The 11 Best Island Kayak Tours in Vietnam

1.Halong Bay Day Tour With Titop Island, Cave, Kayak & Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,551 reviews · from $40Our pick

This 12-hour shared tour takes you from Hanoi’s Old Quarter to Halong Bay by air-conditioned bus. You’ll cruise for about six hours, eat a Vietnamese seafood lunch, visit Sung Sot Cave, kayak or ride a bamboo boat at Luon Cave, and hike or swim at Titop Island. Guides such as Alex, Tinh, Sam, Henry, and Tom are assigned according to the departure.

“Great day trip from Hanoi to Halong Bay. All the 3 experiences of boat, caves and walk on the beach are fantastic. The food and service on the boat and the guide are excellent!”

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2.Hanoi: Islands & Caves Ha Long Cruise with Lunch & Kayaking

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 1,317 reviews · 4 - 13 hours · from $34Best value

Spend a full day traveling from Hanoi to Ha Long Bay aboard the Dragonfly Cruise. You will eat a seafood lunch, visit Thien Cung Cave, pass Fighting Cock and Incense Burner islets, and paddle among limestone islands. Guides such as Harry, Benjamin, Linh, and Bobby are known for clear English, humor, and helpful care.

“Halong bay is a must! And the tour with the cruise definitely worth the money. Food was delicious and a lot. The cave was also cool to visit, I really enjoyed it. Thanks Benjamin for the perfect organization.”

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3.1 night Halong Bay Cruise-Titov Island,Surprise Cave,kayak,meals

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 855 reviews · from $135

Spend two days on Ha Long Bay aboard a small-group overnight cruise, with kayaking or a local rowing boat at Luon Cave, Titov Island, Surprise Cave, Vietnamese meals, sunset activities, and a cabin with air conditioning. Guides such as Alex and Bobby have received warm praise, though boat assignments and food quality can vary.

“I was lucky as this trip was cancelled on short notice, and I was moved to Mila Cruise. This happened with other guests from other ships as well having paid a much higher fee. As a solo traveller, Ha Long Bay is definitely on the more expensivRead more”

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4.Halong Bay Day Tour With Titop Island, Cave, Kayak & Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 725 reviews · from $40

Spend 12 to 13 hours traveling from Hanoi to Halong Bay, with hotel pickup in the Old Quarter, a Vietnamese seafood lunch, Sung Sot Cave, Luon Cave kayaking or bamboo boats, Titop Island, and a sunset snack. English-speaking guides such as Ken, Phong, and Linh lead the group, which can include up to 40 people.

“The view was scenic, especially at the top of the hill we climbed. The inside of the cave was pretty awesome too!”

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5.Hanoi: Halong Bay Day Trip with Titop Island, Cave, & Kayak

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 528 reviews · from $40

Spend a full day on Halong Bay with an English-speaking guide, seafood lunch, cave walk, kayaking or bamboo boat ride, and Titop Island. Hanoi pickup runs from 8:00 to 8:45 AM, with a return around 9:00 PM. Guides such as Tom, Sunny, Tùng, and Nam are praised for keeping the busy schedule friendly and well organized.

“The whole trip was definitely worth doing.Thank you all who were involved in making this excursion a success.”

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6.Hanoi: Roundtrip Halong Bay Islands, Caves, Kayaking & Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 433 reviews · from $44

You leave Hanoi by shuttle, cruise Ha Long Bay for about five hours, visit Sung Sot Cave, kayak or ride a bamboo boat through Luon Cave, and hike Ti Top Island. English-speaking guides such as Tony, Ngoc, Max, and Lee lead the day. It is an active, full schedule with lunch included.

“Ngoc is very friendly, it was an amazing trip. We really enjoyed the kayak”

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7.Ha Long Bay Cruise Day Tour-Cave, Kayaking,Ti top island & Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 431 reviews · from $41

Spend about 12 hours traveling from Hanoi’s Old Quarter to Ha Long Bay, then cruise among limestone karsts, visit Surprise Cave, kayak or ride a bamboo boat through Luon Cave, and climb Ti Top Island. Guides may include Tony, Max, Toan, Nam, or Phuong. Lunch, transfers, entrance fees, and one bottle of water are included.

“Great tour guide and perfect boat for a private outing. Kayak and boat was perfect for exploring the Bay.”

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8.From Hanoi: Halong Bay Day Trip w/ Cave, Island & Kayak

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 54 reviews · from $59

Travel from Hanoi’s Old Quarter to Halong Bay with an English-speaking guide such as Tom, Sunny, or Brian. Cruise to Surprising Cave, kayak or take a bamboo boat at Luon Cave, then hike or swim at Titop Island. Lunch, entry fees, water, and a sunset snack party are included.

“Tom, our guide made everything he could so everyone had the best experience, very professionnal, made everyone comfortable and knows anything needed about the tour. He made a fantastic day out of it not only for us but for every guest. Transportation and communication about pickup/drop off were good, excellent value for money overall !”

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9.Hanoi: Halong Bay Cruise, Amazing Cave, Titov Island & Kayak

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 39 reviews · from $42

Spend a long day cruising Halong Bay from Hanoi, with hotel pickup, a buffet lunch, Sung Sot Cave, kayaking or a bamboo boat at Luon Cave, and swimming or hiking on Titov Island. Guides such as Andy, Linh, Harry, Lee, and Long have led departures. Bring swimwear, and budget extra for drinks.

“It was a very nice day in a beautiful area in Vietnam. The Tour Guide was very friendly.”

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10.From Hanoi: Halong Bay 1 Day Trip Visit Cave, Island, Kayak

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 20 reviews · from $47

Travel from Hanoi to Halong Bay for six hours on the water. Visit Sung Sot Cave, kayak or take a bamboo boat through Luon Grotto, then hike or swim at Titop Island. An English-speaking guide, Vietnamese seafood lunch, hotel pickup, and sunset snacks are included. Guide Sunny is especially praised for his energy and clear explanations.

“Sunny was the best tour guide ever! He is very cultured, informed and helpful. I enjoyed every second in this tour. Highly recommend!”

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11.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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