Review Author: Nicolette

Review Date: 12 mrt 2026

Review Body: We were very much in doubt whether we wanted to cruise Ha Long Bay since it sounded tourist trappy. However, we’ve had a lovely day. The boat was not crowded, food was good and the tour guide (Tuan) really put in a lot of effort and thought. Good value for money.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Dr M Rosly

Review Date: 31 jan 2025

Review Body: I’ve been on seek Sophie tours multiple times across many countries. Truly amazing experience. Our guide Thành was very helpful.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Harry

Review Date: 28 feb 2025

Review Body: Very good your very nice boat

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Faith and Darren

Review Date: 15 jan 2024

Review Body: The tour operator texted us the night before the cruise to confirm our hotel. They then picked us up from our hotel in a bus and was slightly late as they had gone to the wrong hotel despite earlier confirmation. We picked the one day tour to Ha Long Bay, and after the pickup, the ride was smooth. We stopped by the Pearl museum, which was a rest stop of sorts. Then we got to the harbor where the day cruise group separated from the overnight cruise group, and we were handed over to another guide. Everything here was generally seamless and moved along really fast. The cruise itself was nice-- the boat had a deck where people could sit around and talk. We stopped at 3 main attractions: Titop island, Sung sot cave, and a kayak/bum boat area to check out a low cave. We had around 40min at each place, which gave us enough time to walk and see the main attraction. There was food on the boat for lunch and afternoon tea of biscuits and tea. Ha Long Bay was beautiful and it was nice being able to see a part of the bay as we cruised along. The biggest downside overall would probably be the hard peddling of goods (accessories, drinks, souvenirs) on the boat. It was mildly uncomfortable especially when we were tired at the end of the trip. Otherwise, the transfer from our hotel to the cruise and back was great.

Review rating: 4

Review Author: Paul

Review Date: 22 mei 2025

Review Body: The trip was well organised.Bus trip and Boat trip all ok. Buffet lunch on board was good would have been better if it had been kept hot. Drinks require paying for as an extra. Trip to the cave was ok but ti top island was also good. Sadly over commercialised. For the amount of tourists and revenue generated from tourism you could clean up Halong bay. Sophie website has poor communication with tour operates. Having sent all my personal details and hotel address already to Sophie. I had a panic stricken start to my trip when I had three different people phone me all asking me where my hotel was and one operater saying I had given them the wrong hotel address! When I was already waiting to be picked up.

Review rating: 4

Review Author: Jamee

Review Date: 01 jun 2026

Review Body: This one day trip to Ha Long from Ha Noi certainly packed a lot into the day. It was good value for money. I felt like I got to see everything I wanted to. The guides do a great job of managing the number of people in the group. I'm a vegetarian and was in a separate room with others who had requested Halal, vegetarian or Indian meals for lunch and think that made lunchtime a bit less busy which was nice. The food and drinks were great. I'd recommend including the park entrance fees into the cost of the cruise, it's less cash to have with you on the day. Paying the additional fee for the speedboating was a good choice. It was a great day, would recommend it if you only have a day.

Review rating: 4

Review Author: Sarah

Review Date: 16 apr 2026

Review Body: We booked the cruise last minute, they were very helpful and made sure we had all the info we needed. We were given the bus details for pickup, however it changed on the morning and the tour guide called us to let us know. This seems to be very common, not just with this company, that buses change. The tour guide Cong, was very good. Lots of info and very helpful. The bay itself is so so busy, too many boats and people! Nothing to do with the cruise company, just be prepared.

Review rating: 4

Review Author: Graham Powell

Review Date: 09 mrt 2025

Review Body: The boat and staff were great . Our tour guide Từ Trản was awesome. Only disappointment was the queue’ s for the island activities was way too long

Review rating: 4

Review Author: Ella

Review Date: 01 mei 2025

Review Body: We booked the trip from Hanoi, and sunlight cruise and our guide Jack were great! The pickup from Hanoi was communicated clearly through WhatsApp and transit was easy right up to our departure from Ben Beo harbour. The room and bed were comfortable, with AC and a fan and the shower was great for refreshing after the activities. The meals were tasty with many dish options and the spring roll making was great fun. The staff were attentive and cocktails tasty to enjoy on the sun deck with sunset. The highlight was Jack - full of passion, funny and always offering insights into Vietnamese life. We enjoyed the Cat Ba cycling tour, kayak exploring and jumping into the sea from the boat. It was a great group size, compared to some of the large boats options. We had between 14-16 people depending who joined on longer cruises for activities. It meant we could get to know the group better, meet some great fellow travellers and have more conversations with Jack. We definitely recommend this tour for what felt like a less busy and touristy route to explore the island and bay! There was karaoke in the evening which would’ve been fun, but depends on the groups vibe if more chilled or up for it!

Review rating: 5

Review Author: amit1806

Review Date: 04 jan 2020

Review Body: It was my first trip to Vietnam and i had to visit halong bay. so i booked an overnight cruise with sunlight cruise and boy am i glad i did (the hype is real) Day 1 we arrived at halong bay around noon and were greeted at the dock by Dani Queen (the queen of all tour guides). after boarding the cruise we had a lovely Vietnamese cuisine lunch and went to the Pearl Farm. there we saw how pearl farming is done and did some kayaking around the floating farm. in the evening we visited ti top island for a small hike (500 steps to the top) and relaxed at the beach. at night there was a karaoke party on the boat followed by squid fishing. Day 2 it was an early start to the day, 7 am breakfast and then off to the amazing cave ie sung sot cave. then back to the cruise for cooking class with MasterChef Dani Queen (the same) who taught us how to make Vietnamese spring rolls (must try). one last meal at the cruise before heading back to the bay and just like that the trip was over. P.s- If you're looking for an amazing experience at halong bay, make sure you ask for Dani Queen to be your tour guide.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: PietroMonza

Review Date: 08 jan 2020

Review Body: We went on a 2 Days 1 Night cruise to Lan Ha bay. We decided to go to Lan Ha instead of Ha Long because we were told it would be less crowded and more natural and that was indeed the case! We were on a small "old style boat" together a small group of young and friendly guests and went to less touristic parts of the bay (sometimes we were the only boat around!). Kayaking and swimming was particularly cool as well as the lunch and breakfast with the great view of the bay! The chef also made efforts to present food in an original manner. The boat itself was not luxurious but it had its charm and it was good enough for a short adventurous trip (if you do not seek too much confort). Our tour guide Nemo was very attentionate and we had some interesting conversations about local Vietnamese culture and beyond! Thanks a lot and see you soon Europe, Vietnam or elsewhere!

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Tim V

Review Date: 17 jan 2020

Review Body: Sunlight cruise was a highlight of our Vietnam trip, two days was perfect to explore a little bit longer the beautiful lan ha Bay. We expected it to be more crowded but it was as advertised... Picked us up from our hotel in hanoi, Friendly crew, food was excellent and service was perfect. Hai was a perfect host with good information on the sites we visited! I especially loved the story of the bays. Peaceful, good food, nice crew and good equipments. We had one of our best nights in Vietnam because the bed was so comfy. We did kayaking, squid fishing (unsuccessful, but we saw many haha) bicycle in the morning to a beautiful village. We went for my birthday and we didn't say it beforehand, they managed to offer me a surprise cake because u wrote down my birthday on the induction paper... I will remember my whole life! Thanks again!!!!

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Martin Gerra

Review Date: 20 nov 2024

Review Body: Sunlight Cruise was excellent. Showed up on time. The boat in Han La bay was terrific. Very nice rooms, and the food was quite excellent. All the staff were great. Our guide Tony was excellent. The activities from the boat were fun. I would recommend 2 nights on the boat instead of the tour we chose - which was 1 night boat. 1 night in Cat Ba. Cat Ba is undergoing a huge construction project. The hotel we stayed at was fine, but sterile. The restaurant was okay, but not great. The trek in the park was exhilarating - our guide was nice - but absolutely no chance to see wildlife on such a traveled path. To see any wildlife would require a more off beaten path and a naturalist guide. Our guide was fine, but not a naturalist. I would definitely recommend skipping Cat Ba and staying 2 nights on the fantastic boat.,

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Kim W

Review Date: 01 feb 2020

Review Body: We thoroughly enjoyed our 2 day/1 night excursion in Lan Ha Bay. Our Hostess - Trang - was one of the most Delightful, informative, respectful, entertaining, compassionate ladies I have Ever met actually. Trang was the reason we loved this trip - she went above and beyond to make sure we ALL (there were 12 of us in total) had the most amazing time ever. Trang taught us some Vietnamese words, had a fabulous understanding of the history of Vietnam (and of where we explored), and gave us an insight we would have otherwise not have had if she hadn’t been our tour guide. We Highly Highly recommend Trang!! We kayaked, we went on a bike ride ... and we ate delicious food. We had a really great time. It was a lovely wee escape from the ordinary.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Elena

Review Date: 28 jul 2025

Review Body: We had a great time! The itinerary is quite packed, but the activities are all very fun. You get to enjoy the pretty landscapes and also learn about Vietnamese culture. The boat is equiped with everything you need and looks beautiful, exactly as in the pictures. The staff is very attentive and lovely, they even sang karaoke with us at night. Especially our guide, Steven, took great care of us and was helpful with everything we needed. The trip to Cat Ba National Park was nice as well, as was the hotel we stayed at. Be aware though that the accommodation doesn‘t match the one listed on the website. We didn‘t stay in a bungalow but a hotel in a busy area close to Cat Ba National Park.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Wendy Kolbe

Review Date: 22 feb 2026

Review Body: The cruise boat took just 14 people, which made it very friendly, and the area was a lot quieter and not too busy. Our en suite cabin had large windows, so great views, the bed was large and comfortable with an effective fan keeping the room pleasantly aired. The staff were friendly and the meals were exceptionaly good. Our tour guide Jack was very helpful, cheerful and knowledgeable, making our experience so much more interesting. The itinerary was a lot of fun, everyone joined in the varied activities. We felt well looked after, with the extra care and small touches, flowers on the tables, relaxing music at mealtimes, left us feeling very happy with our choice of cruise.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Sarah

Review Date: 17 mrt 2026

Review Body: Wonderful tour! Very efficient and fun itinerary to the hidden gem of Lan Ha Bay. Our guide Jack and our boat staff took great care of us. Pickups/drop-offs were on time, beds on the boat were comfortable, Jack spoke very clear English and gave us all the historical and cultural context for our tour and had the answers to our further questions, and all the activities were active and fun! We really enjoyed the kayaking, swimming, squid fishing, spring roll class, biking, trying some snake wine, toe nibbling fish, and cruising on the rooftop of the boat in between locations. Very good pacing and timing of activities giving us a full bay experience in just 2 days!

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Núria

Review Date: 08 nov 2024

Review Body: We did the cruise at the very end of our trip and it was a great way to say bye to the country. At the end of October the bay was pretty empty (some more boats around but very few). We cruised through both Lan Ba and Halong bay (where we kayaked). We spent two days with great people kayaking, biking, swimming (you can jump off the boat!). It was really fun. The food is pretty nice and they prepare cocktails on board. Tip: we payed for the room at the upper floor with balcony and were really, really happy with it. We woke up with the bay views from bed. I know that people at the floor below were upset because they could hear the boats' motor all night long.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: shunyiyeo2019

Review Date: 31 dec 2019

Review Body: I have no regrets going for this trip and was really fortunate that Danny Queen is my tour guide. She is extremely dedicated, responsible and passionate in her work. No matter what demand the tourists gave her, she always try her best to help us. Even after the trip, she went an extra mile to tell us how we should be getting to the airport. She even gave us her recommendations for food places and things to do as we had spare time left before our flight. Its so rare to see a passionate tour guide like her! Wishing her all the best in her future endeavors!

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Dan

Review Date: 16 jan 2020

Review Body: We departed from hanoi in a bus where we met our guide. Her name was Danny and she was really fun. She told us stories about landmarks we passed by and explained the tour to us. When we arrived we boarded a boat that took us to the larger boat we would stay on for the night. We went kayaking and saw beautiful sights. The food was great and it was great fun. The village we came to was nice and we learned about the way of life in the region. Overall I would strongly reccomen the cruise to anyone that wants to see beautifull sights and enjoy great food.

Review rating: 5

Itinerary Day 1

Itinerary Summary: Admire the ancient limestone pillars and tiny islets as you cruise the bay onboard a traditional junk boat

Itinerary Description: 08h00: Pick up in Old Quarter depart for Halong Bay by modern high way in Vietnam, stop over for a rest on the way 11h30-12h0: Arriving Harbor, welcome onboard and safety briefing Cruise by uninhabited islets and outcrops with n imaginative names given by the locals, due to their perceived shapes, including Cock Fighting and Thumb, while enjoying a Vietnamese mouth-watering lunch on board. 13h30: Arrive at area for kayaking or bamboo boating, explore the bay by paddling on your own 14h00: Visit Amazing cave, Sung Sot (Surprise) Cave: Explore The Biggest Cave in Halong Bay - place so amazing that the French deemed it “Grotte des Surprises” or (Surprise Grotto), Sung Sot Cave is one of the biggest, most beautiful caves in Halong Bay and a highlight on most Halong Bay itineraries. 15h00: Arrive to Titop Island and relax on beach or climb to the top for Panoramic View of Halong Bay. 16h30: You will be back to the cruise for Afternoon Vietnamese tea and snack while cruising back toward Harbor 18h00:Boat arrives at the harbour, get on the bus to head back to Hanoi 20h30-21h00: Drop off at your hotel/stay, trip ends.