
Halong Bay Excursion with Caving, Swimming and Kayaking
Traveler rating
4.5/5
Based on 12 traveler reviews. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Quick answer
Is Halong Bay Excursion with Caving, Swimming and Kayaking worth booking?
Halong Bay Excursion with Caving, Swimming and Kayaking is a 13-hour experience in Hanoi, Vietnam, from $43 per person. It scores 65 out of 100 on the Outty Ranking, which we label “Solid Choice”, based on a 4.5/5 rating across 12 reviews. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start time. Same-day spots are currently showing.
- Outty Ranking
- 65 / 100
- Rating
- 4.5/5 (12)
- Duration
- 13 hours
- From
- $43 per person
Explore Halong Bay, the most known destination in Vietnam with turquoise water and thousands of limestone islands, by taking one of the most exciting day tours. During the trip, you will visit Surprising Cave, also called Sung Sot Cave - the largest cave in Halong Bay, and Titov Island where you can climb up till the top to enjoy the panoramic of the bay or go swimming in the clear water. Transportation, cruise, fees, lunch, and tour guide are all included in the tour.
What you get
About this experience
Explore Halong Bay, the most known destination in Vietnam with turquoise water and thousands of limestone islands, by taking one of the most exciting day tours. During the trip, you will visit Surprising Cave, also called Sung Sot Cave - the largest cave in Halong Bay, and Titov Island where you can climb up till the top to enjoy the panoramic of the bay or go swimming in the clear water. Transportation, cruise, fees, lunch, and tour guide are all included in the tour.
What's included
Included
- Professional English-speaking guide
- Transport by air-conditioned vehicle
- All taxes, fees and handling charges
- Lunch
- Hotel pickup and drop-off (inside the Old Quarter)
- Cruise in Halong
Not included
- Gratuities
- Drinks
- Personal expenses
What you'll see and do
Hanoi Opera House
08:00-08:40 am | You will be picked up from your hotel in the Old Quarter and depart for Halong City. If your hotel is outside the Old Quarter, please go to the Opera House at 8:45 am to meet the bus and guide.
Pass by without stopping
Halong Bay
12:00 pm | Arrive at Tuan Chau Harbor in Halong to board the cruise. Enjoy a welcome drink and be briefed on safety guidelines. After that, you will have lunch while your 5-hour cruising begins. The lunch is served with seafood and Vietnamese food. While having lunch, you will cruise past many iconic islands such as Cock Fighting, Incense Burner, and Thumb.
15 minutes here · Admission included
Sung Sot Cave
1:30 pm | Visit Surprising Cave (Sung Sot Cave), the largest cave in Halong Bay with 100 steps.
50 minutes here · Admission included
Ti Top Island
2:45 pm | Discover Luon cave (water cave) with some options by kayaking or bamboo rowing boat. Then, visit Ti Top Island where you can go swimming at the crystal clear water or hike up to the top and enjoy a panoramic view of the bay. You can also relax and enjoy a tea break on the sundeck.
60 minutes here · Admission included
Hang Luon Cave
Luon Cave has the shape of an arc with 60 meters in length and 2.5 – 4 in height depending on the tide. The cave is a perfect combination of natural features including rocky cliffs, the mountain’s size and form, the color of clouds and sea waters, and the high biodiversity. Luon Cave is considered one of the most ideal places in Halong Bay for kayaking.
60 minutes here · Admission included
Where it starts and ends
Meeting point
Hanoi
Outside the Old Quarter, please go to Hanoi Opera House at 8:45 am to meet the bus and guide.
Meeting point
Hanoi
We pick up at hotels in Hanoi Old Quarter.
Hotel pickup
Pickup is available for selected locations. Pickup begins about 15 minutes before departure.
Ends at
Outside the Old Quarter, please go to Hanoi Opera House at 8:45 am to meet the bus and guide.
Ends at
We pick up at hotels in Hanoi Old Quarter.
Before you book
- Cancellation
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
- Languages
- en
- Ticket
- Mobile Only
- Runs on
- Every day
- Group size
- Up to 30 travelers per booking
- Operated by
- Wati Travel
Know before you go
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
- Please bring a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, comfortable walking shoes, and swimsuit
Photos






What travelers are saying
Outty’s summary of the themes that recur across 12 traveler reviews. Written by us, not quoted from reviewers.
The guide
10 mentionsTravelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.
Food and drink
4 mentionsThe tastings and food stops are a highlight for most reviewers.
Photo opportunities
3 mentionsThe views and photo stops come up again and again.
Organization
3 mentionsPickup, timing, and logistics are described as running smoothly.
Good for families
2 mentionsReviewers traveling with kids report it landed well with their group.
Traveler reviews
12 verified traveler reviews for Halong Bay Excursion with Caving, Swimming and Kayaking. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Great day with wati travel
We had an amazing day with wati travel yesterday, made even better by the tour guide Dylan throughout ! He was so helpful and kind all day and made the already amazing experience even better ! Would highly recommend 10/10
via Tripadvisor
A-One Tour Guide
Our tour guide, Johnny Minh, was spectacular. He was on time, extremely knowledgeable, entertaining, a great storyteller who makes history come alive. He with able to adapt quickly to unexpected issues. Very professional and made sure families were given chance to take pictures at the historic sites. Johnny was empathetic, attentive, and able to connect with diverse personalities. Thanks again for an unforgettable experience.
via Tripadvisor
Not awful, but better options are probably out there
Overall an average tour. Ha Long Bay is beautiful and it was nice visiting. Kayaking was especially fun. The trip out included an unadvertised, and unwanted trip to a pearl farm, but it was basically a conveyor belt trying to get money from overseas tourists (the prices were even in dollars!) I would have preferred starting the cruise earlier or just having that time to look out at the harbor. The boat, food, and stops along the way were all fine, though I felt that the tour guides loved their microphone and speaker a little too much. The boat staff also employed high pressure sales to try to get us to buy jewelry from them, and had the audacity to leave tip envelopes on the table. Lunch was around 12:30, and we didn't get back until 9:30, so everyone was definitely hungry when we got back. Any dreams of picking up a snack at the highway service area were dashed by our guide, who kept shouting through her portable microphone to hurry up and to take on 5 minutes for a toilet break only.
via Tripadvisor
Great company and awesome tour guide
What an amazing day we had with Wati Travel and our fabulous guide, Coey. He was very helpful and caring, making sure we were taken care of throughout the day. Along with the amazing Bay itself including visiting caves, Kayaking and swimming, the lunch upon arrival was superb. On the way back to the dock, we participated in a Sunset Party on the top deck. Coey was amazing and keeped us all entertained through is great singing and getting everyone up and dancing. Consider Wati travel next time in Hanoi for your travelling needs.
via Tripadvisor
Average tour, extremely poor customer experience with pestering for ingenuine 5-star reviews.
Cross posted onto Klook but will reshare it on here because of the issues we have encountered on this tour. 1) Spent 40 mins at a pearl farm before going to the terminal, which is not included in the listed itinerary. This was a waste of time as we weren't interested, and everything was severely overpriced there. (See time stamps on the 1st image) 2) Guide had not much clue of who is in his group, as I got stopped 2-3 times and asked if I am part of his group. No proper identification on who belongs to his tour group. 3) Plastic water bottles are not allowed on board due to environmental reasoning, but this was not communicated across until we arrived AT the terminal. We were told that glass bottled water are available for purchase on board, only to find that it was canned water. The boat only provided small glasses of half filled tea at times where food is provided. The staff on the boat were also trying to hard sell jewelry, which was a big turn off. 4) Tour guide was pressuring us into providing a 5-star review on Klook as we were on our way back to Hanoi Old Quarter. Initially we told him we will do the review, but he stood behind us for a few minutes, expecting us to do the review in front of him (mind you - we were STILL on the boat at this point, having only JUST departed from Titop Island). He said to us "Not 4, 3, 2, or 1 star, only 5 stars", which is ridiculous, he was constantly telling the tour group that we should be lenient if we encounter any problems during the tour and not post it online. He left us alone after a few minutes as we weren't completing the review in front of him, and then came back 5 minutes after, and asked us to promise him to fill in the 5-star review. We already mentioned that we will do the review later. During the bus ride back to Hanoi, the tour guide was seen asking other travellers to do the same thing, and standing behind them to make sure they write 5-star reviews on Klook AND Tripadvisor, before taking a confirmation photo of the completed review and sending it back to HQ. I can't speak on behalf of other's experience, but issues 1, 2 and 3 mentioned above made the tour as 3 stars. However, the pestering and intimidating tactics used on us to force an ingenuine review has made us VERY angry and annoyed, and this is why we are giving it a 1-star review. As a tourism business, you NEED any kinda of feedback to make sure your business is going in the right direction. Don't try to silence your customers by intimidating them into writing a 5-star review. Consider improving your services and offerings, rather than using other excuses on why paying customers need to be tolerant of the issues that occur during the tour.
via Tripadvisor
Good to know
- Duration
- 13 hours
- Free cancellation
- Up to 24h before
- Minimum age to book
- All ages
- Availability
- Bookable today
- Runs on
- Every day
- Hotel pickup
- Available for selected locations
- Booked in 30 days
- 4
- Verdict
- Solid Choice
Who runs this experience
Operated by Wati Travel, who run 9 experiences we rank across 2 cities, with an average Outty Ranking of 58.2.
See everything Wati Travel runsWhy this scores 65
The Outty Ranking is a weighted composite. Here is how this experience performed on each component.
Halong Bay Excursion with Caving, Swimming and Kayaking: questions travelers ask
Practical detail on this experience, plus the wider planning questions for Hanoi.
How much does Halong Bay Excursion with Caving, Swimming and Kayaking cost?
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Prices start at $43 per person. The final price depends on the date, the time slot and the number of travelers, and peak weekends in Hanoi usually price higher than midweek mornings. Live pricing and remaining availability are confirmed on the booking screen before you pay.
How long does Halong Bay Excursion with Caving, Swimming and Kayaking take?
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Plan for about 13 hours from start to finish, not counting travel to the meeting point. Most travelers leave another 30 minutes on either side so the rest of the day in Hanoi is not rushed.
Is Halong Bay Excursion with Caving, Swimming and Kayaking worth it?
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It holds an Outty Ranking of 65 out of 100, which we label "Solid Choice". That score blends traveler sentiment (4.5/5 across 12 reviews), the depth of that review evidence, recent booking momentum, value for money against comparable last minute in Hanoi, and how flexible the cancellation terms are.
Can I cancel or reschedule Halong Bay Excursion with Caving, Swimming and Kayaking?
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Yes. Cancel free up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Inside that window the booking is non-refundable, and no-shows are not refunded.
Is Halong Bay Excursion with Caving, Swimming and Kayaking suitable for kids and families?
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Yes, all ages are welcome. Families should still weigh the 13-hour running time, and strollers are easier on the earlier, quieter departures.
How far in advance should I book Halong Bay Excursion with Caving, Swimming and Kayaking?
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Around 4 people booked this in the last 30 days, so popular slots go early. Two to three weeks ahead is comfortable in shoulder season, while summer weekends and holidays in Hanoi can sell out a month out. Same-day spots do open up when other travelers cancel, so it is worth checking if you are already in town.
What should I bring or wear?
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Bring photo ID, your booking confirmation on your phone, a refillable water bottle and comfortable shoes. Dress for the weather in Hanoi and add a light layer if any part of the 13-hour experience runs outdoors or after sunset.
Where does Halong Bay Excursion with Caving, Swimming and Kayaking start and how do I get there?
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The exact meeting point and directions are on your voucher once you book, and they sit in central Hanoi within reach of public transport. Arrive 15 minutes early: late arrivals are treated as no-shows by most operators.
What are the best things to do in Hanoi?
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On Outty we rank every Hanoi experience on the same 0 to 100 scale, and alongside this one the highest scorers right now include Ha Giang Loop 3-Day Small Group - from Hanoi, (Group/Individual) HANOI STREET FOOD TOUR, Incense Village Quang Phu Cau, Hat Village and Hanoi City Tour. The city page groups everything into most popular, highest reviewed, last minute and family-friendly so you can build a day around what actually delivers.
When is the best time to visit Hanoi?
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Booking patterns follow the same curve: prices and queues climb in peak weeks, while shoulder season gives you better availability on the top-ranked experiences and more room to change plans.
How many days do you need in Hanoi?
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Three full days covers the headline sights without sprinting. A workable rhythm is one anchor experience each morning, such as this one, an unhurried afternoon in a single neighborhood, then a food or nightlife booking in the evening. Five days lets you add a day trip outside the city.
Do I book through Outty or through the operator?
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Outty ranks and explains the experiences, then hands you to Viator to complete the booking with the operator directly. The price is the same as booking on Viator yourself, and Outty earns an affiliate commission on the referral, which is how the rankings stay free to read.
What is included in Halong Bay Excursion with Caving, Swimming and Kayaking?
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Included: Professional English-speaking guide; Transport by air-conditioned vehicle; All taxes, fees and handling charges; Lunch; and Hotel pickup and drop-off (inside the Old Quarter). Not included: Gratuities; Drinks; and Personal expenses. Always check the voucher for the final list before you travel.
Does Halong Bay Excursion with Caving, Swimming and Kayaking include hotel pickup?
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Yes, pickup is offered, or you can meet at the start point instead from 899 listed pickup locations in and around Hanoi. Be ready about 15 minutes before the start time. You can also enter a custom pickup address when booking.
What languages is Halong Bay Excursion with Caving, Swimming and Kayaking offered in?
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It runs in English. Pick your language when choosing a date and time, as not every departure runs in every language.
Will I get instant confirmation and a mobile ticket for Halong Bay Excursion with Caving, Swimming and Kayaking?
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Confirmation is sent by the operator after booking, usually within 48 hours; if it is not confirmed you are not charged. Mobile tickets are accepted, so you can show the voucher on your phone.
Is Halong Bay Excursion with Caving, Swimming and Kayaking wheelchair or stroller accessible?
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The operator notes: Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap. If accessibility is critical, contact the operator after booking to confirm arrangements for your date.
What happens to Halong Bay Excursion with Caving, Swimming and Kayaking if the weather is bad?
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It generally runs rain or shine, so dress for the forecast in Hanoi. Standard cancellation terms apply: free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start.
What do travelers say about Halong Bay Excursion with Caving, Swimming and Kayaking?
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Across 12 reviews averaging 4.5 out of 5, recurring themes include the guide, food and drink, photo opportunities. Travelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.
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