Top 14 Cat Ba Kayaking Tours

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

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

From Cat Ba, cruise Lan Ha and Ha Long bays, visit a floating fishing village, swim, eat a Vietnamese lunch, and ride through Viet Hai village in Cat Ba National Park. The current program replaces kayaking with a local bamboo boat in some periods, so confirm the water activity before booking. Guides such as Tony, Kai, Ricky, and B are known for friendly English commentary.

“this was definitely a must do while you’re traveling in Vietnam! our guide was really knowledgeable, and conveyed so much information from each of our dishes for lunch, to local life and history. our favorite activity was kayaking through the caves. Lunch was absolutely magnificent with a variety of delicious options. When we stopped in the middle of the ocean to swim, you had the choice to go out to a nearby beach. Biking through Viet Hai was an incredible experience, you have the option to take a car back or bike. I recommend biking if you’re able to, although there are a couple of steep hills up and down.…”

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2.Lan Ha Bay Bioluminescent Plankton Kayak Boat Tour

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

Ba leads this five-hour Lan Ha Bay trip from Cat Ba, combining a floating fishing village, Monkey Island, swimming, a 10 to 12 meter rock jump, sunset, and night kayaking with bioluminescent plankton. Hotel transfers, kayak life vests, and a family-style dinner at Alibaba’s restaurant are included. Swimsuits, towels, and sturdy shoes are essential.

“Ba was an amazing guide, super positive and knowledgeable and made the whole trip amazing. Some highlights: - Climbing up monkey island and seeing the whole bay from such a high point was truly amazing. - Seeing the monkeys so up close and even getting to give one a peanut was so special. - The bioluminescent plankton was way stronger than anything I had expected, it was so clear and swimming in it truly did feel like you were in such a serene and surreal environment. - Dinner after everything was so good with a great range of options and such a friendly environment after a day of climbing, kayaking…”

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3.3-Day 2-Night Cruise with Meals & Kayaking

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

You’ll cruise from Tuan Chau through Ha Long and Lan Ha bays aboard V’Spirit Cruises, with a private balcony cabin and bathtub. The three-day plan includes Bright Cave, Viet Hai village, Ba Trai Dao beaches, Tra Bau kayaking, swimming, Tai Chi, cooking, and Vietnamese meals. Guides such as Victor, Andy, Tony, and Dan have been praised for clear, friendly service.

“Marvelous cruise in Halong Bay. Cool boat with Vintage wood touch. Tours and activities are well organized. Staff is welcoming and meal tasty and generous. Rooms are specious and comfortable. It is worth staying 2 nights to enjoy the full experience.”

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4.Sunset & Bioluminescent Plankton Kayaking Lan Ha bay

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

From Cat Ba, you’ll cruise through Cai Beo floating village to Van Boi Beach for sunset and a BBQ dinner, then kayak after dark near a floating house. Your guide, such as Tom, Lin, or Ryan, leads you to glowing plankton and can point out the right spots for a swim. The group is limited to 15 people.

“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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5.Lan Ha bay cruise and kayak (small group guaranteed)

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 71 reviews · 8 hours · from $30

Spend eight hours on a small-group boat from Cat Ba, guided in English by local guides such as Ryan or Tyler. Kayak through caves and lagoons, visit floating fishing areas, swim at Ba Trai Dao Beach, eat a Vietnamese lunch, and cruise through both Lan Ha and southern Ha Long Bay.

“Tyler was an excellent, highly entertaining and informative guide. He briefed us on the impacts of increasing tourism and the measures being taken to counter environmental pressures due to overfishing. We were lucky to get great weather and a great group, super friendly people. Size of the group was just right as well. Almost no other cruise was there for our first hour or so. Overall amazing experience.”

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6.Sunset & Plankton Bioluminescent Night Kayaking

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 58 reviews · from $37

From Cat Ba, cruise past a floating fishing village and limestone islets, stop for sunset and dinner, then kayak after dark with guides such as Tim, Hana, or Thanh. Warm water and a dark moon give you the best chance of seeing plankton glow around your paddle and hands. Small groups may be available.

“The tour was leaded by Hana, who did a great job. Especially Dory and Quinn were amazing and made the tour even better! They made sure that we don’t get lost in the dark on the sea. We had an amazing time with a lot of fun and felt really safe.”

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

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

Spend a full day on Lan Ha and Ha Long Bays with guides such as Ninh, B, Kai, or Thai. You’ll visit a floating village, kayak through Bright and Bat Caves, swim or snorkel at Ba Trai Dao, cycle to Viet Hai Village, and eat a generous Vietnamese lunch aboard a comfortable boat. Pick-up and drop-off in Cat Ba Town are included.

“Everything went smoothly. Our guide was super friendly and helpful. Kayaking at night to see the glowing plankton was unforgettable, even though I couldn’t capture it on camera. The food at the local family restaurant was also amazing. Definitely recommend this trip.”

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8.Sunset and Night kayak with bioluminescent plankton

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 44 reviews · from $35

This 4.5-hour Cat Ba Local trip takes you from your hotel to Cai Beo Floating Village and Lan Ha Bay for sunset, a Vietnamese dinner, and night kayaking among glowing plankton. Guides such as Luu, Lou, Luffy, and Ryan help find the best spots, though moonlight and sea conditions can affect what you see.

“This has been one of the highlights of my trip it was just beautiful & stunning! Loved it so much”

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9.National Park Day Trip with Cycling and Kayaking

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 35 reviews · from $66

Spend nine hours crossing Cat Ba National Park on foot, by bicycle, kayak, and boat. You’ll hike three peaks, stop at Frog Pond, eat lunch in Viet Hai Village, paddle Lan Ha Bay, swim, and visit 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.Half day Lan Ha Bay : Boat Trip , Kayaking,Snorkel

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 20 reviews · from $53

Spend a half day cruising Lan Ha Bay from Cat Ba, with hotel pickup, kayaking, swimming, and snorkeling included. Guide Hue has been praised for clear English and helpful bay knowledge. Choose an 8:00am or 1:00pm departure, and the afternoon trip may include sunset views from May to early November.

“Our activity was great. We were picked up by a really friendly guy, who was the first person in Vietnam to drive uns and we actually felt safe in the car. He drove us to the meeting point with our Guide. We then started our Journey. The trip qas absolutely perfect! Our guide Hue was extremely friendly and very competent. His english was really good and he was very friendly. He told us a lot about the bay around Cat Ba and the background information about the bay and the people and nature living in it. We kayaked on the water and could also swin at a beautiful beach. All…”

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11.2-Day Lan Ha Bay & Cat Ba Cruise w/ Kayaking, Biking & More

★★★★★★★★★★3.8 · 13 reviews

Cruise Lan Ha Bay from Beo Harbor in an air-conditioned ocean-view cabin, with kayaking, swimming, Vietnamese meals, spring-roll making, tai chi, squid fishing, and a bike ride to Viet Hai village. Guides such as Tony and Brian have been praised for their friendly service, but boat quality and food can vary, so confirm the vessel before paying.

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12.Lan Ha Bay Bioluminescence Plankton Kayaking

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 11 reviews · from $35

Spend five hours exploring Lan Ha Bay with a small group of about 12 people. Cruise past Cai Beo Floating Fishing Village, visit Monkey Island beach, swim, and kayak after dark to see bioluminescent plankton. Guide Smiley is known for his warm hosting, with Vietnamese dinner and vegetarian options included.

“Seeing the bioluminescence in the sea was a dream come true 🌊 and the beach at Monkey Island was beautiful, we saw a couple of monkeys up close!”

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13.Kayaking and Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 7 reviews · from $36

Join an English-speaking guide for an eight-hour Lan Ha Bay cruise with kayaking through limestone karsts, secluded lagoons, caves, tunnels, and beaches. Tony may lead the day, which includes a floating fishing village, traditional Vietnamese lunch, swimming time, hotel pickup in town, entry fees, and refillable water.

“it was an awesome day. perfect Balance between Sport and chill. also you learn a Lot about the Bay from the Point of View of a local”

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14.Private boat- Lan Ha Bay Half Day Tour with kayaking

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 7 reviews · from $55

Leave Cat Ba Town by private boat with Smiley and cruise Lan Ha Bay at your own pace. Pass floating fish farms and Turtle Islet, kayak near quiet beaches such as Van Boi, swim in clear water, and return by boat. Hotel transfers, entrance fees, kayak, life jacket, and dry bag are included.

“We really enjoyed the tour We can highly recommend you They picked a really quiet route, which made the experience even nicer! We felt really comfortable throughout the tour. The crew is awesome”

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