Lan Ha Bay at a glance
Lan Ha is a bay of limestone islands east of Cat Ba. It lies in Quang Ninh province, while Cat Ba itself belongs to Hai Phong. A Lan Ha trip is not automatically a tour of the classic sights of Ha Long Bay. Since April 2026 linked trips through both bays have been run on the routes VHL3, VHL4, VHL5 and VHL6, according to the Quang Ninh tourism authority. A single Lan Ha ticket does not necessarily cover every route, so ask what your ticket includes.
Most visitors reach the bay by boat from the Ben Beo area (also called Cai Beo) on Cat Ba. The bay has its own fee table, and the fees below are separate from the price of the boat trip.
Sightseeing fees in 2026
Set by a Hai Phong decision of 10 December 2025, in force since 1 January 2026, for domestic and foreign visitors alike.
| Visit in the Cat Ba bay area | Adults | Children from 6 |
|---|---|---|
| Sightseeing without an overnight stay | VND 120,000 | VND 60,000 |
| Sightseeing with 1 night | VND 400,000 | VND 300,000 |
| Sightseeing with 2 nights | VND 600,000 | VND 500,000 |
| Sightseeing with 3 nights | VND 650,000 | VND 550,000 |
These are public sightseeing fees, not cruise prices. Children under 6 pay nothing, and the table gives no upper age for the child rate. Exemptions include severe disability and registered school excursions of local schools, and some groups pay 50 percent under set conditions. The senior rate applies to Vietnamese citizens aged 60 and over, not to foreign tourists. Several reasons for a reduction cannot be combined.
Our picks: Lan Ha Bay
Two full-day trips with kayaks and an evening trip with dinner.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Lan Ha Bay evening boat tour with dinner
Four hours with hotel transfer, dinner, an English-speaking guide, life jackets and a bottle of water. Other drinks and tips are extra.
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Lan Ha Bay full-day boat trip with kayaking
Eight hours with lunch, entry fees, kayaks, insurance and guides. Drinks and tips are not included.
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Lan Ha Bay day tour with cycling, kayaking and lunch
Nine hours with hotel pickup on Cat Ba, entry fees, a bike or electric vehicle, kayak, swimming, lunch and water. A Hanoi bus is booked separately for $12 per person.
Check availability →Lan Ha Bay boat trips and cruises
Day trips from Cat Ba, bay cruises and overnight options, with live prices and availability.
Day trips from Ben Beo
Two examples from one local operator, published in March 2026. Other operators use other times and prices.
| Trip | Pickup | Boat leaves | Back at the hotel | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lan Ha day tour | 8:00 am | About 8:30 am | About 5 pm | USD 32 |
| Tour with Viet Hai | 7:30 am | 8:10 am | By about 3:30 pm | USD 35 |
The operator lists the entry fee, transfer, lunch, guide and kayaks as included in the second tour. Drinks and tips are extra. Kayaks are contested in 2026, as described below, so ask whether they are running. The operator charges nothing for children under 3 when two adults travel with one free child, 70 percent for ages 4 to 7 and the full price from 8. The age of exactly 3 is not covered by the published wording. This is a tour product with a pickup in town, not a public ferry line.
Kayaking in 2026
The kayak situation is mixed. One cruise operator suspended kayaks on its Lan Ha route until further instructions from the authorities and refers to notice 483/TB-UBND (notice dated 27 November 2025). Another reports a continued suspension from 1 February 2026, including the Dark and Bright Cave area, and offers locally rowed bamboo boats instead.
At the same time, a day-tour listing from March 2026 still includes kayaks, and a July 2026 report by the Quang Ninh tourism authority mentions kayaking in the context of joint bay products. A mention in a product listing is not a lifting of the suspension. Ask your operator in writing whether you will paddle on your day. One operator offers swimming at Tra Bau and trips toward Ao Ech as substitutes, which does not mean that swimming is allowed everywhere.
Monkey Island and the bay's beaches
Monkey Island is also called Cat Dua. Tours to it leave from Ben Beo. A tourism website for the area mentions an island fee of VND 50,000 to 80,000 as a rough guide, but that is not a confirmed tariff. Whether your boat lands depends on the operator and the rules of the day, so do not count on a stop.
The same site advises visitors not to feed or tease the monkeys and not to crowd them. It gives no distance in meters, so keep well back and put food away. For beaches on Cat Ba itself, see things to do on Cat Ba.
Safety and weather
What to check before you board.
In August 2026 the Hai Phong authorities ordered stricter checks of boat licensing, crew, life-saving equipment, fire protection and posted prices. Unsafe vessels may not leave, and boats may not go out in unsuitable weather. Look for life jackets that fit, a posted price and a crew that briefs you. Late-summer storms can stop services: the Dong Bai ferry was halted before storm No. 4 on 22 August 2026 and resumed on 26 August.
| Month | Daily high | Daily low | Rainfall |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 68°F (20.0°C) | 58°F (14.6°C) | 1.6 in (40 mm) |
| April | 80°F (26.9°C) | 71°F (21.5°C) | 2.4 in (61 mm) |
| July | 90°F (32.1°C) | 79°F (26.1°C) | 10.5 in (267 mm) |
| October | 85°F (29.5°C) | 72°F (22.4°C) | 3.5 in (88 mm) |
These are 1991 to 2020 averages for the Hai Phong station, not a forecast and not a measurement at the beach. May to September is much wetter than October to April, with 14.2 in (361 mm) in August. Swimming and boat weather depend on the day, so confirm with your operator.
More on Cat Ba
The rest of the guide, and the classic bay to the north.
Things to do on Cat Ba
Ten experiences on the water and on land.
Hanoi to Cat Ba
Bus, ferry and cable car, with autumn times.
Where to stay
Town, beaches or a quiet bay.
If you would rather compare classic cruises, see Ha Long Bay cruises. For the park behind the town, read about Cat Ba National Park.
Lan Ha Bay: frequently asked questions
How much is the Lan Ha Bay fee?
In 2026 adults pay VND 120,000 and children from 6 years VND 60,000 without an overnight stay. One night raises it to VND 400,000 and VND 300,000. Children under 6 are free.
Is kayaking allowed in Lan Ha Bay?
Two operators report a suspension that they trace to instructions from the authorities. Another operator still lists kayaks. Ask before you book and expect bamboo boats or swimming as alternatives.
Will my boat stop at Monkey Island?
Not necessarily. A landing depends on the operator and current rules. If it matters to you, ask before booking, and never feed the monkeys.
Where do the boats leave from?
The day-trip examples above start with a pickup in Cat Ba town and a boat from the Ben Beo area at around 8 am.
Is Lan Ha the same as Ha Long Bay?
No. Lan Ha is south of Ha Long Bay and east of Cat Ba. Joint routes through both bays have been run since April 2026.