Meals: B / L / D
After breakfast, travel to Halong Bay, one of the Wonders of the Orient (3 hr. drive). Dinh Vu Port, Haiphong where we arrive at around 11h30. You can take special tea at Orchid Cruise’s lounge by warm welcome.
We welcome our guests onboard the cruise and then check in, enjoy Welcome Drink, receive cruise brief and safety instruction by crew member and Cruise Manager, anchored in the south of Halong Bay, one of the ‘New Seven Wonders of Nature’ in a worldwide survey. Halong Bay is steeped in culture from hundreds of years ago. The bay has remained unchanged for centuries, with beautiful seas and impressive islands.
Your Halong Bay Cruise boat proceeds to Da Chong islet, where you can see a lighthouse built by the French over 100 years ago. We have lunch before continuing our journey via the islets of Con Vit and Gia Luan. These amazing limestone karst formations rise up out of the sea in an impressive manner. This area is untouched, as not many cruise ships use the route via the Cat Ba Island – Thoi Quyt area – Coc Ngoi islet – through Cua Van to Ba Trai Dao area.
We progress to Ba Trai Dao beach area of Lan Ha Bay a separate part of Halong Bay. This is a quiet tourist paradise in Vietnam. The region is known for its pristine beaches and spectacular beauty, having about 400 fascinating islands. Unlike the main, Ha Long Bay, the islands of Lan Ha Bay are forested, and most are small in stature.
We take you for a trip in the small coracles, used by fishermen for centuries. You will learn how they go about their trade, casting the nets, whilst navigating the waters in their tiny craft.
Alternatively, you may prefer to try your hand at kayaking or simply just enjoy a swim. This is a great experience, immersed in the crystal clear waters of the bay, in the Ba Trai Dao area.
Returning your Halong Bay Cruise boat you can watch the magnificent sunset over the Gulf of Tonkin. Onboard you may join a traditional cooking class. Our chef will instruct you in the making of some Vietnam dishes. In the early evening the boat has its Happy Hour deal.
Overnight in Halong Bay.