Hạ Long Bay, located on Việt-Nam’s northeastern seacoast in the Gulf of Tonkin, is about 105 miles from Hà Nội and an UNESCO recognized World Heritage site for its magical landscape of rocky formations and crystal blue waters and geomorphology. Its name means “descending dragon” and the bay has over 2,000 limestone islands and islets of various sizes with interesting cave formations and grottoes. While the bay is mostly uninhabited, it is home to four traditional floating villages that date back to the early 19th century. These communities comprised of 400 households, approximately 1,700 people, who live on boats and floating wooden houses. Their main livelihood is fishing and aquaculture. These floating villages and their distinctive traditional lifestyle provide another unique facet of Vietnamese identity. In recent years, the Vietnamese government has begun to relocate the inhabitants of the floating villages into settlements on land to preserve Hạ Long Bay’s natural landscape.
We’ve designed your experience in Hạ Long Bay as a leisure and adventurous retreat with an overnight stay on board a private luxurious cruise ship as you immerse yourself in the natural beauty of this magical bay, learn more about its history, traditions, and culture.
Highlights. Who You’ll Meet. Where You’ll Sip & Savor.
Hạ Long Bay Adventure Day 1
- We’ll check out of our hotel in Hà Nội and begin our 2 1/2-hour journey to Hạ Long Bay on private transportation and transfer to our privately chartered Orchid Classic Cruise by speedboat.
- After lunch, we’ll do some kayaking to explore Ao Ếch (Frog Lake) in the remote Lan Hạ Bay that’s a bit south of Hạ Long Bay and may visit one of the four fishing villages if weather permits.
- We’ll return to the Orchid Classic Cruise before sunset to sail to our sleeping area for anchoring and enjoying the breathtaking sunset on the sundeck.
- There will be a cooking demonstration by our chef prior to dinner. Following dinner, you can enjoy time on your own at the Orchid Classic Cruise panoramic bar, partaking of squid fishing or movies in your cabin.
Accommodation in Hạ Long Bay
We will overnight for our Hạ Long Bay adventure on board a privately chartered Orchid Classic Cruise.
