Dragon's Pearl Junk

Of the three wooden junks Indochina Junk sails on its standard Bai Tu Long programme, Dragon’s Pearl is the biggest, with ten cabins. It takes the long way out of Ha Long, into the far northern bay that the operator sells as the less-travelled route, and one night buys a cave, a kayak among the islets and a bamboo-boat visit to a fishing village. On a booking-site listing read on 28 October 2026, a cabin for two was $310 for the night: from $155 per person, two sharing.

The operator says it was the first company to run cruises in Bai Tu Long, and that it has been at it for more than twenty years.

What is on board?

Ten cabins over three decks, finished in teak and oak, according to the operator. Every cabin is the same class, a Deluxe with large windows onto the water, a private bathroom, air conditioning and hot water. There is a dining room inside and a dining deck outside, and two sundecks, one at the bow and one at the stern. The operator puts it at 20 guests for a private charter, and sells single cabins to couples and solo travellers on the shared trips.

A guest review the operator reproduces on its page describes a three-day trip with ten passengers and six crew. Ten cabins puts it on our list of small boats.

Where does a Dragon’s Pearl cabin fall short?

Size and age. The operator’s own article on a French TV feature puts a Dragon’s Pearl cabin at 13 m². Beds are a double or two singles. Four booking sites date the boat to 2010, which makes her 16 years old. Our page on how old your boat is explains what to ask about refits.

How long is the day home via Yen Duc?

Four and a half to five hours from the pier: you step off at 11:30, watch water puppets at Yen Duc from 13:00 and reach Hanoi at 16:00 to 16:30. Indochina Junk runs this one programme for Dragon’s Pearl, the four-cabin Prince Junk and the one-cabin L’Amour. Times are the operator’s, read on 6 August 2026.

The village stop at Yen Duc makes the return a long day, but it also puts the puppet show inside the fare. The operator notes that weather and tide can change the plan. Our Bai Tu Long cruise guide explains why this end of the bay is quiet.

What does a three-day Dragon’s Pearl trip add?

Cap La and a beach barbecue. On the operator’s three-day Dragon’s Pearl programme, the first afternoon is two hours of kayaking at Cap La, an area the operator describes as a navy base. Day two brings Thien Canh Son and kayaking round Hon Co, then the beach at Cong Dam, where the chefs cook a barbecue lunch on the sand. Vung Vieng and Yen Duc come on the last day.

How much does it cost, and what is included?

From $155 per person, two sharing, for one night. That is half of $310, the Deluxe cabin price on a booking site’s “Dragon Pearl Junks” listing, read on 28 October 2026. The same listing gave $580 per cabin for the whole three-day trip, so the second night adds $270. Across the 66 boats where that listing shows both prices on the same day, the middle boat charges 1.94 times the one-night price for two nights; Dragon’s Pearl charges 1.87. Confirm both figures for your date on the quote. For a comparison with other boats, see how much a Ha Long cruise costs.

The operator’s two-day package includes the van from Hanoi and back, a welcome drink, all meals on board, tea and coffee at breakfast, an English-speaking guide, kayaking and the water puppet show. Extra drinks, personal spending and the bank charge on card payments are not. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free meals are cooked on request.

Who is Dragon’s Pearl right for?

Small groups, families and friends who want a far route and a wooden boat, and who will spend the day on deck or in a kayak. The two sundecks and the outdoor dining deck suit that. A group of up to 20 can take the whole boat.

Who should book something else?

Couples who want a big cabin or a balcony; Indochina Junk’s steel Red Dragon has two cabin classes of 26.5 and 27 m², each with a loggia or balcony, on a different programme. Anyone over 80, or with a disability, sleepwalking or claustrophobia: the operator advises against the trip. And anyone who must stay online, since the operator says there is no Wi-Fi in the remote areas. Our guide to wooden hulls and steel weighs the two types.

Where do you board, and which boat is it?

At Ha Long International Cruise Port, on the Bai Chay side. You wait in Indochina Junk’s lounge at No 1 Ha Long Street and ride a buggy to the quay; halongbaytours.com and besthalongcruises.com give the same start. Give that address to anyone driving you, and read our harbour guide for why it matters.

The company has sailed more than one boat under this name, so ask which one you are booked on. The Dragon Pearl listings on Google belong to a different business, dragonpearlcruise.com, so read reviews under the Indochina Junk name. More boats on this water sit in our Bai Tu Long Bay section and the Bai Tu Long cruises list.

What if you cancel, or the weather closes the bay?

Indochina Junk’s own terms apply to its whole fleet. The closure decision comes by 15:00 on the day at the latest; in the 2026 storms the provincial stop began earlier, at 12:00 on 3 July and 07:00 on 22 August. Cancelled before you leave Hanoi, you get a full refund; if the boat cannot sail but day trips are allowed, the operator offers a Dragon’s Pearl day cruise at $65 a person. If you cancel yourself, more than 30 days out costs a $10 fee per booking, then 15% to 14 days, 25% to 7 days, 50% to 48 hours and the full fare after that, on a 50% deposit. Children under 4 sharing a cabin travel free, one per cabin, and children from 4 to 12 on a separate bed pay 75%. Agencies that sell the boat without the van add it back: halongbaytours.com charges $40 an adult for the round trip. Their cancellation scales are their own, so read the one on your quote.