Night Kayak Tours in Vietnam: the 6 Best to Book

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

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

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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2.Sunset & Bioluminescent Plankton Kayaking Lan Ha bay

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 93 reviews · from $43Top rated

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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3.Lan Ha Bay: Bioluminescent Plankton Kayak Tour from Beo Pier

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 80 reviews · from $32Best value

From Beo Pier, you take a 15-minute water taxi through Cai Beo floating village, then kayak for 105 minutes around Lan Ha Bay. Guides such as Lam, Luan, Toan, and Tran have led these outings. After dark, paddle through sheltered water and optionally swim to see your body sparkle with bioluminescent plankton.

“Bioluminescence is highly advised! And at great awards, from 6:30 to 8:20. 100% recommended that everyone join in exploring and experimenting together this amzing tour”

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4.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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5.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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6.Cat Ba: Night Kayaking with Glowing Plankton

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 8 reviews · from $35

You spend six hours moving from Cat Ba to Cai Beo floating village, Lan Ha Bay, and Monkey Island. After swimming, sunset hiking, and a Vietnamese dinner, your guide leads a night kayak in search of glowing plankton. English and Vietnamese guides, hotel transport, equipment, towels, and vegetarian food are included.

“Well, it was a nice guided tour, very enjoyable, and we had a delicious meal afterwards.”

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