Last updated 27 September 2026 by the Ava Travel team in Hanoi. Prices checked the same day on our own booking pages.
The short answer, using Ava Travel’s own prices: the cheapest overnight Halong Bay cruise Ava Travel sells in 2026 is Annam Junk from $102 per person, 2 days 1 night with all meals. Of the 98 ships we sell, 33 cost $150 or less per person in high season, and they are cheaper again from May to September. The best value under $150 is Hera Classic for space, Amanda Pearl for a new ship, and Treasure Junk for a quiet bay.
You will see Halong Bay cruises advertised for much less than $100. Those are usually day trips, or overnight prices that leave out the transfer, the caves or the meals. Every price on this page is for a night on board with meals included, two adults sharing a cabin. Transfer from Hanoi is extra on all of them, usually about $35 per person round trip.
Quick comparison: the 10 best budget Halong Bay cruises
Lowest high season price per person, 2 days 1 night. Low season (May to September) is the same or cheaper.
| # | Cruise | From (Ava Travel) | Best for | Bay | Boat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Annam Junk | $102 | Lowest price | Halong | Wooden, 7 cabins |
| 2 | Victory | $111 | Cheapest steel ship | Halong | 21 cabins |
| 3 | Syrena | $115 | Cheap balcony cabin | Halong | Wooden, 17 cabins |
| 4 | Hera Classic | $114 | Most space for the money | Halong | Wooden, 19 cabins |
| 5 | Amanda Pearl | $125 | Newest ship at this price | Halong | Built 2024, 21 cabins |
| 6 | Oriental Sails | $125 | Simplest choice | Halong | Wooden, 18 cabins |
| 7 | Phoenix | $127 | Families on a budget | Halong | Wooden, 22 cabins |
| 8 | Treasure Junk | $132 | Quiet bay | Bai Tu Long | 14 cabins |
| 9 | Victory Star | $136 | Balcony on every cabin | Halong | 21 cabins |
| 10 | Oasis Bay | $137 | Social trip, one price all year | Lan Ha | 22 cabins |
1. Annam Junk: the lowest price
From $102 per person. Halong Bay. Wooden boat from 2005, 7 cabins.
A night on the water with all meals, a cave, kayaking and a cooking class for about $102 each, at the same price all year. Day two reaches Sung Sot Grotto by rowing boat. A small wooden junk with a handful of guests is, in our view, a better night than the cheapest cabin on a crowded big ship.
Downside: a 20-year-old boat, no balconies, no spa, and the operator does not publish cabin sizes.
2. Victory: the cheapest steel ship
From $111 per person. Halong Bay. Built 2007, 21 cabins.
One cabin type only, the 16 sqm Deluxe Ocean View, so there is nothing to compare. A cooking class, kayaking and squid fishing are included.
Downside: 16 sqm is small and there is no balcony, bar or spa. Its sister ship Victory Star (number 9) gives you 24 sqm and a balcony for a little more.
3. Syrena: cheapest balcony option
From $115 per person. Halong Bay. Wooden junk from 2010, 17 cabins.
All meals, a cave visit, kayaking and Tai Chi on a timber boat that has worked the bay for fifteen years. The Deluxe Balcony costs only $20 more per cabin than the Deluxe without one, and a door onto the bay is worth it.
Downside: no jacuzzi, and the operator does not publish cabin sizes.
4. Hera Classic: most space for the money
From $114 per person. Halong Bay. Wooden boat from 2017, 19 cabins.
The Hera Suite is 40 sqm with a balcony for about $140 per person in low season. On the steel ships in this bay, a 40 sqm cabin costs from about $400. Breakfast is a proper spread with phở and an egg station, and meals, entrance fees, kayaking, Tai Chi and a cooking class are included. Day two visits Sung Sot Cave.
Downside: the entry Deluxe cabin is 20 sqm with no balcony, and the spa is charged on board.
5. Amanda Pearl: a new ship at a budget price
From $125 per person. Halong Bay. Built 2024, 21 cabins.
Most cabins at this price are on boats built between 2005 and 2013. Amanda Pearl is from 2024, so the bathrooms, air conditioning and fittings are close to new.
Downside: the three cheapest cabins have no balcony, and the balcony cabins cost $370 per cabin, $130 more than the best cabin without one. There is nothing in between.
6. Oriental Sails: the simplest choice
From $125 per person. Halong Bay. Wooden junk from 2014, 18 cabins.
One cabin, one price, no upgrade ladder. On day two at Luon Cave you choose between being rowed through on a sampan or paddling a kayak, where most boats decide for you.
Downside: no balcony option at all, and it leaves from Halong International Cruise Port, about 3 hours from Hanoi.
7. Phoenix: best budget choice for families
From $127 per person. Halong Bay. Wooden junk sailing since 2014, 22 cabins.
Phoenix has a 36 sqm family cabin for four at $500 for the whole room, the cheapest way we can put four people on the water for a night. Day one kayaks at the Pearl Farm, day two is Ti Top Island for a swim or the viewpoint climb.
Downside: the two cheapest cabins are 18 sqm with no balcony, and there is no spa.
8. Treasure Junk: the quiet bay on a budget
From $132 per person. Bai Tu Long Bay. Built 2017, 14 cabins.
Bai Tu Long has the same limestone karsts as Halong Bay but a fraction of the boats, because few operators are licensed for it. The 43 sqm Suite with a balcony costs only about $25 more per person than the 14 sqm Deluxe, so take the Suite.
Downside: the Deluxe is the smallest cabin we sell, and there is no spa or pool.
9. Victory Star: balcony cabins at a low price
From $136 per person. Halong Bay. Built 2007, 21 cabins.
The same age and size as its sister Victory, but the cabins start at 24 sqm with a balcony. It is one of the cheapest ways to get a balcony on Halong Bay.
Downside: built in 2007, so it is one of the older ships we sell, and on board it is simply a restaurant, bar and sundeck.
10. Oasis Bay: a social trip on Lan Ha Bay
From $137 per person. Lan Ha Bay. Built 2015, 22 cabins. Same price all year.
The cheapest Lan Ha Bay ship on this list, with karaoke, a jacuzzi pool, a bar and wifi. It holds one price in December and January too.
Downside: it is a sociable boat rather than a quiet one, there is no spa or cooking class, and cabin sizes are not published.
Also under $150
- Swan (from $135, Bai Tu Long Bay): the same price all year, which makes it good value over Christmas and New Year.
- Hera Grand (from $126, Halong Bay): 11 suites, the cheapest from 35 sqm, on a quiet small ship.
- Emeraude (from $127, Halong Bay): a replica of a French colonial paddle steamer from 2003, with morning yoga. No cabin has a balcony.
See all 33 on our Halong Bay cruises under $150 page.
How to spend less on a Halong Bay cruise
- Travel from May to September. The typical ship is about 8 percent cheaper, and more on suites.
- Pick a flat-price ship for December and January. Annam, Swan, Oasis Bay and Ambassador keep the same price all year.
- Look at the second-cheapest cabin. On many budget boats a balcony, or double the floor space, costs only a little more than the entry cabin.
- Take the shared shuttle. About $35 per person round trip, against about $165 for a private sedan.
- Compare the total, not the headline. A very low price often leaves out the transfer, cave fees or meals.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest overnight Halong Bay cruise?
Among the 98 ships we sell, Annam Junk at $102 per person for 2 days 1 night, meals included. Transfer from Hanoi is extra.
Can you do an overnight Halong Bay cruise for under $100?
Not on any ship we sell. Our cheapest overnight cruise is $102 per person. Offers below $100 are usually day trips, or leave out the transfer, cave fees or meals, so compare the full total before you book.
Are budget Halong Bay cruises worth it?
Yes, if you know what you are giving up. A budget boat gives you the same bay, caves and sunset. What you lose is cabin size, a balcony, a spa, and on some boats a newer hull. The cheaper boats on this list are small wooden junks, which many travellers prefer to a large steel ship anyway.
What does a budget cruise include?
Your cabin, all meals on board, and the activities on the itinerary, such as a cave visit and kayaking or a bamboo boat. Drinks, spa, tips and the transfer from Hanoi are extra. See the full Halong Bay cruise cost guide.
Book a budget cruise with Ava Travel
Choose your date and cabin on the cruise page and pay securely online, and we confirm your cabin and Hanoi pickup within one hour. Tell us your budget on WhatsApp (+84 904 251 545) and we will suggest the two best boats for your dates.
