{10 second vacation} Hidden Beaches & Floating Villages of Ha Long Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay, Vietnam

by Karen · Published January 21, 2014 · Updated April 9, 2021

If you travel to North Vietnam, chances are you will make an excursion to the UNESCO World Heritage site at Ha Long Bay. Its calm waters are dotted with unique karst formations, tiny beaches, and floating fishing villages. You can take an overnight boat cruise on a small junk, which is a great way to explore the bay’s wonders. The floating villages were a sight to see. Since we were traveling with a 2-year-old we were doubly impressed with how adeptly some of the young children could swim and steer boats all on their own!

There are many boat companies, but after a lot of research we chose Indochina Junk. They have secured rights to travel to Bai Tu Long Bay, an offshoot of Ha Long Bay, which other companies are not allowed to travel in–making it a very peaceful and uncrowded journey. It was a great experience overall, with classy and comfortable boats, delicious food, and a skilled and friendly crew. The pace was relaxed but not boring. There are a couple different options for boat trips with Indochina Junk: you can do a 1 or 2 night cruise, and choose from different sizes of boats. The Princess boats have just 1 cabin for a private experience, the Prince boats have 3 cabins, the Red Dragon 5 cabins, and the Pearl Dragon 11 cabins.

Whatever you decide to do – if you are visiting Hanoi or North Vietnam, be sure to make time for at least 1 night in magical Ha Long Bay!

serene scenery that looks like a black and white picture – but it is full color!