Things to do in Ha Long Bay, counted boat by boat

All 70 overnight boats whose itineraries we read put you in a kayak, and 69 take you inside a cave. Swimming, tai chi, squid fishing, a bamboo boat, a cooking class and a sunset happy hour are on 59 to 62 of them. Beyond that core, what you do depends on the bay and on whether you stay one night or two, since cycling, beaches and pearl farms mostly sit on the second day.

What is there to do on a Ha Long Bay cruise?

Eight activities are on at least 59 of the 70 boats, three are on between 28 and 48, and six are on 21 or fewer. The table counts 17 activities on the itineraries halongbaytours.com publishes, read from our copies saved on 6 August 2026. Of the 92 boats we publish, 70 have such a page there. The other 22 are missing from this table, though the stop counts on this page cover all 92.

Activity	On the itinerary (of 70 boats)	Ha Long Bay itineraries (22)	Lan Ha Bay itineraries (36)	Bai Tu Long itineraries (12)	On the two-night itinerary only (of 65)
Kayaking	70	22	36	12	3
Cave visit	69	22	35	12	1
Swimming	62	20	32	10	17
Tai chi	62	20	32	10	2
Squid fishing	60	20	30	10	2
Bamboo or rowing boat	59	20	30	9	7
Cooking class or spring roll making	59	17	32	10	1
Sunset party or happy hour	59	17	33	9	6
Spa or massage	48	15	27	6	6
Beach	46	18	20	8	29
Cycling	28	2	26	0	25
Cinema or movie night	21	4	15	2	0
Pearl farm	20	15	1	4	15
Floating or fishing village	18	4	3	11	7
Ti Top or another viewpoint climb	17	16	0	1	0
Hiking	13	12	0	1	1
Yoga	1	1	0	0	0

The last column covers the 65 boats that publish both a one-night and a two-night itinerary. It counts the boats where an activity is on the longer trip and missing from the shorter one.

The limitation is what a count of words can see. An itinerary is a plan, and weather, tides and the cruise manager can drop an activity on the day. A word on the plan says nothing about how long the activity lasts or how well it is run, and a broad word such as “massage” or “climb” can catch a line about something else. Named places are better counted from stop lists: those put Ti Top on 29 of the 31 Ha Long Bay boats we publish, where the itinerary wording catches it on only 16 of the 22 Ha Long itineraries.

On our count, Hera Grand lists the most activities: 14 of the 17 on its two-night itinerary and 11 on one night, against 10 for the middle boat. The table lists the six boats on 13 or more.

Boat	Bay	Activities (of 17)	One night / two nights
Hera Grand	Ha Long Bay	14	11 / 14
Athena Premium	Ha Long Bay	13	12 / 13
Hera Classic Boutique	Ha Long Bay	13	12 / 13
Paradise Legacy	Ha Long Bay	13	10 / 13
Syrena	Ha Long Bay	13	9 / 13
Heritage Line Violet	Bai Tu Long	13	not split on the page

Five of the six boats on 13 or more sail Ha Long Bay, where Ti Top, the pearl farms and the hikes add to the total. The total also counts activities an itinerary names outside its day-by-day blocks, which is how Sena reaches 12 when neither of its trips lists more than 11. On Lan Ha the top figure is 12, shared by Sena, Orchid Luxury and Elite of the Seas; in Bai Tu Long it is Heritage Line Violet.

What will you do on almost any boat?

A kayak on every boat we read, a cave on all but one, and a bamboo boat on 59. Squid fishing, happy hour and tai chi fill the evening and the early morning.

Caves

A cave is on 69 of the 70 itineraries, and 480 reviews in our log mention one. Which cave depends on the bay. In Ha Long Bay, 28 of the 31 boats we publish stop at Sung Sot: 14 go in on the first afternoon and 14 after breakfast on day two. In Lan Ha the usual cave is the Dark and Bright Cave, on 24 of the 46 Lan Ha boats, a passage that boats take guests through on the water, by kayak or on a bamboo boat.

Entrance and sightseeing fees are in the fare on 69 of the 86 boats whose operators publish an inclusion list. The caves and islands you will actually stop at sorts them by boat.

Kayaking

Kayaking is on all 70 itineraries we read, usually in the afternoon. Of the 38 boat timetables that put a time on it, 22 start the paddle between 15:00 and 16:30, and 12 have a session before noon. The operators’ inclusion lists name kayaking in the fare on 72 of 86 boats. Six list it among the extras on at least one of their trips, so read the line for the trip you are actually booking.

In Ha Long Bay the paddle is usually at Luon Cave, a stop on 19 of the 31 Ha Long boats, 13 of them on the first afternoon. Five of those 19 charge for the kayak or the bamboo boat there.

Kayaking is also the activity guests write about most: 905 of the 11,497 reviews with written text mention it, and 727 of those read as positive. On Halora Nova in August 2026 there were not enough kayaks for the group, one guest wrote, so the paddle felt rushed and people swam while they waited their turn. Our kayaking guide covers where you paddle.

Bamboo boats

Fifty-nine boats schedule one. Forty of the 86 inclusion lists name a bamboo or rowing boat in the fare, and five charge for it: on three the ticket is 50,000 VND a person, and one lists $5 to $8 a person for the bamboo boat at Luon. From the canoe and bamboo boat trip on Aspira in July 2026, one guest saw langurs in the distance. Another, in February, found the bamboo boat cave tour over in about 30 minutes with nothing explained, more a photo stop than a tour.

Squid fishing

It is on 60 itineraries, and the timetables put it after dinner: 24 of the 26 that give it a time start it between 19:00 and 21:30. Forty-seven of the 86 inclusion lists name it in the fare, and none lists it as an extra, though three boats’ itinerary pages mark it optional. Nobody caught anything on one Halora Nova evening in August 2026, and the guest still found it interesting, if a little crowded.

Happy hour and tai chi

Happy hour is on 59 itineraries and tai chi on 62, and they bracket the evening and the next morning, which what to expect on board walks through hour by hour. Tai chi is the early one: on 30 of the 32 timetables that time it, the session starts between 06:00 and 06:45. Happy hour starts between 17:00 and 18:30 on 19 of the 24 that time it.

Tai chi is in the fare on 43 of the 86 inclusion lists and happy hour on 22. On four of those 22 the operator’s own wording makes happy hour a drinks offer, two for one or three for the price of two. On Doria in May 2026, beer ran two to three times the mainland price by one guest’s account, so ask for the drinks list first.

Can you swim in Ha Long Bay?

Yes, and 62 of the 70 boats schedule a swim stop, mostly in the afternoon: of the 31 timetables that time it, 25 put it between 14:00 and 16:45. In Ha Long Bay the usual swim is off the beach at Ti Top Island, where 23 boats offer both the beach and the climb. The sea at our open-water point averages 28.3 to 31.8°C from May to October on three years of model data, and the weather guide has each month and the source.

Ten reviews in our log describe jellyfish in the water, six of them from June to August 2026. A Rosy guest in July 2026 said nobody had warned them before the swim. An Aspira guest the same month saw a few and nobody was stung. Ask the crew about jellyfish before you go in.

What depends on the boat you choose?

The cooking class and the spa. Each is on some boats and missing from others in every bay.

Cooking class

Fifty-nine boats list a cooking class or spring roll making, most often late in the afternoon: 14 of the 25 timetables that time it put it between 17:00 and 18:30. It is in the fare on 57 of the 86 inclusion lists. Of the 246 reviews that mention it, 26 of the 233 with a tone are mixed or negative, close to the 10% for our log as a whole.

The catch is the word “class”. On 24 of those 57 inclusion lists the operator calls it a demonstration. Guests on Halora Nova in August 2026 and Orchid Classic in June 2026 both booked what was described as a cooking class and watched the chef do the cooking, though a Halora Nova guest in April rolled their own. If making them yourself matters, ask before you book, and see food on board.

Spa

The spa is on 48 itineraries, and on only 6 of the 12 Bai Tu Long boats in that set. Assume you pay for it. Fifty-seven of the 86 inclusion lists put spa or massage among the extras, and only two boats include a massage at all, with their top suites: Calista, and Hera Grand as a voucher.

Of the 153 reviews that mention the spa, 117 read as positive and 20 are negative outright, more than twice the rate for our whole log. One Doria guest in May found a room with two tables and prices they thought inflated; an Aspira guest in July thought it very good for a boat. Ask for the price list before you book a treatment.

Which activities belong to one bay?

Cycling is a Lan Ha activity, floating villages belong to Bai Tu Long, and Ti Top, the pearl farms and the hikes are in Ha Long Bay. Our bay comparison covers the rest.

Cycling

Twenty-six of the 36 Lan Ha boats in the itinerary set list a ride, against 2 of 22 in Ha Long Bay and none in Bai Tu Long. Viet Hai village on Cat Ba is a stop on 32 of the 46 Lan Ha boats we publish, more boats than any other stop across all 92. The bike is named in the fare on 9 of the 86 inclusion lists, 7 of them for the two-night trip only. Viet Hai was the highlight of day two for a Doria guest in May 2026, who took the bike and found the ride scenic. The Lan Ha Bay cruises page lists the boats.

Floating villages

Eleven of the 12 Bai Tu Long boats in the itinerary set visit one, and only 3 of 36 Lan Ha boats do. On the stop lists, the floating village at Vung Vieng is on 14 of the 15 Bai Tu Long boats we publish. If the villages are why you are coming, start with Bai Tu Long cruises.

Ti Top, hiking and pearl farms

On the stop lists we counted on 16 October 2026, Ti Top is on 29 of the 31 Ha Long Bay boats we publish and on none in the other two bays. Twenty-two go on the first afternoon and seven the next morning, and 23 of the 29 give you both the beach and the climb to the viewpoint. Of the 26 Ti Top boats whose operators publish an inclusion list, 23 put entrance and sightseeing fees in the fare. Hikes are on 12 of the 22 Ha Long itineraries and pearl farms on 15, against 4 of 12 in Bai Tu Long and 1 of 36 on Lan Ha. Our Ti Top Island guide lists every boat that stops there and at what hour.

What does a second night add?

Land and beaches. On the 65 boats that publish both itineraries, the core barely changes with trip length: caves are on both versions for 64 of them, kayaking for 62, tai chi for 57 and squid fishing for 53.

On a one-night trip you miss cycling on 25 of the 26 boats among those 65 that offer it. The beach is two-night only on 29 of the 44 boats that list one, the pearl farm on 15 of 19 and the floating village on 7 of 15. If a bike ride through Viet Hai or an afternoon on a beach is the reason you are going, book the 3 days 2 nights itinerary. If you mainly want the water, the 2 days 1 night itinerary covers the core. Our guide to two days or three weighs up what the extra night costs.

What costs extra on board?

The road transfer from Hanoi, drinks and the spa. Of the 86 boats whose operators publish an inclusion list, read between August and October 2026, 77 put drinks among the exclusions, 69 the Hanoi transfer and 57 the spa. Seven include the transfer in some form, mostly for direct bookings or as part of a package. The itineraries themselves rarely mention price: “optional” or “extra charge” sits beside an activity on five boats’ pages for the spa, three for a cave, three for squid fishing, two for tai chi and one for Ti Top.

For the activities, the table puts the three counts side by side. Each column has its own base, so read each figure against the base in its column heading.

Activity	On the itinerary (of 70)	In the fare (of 86 lists)	Listed as extra (of 86 lists)	When, where timetables say
Kayaking	70	72	6	15:00–16:30 on 22 of 38
Cave visit	69	69 (entrance fees)	0	Sung Sot: 14 afternoons, 14 mornings
Swimming	62	26	0	14:00–16:45 on 25 of 31
Tai chi	62	43	0	06:00–06:45 on 30 of 32
Squid fishing	60	47	0	19:00–21:30 on 24 of 26
Bamboo or rowing boat	59	40	5
Cooking class	59	57	0	17:00–18:30 on 14 of 25
Happy hour	59	22 (4 a drinks offer)	0	17:00–18:30 on 19 of 24
Spa or massage	48	2 (top suites)	57
Cycling	28	9	0

“In the fare” means the operator names the activity among its inclusions; a missing line does not mean it costs extra. What is not included goes through the rest line by line. Get anything you care about confirmed in writing.

Which activities do guests complain about?

Ti Top and pearl farms: 15 of the 38 reviews that mention Ti Top and carry a tone are mixed or negative, and 8 of the 22 that mention a pearl farm, against 10% across the 10,568 reviews in our log that carry one. Both samples are small.

Activity	Reviews that mention it	With a tone	Mixed or negative	Share
Ti Top or viewpoint climb	44	38	15	39%
Pearl farm	24	22	8	36%
Cinema or movie night	20	18	5	28%
Happy hour	129	125	34	27%
Bamboo or rowing boat	92	88	20	23%
Spa or massage	153	149	32	21%
Cave visit	480	450	90	20%
Squid fishing	146	135	27	20%
Kayaking	905	876	149	17%
Swimming	309	299	50	17%
Tai chi	177	173	24	14%
Cooking class	246	233	26	11%

Tone is our reading of each whole review as positive, mixed or negative. A mixed review that names Ti Top may be unhappy about something else on the trip. The counts match English words only, so reviews in other languages are missing from this table.

Common questions

Can you swim on a one-night cruise in Ha Long Bay? Usually, but check the itinerary. Of the 65 boats that publish both a one-night and a two-night itinerary, 42 list a swim on both, 17 only on the two-night trip and 1 only on the one-night trip. The remaining 5 have no swim on either itinerary. In winter it may not matter much: the sea at our open-water point averages 18.6°C in January and February, on three years of model data.

Is kayaking included on a Ha Long Bay cruise? On most boats, yes. It is on the itinerary of all 70 boats we read, and 72 of the 86 operators’ inclusion lists name it in the fare. Six list it as an extra on at least one trip, so check the line for yours and ask the seller to confirm it in writing. Ask too whether there are enough kayaks for everyone, since one Halora Nova guest in August 2026 found there were not.

What is squid fishing on a Ha Long cruise? It is an evening session of night fishing from the boat, on 60 of the 70 itineraries we read, usually starting between 19:00 and 21:30. A Halora Nova guest in August 2026 caught nothing and still found it interesting. Forty-seven of 86 operators’ inclusion lists name it in the fare and none lists it as an extra. Ask what time it starts, too: an Aspira guest in February 2026 found it was not announced over the tannoy and missed it.

Can you do everything on a one-night cruise? No. A one-night cruise gives you the core, but the shore activities mostly need the second day. Of the 65 boats that publish both itineraries, caves are on both versions for 64, kayaking for 62, tai chi for 57 and squid fishing for 53. Cycling is two-night only on 25 of 26 boats that offer it, and the beach on 29 of 44. If those matter to you, book three days.