13 Cave Kayaking Tours in Hanoi Worth the Descent

1.Cozy Bay Halong 5-Star Day Cruise, Buffet, Cave, Kayak, Swimming

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3,512 reviews · from $48Our pick

Spend 11 to 12 hours traveling from Hanoi to Ha Long Bay by shuttle bus and cruise boat. You’ll visit Sung Sot Cave, Ti Top Island, and Hung Luon by kayak or bamboo boat, with a buffet lunch and sunset party included. Guides such as Minh, Tim, Duc, and Tony are often praised for clear communication and good humor.

“Mr. Tea was amazing. He picked us up on time and presented the itinerary for the day. He provided history of Hanoi along with answering questions of fellow travelers on the tour. The bus and boat was clean. The buffet was nicely laid and food tasteful. The attractions were amazing and we completed them all on time. Highly recommend Mr. Tea.”

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2.Halong Bay Day Tour With Titop Island, Cave, Kayak & Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,551 reviews · from $40

Spend about 12 hours traveling from Hanoi to Halong Bay with an air-conditioned bus, guide, seafood lunch, cave visit, kayaking or bamboo boat ride, and time at Titop Island. Guides such as Alex, Tinh, Henry, Sam, and Tom are known for keeping large groups organized. Expect a busy but efficient day at Vietnam’s most famous bay.

“It was a full packed day. Bus ride was comfortable and boat was nice. Lots of hiking into the beautiful cave. Cave was a little warm. Ha Long Bay is breathtaking! Alex was a great tour guide!”

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3.Islands & Caves Ha Long Cruise with Lunch & Kayaking

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 1,317 reviews · 4 - 13 hours · from $34Best value

Spend a full day cruising Ha Long Bay from Hanoi, with a seafood lunch, a guided visit to Thien Cung Cave, and 45 minutes of kayaking or bamboo boating. English and Vietnamese guides such as Harry, Benjamin, and Bobby have led past departures. The long road journey is the tradeoff for seeing the bay in one day.

“Thoroughly enjoyed our day out in Halong Bay. The kayaking was a lot of fun going at our own pace looking around the rocks - alternatively you could go on a boat ride with a small group. The guide was informative when walking through the caves explaining the history and pointing out some of the imagery you could find from the formations. The food was alright; I felt like there was a lot of food waste at the end as we couldn't finish it all. They were very accommodating for my partner who was vegetarian.”

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4.Halong Bay Day Tour By Diamond Era Cruise,Titop,Sung Sot & kayak

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,301 reviews · from $48

Spend a long day from Hanoi aboard the Diamond Era 5-star cruise. You’ll visit Sung Sot Cave, kayak or take a bamboo boat through Hang Luon, and hike or swim at Titop Island. Guides such as Richie, Johnny, and Andy are praised for keeping large groups on schedule, though the pace and crowds can be tiring.

“Very nice and friendly team . Cruise is very nice from hygiene, safety , food and all other plannings.”

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5.PRIVATE TOUR HALONG BAY ONE DAY with Cave, Kayaking, Bamboo Boat

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,007 reviews · from $160

Leave Hanoi at 8:30 for a full day in Ha Long Bay. Cruise among limestone islands, stop at Fighting Cocks and Incense Burner islets, explore Thien Cung Cave, and kayak or ride a bamboo boat through quiet lagoons. Guides such as Hai, Robert, Gam, and Jacky are available, with private and shared cruise options.

“This tour was exceptional. Our tour guide Gấm picked us up with a driver from the hotel and gave us some information on the drive to Ha Long Bay. We stopped at an oyster farm on the way to see how pearls are grown which was really cooRead more”

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6.Best Halong 5 star Day Trip, inclusive,buffet,cave,kayak,transfer

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 933 reviews · from $45

You’ll spend 10 to 12 hours traveling from Hanoi to Halong Bay by limo bus and brand-new cruise ship. The day includes Sung Sot Cave, kayaking or a bamboo boat at Luon Cave, Titop Island, a seafood buffet, swimming, and a sunset party with red wine and fruit. Guide Duy has been praised for smooth organization.

“Views of halong was superb and the people is friendly great experience clean boat and good speaking English tour guides.. the food was average though could improve there.”

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7.Halong Bay Full Day with Kayaking, Hiking viewpoint, Cave – Deluxe To Luxury

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 884 reviews · from $38

Spend 12 to 14 hours touring Halong Bay from Hanoi by air-conditioned bus and deluxe boat. Cruise among limestone islands, eat Vietnamese dishes onboard, visit Sung Sot Cave, hike 420 steps on Titop Island, swim, and choose kayaking or a bamboo boat. Guides such as Sam and Hercules lead the day.

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8.Halong Bay Full Day With Cave, Kayaking And Swimming – Highway Transfer

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 743 reviews · from $39

Spend about 12 hours traveling from Hanoi’s Old Quarter to Ha Long Bay by highway, then cruise to Sung Sot Cave, paddle or ride a bamboo boat through Hang Luon, and swim or climb Ti Top Island. Guides such as Viet, Huy, Duc, and Mr. Tiger lead large groups. Expect good value, a full schedule, and crowds at every major stop.

“A beautiful day visiting Halong Bay. The boat was really nice and we enjoyed the speedboat ride and other activities. Our guide Viet was very informative.”

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9.Halong Bay Day Tour With Titop Island, Cave, Kayak & Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 725 reviews · from $40

Leave Hanoi around 8:30 am for a full day on Halong Bay. Cruise among limestone islets, eat a Vietnamese seafood lunch, explore Sung Sot Cave, kayak or take a bamboo boat through Luon Cave, and climb Titop Island for wide bay views. English-speaking guides such as Ken, Phong, and Linh have led this trip, which returns to Hanoi after roughly 12 to 13 hours.

“The trip was great. We loved the beach and the kayaking. The transfer was by coach. The guide gave lots of information. Lunch was average”

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10.All-Inclusive 2 Day/1 Night Halong Luxury Cruise, Meals, Cave, Kayaking,Swimming

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 668 reviews · from $50

Spend one night aboard a small Halong Bay cruise with a private balcony cabin, meals, cave visits, kayaking, swimming, Tai Chi, cooking, and squid fishing. You’ll visit Sung Sot, Titop, Dark and Light, and Thien Canh Son caves. Guides such as Sunny, Tom, Alex, and Tung have earned praise for clear explanations and warm service.

“Everything about the cruise was just perfect! The cruise condition was very good. Great rooms - very spacious and luxurious. The walls, wooden flooring, bathrooms and the bed itself were comfy and beautiful. The rooms had big windoRead more”

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11.CozyBay Boutique 2D1N Kayak, Swiming ,Titop, Cave, Expressway way

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 619 reviews · from $122

This two-day Ha Long Bay cruise picks you up in Hanoi’s Old Quarter and includes expressway transfers, an overnight cabin, meals, kayaking, Surprise Cave, Titop Island, a pearl farm, and a cooking class. Guides may include Duong, known as Sugar, Tam, Tim Tam, or Than. The boat carries about 20 to 28 people.

“The views (halong bay itself) 5/5 The crew (hospitality) 4/5 The food 3/5 So average of 4/5 The views were fantastic, of course the bay itself is full of trash unfortunately but still beautiful. The crew was quite nice although I felt quite rushed oRead more”

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12.All-Inclusive 3 Day/2 Night Halong Luxury Cruise Meals, Cave, Kayaking, Swimming

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 346 reviews · from $290

Spend two nights aboard a 5-star-style Halong Bay cruise with meals, cave visits, kayaking, swimming, cooking, Tai Chi, and sunset drinks. You may sail around Halong, Lan Ha, or Bai Tu Long Bay, with guides such as Kenny, Ha, Chinh, or Gin reported on different departures. Expect a busy first day and a quieter second day.

“We were disappointed with the room as there were not exactly like the pictures . We had booked the highest priced cruise and unfortunately we were not given the name of the ship before 24 hrs of departure. The first day was so busy and crowded but the second day it was magical . We were a small group and we went to less touristy places . The food was amazing as was the staff . There are no activities after dinner except for the squid fishing which was lame . No tv working so evenings were boring . I think that the fact that the ship caters to 1…”

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13.2D1N Halong Bay 6-Star Cruise: Fine Dining, Cave & Kayaking

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 41 reviews · from $239

Spend one night aboard a 6-star Halong Bay cruise with a private balcony, bathtub, fine dining, and a mini pool or Jacuzzi. You will visit Sung Sot Cave, Titop Island, and Luon Cave, then join a cooking class, sunrise Tai Chi, and kayaking or a bamboo boat ride. Cruise manager Dan has been praised for attentive service, while transport may require extra coordination.

“All activities on time, the cruise was amazing and trekking was incredible.”

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