Halong Bay – an environmental update

Environmental protection in Halong Bay is a hot topic. Many organizations such as the Cat Ba – Halong Alliance, the IUCN and Green Halong have come up with a number of projects to ‘Save Halong Bay’ or keep it ‘Green and Clean’. Best Cruises Halong likes to keep things simple, so we’ve done a list…

Why exactly is Halong Bay a UNESCO World Heritage Site?

Some people on Halong Bay tours are confused by Halong Bay’s UNESCO World Heritage Status so Best Cruises Halong decided to clarify and simplify things a little. Things are complicated by the fact that Halong is recognized as a World Wonder under 2 separate criteria according to UNESCO, so we will be extra careful not…

Introducing Green Halong

  Halong Bay welcomes its newest organization to tackle the environmental problems facing the bay this year. After running successful pilot programs to protect Halong Bay towards the end of last year, Green Halong now wishes to extend these activities so that they can run non-stop throughout the 2015 and beyond. They are also running…

Is Halong Bay still beautiful when its foggy?

Type ‘Halong Bay’ into google images and you will be bombarded with otherworldly images of bright blue skies, emerald green waters, and jungle-topped rock formations that emerge dramatically from the water. You may also see a few sunsets of brilliant orange, baby pink and deep purple, adding to the remarkable plethora of color that a…

Will Halong Bay transfer times ever improve?

If you have been on a Halong Bay tour recently, you were probably less than impressed with the time it took to transfer from Hanoi or the airport to Halong Bay. The transport authorities have been redeveloping the 150km road for what feels like forever and it still takes a painful 4 hours (with 30…

What to Expect from Cat Ba

A number of Halong Bay cruise companies include Cat Ba Island in their itineraries, especially those that do 3 day/2 night Halong tours. So what exactly is Cat Ba Island and what can you expect from the activities there? Cat Ba is by far the biggest Island in Halong Bay and has some fairly large living…

Surprise Cave vs. Titov Island

Up above or down below? Stunning vistas or cavernous pathways? A lot of Halong Bay tour itineraries include both Titov Island and Surprise Cave. But two activities can be a lot if you want to spend time just hanging out on your Halong Bay cruise ship and enjoying the view. Titov Island and Surprise Cave…

Halong Bay and the Airports

Recognizing the need for a quality, personalized hotel on land, Paradise Cruises opened their first boutique hotel in Halong Bay this year. Located on Tuan Chau Island, the hotel is worlds apart from Ha Long City. But in Ha Long City you can still find a number of good quality hotels for overnight stay. This…

Searching for Squid

You’ve just seen a spectacular sunset over the karsts and the once-bright orange is gently dimming and the nighttime darkness engulfs Halong Bay. So now what? Some people absolutely love their Halong Bay cruise but still complain that there wasn’t much to do at night. Many cruise companies, such as Bhaya and Paradise to name…

A Sunrise to Remember

In our article about Halong Bay weather in Winter we said that November is one of the best months to visit Halong Bay, and 2014 is shaping up to be just like any other year according to Best Cruises Halong. Halong Bay cruise sunsets are undoubtedly special and countless people around the world have great…

Halong Bay vs Bai Tu Long Bay

You may be surprised to hear that there is an alternative to a Halong Bay cruise that is every bit as breathtaking. Bai Tu Long Bay is becoming an increasingly attractive alternative to the vastly more popular Halong Bay. Many of the major companies, including Paradise, Bhaya and Indochina Sales are responding to customer requests…

ALWAYS CHECK YOUR ITINERARY!!!

Sometimes a short post is all you need to make a point. This article is here simply to remind those that are looking at booking a Halong Bay tour to always always always check that the itinerary is right for them before booking. It is extremely easy to get so wrapped up in choosing the…