Lan Ha Bay 2 Days 1 Night Tour with Night Plankton Glow

Sail deep into the quieter reaches of Lan Ha Bay 2 days 1 night tour on a private‑style Cozy Boutique boat, then slip into a surreal scene as bioluminescent plankton glitter around your kayak after dark. This program by Quang Thắng Cát Bà pairs a modern 12‑cabin wooden cruiser, uncrowded beaches, kayaking and cliff‑ringed lagoons with rare night‑time moments: squid fishing, stargazing on the sundeck and watching the water ignite in an electric‑blue glow beneath you.

I. Product overview

The Cozy Boutique overnight program is a compact 2‑day, 1‑night cruise through the calm waters of Lan Ha Bay, departing from Bến Bèo pier on Cát Bà Island. It is built around a small, 12‑cabin wooden cruiser launched in 2020, so the experience feels intimate rather than crowded.

Cozy Boutique typically carries from 24 to 40 guests on shared departures, with polished natural‑wood interiors and fully en‑suite cabins. Each cabin has air‑conditioning, a wardrobe and a modern private bathroom, while the wide sundeck and light‑filled restaurant serve as social hubs for meals, sunset drinks and unhurried conversations under the stars.

The sailing route focuses on some of the most untouched corners of Lan Ha Bay, particularly the Ba Trái Đào area with its powder‑white beaches and still, emerald lagoons. You paddle a kayak through low tunnels and around karst pillars, jump from the boat in a life vest and swim offshore, and, when the tide falls away, walk across exposed sandbanks to search for shells and clams.

What really sets this itinerary apart is its night‑time focus. After a sunset snack and BBQ dinner, guests can try squid and night fishing from the stern, then step quietly into the darkness to watch the bay’s bioluminescent plankton – the “night plankton glow” – shimmer around oars, fingertips and darting fish. The moment feels closer to a small expedition than a standard tourist cruise, and it is still rarely highlighted on mainstream Lan Ha programs.

II. Tour inclusions & exclusions

This section turns the supplied program and price list into a clear picture of what is and is not covered in the 160 USD (4,200,000 VND) tour price.

1. Inclusions

The 160 USD package is built as a full‑board, shared‑cabin cruise on Cozy Boutique with most core services already wrapped into the rate.

• Transportation services included in the program cover the shared or private overnight boat Cozy Boutique (12 cabins) operating in Lan Ha Bay, together with two‑way Hà Nội – Cát Bà – Hà Nội road transfer by tourist vehicle according to the confirmed schedule.
• Accommodation is for 1 night on board Cozy Boutique in an en‑suite cabin with air‑conditioning, wardrobe and a modern private bathroom. Cabins are arranged on a twin or double‑sharing basis, with a surcharge applied if a guest requests single use of an entire cabin.
• Meals follow a fixed yet varied menu. Day 1 lunch is served on board with dishes such as fried corn, seafood soup, sautéed seasonal greens, braised pork, steamed mantis shrimp, crispy fried fish, stir‑fried squid, sour clam soup, white rice and fresh fruit. In the evening, a BBQ dinner showcases grilled shrimp and squid, honey‑glazed chicken wings, grilled oysters with scallion oil, grilled US beef, vegetables, rice, soup and fruit. The next morning, breakfast centres on clam porridge or instant noodles with egg, complemented by fresh fruit juice, tea, coffee and sausage. Day 2 lunch rounds off the experience with boiled vegetables and local salt, soy‑sauce steamed fish, butter‑garlic fried shrimp, ginger‑fried chicken, egg rolls, tamarind mantis shrimp, sour soup, white rice and fruit. A light sunset snack on Day 1 with prawn crackers and seasonal fruit is also included.
• Sightseeing and on‑bay activities are fully built into the package price. Lan Ha Bay entrance tickets and sightseeing charges follow the fixed cruising route. Guests have access to kayaks for exploring lagoons, sea caves and hidden beaches, and take part in cycling in Việt Hải village deep inside Cát Bà National Park, visiting a local school and traditional houses and sampling a small glass of local rice liquor. Equipment for swimming and life‑vest jumping from the boat is provided, and at night the crew set up rods for squid and fish angling on board, with the opportunity to observe the night plankton glow whenever conditions allow.
• Other services covered by the tour price include morning tea and coffee on board, one bottle of drinking water per person per cabin, and all standard service charges with 10% VAT already included in the listed rate.

2. Exclusions

Items not included in the 160 USD rate mainly relate to personal spending, optional upgrades and bring‑your‑own drinks.

• Personal expenses are outside the package. Alcoholic and soft drinks beyond those specifically mentioned (welcome drink, basic morning tea/coffee and in‑cabin water) are charged according to the onboard menu, as are any additional snacks or à‑la‑carte dishes requested beyond the fixed menu. Laundry and other on‑request personal services are at extra cost.
• Tips are not built into the rate. Gratuities for the boat crew, drivers and any local guides remain at the discretion of guests.
• Optional upgrades and extras can be arranged on request. A single‑occupancy cabin surcharge applies if a guest prefers to have a private room, and extra special dishes beyond the set menus incur a supplement. Gala dinners or team‑building programs on the beach or sundeck are available only when pre‑booked and are costed separately.
• Corkage fees apply for bring‑your‑own drinks. The boat charges 150,000 VND per case of beer or soft drinks brought on board, and 50,000 VND per litre of local rice liquor or home‑made spirits.
• Other unspecified costs such as services not clearly mentioned in the inclusions list and any travel insurance beyond the standard coverage associated with licensed Vietnamese tour operations are not included, and many guests prefer to arrange their own insurance policy independently.

III. Detailed 2‑day 1‑night Lan Ha Bay tour itinerary

This section follows the real program timing from the operator, focusing on the on‑bay portion from Cát Bà Island. If you want to wrap this cruise inside a fuller island break, it connects naturally with the 2‑day 1‑night Cat Ba budget tour or the longer 3‑day 2‑night Cat Ba tour package.

Day 1: Cat Ba – Lan Ha Bay – Sunset, BBQ and night plankton

• 12:00 – Arrival at Bến Bèo pier on Cát Bà Island. Guests meet the tender boat, transfer to Cozy Boutique and are welcomed with a refreshing drink. After a concise safety and itinerary briefing, everyone checks into their cabins and has time to freshen up before lunch.
• 12:30 – 13:30 – Lunch is served in the restaurant with a Vietnamese seafood set menu while the boat eases away from the harbour and glides into Lan Ha Bay, passing floating fishing houses and steep limestone outcrops.
• 14:00 – 16:30 – The boat anchors near one of the most photogenic stretches of Lan Ha Bay, around the Ba Trái Đào area. The water here is calm and clear, and quiet white‑sand beaches sit under cliffs and jungle. Guests paddle kayaks through sheltered lagoons and, when the tide is right, through low caves such as the small “mouse hole” tunnel. You can swim off the beach or step straight into the sea from the boat using a life vest, and at low tide wander along exposed sandbanks, scanning the sand for shells, snails and clams.
• 16:30 – 18:00 – Everyone returns to Cozy Boutique for hot showers and a slow exhale on the sundeck or in their cabins, watching late‑afternoon light sweep across the limestone peaks and mirror itself on the bay.
• 18:00 – A sunset snack of prawn crackers and fresh fruit is served on deck or in the restaurant. Beers and simple cocktails are available from the bar, and this becomes a natural window for silhouettes and sky‑colour photos as the sun drops behind the karst horizon.
• 19:30 – BBQ dinner on board. The crew fire up the grills for shrimp, squid, oysters with scallion oil, honey‑glazed chicken wings, US beef and vegetables, supported by rice and soup. Guests linger over dessert and chilled drinks while the bay settles into darkness around the boat.
• 21:00 – late – The evening is free‑flowing. Some guests gather in the restaurant for karaoke, others stretch out on the open sundeck with a beer or cocktail, and those keen on something more hands‑on join the crew at the stern for night squid and fish angling. When the night is dark and the surface of the bay is calm, the crew guide you down near the ladder or into a kayak to witness the night plankton glow as bioluminescent plankton swirl around every movement in the water like tiny blue sparks. The boat spends the night at anchor in a sheltered Lan Ha Bay cove.

Day 2: Lan Ha Bay – Viet Hai village – Cat Ba – Hanoi

• 06:00 – Early risers drift up to the sundeck for sunrise, watching the first light lift mist from the water. On request, the crew can hoist the junk sail for emblematic photos with dawn light and layered limestone ridges behind.
• 07:00 – A group breakfast in the restaurant brings hot dishes such as clam porridge or noodles with egg, alongside juice, tea, coffee and simple continental touches like sausage.
• 08:00 – Cozy Boutique moves towards the Việt Hải jetty. Guests step ashore and receive bicycles for a gentle ride into Việt Hải village, a small community encircled by the green slopes of Cát Bà National Park. The route passes rice fields and forested hills before reaching the village, where you visit the local school and traditional houses, meet residents, sip a small glass of home‑made rice liquor and pause for a short break in the cool valley air before cycling back to the pier.
• 10:00 – Guests return to the boat for a final shower and packing. Cabin check‑out is completed while Cozy Boutique makes an unhurried return cruise towards Bến Bèo pier.
• 11:00 – An early lunch is served in the onboard restaurant with a second seafood‑based menu, offering a different range of dishes from Day 1 so the cruise closes with new flavours rather than repeats.
• 12:00 – Arrival back at Bến Bèo pier and disembarkation. Guests meet the arranged vehicle for the journey to Hà Nội, or stay on Cát Bà for extra nights and additional experiences such as an independent Lan Ha Bay sunset cruise tour or a daytime Lan Ha Bay 1‑day tour.

IV. Pricing table

The operator’s ground rate for this overnight Lan Ha Bay program is set at 160 USD, equivalent to 4,200,000 VND per person, with VAT and round‑trip Hà Nội – Cát Bà – Hà Nội road transfers included in the price.

Onboard beverage price reference

The following beverage prices are taken directly from the operator’s list and help you estimate typical personal spending on drinks and corkage during the cruise.

For most travellers, onboard beverages and any corkage fees form the main additional expenses beyond the base tour price.

V. Policies

The operator’s document does not outline customised child or cancellation rules in detail, so the framework below reflects common practice in the Vietnamese tour market. Guests should reconfirm exact conditions at the time of booking, especially for group departures, high season and public holidays.

1. Child policy

• Children under 5 years old are usually free of charge when sharing a bed with parents and not requiring an extra mattress or separate meal portion, all subject to boat capacity and safety limits agreed at booking.
• Children from 5 to 9 years old are commonly charged at around 50–75% of the adult rate, depending on whether they share existing bedding and how meal portions are arranged for them during the cruise.
• Children 10 years and above are typically counted and charged as adults and occupy their own bed within the cabin allocation, which affects how many passengers can be accepted on a given departure.

Because cabin capacity and life‑jacket numbers are tightly controlled on licensed Vietnamese boats, families are strongly advised to declare children’s exact ages when making a reservation so the operator can assign suitable cabins and confirm any applicable child rates.

2. Cancellation & refund policy

• Cancellation immediately after registration is generally subject to a 10% fee on the total tour cost to cover administrative handling and initial reservation expenses.
• Cancellation 10 to 15 days prior to departure is usually subject to a 30% fee on the total tour cost, as cabins and transport are already being held for the booking.
• Cancellation 5 to 10 days prior to departure tends to incur a 50% fee on the total tour cost, reflecting that boat and vehicle services are now committed and alternative sales are harder to secure.
• Cancellation 3 to 4 days prior to departure is commonly charged a 75% fee on the total tour cost because reselling cabins on short notice, particularly over weekends, is difficult.
• Cancellation 0 to 2 days prior to departure normally results in a 100% fee, as all services, food procurement and crew scheduling have been finalised and the cruise is ready to operate.
• Cancellations during holidays and festive periods are usually treated as non‑refundable, non‑cancellable and non‑changeable, since standard policies are often suspended around major Vietnamese public holidays and peak dates.
• Weather and operational conditions follow Vietnamese maritime regulations. If competent authorities allow boats to operate despite rain or less‑than‑perfect weather and a guest voluntarily decides not to travel, operators typically apply a 100% charge on the tour cost. If port authorities suspend sailings due to storms or severe weather warnings, companies implement a separate force‑majeure policy that may involve changing travel dates, issuing a partial refund or offering an alternative arrangement.

For 5‑star or very limited‑capacity overnight products, many operators enforce a stricter rule in which a 100% cancellation fee can apply from the moment a booking is confirmed, except in documented force‑majeure cases. Travellers considering such premium cruises should ask for full terms and conditions in writing before making payment.

VI. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: How is pick‑up arranged if I start from Hanoi?

Most departures include two‑way Hà Nội – Cát Bà – Hà Nội transfer in the 160 USD price, with a confirmed pick‑up time and central meeting point in Hanoi Old Quarter that connects smoothly with the boat schedule at Bến Bèo pier.

Q2: What should I pack for the night plankton and kayaking experiences?

Pack quick‑dry clothing, a light windbreaker, swimwear, sandals with good grip and a small waterproof pouch or bag for your phone; the boat supplies life vests, kayaks and basic fishing equipment, but bringing a headlamp makes watching the night plankton glow more convenient.

Q3: Is the food suitable for children and guests with dietary restrictions?

The included menus focus on Vietnamese seafood and local dishes but remain family‑friendly, with rice, soup and mild flavours, and guests who are vegetarian, allergic to shellfish or travelling with small children should inform the operator at booking so the kitchen can adapt ingredients and portions in advance.

Plan Your Trip & Explore with Quang Thắng Cát Bà

To make your journey discovering Lan Ha Bay 2 days 1 night tour truly fulfilling, seamless, and stress-free, thoughtful preparation is key. Whether you are looking for optimized itineraries, reliable admission passes or experience tour cat ba 2 ngay 1 dem, the experienced team at Quang Thắng Cát Bà is always ready to assist.

OFFICIAL CONTACT & INQUIRIES:

- Partner: Quang Thắng Cát Bà – Du lịch tour Cát Bà của người bản địa

- Hotline / Contact: 0377290926

- Address: Khách sạn Quang Thắng số 29b, đường 1/4, Cát Bà

- Support Email: quangthangcatbatravel@gmail.com

- Official Website: quangthangcatba.com

- Commitment: Authentic local itineraries, dedicated support, and transparent rates.