What is the best boat tour in Vietnam for first-time visitors?

Most first-time visitors combine a Halong Bay cruise with a rowing-boat trip in Ninh Binh, as on our Hanoi – Ninh Binh – Halong Bay Tour 5 Days, which includes a night aboard a cruise.

Can I do a Halong Bay boat tour as a day trip from Hanoi?

Yes. Our private day trip drives about 2.5 hours each way by expressway for around five hours on the water, with seafood lunch on board, Sung Sot Cave, kayaking or a bamboo boat and Ti Top Island. See the Hanoi – Halong Bay Tour 1 Day.

Is a day cruise or an overnight cruise better in Halong Bay?

A day cruise suits tight schedules, while an overnight cruise gives you sunset and sunrise on the bay and an early cave visit before the day boats arrive. Compare options in our Halong Bay cruise guide.

Trang An or Tam Coc: which Ninh Binh boat tour is better?

Trang An has a longer rowing route of about 2.5–3.5 hours through water caves and island temples, while Tam Coc is a 1.5–2-hour ride through rice fields and three river caves. Compare them on the Hanoi – Hoa Lu – Trang An Tour.

How long is the rowing-boat ride in Tam Coc, Ninh Binh?

The Tam Coc boat ride takes about 1.5–2 hours, with local rowers – often using their feet – guiding you through three river caves. Book it with Hoa Lu on the Hanoi – Hoa Lu – Tam Coc Tour.

What happens on a Mekong Delta boat tour from Ho Chi Minh City?

Our day trip goes about 70 km to My Tho, then by boat to Thoi Son islet and by rowing sampan through water-coconut canals, with fruit, folk music and a coconut candy workshop. See the Ho Chi Minh – Mekong Delta Tour 1 Day.

Can Halong Bay boat tours be cancelled because of the weather in Vietnam?

Yes. From about June to October storms can lead the authorities to suspend sailings at short notice; we then move your cruise or offer another plan. Our Halong Bay travel tips explain the seasons.

Are Vietnam boat tours suitable for seniors and young children?

Yes – our boat tours are gentle, with seats in the boats and short walks, and the 5-day Hanoi – Ninh Binh – Halong Bay tour suits families and seniors. Steps inside caves can be steep; see our Vietnam family holidays.

Can I go kayaking on a Halong Bay boat tour?

On our day trip and on overnight cruises you can usually kayak or take a bamboo boat, weather permitting. The Hanoi – Ninh Binh – Sapa – Halong Bay Tour 7 Days also adds Sapa to a cruise night.

Is there a boat trip on a southern Vietnam tour?

Yes – our 5-day Ho Chi Minh City tour includes a boat day in the Mekong Delta, and the 7-day southern loop ends with a boat trip on Nha Trang Bay. See the Ho Chi Minh – Mui Ne – Da Lat – Nha Trang Tour.

Do I need to book a Halong Bay cruise in advance?

Yes, especially for weekends, Vietnamese holidays and the week around Tet (6 February 2027), when good cruises fill up early. Send your dates through our contact page and we will check availability.

Are your Vietnam boat tours private or shared?

Our boat tours are private tours with your own guide and driver; on Halong Bay cruises you share the ship with other guests unless you charter a private boat. See more Vietnam private tours.

Vietnam Boat Tours

Vietnam Boat Tours 2026: Halong Bay, Ninh Binh and the Mekong Delta

Our Vietnam boat tours take you onto the water where the country looks its best: a day cruise or overnight cruise among the limestone islands of Halong Bay, rowing boats through the river caves of Trang An and Tam Coc in Ninh Binh, sampans in the coconut canals of the Mekong Delta, and a boat trip on Nha Trang Bay. Choose a 1-day trip from Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City or a 4–7-day tour, all private with your own guide and driver.

Durations: 1-day trips and 4–7-day tours
Destinations: Halong Bay, Ninh Binh, Mekong Delta, Nha Trang
Best for: first-time visitors, couples, families and seniors
Best months: March–May and September–November in the north; December–April in the south

Browse our 11 boat tours below, or open the full guide to compare cruises and river trips.

Good to know (2026)

June to October is storm season on Halong Bay. When storms are forecast, the authorities can suspend all sailings at short notice; we move your cruise or arrange an alternative.
Since 1 July 2025 provinces have merged: Ninh Binh now includes Ha Nam and Nam Dinh, My Tho (formerly Tien Giang) is in Dong Thap province, and Ben Tre is part of Vinh Long. Maps and tickets may show either name.
Tet (Lunar New Year) 2027 falls on 6 February. Boats in Ninh Binh and the Mekong are very busy in the days after Tet, and cruises sell out early.

What Is a Vietnam Boat Tour?

A Vietnam boat tour puts the water at the centre of your day. In the north, you cruise among the limestone islands of Ha Long Bay – Cat Ba Archipelago, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and are rowed through flooded caves and karst valleys in Ninh Binh, where the Trang An Landscape Complex is also UNESCO-listed. In the south, you ride a motorboat across the wide Tien River and a small sampan through the canals of the Mekong Delta.

Boat trips are among the most relaxing things to do in Vietnam: you sit, the scenery moves past, and a guide explains the caves, temples and villages along the way. That makes them ideal for families, seniors and anyone who wants a gentle day between busier sightseeing.

Why Choose a Boat Tour in Vietnam?

The best views: Halong Bay’s islands and Ninh Binh’s caves are only really seen from the water.
Easy on the body: little walking, with seats on every boat – just some steps inside caves.
Local life up close: rowers in Tam Coc, fruit gardens and coconut workshops in the Mekong Delta.
Private and flexible: your own guide and driver, with timings planned around the crowds.

Our Vietnam Boat Tours at a Glance

Tour	Days	On the water
Hanoi – Halong Bay Tour	1	Halong Bay day cruise, kayak or bamboo boat
Hanoi – Hoa Lu – Trang An Tour	1	Trang An rowing boat, 2.5–3.5 hours
Hanoi – Hoa Lu – Tam Coc Tour	1	Tam Coc rowing boat, 1.5–2 hours
Hanoi – Mua Cave – Trang An Tour	1	Trang An rowing boat
Hanoi – Mua Cave – Tam Coc Tour	1	Tam Coc rowing boat
Ho Chi Minh – Mekong Delta Tour	1	Tien River boat, sampan canals
Hanoi – Ninh Binh – Halong Bay Tour	4	Ninh Binh boat, Halong Bay day cruise
Hanoi – Ninh Binh – Halong Bay Tour	5	Tam Coc boat, overnight Halong Bay cruise
Ho Chi Minh Tour	5	Mekong Delta boat day
Hanoi – Ninh Binh – Sapa – Halong Bay Tour	7	Ninh Binh boat, overnight Halong Bay cruise
Ho Chi Minh – Mui Ne – Da Lat – Nha Trang Tour	7	Nha Trang Bay boat trip

Boat day tours start from US$37 per person (Ho Chi Minh – Mekong Delta Tour 1 Day) and US$38 (Ninh Binh day tours), and multi-day tours with a Halong Bay cruise from US$199 (Hanoi – Ninh Binh – Halong Bay Group Tour 2 Days).

How to Choose Your Vietnam Boat Tour

1. One day from Hanoi

For the sea, take the Hanoi – Halong Bay Tour 1 Day: around five hours on the water with lunch on board. For rivers and caves, go to Ninh Binh – the Hoa Lu – Trang An tour has the longer, quieter boat route, and the Hoa Lu – Tam Coc tour is shorter and past rice fields.

2. Four or five days in the north

Stay in one Hanoi hotel and do Halong Bay as a day cruise on the 4-day tour, or spend a night on board on the 5-day tour to see sunset and sunrise on the bay.

3. Starting in Ho Chi Minh City

The Mekong Delta day trip is the classic river experience from Saigon, with a boat to Thoi Son islet and a sampan through the canals. The Ho Chi Minh Tour 5 Days includes a Mekong boat day with the city, Cu Chi and the Cao Dai Holy See.

4. Families and seniors

Choose shorter boat rides (Tam Coc, a Halong Bay day cruise) and ask us for a cruise with easy boarding. Cave visits involve steps, so tell us about anyone with limited mobility.

Best Time for Boat Tours in Vietnam

Halong Bay: March to May and September to November are usually calm and clear; June to October brings storm risk; December to February is cool and can be misty.
Ninh Binh: the rice fields of Tam Coc are usually golden around late May and early June; spring is lush and green.
Mekong Delta: December to April is the dry season; the high-water months from about August to November show the river at its fullest.
Nha Trang: the sea is usually calmest outside the rainy season of about September to December.

For more on seasons and getting there, see our Halong Bay travel tips.

What’s Usually Included: Private Tours and Shared Cruises

Our boat tours usually include your own English-speaking guide and driver, hotel pick-up, boat tickets and entrance fees, and the meals shown in the itinerary – such as lunch on board a Halong Bay day cruise. Each tour page lists the exact inclusions.

Ninh Binh rowing boats and Mekong sampans usually carry only your own party and a local rower. Halong Bay cruise ships are shared with other guests; if you prefer the boat to yourselves, ask us about a private charter. For more trips with your own guide, see our Vietnam private tours.

Tips from Our Local Team

Jimmy and our team have arranged boat trips across Vietnam for international travellers for many years. Their advice:

Bring a hat, sunscreen and water – Ninh Binh rowing boats are open to the sun.
Keep a light jacket for a Halong Bay cruise from December to March.
Small change for tipping your rower in Ninh Binh is appreciated but never compulsory.
Wear shoes with grip for wet cave steps and boat landings.
If you are prone to seasickness, Halong Bay’s sheltered waters are usually calm, but bring tablets just in case.
Leave a free day after a cruise in storm season in case your sailing moves.

Book Your Vietnam Boat Tour

Tell us your dates, where you are starting and who is travelling, and we will suggest the right mix of cruises and river trips. Message us on WhatsApp +84 88 626 1368 or send us an inquiry – we reply within 24 hours.