Last updated 10 October 2026 by the Ava Travel team in Hanoi. Prices and timetables come from the 49 Lan Ha Bay cruises Ava Travel sells, checked on 10 October 2026.
The short answer, using Ava Travel’s own prices: one night is enough for most people. A 2 day 1 night Lan Ha Bay cruise already gives you kayaking, a swim stop, the sunset, a night at anchor and a morning on the water, for about $165 per person in high season. Choose two nights only if you want the middle day: a full day by small boat to Viet Hai village on Cat Ba Island, with cycling, kayaking and a beach. On the same boat, 2 nights costs about 1.9 times the 1 night price: the middle is $315 against $165 per person, so the second night adds about $155 each.
At a glance
| 1 night (2 days 1 night) | 2 nights (3 days 2 nights) | |
|---|---|---|
| Lan Ha Bay boats Ava Travel sells | 49 | 45 |
| Cheapest, October to April | $137 (Oasis Bay) | $267 (Calypso) |
| Middle price, October to April | $165 per person | $315 per person |
| Middle price, May to September | $154 per person | $300 per person |
| Time on the water | About 23 hours | About 47 hours |
| Excursions | One in the afternoon, one in the morning | The same two, plus a full middle day |
| Meals included | Lunch, dinner, breakfast and brunch | Three more: breakfast, lunch and dinner on day 2 |
| For two people with the shared shuttle from Hanoi | About $404 | About $700 |
Prices are the lowest per person for two adults sharing a cabin on each boat, and the middle prices compare the 45 boats that sell both lengths. The shuttle from Hanoi is extra: $35 per person return. Drinks from the bar and spa treatments are extra on every ship.
What one night in Lan Ha Bay already includes
You board at about 12:15, have lunch as the ship sails into the bay, and are back at the harbour by about 11:00 the next morning. We counted the activities on the 42 Lan Ha boats that publish an hour by hour programme for the 1 night trip:
- Kayaking on 38 of 42 boats, most often at Dark and Bright Cave (24 boats) or the Tra Bau area (23 boats).
- A swim stop on 33 of 42 boats.
- A cooking class, Tai Chi at sunrise and squid fishing at night on 37 of 42 boats.
- Trung Trang Cave on Cat Ba Island on 10 boats.
- Viet Hai village on only 4 boats: Celina, Venezia, Ambassador Signature, and Paradise Grand in winter.
So the one thing a 1 night trip usually leaves out is the village and the cycling. If Viet Hai is the reason you are thinking about a second night, one of those four boats gives it to you in one night. The full hour by hour day is in what an overnight cruise includes.
What the second night adds
The second night buys you the middle day. We read the day 2 programme of the 25 Lan Ha boats that publish a full 3 day timetable:
- Viet Hai village on 23 of 25 boats, reached by a cycle of about 5 km through Cat Ba National Park. 12 boats say you can take an electric car instead of a bicycle.
- A beach or swim stop on 20 boats, usually Ba Trai Dao or the water around Tai Queo Cave.
- Kayaking on 19 boats.
- A second sunset and sunrise, a second dinner on board, and a slower morning on day 3.
A real example, from the Calypso 3 day programme: Tai Chi at 06:30, breakfast at 07:00, a day boat through Lan Ha Bay to Viet Hai pier at 08:00, the 5 km cycle to the village at 10:00, lunch on the day boat at 12:00, kayaking around Tai Queo Cave at 13:00, the Ba Trai Dao beaches at 14:00, back on the ship between 16:00 and 16:30, dinner at 19:00.
The downsides of two nights
- You spend the middle day off your ship. On 19 of the 25 boats the day 2 trip is on a smaller day boat, and on 4 more it is by speedboat. You usually leave at about 08:00 and come back at about 16:00 to 16:30, so the pool, the sundeck and your balcony sit empty for most of that day. Lunch is on the day boat, not in the ship’s restaurant.
- It costs almost double. On most boats the second night is not discounted: it adds $120 to $280 per person, and the middle is $155.
- Low season saves little. From May to September the middle 2 night price falls from $315 to $300, and 9 of the 45 boats charge the same all year.
- The middle day needs warm weather. From December to February it is about 15 to 20°C and too cold to swim, so the beach stop becomes a short walk and the day is mostly the cycle and the village.
- Day 3 is short. You get one morning activity (Dark and Bright Cave on 10 of the 25 boats) and are back at the harbour by about 11:00, the same as on a 1 night trip.
1 night and 2 night prices on 12 Lan Ha Bay boats
| Boat | 1 night | 2 nights | The second night adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calypso | $142 | $267 | $125 |
| Genesis Regal | $155 | $275 | $120 |
| Amanda Luxury | $147 | $282 | $135 |
| Sena | $150 | $285 | $135 |
| Majesty Prime | $160 | $285 | $125 |
| Peony | $159 | $295 | $136 |
| Mon Cheri | $180 | $325 | $145 |
| Orchid Trendy | $190 | $335 | $145 |
| Capella | $225 | $435 | $210 |
| Lyra Grandeur | $245 | $452 | $207 |
| Stellar of the Seas | $310 | $560 | $250 |
| Elite of the Seas | $350 | $630 | $280 |
Per person, two adults sharing the cheapest cabin, October to April, all meals on board included. On each boat page choose “2 days 1 night” or “3 days 2 nights” to see the price for your date. The second night is cheapest on Genesis Regal, Calypso and Majesty Prime, and 12 of the 45 boats sell 2 nights for under $300 per person.
Four Lan Ha boats sell 1 night only: Heritage Line Ginger, Oasis Bay, Sea Coral and Venezia.
Who should choose which
- Choose 1 night if Lan Ha Bay is one stop of several in northern Vietnam, if you have 10 days or fewer in the country, if you are travelling in December to February, or if you would spend the $155 difference better on a bigger cabin. For that amount you can move from a typical ship to one of the luxury ships for one night.
- Choose 2 nights if the bay is the main reason for your trip, if you like cycling and want to see Viet Hai and Cat Ba National Park, if you travel from April to October when the swim stops are warm, or if you simply want a full day with no packing and no road.
- Choose 1 night with Viet Hai if you want the village but not the price: Celina, Venezia and Ambassador Signature include it on the 1 night trip.
Is 1 night in Halong Bay enough?
The short answer, from Ava Travel: for most people, yes. A 2 day 1 night cruise boards around noon and disembarks around 10:30 to 11:00 the next morning, so you get about 22 hours on the water, with lunch, dinner, breakfast and the main stops. On Halong Bay, 33 of the 37 cruises Ava Travel sells also offer 3 days 2 nights, at a median of $325 per person against $150 for one night. Choose two nights if you want a slower day, a second cave or kayaking stop, or a night further from the busiest stops.
Halong Bay day cruise or overnight cruise?
An overnight cruise, if you can spare the night. Ava Travel’s Halong Bay day trip from Hanoi costs $45 per adult, but it is a 12 hour day with about five hours on the road, and a day boat only reaches the part of the bay near the harbour, which is the busiest. An overnight cruise starts at $102 per person on Annam Junk (Ava Travel, October to April), includes all meals, and sails beyond where the day boats turn back.
Frequently asked questions
Is 1 night in Halong Bay enough?
For most people, yes: a 2 day 1 night cruise gives about 22 hours on board with the main stops and three meals. Two nights cost a median of $325 per person on Halong Bay at Ava Travel, against $150 for one.
Is a Halong Bay day cruise worth it?
Only if you have no night to spare. Ava Travel’s day trip is $45 per adult for about 12 hours, five of them on the road. An overnight cruise from $102 per person goes further into the bay.
Is one night enough in Lan Ha Bay?
Yes, for most travellers. On a 1 night Lan Ha Bay cruise you are on the water for about 23 hours, and 38 of the 42 boats with a published programme include kayaking and 33 include a swim stop. What you miss is the day ashore at Viet Hai village.
How much more does a 2 night Lan Ha Bay cruise cost?
About $155 more per person on the same boat. Across the 45 Lan Ha boats Ava Travel sells with both lengths, the middle price is $315 per person for 2 nights against $165 for 1 night in high season, and $300 against $154 from May to September.
Do you change boats on a 2 night cruise?
You keep the same cabin for both nights. On most boats the middle day excursion is on a smaller day boat or a speedboat, which leaves at about 08:00 and brings you back to your ship at about 16:00 to 16:30.
What is the cheapest 2 night Lan Ha Bay cruise?
Calypso, from $267 per person in high season and $257 from May to September, followed by Genesis Regal from $275 and Amanda Luxury from $282. All meals for the three days are included.
Is 2 nights in Lan Ha Bay better than 2 nights in Halong Bay?
For a second night, Lan Ha is the more popular choice: 45 of our 88 boats with a 3 day trip sail there, because Cat Ba Island gives the middle day somewhere to go. See Halong Bay vs Lan Ha Bay and, for all three bays, 2 day vs 3 day cruises.
Choose your Lan Ha Bay cruise
Start with the 10 best Lan Ha Bay cruises for 2026 or the best 3 day 2 night cruises, or compare every Lan Ha Bay boat with its price. Pick your date, add the shuttle at checkout and pay securely online; we confirm your cabin and pickup within one hour. Questions first? WhatsApp +84 904 251 545.
