Two Traveling After One – Real Budget Breakdown for Slow Travel, Retirees, and Empty Nesters
After spending a full month in Hanoi, we decided to experience one of Vietnam’s most iconic landscapes in a way that aligned with our travel style, slowly and intentionally. Here is our Ha Long & Bai Tu Long Bay Cruise Review.
Rather than booking a rushed day trip, we chose a 3-day, 2-night cruise through Ha Long Bay and the quieter Bai Tu Long Bay aboard the Dragon Legend 1, operated by Indochina Junk.
Below is our full itinerary, a detailed cost breakdown, and honest thoughts on whether this experience was worth exceeding our daily travel budget.
Why We Chose This Cruise
There are dozens of cruise operators in Ha Long Bay, but three things stood out to us:
- You stay with the same ship and crew the entire time (no switching to day boats)
- The 3-day itinerary allows for more uninterrupted time on the water
- The private beach BBQ is only offered by this company
Ha Long Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site spanning roughly 1,553 square kilometers, with 384 square kilometers designated as a protected heritage area. It’s vast, layered, and far more complex than the photos suggest.
We wanted time to appreciate it, and not rush through it.
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Table of Contents
Our Full 3-Day Itinerary
Day 1: Transfer from Hanoi, Boarding, Sung Sot Cave & Kayaking
Pick up in Hanoi
We were picked up in Hanoi at 8:00 a.m. in a comfortable limo-style van with bottled water provided. We stopped at a pearl store with a small café for a bathroom break before arriving at the Indochina Junk booking office at Tuan Chau Marina.
All credit card transactions, including our deposit, incur a 4% processing fee, which should be factored into your budget unless you plan to carry a significant amount of Vietnamese currency.
Our luggage was tagged at the office and delivered directly to our cabin upon boarding.
Sailing Into the Bay
The sail out into the bay took about two hours, allowing us to settle in and take in the scenery gradually as limestone karsts surrounded us.
The ship never felt crowded. Maximum capacity is 47 guests. We started with 39 on board; 11 guests disembarked after the first night (they booked the shorter itinerary), leaving 28 for the remainder of the cruise.
Cabin & Ship Amenities
Our cabin included:
- Featherbed-topped bed
- Large windows
- Air conditioning
- Daily housekeeping
- Rain shower
- Large soaking tub with views
- Toiletry products
- In-room safe
The ship also offered:
- A small pool
- Top deck loungers
- Access to the bow
- Outdoor tables for dining and relaxing
- A small gym (treadmill, bike, free weights)
- A spa offering massages and treatments
The interior design featured heavy wooden accents, giving the ship a traditional feel, like a classic wooden junk boat, even though it was a newer steel vessel.
Following a brief safety presentation by the cruise manager, Peter, and a full review of our itinerary by our onboard guide, Wong (AKA Smiley), we had some time to unpack and enjoy the ship’s open spaces while we sailed to our first excursion. Before disembarking, we were served a wonderful five-course lunch.
Sung Sot Cave
This was our first excursion of the cruise, and it was a wonderful start to our adventure
After being safely tendered (life jackets are always required) from our ship, we reached the cave. It is impressive in scale, though it has suffered historical damage. Before conservation efforts were implemented, stalactites and stalagmites were cut, and BBQ dinners were once held inside using open fires. Today, preservation efforts continue, yet the cave remains clean and impressive.
Kayaking
After leaving the cave, we boarded our tender for a short trip to our second excursion and first boating experience. Kayaks were available in one- or two-person options. Life jackets were required and provided, along with dry bags. The tenders (two of them, towed behind the ship throughout the trip) transported us to and from all excursions.
The water was clear, and we saw no visible trash despite the earlier concerns we had heard before arriving.
Evening Onboard
As the afternoon faded, a light haze softened the landscape, creating beautiful golden light at sunset. The skies were clear, and the temperatures were perfect for enjoying time on the deck and creating a backdrop for some of the most beautiful pictures from our cruise.
That evening, we enjoyed
A multi-course meal (served in several rounds over a couple of hours)
A thoughtful mix of vegetarian, meat, and seafood dishes (The kitchen and wait staff were also very accommodating to any food allergies or preferences)
Freshly prepared Vietnamese-style cuisine
Courses that allowed you to try a little bit of everything rather than one large plated entrée
Following dinner, you could relax with cocktails on deck while enjoying the full moon or head to the stern to try your hand at squid fishing with the crew. It turned out to be more exciting than we expected, and revealed a skill we didn’t even know we had. We both managed to catch squid, with Dan pulling in three, along with a couple of fish as well.
Day 2: Morning Tai Chi, Floating Village & Private Beach BBQ
Morning Tai Chi
At 6:30 a.m. each morning, Tai Chi was offered on the top deck, a peaceful, optional way to ease into the day before breakfast, with gentle movement set against the quiet backdrop of the bay.
Both sunrises that accompanied it were peaceful, clear, and incredibly calm.
Vung Vieng Floating Village
We visited Vung Vieng Floating Village, taking a five-person bamboo boat paddled by local men and women.
They guided us through calm waters toward Luon Cave, a natural rock opening that offers beautiful, framed views of the bay.
This was one of the most grounding parts of the trip, quiet and deeply connected to local life.
Private Beach BBQ (Exclusive to This Provider)
One of the true highlights of the cruise was the private beach BBQ, an experience offered only by Indochina Junk and not something available on standard Ha Long Bay itineraries.
It was also our only opportunity to swim in the bay, as jumping directly from cruise ships is no longer permitted anywhere in Ha Long Bay.
The crew transported us by tender to a quiet stretch of sand, where they had already gone ahead to set everything up. A six-course lunch was prepared and served right on the beach, with tables arranged in the shade and the limestone karsts rising dramatically around us.
It honestly felt like something out of an episode of Below Deck. As we stepped off the tender, our favorite drinks were already waiting and handed to us as we took our seats. After lunch, we had time to swim, walk the shoreline, and simply enjoy the rare feeling of having such a spectacular setting largely to ourselves.
This experience alone made the longer itinerary worthwhile.
Day 3: Morning Kayaking & Return
After breakfast, we headed out for one final kayaking excursion. The bay was incredibly still that morning, almost glass-like, and we were the only small group of kayakers on the water, since many on board opted out for whatever reason. Paddling quietly between the limestone karsts felt peaceful and unhurried, a fitting way to end our time in Ha Long and Bai Tu Long Bay. With no other boats nearby, it truly felt like we had this small corner of the bay to ourselves.
Later, after brunch, we began sailing back toward the marina, retracing our route through the towering rock formations one last time. It was a relaxed return rather than a rushed departure, giving us time to reflect and soak in the scenery.
As we approached the dock, we could see that most cruises had already returned and their passengers were already off their ships. Our crew wasn’t rushing anything and handled all of the logistics. Our luggage was returned to the marina, so we did not have to handle it, and we boarded the tenders one final time to return to shore. Once there, we retrieved our bags and were organized into groups to board the luxury vans for the drive back to Hanoi. It was a smooth, well-coordinated end to the experience, with the high level of service continuing to the final moment.
Water Puppet Show Stop
On the drive back toward Hanoi, we stopped at Yen Duc Village for a traditional water puppet show performed by local villagers. It was a lighthearted cultural interlude after three days on the water, and free tea and snacks were provided while we watched the performance. The show offered a glimpse into rural life and Vietnamese folklore, centered around rice farming and village traditions.
We then made one additional rest stop at a large gift shop complex that included a café, a pearl store, hand-stitched paintings, and other locally made souvenirs — along with clean restrooms for one final break before the drive continued.
Rather than returning all the way into central Hanoi — which would have added about an hour, followed by another 45-minute drive back out to the airport — we arranged to be dropped in Bac Ninh instead. From there, it was just a 40-minute ride directly to the airport, saving us significant time and avoiding city traffic.
Food Overview and How It Compares
Meals on board were multi-course, high-quality, and thoughtfully presented, not overly ornate, but carefully prepared and consistently flavorful. Each sitting offered a balance of vegetarian, meat, and seafood dishes, allowing guests to sample a wide range of Vietnamese-inspired cuisine.
Breakfast and Brunch (Only on the final day) each day were buffet-style and included:
Hot Coffee, Tea and Juice
A made-to-order egg station
A traditional pho station
Fresh fruit, pastries, and hot dishes
The private beach BBQ was especially memorable. It was a six-course meal, prepared right on the sand, enjoyed in a quiet setting, free of crowds and no other ships or tours in sight. It felt relaxed, personal, and unlike the typical large cruise dining experience.
Full Cost Breakdown
Cruise (Including 4% Credit Card Fees)
21.8 Million VND or $840 USD (Cruise only cost for two people)
Onboard Drinks
550,000 VND
$21.24 USD
Highway Rest Stops (X2) Drinks & Snacks
400,000 VND
$15.44 USD
Additional Short Grab (Like Uber) Ride to the Airport Following the Cruise
This was an area where the Indochina staff continued to shine. Our Van Limo driver advised that we could save a lot of time and money by being dropped off in a town closer to the airport, rather than taking the transfer all the way back to Hanoi.
386,000 VND
$14.90 USD
Total Cost
$891.58 USD was our total for 3 days
Per Day
$297.19 per day (for two people)
Per Person Per Day
$148.59 per person per day
Compared to Our Target Budget
Our long-term slow travel target budget is:
$164.38 per day (for two people)
$82.19 per person per day
This cruise exceeded that daily target significantly by $66.40
Was It Worth It?
For us, the answer is yes, it was truly worth it. This was a unique opportunity that was worth the extra expense, and we will work hard to save elsewhere if we can, but budget is never the deciding factor for us, especially when considering these types of experiences.
The seamless logistics, attentive service, extended time on the water, and unique experiences, especially the private beach BBQ, made this feel very different from a rushed day trip or overnight tour. We weren’t constantly boarding and disembarking boats, checking schedules, or worrying about what came next. Instead, we were able to settle in, slow down, and truly appreciate the scale and beauty of Ha Long and Bai Tu Long Bay.
It gave us the space to experience the bay rather than simply pass through it.
If you’re planning a slow-travel itinerary through Vietnam and value depth, comfort, and a more intentional pace, this kind of experience may be worth budgeting for, but even as a splurge, we wouldn’t do anything different if we had the opportunity again.
If you have questions about Ha Long Bay, Bai Tu Long Bay, or how to structure a longer stay in Vietnam, we’re always happy to share what we’ve learned.
Happy Travels!
Watch Our Full Ha Long & Bai Tu Long Bay Cruise Review
If you’d like to see the full 3-day itinerary, cabin tour, kayaking, private beach BBQ, and our complete cost breakdown in action, you can watch our detailed video review here. We walk through everything step by step so you can decide if this slow travel experience is right for you.
Travel Resources & Gear We Used
Frequently Asked Questions about Sorrento'sTravel Costs
Is Bai Tu Long Bay better than Ha Long Bay?
Bai Tu Long Bay is generally quieter and less crowded than central Ha Long Bay, while offering the same dramatic limestone karst scenery. Many longer itineraries include both areas, allowing you to experience the iconic highlights of Ha Long Bay and the more peaceful waters of Bai Tu Long Bay.
Is a 3-day Ha Long Bay cruise worth it?
For travelers who prefer a slower pace, a 3-day, 2-night cruise allows more uninterrupted time on the water, fewer transitions, and access to experiences not included on shorter itineraries. In our case, the extended schedule and private beach BBQ made the longer cruise worthwhile.
How much does a Ha Long & Bai Tu Long Bay cruise cost?
Our 3-day cruise cost $840 USD for two people (including credit card fees). With drinks, rest stops, and airport transport included, our total was $891.58 USD — or $148.59 per person per day.
Prices vary by company, season, and cabin type.
What is included on a Ha Long Bay cruise?
Most cruises include:
Cabin accommodations
All main meals
Guided excursions (caves, kayaking, villages)
Transportation to and from Hanoi
Drinks, spa services, and personal purchases are typically extra.
Are Ha Long Bay cruises crowded?
Ship capacity varies. Our cruise had a maximum capacity of 47 guests, with 39 onboard the first night and 28 guests the second night. It never felt crowded, and there were plenty of quiet spaces to relax.
Is there pollution in Ha Long Bay?
We had heard concerns before arriving, but during our cruise we saw clear water and no visible trash. Environmental conditions can vary, but reputable operators follow conservation guidelines and regulated routes.
Can you swim in Ha Long Bay?
Swimming is allowed only in designated areas. Jumping directly from cruise ships is no longer permitted. Swimming was available during the private beach BBQ excursion.
What should you pack for a Ha Long Bay cruise?
We recommend:
Comfortable walking shoes for caves
Sandals for boarding tenders
Swimsuit
Sunscreen and hat
Waterproof phone case for kayaking
A small bag for valuables during transfers
Do you need cash for a Ha Long Bay cruise?
If paying by credit card, confirm whether a processing fee applies. In our case, a 4% fee was charged on all transactions, including the deposit. Bringing Vietnamese dong may help you avoid additional fees.
Is Bai Tu Long Bay good for slow travel?
Yes. Longer cruises that include Bai Tu Long Bay tend to feel less rushed and allow more time to enjoy the scenery without constant boat transfers. For slow travelers, the extended time on the water makes a noticeable difference.
