Recently, kayaking has become a joyful activity that is recommended in many Halong Bay Vietnam cruise reviews as one of the top things to do in Halong Bay. You will be allowed to paddle along the emerald sea waters to admire the exquisite natural settings of the Bay and be a stolen heart with the beauty of mother nature.

So what have you known and prepared for your Halong Bay cruise kayak? Read this article to learn more about kayaking as well as things to notice when getting involved in this fancy activity.

1. How a kayak tour in Halong Bay would be like?

Many might expect to hire a kayak and freely ride it along the Bay to totally control your own itineraries but sadly, things do not turn out the way you want. For the sake of everyone’s safety, Halong authority does not allow travelers to explore the caves alone but requires them to be under proper observation, which means you need to book a Halong tour to be able to kayak on the ocean.

Enabling travelers to get off the beaten track to explore one of the most beautiful bays in the world, the tailor-made kayak tours in Halong Bay are designed to make sense of the wonderful combination of physical activities and sightseeing tours. Visitors will be able to kayak through the matrix of islets on the Bay to conquer the majestic lagoons, caves, and beaches and immerse themselves into the wilderness of nature.

2. Must-visit destinations for Halong Bay kayak tour.

There are places that any Halong Bay kayak trip should not miss visiting as their sheer beauty could leave visitors in awe.

• Luon Cave

Formed after a million years of natural erosion, the 60-meter-long and 4-meter-high Luon Cave is only crossed by kayak and small boats. The cave opens view to a view to the wide lake and surrounding forests where trees, bushes, and seafood thrive. It is not only a favored kayaking spot but also suitable for leisure glide by small boats.

• Fishing villages

Travelers can also paddle their kayaks to approach the floating villages of the locals, namely Cua Van, Vung Vieng, and Cong Dam. Small as they might seem, the villages are completely self-contained societies that live in perfect harmony with the land and sea. People lived, ate, slept, worked, partied, and even went to school in these tiny, self-sufficient floating villages. A kayak tour to the floating villages – the top tourist attractions in Halong Bay will give you a closer look at how the local fishermen survive everyday trials and tribulations on the sea.

• Deserted beaches

You will come across tens of limestone islets during your kayaking, many of which are softly embraced by the Colgate-white beaches. Less visited by tourists, the beaches on the islets still retain their pristine looks with soft white dunes tumbling to kiss the briny water. Especially, the beaches are exceptionally wonderful places to watch the sun fall behind the horizon, painting the sky shades of red and pink.

Some recommended beaches to visit are Titov Beach, Ba Trai Dao Beach (Three Peach Beach), Soi Sim Beach, etc.

3. Things to notice before and while kayaking in Halong Bay.

• What to bring?

To get the best experience, travelers should be well-equipped before kayaking. It is a must to bring along life vests, mineral water, sun cream, dry bag, and insect repellent. And of course, a camera is a necessity if you want to capture the sheer beauty of the Bay.

The weather in Halong Bay is quite pleasant; hence, except for the stormy days, any time in the year would be a great time to go kayaking. However, it is still necessary to prepare suitable clothes for each season. It is just simply the swimming suit or T-shirt and shorts in the summer, but in the winter (October to February), you should wear warm clothes. Wet shoes and sunglasses are important, too. If you are about to travel in the winter, remember to keep yourself warm after kayaking to avoid catching a cold.

• Do not kayak while being drunk

Do not go kayaking while being intoxicated. Your senses might be dulled while being drunk and might lead to unexpected accidents.

• What about kids?

Regarding the Halong Bay kayak with kids, children are also allowed to use the kayak. They need to sit still in the kayak and not to move back and forth so that the kayak keeps still and would not capsize. With kids under 6, it is suggested not to get involved in these activities.

Kids and the elderly can go on bamboo boats instead kids and the elderly can go on bamboo boats instead

• What about the elderly?

For those who are at old age or are not physically strong enough, kayak might not be suitable. However, they can still go exploring the bay by using a rowboat. The bamboo boat ridden by the skillful and experienced fishermen will take tourists to every corner of the Bay.

• While kayaking

The most important thing to remember is that you NEED to listen to your tour guide during your Halong Bay cruise kayak. It is crucially significant to follow the fixed routes, times, and rules. Do not break the rules and go your own way because no one knows what will happen when you are traveling alone in such an isolated area.

Also, checking the weather conditions such as the wind strength and the tide in advance is significant, even when the guides have done it in advance. Safety is the first priority. In case you are on your tour already and there is an expected storm or strong wind, find the safest places in some sheltered areas or beaches to hide. If you are in the middle of the sea and cannot find a hiding place, you should gather together to make a raft. It would partly protect you from being blown by a strong wind.

While kayaking, keep a suitable distance from others. You should not go too far from the crew and had better keep in sight with other boats.

And remember, do not come too close to deep and dark caves and karsts to avoid being sucked in. There are reports of travelers getting sucked in and it took from 30 minutes to hours to rescue them.

In case the kayak capsizes, you will need to swim a bit and then take the water out of the kayak with the help of the tour guide. He then will keep it still so that you can be on the kayak again.

The awe-inspiring beauty of the emerald waters, the majestic caves, and the stunning beaches are just too good to be true. Apart from the risks that might happen when you are not well-prepared, kayaking on Halong Bay is undoubtedly a wonderful experience that you should try at least once in your life.

Halong Bay has drawn huge attention from nature lovers worldwide thanks to its majestic natural settings of limestone islets and emerald sea water. Consisting of around 2,000 islands and islets with several stunning beaches and marvelous caves, the Bay is undoubtedly a worth-visiting destination for Vietnam tours. Among the famous Halong Bay destinations, Titop Island is a name that you should never forget to see.

Titop Island is located about 14 kilometers to the southeast of Bai Chay Harbor. This island was named after Gherman Titov – the former Soviet Union hero and the most reputable astronaut in the world. Small as it might be, the island wins kudos for its poetic seascapes and tranquil atmosphere.

Pristine crescent moon-shaped beach

It is believed that a Halong Bay cruise will never be complete without a visit to the beach on Titop Island. The small beach on Titop Island features a crescent moon shape that embraces the foot of the islet. The stretching soft white sandbank, the transparent and clean seawater, and the spectacular ocean view have made the beach an ideal place for recreational activities such as swimming, kayaking, and other water sports.

The coastline curved as if drawn by an artist’s hand, the white sands making a thick band between the waves and the vegetation beyond. Immersing yourself in the quiet and peaceful atmosphere on the beach, you will unconsciously want to not only take photos but also bottle the ocean air to bring home.

A 360-degree view from the top of the mountain

Aside from the crescent moon beach, another thing that makes Titop Island one of the most haunted Halong Bay destinations is the magnificent ocean view from the top of the mountain. Here travelers can climb hundreds of steps upward to reach the mountain top, where you can take a panoramic view of Halong Bay.

Witnessing the 360-degree bird’s eye view of the ocean, you will feel like you are just a small creature in this world. Travelers can grab in your eyes the spectacular natural settings of the soaring evergreen islets, and the yachts gently gliding on the emerald waters of the Bay. The wilderness of nature here will make your jaw drop.

A place for fascinating recreational activities

Titop Island has become a more and more popular tourist attraction in Halong Bay which welcomes tens to hundreds of cruises carrying travelers from different nationalities coming to contemplate its beauty. Here visitors can get involved in different exciting activities like swimming, kayaking, parasailing, etc. Recently, watching Titop Island from Halong Bay seaplane is a new and hot trend of traveling that is recommended by several famous travel magazines and bloggers.

The sea in front of Titop is also the anchoring place for overnight cruises. Visitors will spend their nights on the cruise to enjoy their ambient moments while witnessing the sparkling night skies of Halong Bay.

A symbol of Russia – Vietnam relations

Not only is Titop Island a destination for nature lovers, but it also demonstrates the long-lasting relationship between Vietnam and the Soviet Union (Russia nowadays). On November 22^nd, 1962, President Ho Chi Minh – the great leader of the North Vietnam Government and Gherman Stepanovich Titov – the Soviet Union cosmonaut who was the second to orbit the Earth visited the island. To commemorate this visit as well as the enormous contribution of Gherman Titov in particular and the Soviet Union in general in the cause of liberation and construction of Vietnam in the 20^th century, President Ho named the island after this cosmonaut’s name.

Being one of the most famous Halong Bay destinations, Luon Cave has drawn the huge attention of nature lovers in different parts of the world thanks to its majestic natural settings. Let’s take a Halong Bay cruise to contemplate the beauty of this hard-to-believe land.

About Luon Cave

Luon Cave is located in the northeast of Bo Hon Island, which is around 1 kilometer from Sung Sot Cave. To the right of the cave is the Heaven Gate and in front of it is the Turtle Islet. Here exist the steep cliffs with the calm and blue waters all year round. Luon Cave is right above the water’s surface. It is a bow-shaped cave leading to a secluded lagoon.

The cave is named “Luon” because it is a closed mountain circular arc with a blue lake in the middle, which is connected to the sea by a tunnel created by a submerged cave. Luon Cave is around 60 meters long, and only 2.5 – 4.0 meters high depending on the tides.

Crossing the cave, you will enter a brackish lake which is around 1 square kilometer and surrounded by evergreen mountains in all four directions. The lagoon and the surrounding mountain are home to several plants, birds, animals, and marine species. On the cliffs, there are still plenty of freshwater fossil shells, which prove that human beings used to inhabit here. It must have been a deep valley.

A place to get away from the bustling life

Luon Cave is only 2.5 to 4.0 meters high, so it is only accessible by kayak and small boat. Especially, kayaking in Luon Cave is listed as one of the top things to do in Halong Bay. Riding the kayak through the cave, visitors will get the chance to immerse themselves in the exquisite and picturesque nature.

The water drops from the roof, making up a poetic scenery. In the middle of the cave, a stalagmite hangs down to the water, which looks like a small elephant using his trunk to drink water. Smaller stalagmites are like the tentacles of the octopus which are said to protect the lagoon from being penetrated by ordinary people. The lagoon inside is said to be where the fairies take a bath. When the moon is high on the top of the mountain, the fairies would descend from the sky to bathe in this lake. The scenery is so poetic that it seems to be unreal, thus making Luon Cave undeniably one of the top Halong Bay destinations that your cruises should never miss.

For those who are not suitable for kayaking, you can also approach the cave by bamboo boats. Each boat can carry around 6 people and is led by an experienced local fisherman. Being on the Halong Bay bamboo boat, visitors will be able to listen to the life stories of the locals while enjoying the graceful glide on one of the most beautiful tourist attractions in Halong Bay.

Not only is Luon Cave a top destination in Halong, but it is also a haunted subject of different research fields thanks to its significant geological values.

Without any doubt, Luon Cave is a must-see destination for any Halong Bay cruise. The tranquil and peaceful atmosphere here will help to blow all the stress and fatigue of life away.