LAN HA BAY FOR COUPLES : THE COMPLETE TRAVEL GUIDE 2026

Lan Ha bay for couples

Lan Ha Bay is known as a great bay tour for couples who want to have their own places and their own time with deserted beaches, secluded areas, romantic spots for enjoying the sunset on the bay, fun activities like kayaking, swimming, hiking and more. Those are tons of things to do for couples in Lan Ha bay

This Lan Ha bay for Couples is a complete travel guide with all details you need to know when travelling as a couple in the Lan Ha bay area

Table of Contents

General information about Lan Ha bay

WHERE IS LAN HA BAY LOCATED?

Situated on the east of Cat Ba island, in the South of Halong Bay. The total area covers 7000 hectares with 400 islands and islets. 5400 hectares are part of the World Biosphere Reserve, recognised by UNESCO in 2014.

Lan Ha literally means “descending orchid”, a great paradise for swimmers with 139 different beaches, also known as a rising destination for Lan Ha Bay boat tour, an alternative and way less touristy than Halong Bay.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET FROM HANOI TO LAN HA BAY?

From Hanoi, you need to get to Cat Ba Island, which is about three and a half hours travelling

: 2-hour and 15 minutes drive to Got Pier from Hanoi, a half-hour ferry crossing from the pier, and a 40-minute drive to the town of Cat Ba after the ferry crossing from Got Pier.

If you miss the ferry, please wait another half an hour for the next one.

HOW LONG SHOULD A COUPLE IN LAN HA BAY?

If you have limited time, take a private day tour of Lan Ha Bay from Hanoi. You will get a full experience, like a 2-day 1-night trip, with cruising from 8.30am to 4pm.

If you have more time, then taking an overnight boat to Lan Ha bay 2 days 1 night on a boutique cruise or a private cruise to explore Lan Ha Bay with your own cabin

CAN YOU VISIT LAN HA BAY AS A DAY TRIP FROM HANOI?

Yes, you can take a day trip to Lan Ha Bay from Hanoi. We, Hanoi Eco Tour, offer a private guided tour of Lan Ha Bay from Hanoi that departs early morning to maximise your visit, ensuring you can see the bay as much as possible.

Is Lan Ha Bay worth visiting for couples?

Less crowded than Halong Bay
Lots of beaches to swim, relax and unwind – Private beaches also
You may see Cat Ba langur (a type of monkey) on the boat tour.
Special plankton tour at night from Cat Ba Island
Lots of secret lagoons and tunnels to kayak.

IS LAN HA BAY AN ALTERNATIVE AS HALONG BAY FOR COUPLES?

Lan Ha Bay has a pretty similar landscape to Halong Bay, with limestone karst mountains, but way less touristy than Halong Bay

I do recommend a private Lan Ha bay boat tour from Cat Ba which starts from 117 USD per person

HOW TO GET TO LAN HA BAY FROM HANOI

Hanoi to Lan Ha Bay by shuttle bus

There are tourist-friendly bus companies, including Cat Ba Easy and Go, Cat Ba Express, Daichi, and Good Morning Cat Ba, that offer shuttle bus services from Hanoi to Cat Ba. The price is pretty affordable at 15 USD per person/one way

Hanoi to Lan Ha bay by private car

It’s safe and comfortable for those who just take a day trip to Lan Ha bay since you can leave early and get back late from Hanoi. It’s a long distance, so taking an SUV is an ideal choice, with more room for your legs, and sleeping in the car is comfortable. Even if it rains, you still stay in the car during ferry crossing. It costs approximately 135 USD for a day trip and 196 USD for a 2-day 1-night trip

A tip to save money is to take 2 cars: one car from Hanoi to the Dong Bai ferry, then take a ferry without a car, then get on another car on the side of Cat Ba to travel to the town. You may save ferry ticket fare for a car, which is about 12 USD

Top things to do in Lan Ha Bay for couples

Kayaking through caves, and lagoons surrounded by limestone mountains.

Imagine that you are kayaking through caves to get to a secret lagoon with a few tourists, or kayaking around limestone mountains with a few tourists

I just write general info because there are a few spots for kayaking, like Three Peaches Beach, Ba Ham Lake (depending on the tide), and the Dark and Light cave area.

Anyway, you do need a guided tour to do that.

Swim in white sand private, secluded beach

Sit back and relax on a white sand private beach or sunbath is a great experience in Lan Ha bay. There is a tons of small beaches to choose from.

Explore Viet Hai village by pushing bike

Take a bicycle ride for roughly 10 kilometres round-trip, village paths and over hills and through tunnels, until you finally arrive in Viet Hai Village. There are local houses, ducks, water buffalo, and vegetable farms.

There are many fish massages to relax and enjoy.

Viet Hai village of the oldest communities on all of Cat Ba, and you will see traditional houses during your visit here

Crawling through caves in the Three Peach Beach area

There are caves at low tide where you can crawl through to see the other side, with stacked stones that look really nice.

Enjoy the sunset on top of Monkey Island

In my opinion, hiking to the top of Monkey Island and enjoying the sunset is a great experience. During the summertime, from May to August, there are more opportunities to see sunsets since it is the sunniest season in Lan Ha Bay

Enjoy a sunset and evening tour with glowing plankton

For this tour, you will enjoy the sunset on Lan Ha Bay, some kayaking, and see amazing Bioluminescence Plankton. Dinner will be served on a floating house with a seafood menu.

Top Lan Ha bay tours for couples

Private Lan Ha bay tour from Hanoi/Cat Ba

We offer private Lan Ha Bay tours which depart early in the morning from Hanoi and return in the evening, which maximises your visit in Lan Ha Bay (7-hour boat tour).

This Lan Ha bay itinerary is equal to 2 days 1 night Lan Ha bay cruise. It is the best option for couples who have limited time

Lan Ha Bay overnight cruise 2 days 1 night

This is a great option for those who want to balance relaxing and sightseeing by spending the night on an overnight cruise. Please note that most of the cruises in Lan Ha Bay from Cat Ba are small, with 5 to 14 cabins: Ocean Cruise, Sunlight Cruise, and Venezia Cruise are the top choices.

There is one party boat, Hideway, with a backpacker vibe. They include pickup and drop-off in Hanoi. From Cat Ba, you need to take a taxi to get to the pier on your own.

Over to you

I hope this article helps you some ways to plan a trip to Lan Ha Bay for couples with the best things you need to know

Lastest update : 15th of July, 2026