Best Places to Stay in Halong Bay

Staying overnight on Cruise - Sleeping experience in the middle of Halong Bay

There is no doubt that sleeping on an overnight cruise is the best choice for staying in Halong Bay. For a comfortable and unforgettable experience, you should consider a Halong Bay cruise booking. Booking a Halong Bay cruise, you would receive a full package tour in Halong Bay with at least 1 night sleeping in a cozy deluxe cabin (full facilities), all meals in the itinerary, sightseeing, and kayaking are all included. In general, there are 3 main areas enjoy sleeping on-deck and each brings different experience: Halong Bay, Bai Tu Long Bay, and Lan Ha Bay 

Halong Overnight Cruise - Classic sleeping experience

The most popular option for cruising is the Halong Bay Overnight Cruise. It travels through the classic route through the most popular sites in the Bay. Some can be mentioned such as Ti Top Island, Sung Sot Cave, Thien Cung Cave, Bat Cave, and Cua Van Floating Village. Although the most beautiful and modern boats are not available in Halong Bay, there are still hundreds of options for 3-star to 5-star cruises. Besides, if you want to enjoy deluxe service at reasonable prices, booking an overnight cruise in Halong Bay is a good choice as the price for one night on a 5-star boat here is only about USD 185/person or lower. 

Halong Bay excursion packages can also be a great way to explore these amazing sites in more detail.

Overnight on Halong bay Cruise

Bai Tu Long Bay Cruise - Stay at the most less touristy area

If you seek a leisure trip with a few totally peaceful days, just book a cruise that brings you from Halong Bay to Bai Tu Long Bay - a small quiet place in this area. This lovely bay is not so popular which helps it become a valuable less touristy place in the Gulf of Tonkin that not only has magnificent scenery of the World Natural Heritage but also is totally quiet. The only problem here is its cruises’ quality. As Bai Tu Long is an unspoiled small bay, there are not many choices for cruise boats here, especially the luxury ones. On the other hand, in general, the cost for Bai Tu Long Bay cruise is quite reasonable, only from USD 120/person with one night on a 3-star boat. If you prefer more deluxe cruises, there is also a wide range of 4-star boats here for you to choose from. However, the options for a high-end 5-star cruise here are extremely limited with some options like Signature Royal, Victory Star, Dragon Legend, and Emperor. Those boats may cost from USD 165/person to USD 345/person depending on how luxurious the service you want.        

Lan Ha Bay Cruise - Trendy sleeping experience

While Halong Bay becomes more and more crowded, Lan Ha Bay turns into a new trend for cruising here. Although Lan Ha is popular gradually, it still can keep its peace. This bay is also where you can find the best cruises in Halong. There is a wide range of cruise choice in Lan Ha Bay which are at different standards, prices, and travel routes. However, Lan Ha is absolutely a heaven for 4-star and 5-star boats which are extremely luxurious and provide professional high-end services. Some boats that can be suggested here are Mon Cheri, Heritage Line, Orchid, Scarlet Pearl, Era, Peony, etc. The price for a cabin on a deluxe Lan Ha Bay Cruise usually ranges from USD 150/person to USD 520/person depending on how luxurious the cruise is.

Staying in Lan Ha Bay Cruise

Best Island in Halong Bay to Stay

There are thousands of islands in Halong Bay. However, only a few of them provide accommodation services to tourists. Most of these islands are big towns with many residents and provide convenient services. Besides, there are also a few private islands like Monkey Island and Reu Island which belong to only luxury resorts.

Cat Ba Island - Big Island, Many options for hotels from budget to luxury resort

Cat Ba is the biggest island in Halong Bay. In fact, among thousands of islands in this area, Cat Ba provides the best tourism services, which means you would have varied options for accommodation here from budget hostels to luxury resorts. Although Cat Ba Island is a crowded destination with the impressive development of tourism, you always can choose between having a noisy interesting vacation or a silent peaceful one here. 

Usually, tourists would choose to stay in the center of Cat Ba town which offers many types of accommodation at reasonable prices and is also nearby many shops, restaurants, and other tourism service providers. You can book a dorm-bed here for about US$6.5 while a single room in a 3-star hotel only costs from US$22.  On the other hand, high-end hotels and resorts in Cat Ba are located quite far from the center, surrounded by the sea and forests. At the cost of more than US$90/room/night, it seems like you have to pay way more than a hotel in the center to enjoy a luxury vacation in 5-star standard accommodation.  

Staying in Flamingo Resort Cat Ba

Monkey Island  - Private Island

Also called Cat Dua Island, Monkey Island is not so far from Cat Ba Island. It is a small island with many monkeys living there like the locals. There is almost no tourism service there except for the 3-star Monkey Island Resort. It is a wonderful place for any tourists who seek a tranquil holiday where you would spend your vacation with sun, sand, sea and lovely monkeys. Just be careful with your snacks, wallets, mobile phones, and other small things, the monkeys here can steal them and never return.

Staying in Monkey Island Halong

Coto Island 

Coto is a small offshore island in Halong Bay that has been popular among domestic tourists for at least a decade. This destination is the best for adventurers who still can maintain its wild beauty while still providing good tourism services. You cannot find a luxury resort or hotel in Coto; however, there would be no regret if you choose to book a homestay on this island. For years, Coto is the most famous island in Halong Bay for its homestays which are considered as the best in this area. Nice owners, lovely rooms, good services, and reasonable prices are usually the compliments for homestays in Coto from tourists. If you are finding a place for a soft adventure experience, making friends with friendly locals, saving money, and getting the best value, staying in Coto island should be your top choice in Halong Bay. 

Quan Lan Island

Compared with Coto, Quan Lan Island is not that far from the mainland; however, this place is even more rustic than Coto and fussier for tourists. In fact, not many domestic tourists like Quan Lan, and of course, it is not a popular destination for international visitors. Tourism services in Quan Lan are not so good and convenient, everything is quite rudimentary but expensive, locals are still learning how to welcome visitors in a more proper way. Therefore, although this island is a worth-visiting destination with its stunning natural beauty and peaceful living environment, you shouldn’t expect too much of the accommodation quality there. There is only one accommodation at 4-star standard on this island which is Minh Chau Pearl Hotel & Spa located nearby the most crowded attraction here: Minh Chau Beach. With other addresses, at their best effort, locals and investors just can only provide motels and hotels at the basic service standard.

Reu Island - Private island for Vinpearl Resort

You only need about 5 minutes of riding a speedboat from Halong City center to Reu Island. This place belongs to Vinpearl - one of the most popular domestic high-end resort chains in Vietnam. Vinpearl Resort Reu Island is a complex of entertainment and excursion which can provide all needs of Halong Bay tourists on this island. As you can have a room and 3 meals per day at 5-star standard while also enjoying the swimming pool and private beach here, there is no doubt that this luxury resort is the best choice for any family trip to Halong Bay. Of course, the cost for one night at luxury Vinpearl Resort is not cheap, you would have to pay at least $135/room/night to stay here; however, it is worth every penny. If you are looking for more options for luxury resorts, you can explore the luxury resorts in Halong Bay.

Staying in Vinpearl Halong Resort

Staying in Halong Mainland

While cruising gives you a chance to explore Halong Bay deeper, hotels and resorts on islands bring you different leisure experiences, staying on the mainland helps you have a “convenient” vacation. You will be surrounded by interesting attractions located not so far from your hotel; transportation, restaurants, shopping center, and even medicare are always available. In addition, the cost for mainland accommodations is the cheapest compared with cruises and hotels on offshore islands.

The best area to stay in Halong City

The best area to stay in Halong mainland is in Bai Chay commune. This place is considered as the inland tourism center here. You can find all the best hotels in front of Halong Bay in Bai Chay from the budget to luxury ones. However, if you want to save money, you may move to Hon Gai commune which is 5km further away from Bai Chay where it would be considered as the local residential area. As this place is far from the entertainment center and not a popular area with tourists, the hotels here are cheaper than in Bai Chay quite a lot. On the other hand, there is no doubt that Bai Chay provides more and better options for accommodation in Halong. For those interested in finding the best islands to stay in Halong Bay, be sure to check out Best Islands to Stay in Halong Bay & 10+ Recommended Hotels.

Staying in Halong mainland

Best luxury hotels in Halong

You can find a wide range of luxury hotels in Bai Chay, Halong from domestic to world-known international brand names. Please take a look at the table below for some typical suggestions.

Best budget hostels in Halong

Are you traveling on a budget? Don’t worry! Although the travel cost in Halong City is quite expensive, you can always book a cheap hostel to save your money with some best suggestions below.

Tips to book your stay in Halong Bay

• Plan your vacation in Halong Bay at least 2-3 months in advance to have the chance to get the early-bird price for cruises, hotels and resorts.
• Book accommodation through travel agencies instead of directly with service providers to get a better price.
• Avoid booking on public holidays such as Christmas, New Year Eve, and Lunar New Year as there will be surcharges.
• Travel in the Summer to get the best cruise deals.
• Book at least 2 types of accommodation (ex: Cruise + Hotel)  to have the best experience.

You have just reviewed our 3 best places to stay in Halong Bay, now it time for you to choose and plan your Halong Bay Tour, please do not hesitate to contact BestPrice Travel if you need any help.

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