Halong Bay Day Trip (Japanese) | 4-Hour Cruise, Cave, and Kayak Experience

I signed up after watching a video by a certain YouTuber I like (lol). I was guided by Mr. Nagatomo (TIEN), the same person from the video, and I had a great time throughout. Lunch was very satisfying, with plenty of dishes and generous portions. Also, as noted in the precautions, plastic bottles are not allowed in Ha Long Bay, and since it was a hot day, I bought canned water several times on the boat, but it was expensive, so I highly recommend bringing your own drinks in a reusable water bottle. For the dinner-included plan, they took me to a Vietnamese sticky rice restaurant, and it was delicious! I apologize for being selfish when everyone else had bun cha! lol It was a wonderful experience. Thank you very much.

Since it was a Japanese-guided tour, I was able to understand the Halong Bay tour explanation with a clear mind. The other tour participants were all wonderful people, and we had enjoyable conversations. The Vietnamese tour guide also tried very hard to explain things in Japanese, and his personality really shone through. Thank you very much. The two-person sea kayak was quite challenging to paddle, so I might not have had much time to fully admire the scenery, haha. The Vietnamese food we ate on the boat was also delicious. The cave we landed on the island was cool inside and featured many impressive natural limestone formations! The bus ride to and from the destination was also comfortable, and it was great to be able to charge my cell phone. It was a full-day tour, but it was very worthwhile to see the many unique rock formations.

【Enjoyed Halong Bay even on a day trip!】In the morning, our guide, TIEN, picked us up right on time. We were staying at a hotel very close to Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi's Old Quarter, so TIEN came directly to our lobby. The bus was spacious, and since everyone on board was Japanese, we felt very comfortable. We had one rest stop. We wore our Team Nagatomo IDs and did some shopping. My wife was delighted to buy some silk embroidery. Upon arriving at Halong Bay, we boarded a boat, and lunch began. We shared a table with a couple from Tokyo and chatted pleasantly until we reached our destination. Halong Beer was inexpensive and delicious! 🍻 The food was mainly seafood. (It seems they can accommodate allergies if you inform them when booking... TIEN asked us about this on the bus.) After seeing sights like the Fighting Cock Islets, we arrived at our first destination: sea kayaking 🚣‍♂️. TIEN recommended a bamboo boat, but we chose kayaking! Since we were already wearing our swimsuits 🩳, we decided to go for it as a travel memory. We got wet as soon as we got in, so we changed on the boat as soon as we finished 🛳️. We had a relaxing time kayaking. Our second destination was Thien Cung Cave ⛰️, which was a mystical experience. We learned a lot about the cave as we walked through it. This tour was a wonderful opportunity to experience the natural beauty of both the sea and the mountains. On the way back, we enjoyed dinner 🍽️ in the Old Quarter, savoring a Bun Cha dinner. Everything, from kayaking (or bamboo boating) and the cave visit to dinner, was included in the tour price, so we didn't have to worry about calculating dongs. A big thank you to our guide, TIEN! 😊

It takes about 3 hours from hotels in Hanoi to Halong Bay with a break on the way. It was a chartered cruise just for our group of 13 people. After departing, we enjoyed a cruise while having drinks and a 10-course meal. During the meal, the ship cruised very slowly, and there were almost no waves, so there was hardly any rocking. I was impressed by the guide's explanations and stories, as well as their extensive knowledge and language skills. I was also satisfied with the tour, as they were considerate of the participants and we were able to fully enjoy the charm of Halong Bay. I would like to participate again if I have the opportunity.

The trip to Ha Long Bay was about 3 hours each way, but it was easy and comfortable in a comfortable bus! We were relieved that there was a rest stop for bathroom breaks along the way. The guide spoke fluent Japanese, so we were always at ease, and it was great that he taught us about Vietnamese culture and the tipping system! It was also a nice touch that we each received a bottle of water on the bus. The weather was good, and Ha Long Bay was very beautiful. Many strangely shaped rocks stood tall in the magnificent sea, and it looked like a scene from a movie. We also went into a limestone cave, which was very beautiful and felt like an otherworldly space. All of the seafood lunch we had on the boat was delicious! Bringing plastic bottled drinks onto the boat was prohibited out of consideration for the environment. Water bottles were okay. You'll be offered drinks for purchase on board, but it's okay whether you buy them or not! Overall, I'm very glad I participated. If you come to Hanoi, I highly recommend joining the tour!

The bus was full on the day of the tour. Mr. Nagatomo, whom I had seen on YouTube, was our guide. We departed from the Sheraton Hotel at 7:40 AM, and the bus made several stops at different pick-up points on the way to Ha Long Bay. Mr. Nagatomo kept us entertained on the bus by showing us his iPad and sharing interesting stories about Vietnamese history and famous people he had met. He's quite the talker! The cruise itself was very comfortable and a wonderful experience. He gave detailed explanations even inside the cave, which made it even more enjoyable. We also enjoyed the delicious Vietnamese food served on the boat. I was impressed that they provided cold towels when we returned to the boat from the tour. For dinner, we could choose between sticky rice or Bun Cha in Hanoi, and I think everyone chose Bun Cha. There was even a family that skipped dinner and got off the bus on the way back to visit Aeon Mall. This was our first time participating in a tour abroad, and it was a great experience.

It was a very fulfilling tour. Our tour guide, Tien (Nagatomo-san), kept us entertained! His Japanese is excellent, and he told us fun stories on the bus, making it feel like a show. It was very hot in Ha Long Bay, but I think it's worth experiencing even in the heat. Drinks are not included, so I recommend bringing your own water bottle. My companion tried the canoeing experience and was able to handle it more smoothly than expected. It was a weekday and not crowded, almost like we had the place to ourselves, which was also great. Lunch was seafood on the boat, and there was so much food we couldn't eat it all. Dinner was bun cha, which was also delicious. One concern I had was that it would have been nice to be able to contact the guide in some way the day before. I was a little worried. Even so, I would like to participate in Nagatomo-san's tour again next time.

I stayed at the Hotel du Parc Hanoi and appreciated the convenient hotel pickup. For the return, we ate Bun Cha and were dropped off there. I walked back to the hotel on my own. The tour proceeded on schedule, and the itinerary was just right, not too much or too little.

Thanks to our guide, Nagatomo from TEAM, we had the best day ever! His Japanese was excellent, and his love for Japan really came across, making me so glad I chose this tour! I'm so happy Nagatomo was our guide! Our Ha Long Bay trip was safe, secure, and so much fun. Thank you so much!

I learned about this tour from Suit Travel's YouTube channel and actually participated in it. The local guide, Mr. Nagatomo, spoke very good Japanese, and I was able to enjoy the day tour. I would like to use it again when I come to Hanoi.