If you don't have time , One day cruise in Halong Bay is ok. but many travellers to this part of the country book a one or two-night Ha Long Bay tour at cafes or hotels in Hanoi or Tour Operators in Vietnam. While we don't usually promote the tour option. Halong Bay is hard to explore properly without the services of an experienced tour company. However, for those with a bit more money to spend, there are lots of specialised boat companies offering excursions in the bay. Tourists travelling on inclusive tours through Vietnam have the Ha Long experience aboard a luxury junk. There are also now some genuine sailing junks operating in the bay and these are able to explore further afield when the wind is up. Finally, there is the option of a luxurious replica paddle ship.

Be careful to book a cruise tour to Halong Bay at Street Cafe in Hanoi Old Quarter. Many travellers took a  cruise tour with poor service: bad food and rats running around the boats, but these tend to be on the cheapest of the cheap tours. Spend a little more and enjoy the experience a lot more. Most tours include transport, meals, the boat tour and, sometimes. island hikes. Drinks are extra and are generally more expensive than on the mainland. If you book a tour there is always a small chance that the boat-trip part may be cancelled due to bad weather. This may actually entitle you to a partial refund, but remember that the boat trip is only a small portion of the cost of the journey. Depending on the number of people in the group, you probably won't get back more than a handful of dollars if the boats don't sail. For a list of reliable operators offering two- and three-day tours of the bay, check out the travel agents in Hanoi .