10 Cat Ba Kayaking Tours Worth Booking

1.Cat Ba: Lan Ha, HaLong bay full day- biking, kayaking, lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 1,166 reviews · 1 day · from $22Our pick

From Cat Ba, cruise through Lan Ha and Ha Long bays, pass a floating fishing village, swim from the boat, eat a Vietnamese lunch, and visit Viet Hai by bike. Guides such as Tony, Kai, Ricky, and B are praised for clear English and good care. Kayaking may be replaced by a local bamboo boat because of current government rules.

“Everything was just perfect. The tour guide, the places, the lunch (the fish was delicious), the weather…all good.”

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2.Lan Ha – Ha Long bay with local experts (small group guaranteed)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 342 reviews · from $35Top rated

Set out from Cat Ba with a licensed English-speaking guide such as Hoan, Luffy, or Tony. Cruise past Cai Beo fishing village, kayak through caves and lagoons, eat a Vietnamese lunch at anchor, swim at Ba Trai Dao Beach, and return by sunset. The $35 price includes transport, lunch, and activities, but not drinks.

“We had a great time on the boat the tour guides were very upbeat and run the whole day really well, the food was really good to. The highlight was the kayaking which gave all that was expected, a really enjoyable experience and apart from the illuminious plankton we were lucky to see fireflies on the rock vegetation as well, a big thumbs on for the whole tour.”

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3.Cat Ba : Lan Ha Bay Bioluminescent Plankton Kayak Boat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 316 reviews · from $36

Join guide Ba for a five-hour Lan Ha Bay outing from Cat Ba. Cruise past Cai Beo Floating Fisherman Village, visit Monkey Island, swim, jump from a 10 to 12-meter rock, then kayak after dark to see bioluminescent plankton. Hotel pickup, life vests, and dinner at Ba’s family restaurant are included.

“We were picked up from our hotel in a regular car/taxi and taken to the meeting point. Right from the beginning, our guide Ba was incredibly enthusiastic and helpful. We were very quickly ushered onto a small boat which then took us on our trip. This is truly an unmissable experience if you come to Cat Ba. It was probably the highlight of our entire Vietnam trip. The plankton are very cool and it’s also cool to kayak over the dark waters at night. This part of the islands are also very quiet which meant we barely saw another boat around. It felt like we had all the islands to…”

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4.From Lan Ha Bay: 3-Day 2-Night Cruise with Meals & Kayaking

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 131 reviews · from $272

Spend two nights aboard V’Spirit Cruises among the limestone islands of Ha Long and Lan Ha Bay. You’ll visit Bright Cave, cycle or ride an electric car to Viet Hai village, kayak at Tra Bau, swim at Ba Trai Dao, and enjoy meals in a private cabin with a balcony and bathtub. Guides including Victor, Andy, Dan, and Tony are known for warm, attentive service.

“Absolutely fantastic. I don’t even know where to start. Staff, extremely friendly and kind. Food was top tier, specially for us vegans. Activities were well planed and organized. Communication was clear and effective. The boat itself was beautiful. Nothing to complain about.”

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5.Sunset & Bioluminescent Plankton Kayaking Lan Ha bay

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 93 reviews · from $43

You’ll cruise from Beo Harbor through Cai Beo floating village to Van Boi Beach, eat a beachfront BBQ at sunset, then kayak in the dark with a guide such as Lin, Ryan, or Tom to find glowing plankton. Pickup, transport, dinner, kayaking, and fees are included, with groups capped at 15.

“Such a fun experience! Tom was a great guide, had a lot of information about the people of Cat Ba and spoke English very well! We got to see the floating villages and some monkeys, Tom cooked dinner for us and the kayaking was awesome! Would recommend”

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6.Lan Ha Bay: Sunset & Plankton Bioluminescent Night Kayaking

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 58 reviews · from $37

From Cat Ba, you cruise past a floating fishing village, watch the sunset among Lan Ha Bay’s limestone islets, eat dinner on a boat or floating homestay, then kayak after dark with an English-speaking guide such as Tim, Hana, or Thanh. Warm water and a dark moon give you the best chance of seeing bright bioluminescent plankton.

“Tim was a great guide who hat everyones wellbeing in sight. Great Tour, unforgettable!”

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7.CAT BA: LAN HA & HALONG BAY – KAYAK, BIKE, LUNCH, SNORKEL

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 52 reviews · from $6Best value

Spend 7 to 9 hours cruising Lan Ha and Ha Long bays with an English-speaking guide such as Ninh, B, or Kai. Kayak through caves, swim and snorkel at Ba Trai Dao, cycle to Viet Hai Village, visit a floating fishing village, and eat a Vietnamese lunch. Night kayaking with glowing plankton is an optional add-on.

“Great experience! Kai looked after us so well, spoke good English, and made the trip easy and enjoyable. Beautiful cruise away from the crowds, small group, delicious lunch, and the chance to freshen up with a shower on a hot day, perfect!”

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8.Cat Ba: Sunset on Lan Ha Bay with Sunset Party

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 43 reviews · 3 hours · from $24

Spend three hours cruising from Cat Ba through Cai Beo Floating Village and Lan Ha Bay. You will have time for kayaking, swimming, the boat’s jacuzzi and waterslide, then a sunset tea party with fruit and snacks. Pickup is included from central Cat Ba, though groups can be large.

“ayant fait plusieurs excursions a cat ba, je peux dire que celle ci était la meilleure ! l'équipage était adorable, l'organisation parfaite et le bateau très agréable : propre, avec jacuzzi, toboggans, transats ... le coucher de soleil était incroyable et chaque instant était superbe ! Merci encore”

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9.Cat Ba: National Park Day Trip with Cycling and Kayaking

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 35 reviews · from $66

Spend nine active hours hiking Cat Ba National Park, crossing three forested peaks, stopping at Frog Pond, and reaching Viet Hai Village for lunch. Cycle to the harbor, kayak and swim in Lan Ha Bay, then cruise past Cai Beo Floating Village. Guides such as Van and Tony add useful context in English.

“The experience in the national park of cat ba was great, full of different views and emotions. Across walking, cycling and canoeing you’ll visit the park and see the local floating fisher village. Our guide explained the plants and animals you can find in the park and guided through the entire trip! You can’t miss it!”

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10.Cat Ba Island: Lan Ha Bay Bioluminescence Plankton Kayaking

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 11 reviews · from $35

Join guide Smiley and a small group of about 12 for a five-hour evening from Cat Ba Town. Cruise past Cai Beo’s floating fishing village, watch sunset at Monkey Island, kayak after dark, and stir glowing plankton in Lan Ha Bay. Dinner, hotel transfers, towels, dry bags, and entrance fees are included.

“Amazing tour with an incredible host. The night kajaking was the highlight of our Vietnam trip and we can 100% recommend this tour.”

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