The 10 Best Boat Day Trips in Vietnam

1.Ninh Binh Day Trip: Hoa Lu-Trang An/Tam Coc-Mua Cave-Cycling-Boat

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,886 reviews · from $43Our pick

Spend a full day from Hanoi visiting Hoa Lu’s royal temples by bicycle, rowing through Trang An’s caves, hiking about 500 steps at Mua Cave, and eating a Vietnamese buffet lunch. English-speaking guides such as James, Max, Liam, Tim, and Jason help keep the busy schedule moving.

“Max (our tour guide) was friendly, energetic, informative and very funny. He gave us a lot of information, told plenty of jokes and made sure we were all safe and sound. He really ensured we had a great experience. The places we visited were amazing. Thank you and see you again!”

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2.Small-Group Mekong Delta Day Trip: Boat Ride, Cottages & Pagoda

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,327 reviews · from $48

Spend a full day from Ho Chi Minh City exploring My Tho and Ben Tre by motorboat and hand-rowed boat. Meet local producers, taste fruit and honey tea, enjoy a five-course lunch, choose a village bike ride, and visit Vinh Trang Pagoda with guides such as James, Nam, or Manh.

“Lead by a local guy who truly gave us his experience of the Mekong area. Great day out, bring your waterproofs and mossie spray, just in case. Big shout out to Nam, thank you.”

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3.Ninh Binh Day Trip: Bai Dinh-Trang An-Mua Cave, Buffet, Boat, Bus

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,183 reviews · from $55

Spend 11 to 12 hours exploring Ninh Binh from Hanoi. Visit record-setting Bai Dinh Pagoda, eat a Vietnamese buffet, cruise Trang An by bamboo boat, and climb nearly 500 steps at Mua Cave. English-speaking guides, including Son, lead groups of up to 29 people.

“It was an amazing experience, our Guide Son was very helpful and a treasure of knowledge. I recommend mua cave and grotto a must must visit”

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4.Hanoi: Ha Long Bay Day Trip – Luxury Cruise & Buffet Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 673 reviews · from $62

Spend 12 hours traveling from Hanoi to Ha Long Bay in a limousine and 5-star cruise. Guide Tinh, Henry, Alex, Jason, Nam, or Trinh may lead your group. Visit Sung Sot Cave, kayak or take a bamboo boat through Luon Cave, swim at Ti Top, and enjoy lunch and sunset treats.

“Tinh was an amazing guide, so informative and helpful. The whole day was amazing, Sung Sot Cave was spectacular. Highly recommended this day trip , very good value for money. Food, drinks and crew on the boat were fantastic! All in all 10 out of 10 😊”

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5.Hanoi: Cat Ba Island & Lan Ha Bay Day Trip Cruise with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 308 reviews · from $59

Spend a full day moving between Hanoi, Cat Ba Island, Viet Hai Village, and Lan Ha Bay. Guides such as Binh, Billy, and Charlie lead the boat trip, with a buffet lunch, cycling or electric-car access to the village, kayaking, swimming, and sunset snacks.

“Everything was perfectly organized, with all the different means of transport. Lan Ha Bay is a lovely and peaceful place, perfect if you want to skip the overcrowded Han Long Bay. The guy was super nice and on point, and the buffet onboard delicious! Highly recommended!”

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6.From Hanoi: Halong Bay Deluxe Cruise Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 269 reviews · from $36Best value

Spend 13 hours traveling from Hanoi to Halong Bay by shuttle and boat, with an English-speaking guide such as Sunny, Ken, or Henry. Cruise past limestone islets, eat lunch onboard, explore Surprise Cave, stop at Titop Island, and kayak at Luon Cave for a small extra fee.

“Our guide Sunny was super funny and nice. Loved the whole trip!”

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7.Ha long Bay day trip with Deluxe cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 208 reviews · from $40

Join an English-speaking guide such as Phong, Alex, or Ken for a full day on Ha Long Bay. Cruise past limestone islets, visit Sung Sot Cave, kayak or ride a bamboo boat through Luon Cave, climb or swim at TiTop Island, and return with a sunset snack.

“Phong was a great guide! There was so much to see and experience out in Ha Long Bay, and this day trip is the perfect way to absorb it all without feeling too overwhelmed or tired. I enjoyed the fact that you didn’t have to do every single activity, and that we were grouped at a table with really cool people.”

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8.Hanoi: Ha Long Bay Full Day Trip – Amethyst Luxury Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 171 reviews · from $50

Spend 7.5 hours aboard the modern Amethyst Luxury Cruise, with lunch, kayaking or a bamboo boat at Luon Cave, Sung Sot Cave, Ti Top Island, and a sunset party. Guides such as Rosie, Brenna, Lily, and Y are praised for warm service and clear English. Hanoi transfers cost extra.

“The Amythyst was a really nice boat - very clean, staff were lovely and buffet lunch was good. The jacuzzi was also a highlight. The actual cruise was excellent and just the right amount of time was spent at each site. The cave is worth seeing - there is a photo opportunity inside where you have the option to buy a photo but even if you don't you are given a free keyring. One of the highlights was kayaking. We also paid for the speed boat which was reasonably priced but we didn't see anything amazing so would probably skip. At the last stop, we trekked to the top of…”

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9.Ho Chi Minh City: Mekong River Delta Day Trip with Boat Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 21 reviews · from $114

Travel south from Ho Chi Minh City with an English-speaking TripGuru guide and a group of no more than nine. Ride by boat to Tan Phong Island, visit its orchards and local families, see Mr. Kiet’s nearly 200-year-old house, stop at Kimmy’s Chocolatier, and finish at Vinh Trang Pagoda.

“We did not see the things that were specified in the tour, the little we saw was brief and was only for us to buy, and to finish, he sold us a menu for lunch, which was not more expensive than the price he told us at first and part of the food was shared. He lacked a little Mekong experience which was mainly why we hired him.”

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10.Pamela Cruise: HaLong Bay day trip with Lunch & Activities

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 20 reviews · from $45

Pamela Cruise gives you a full day around Ha Long Bay with an English-speaking guide, visits to Sung Sot Cave, Luon Cave, and Titop Island, plus lunch, swimming, kayaking or bamboo boats for an extra fee, and sunset refreshments. Eric has guided some departures.

“Excellent trip, a lot great things to discover in caves, on hills and just during enjoying thst wonderful view. Our guide Eric was super cool and gave us a lot background information. The cruise staff was extremely kind and cared for all needs and an exquisite food menu. 100% recommend to book this trip!”

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