit your budget and meet your expectation. Some cruises have the Early Bird policy, it’s so good if you can enjoy the best services with better price than the others. Of course, you do also have time to compare the cruises at the same level. You will have time to set up some special request of rooms, decorations… for yourself or partners if your departure date is on the anniversary day. In the bad case you have to unexpectedly cancel the trip, you do get refund in specification time.

The Cruise Companies never make decisions to cancel your trip but cruising and sailing in Halong Bay is strictly regulated by a local board: the Halong Bay Port Authority. Every morning, the Port Authority delivers a permit to each cruise company allowing them to sail in Halong Bay. Both day cruises and overnight cruises are regulated this way. In case of bad weather conditions and risks of tropical storms, the Port Authority might limit the possibilities of cruising and even decide to cancel all cruises. In those cases, final decision by the Port of Authority is usually known only at 3.00pm on the day of departure. You will be informed as soon as the information available, which unfortunately might only be upon guest's arrival at the marina. Different possibilities are then offered to the guests. We do always stand by the customers’ right to get full refund back to you depend on policies of each cruise.

- Normally, you’ll get refund 100% if you are still in Hanoi, not yet depart to Ha Long Bay

- If you’re on the way to Ha Long and be cancelled when you arrive: you may get refund 100% or you may be charge the transportation fee (this depends on policy of the cruise you book)

- If your trip is cancelled when you’re on board already, depend on what services you’ve used on boat to refund such as meals, hotels, rooms… (this will have agreement between you and cruise management. This is very flexible

Your safety is always priority of us. All cruises we recommend to you have safety amenities such as safety instruction, life jackets in all cabins & public area, lifebuoys,hammer in room, fire safety system, Radar, VHF, 24 hours security staff…

Drinks & Water are exclusive on board. Just some cruises have complimentary water in the room for free. Some cruises have the mini bars in rooms; you’ll pay what you drink something in the mini bar or at cruise restaurant. You can bring your own mineral water on board but no other beverages; you may be charged follow the regulations of cruises. It’s sure that the prices are more expensive than in land so you should check the prices before you order to get out of confusion being overcharged.

Halong Bay’s climate is humid and tropical. With a hot, humid summer and dry, cold winter; Halong Bay’s temperature varies from 15ºC to 25ºC. Annual rainfall is between 2000mm and 2200mm. Ha Long bay has typical diurnal tide system (tide amplitude ranges from 3.5-4m). The salinity is from 31 to 34.5MT in dry season and lower in rainy season.

The best time to travel to Halong Bay

It is possible to visit Ha Long Bay year-round, with the best time to visit from October through April, although during the winter months of December, January and February, the weather in Halong Bay can be cool and overcast with low visibility. During the summer months from May to September, temperatures rise and storms are more likely during the rainy season.Book your trip with halong-tours.net and you'll get the best advices.

Halong Bay weather in 12 months:

March April + May: Temperature: ~ 20°C-22°C; Some days have light rain; Clear with blue sky. June + July + Aug: Temperature: ~ 26°C-28°C with strong Sun; Carefully with Typhoon; Some days have trong but quick rain. Sept + Oct + Nov: Best time to enjoy Halong with cool temperature: ~ 26°C-28°C. Dec + Jan + Feb: Temperature: 18°C~20°C; Cold with strong wind; Some days are misty and rainy.

For more Halong Bay weather information please click here

No dress code is imposed on boats. We advise you to take light garments in Summer, sweaters and/or a jacket in Winter as it can get pretty chilly, especially at night. A raincoat will be useful any time of the year. If you intend to do kayaking, plan to have a change of clothes as you will easily get wet. As for shoes, choose what is appropriate according to the temperatures and bring along trainers/walking shoes for the excursions (visiting caves, hiking, cycling, etc.). Don’t forget your bathing suit!

You will drop off at the same hotel at the end of the Ha Long Bay trip. So you should bring necessary things along and leave luggage at your hotel. Any hotels have Luggage storage places which are safe for you. Just in case you head to the airport/train station after the trip, you should bring the whole ones.

Located in Gulf of Tonkin, Bai Tu Long Bay includes a wide eastern part of Halong Bay, Van Don and Cam Pha district. There is also Bai Tu Long Bay National park with biological diversity. Occupying three-quarters of the Ha Long Bay area towards eastern part, Bai Tu Long Bay is one of the three triangular peaks of the World Natural Heritage Being a part of Halong Bay – the World Heritage site, Bai Tu Long Bay has similar marvelous landscape as its sister – Halong Bay. Until now, Bai Tu Long Bay still remains unexplored in wide area

It depends on which cruise you are looking at. In our halong-tours.net, the price of Luxury cruises (5 star) & Mid-range cruises (4 star) and standard cruises (3 star) is NOT included transfer service. However, Hanoi - Halong- Hanoi transfer service is always available at very reasonable cost. please check carefully in the "inclusion" and "exclusion" in each cruise tour price or contact our travel consultant: info@halong-tours.net for clearly information.

Any cruises have private cancellation policies which we mention in the Policies. You can check it out when you look at the cruises. Once your booking is confirmed, your booking will follow the policies of the cruise you book. Normally we do always try to deal with the cruise suppliers to refund as much as possible to the clients as verified reasons. If you cancel the booking, please email us to get the cancellation confirmation from us & policies relate to the cancellation.

If you have special requirements – for example, if you have a large group or young children, if you are handicapped or have physical limitations, if you have special transportation needs, or if you are vegetarian or have other food allergies or died – please let us know, and we can work with both you to ensure that we can meet your needs. If you require a special diet or if you need to have special food items available aboard ship, please notify it to the reservation service at least one week before the date of the check-in...

All our quotes are in US Dollars. We accept payment by Visa, Master Card and American Express by bank transfers, Paypal (online payment), Western Union... Payment can also be done by credit card or cash for those living or staying in Vietnam prior the cruise date

If your flight is delayed, and you do not sure about your arrival time. You could inform us soonest as you can, and it better you should change to take the cruise the day after if the cabins are available or you. If you just arrive in Ha Long about 1-2 hours late, you may take private car & a speed boat for the late check in, and pay by yourself if you do not want to miss this trip.

Vietnamese style electrical sockets are available in all suites. 220 volts, as is standard throughout hotels in Vietnam

The shuttle bus often drop people back to Hanoi Old Quarter. If you book round trip private car, you can head to the airport after Ha Long Bay and the price is included in the car cost once you book it. If you travel to Ha Long by shuttle bus, you just book one way Hanoi – Ha Long Bay by shuttle bus and the return by Private car.

It is always different around the world, However in Vietnam, driver and tour guide, restaurant waiter, hotel bellboy, hotel housekeeper…are the people who have very low salary (120.00 USD – 220.00 USD/month), so when tourist/ customers feel happy with their service, please kindly give them a tip. Money for Tip always depends on customer’s budget and satisfaction level. If you ask me for advice and if you are happy with our driver, I will say that you should tip them 1 dollar for 1 guest in 1 day. If you do not feel happy, no need to give him a tip.

You can book the 3 days 2 nights trip included 1 night on board in Ha Long Bay & 1 night in Cat Ba Island. The cruise company will arrange the private Day boat to transfer you from Ha Long bay to Cat Ba and continue visiting the island follow the itinerary (Just some Standard Cruises arrange the itinerary for overnight in Cat Ba such as Aclass Opera Cruise, Classic Sail, Luxury Imperial Cruise,… If you would like not to join in the tour to Cat Ba, after finish Ha Long Bay tour, you can get to Tuan Chau Island to buy ferry ticket to Cat Ba Island.

It is Tuan Chau Harbor located in Tuan Chau island. 95% Cruises (day cruises and overnight cruises) in Halong bay departs from this harbor. Only a few cruises starts from Hon Gai Harbor.