Review Author: Ella

Review Date: 01 May 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: 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: 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: Merve

Review Date: 19 May 2026

Review Body: We had quiete nice time overall. The itenary was very well organized. We didn't want to do the most touristy tours and we were satisfied. Our tour guide Hoi (or Hi) was very knowledgeable about the area and spoke very well English. The food was very good and we loved to learn a lot about the local life. Bear in mind that it isn't a luxurious boat. We didn't have high expectations so we were satisfied. Drinks aren't included and it's quiete expensive on the boat - we were surprised by that.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Alicia G

Review Date: 22 Nov 2024

Review Body: This was a lovely experience. We really appreciated the small size of the group and were so lucky to be with great people on this adventure. The scenery is gorgeous, the activities are enjoyable, and the boat was comfortable. My husband who tends to get very seasick was able to enjoy this trip without sickness because the waters were calm. Our tour guide, Jack, was fantastic! He was kind, funny, informative, and kept everyone on schedule. The crew took such good care of us.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Zoe

Review Date: 06 Aug 2025

Review Body: Besides our pickup from Hanoi being delayed 30 minutes, I thought this was a great tour and I was very happy with it! I loved all of the activities - especially the karaoke at night on the boat! - and Jack was a great guide. The food was delicious - they were able to accommodate us as vegetarians - and our cabin was very nice. A big thanks as well to all the crew on the boat for giving us a great stay. I would recommend Sunlight Cruise to future travelers.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Amelia

Review Date: 10 Feb 2026

Review Body: Lovely calm trip. I ended up on a small boat with just 10 guests. The food was amazing and the tour guides were helpful and friendly. The itinerary was nicely paced with a good balance of things to see and do as well as time to just relax and enjoy the view. I was really pleased to have chosen a smaller trip to Cat Ba over the larger boats available in Halong Bay. I did 1 night onboard, but would have been happy to stay for another.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Lise

Review Date: 10 Jan 2026

Review Body: Really nice cruise and activities. Balcony rooms do not deserve the paid premium for it. I would recommend standard rooms. Food is really good and maybe there is too much! Difficult to eat everything in the plates! It would be better to include in the price harbour costs, bicycles and kayak fee: this is not convenient for tourists to carry cash whereas the expenses can be anticipated when booking the trip (especially for families)

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Lovisa

Review Date: 19 Jun 2024

Review Body: We had a great time with Sunlight Cruise! We ended up having to change our dates for the trip and they were very flexible and accommodating to help us find a new date which suited us when they had availability. The schedule was perfect, always something to do but didn’t feel rushed at all. Great food as well!

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Matt and Carrie

Review Date: 03 Feb 2026

Review Body: Where to start! What an experience from pick up to drop off, Hai and the team were fantastic and settled us all in quickly. The cruise itself is just fantastic and we made friends with everyone on the boat enjoying cycling, swimming, karaoke and epic views! Stunning!

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Menno, Manon, Lynn & Stijn

Review Date: 28 Jul 2026

Review Body: We just loved that it’s a smaller boat. Traveling with a small group makes it much more personal. Our group was great! The staff was very helpful, the activities were fun and the surrounding are just stunning! This was definitely one the highlights of our holiday!

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Matt

Review Date: 28 May 2025

Review Body: Our guide Jack was fantastic, he made the experience a lot of fun for everyone. The cruise was great, food was good and the staff were all excellent. Lan Ha bay was unreal, extremely quiet and very minimal rubbish.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Emilio

Review Date: 11 Jan 2024

Review Body: Good experience and nice guide. Everything was well organised and according to plan. Lang Ha bay not crowded at all. Food was Ok considering we were on a boat but more fish and less pork would have been nice.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Helen

Review Date: 03 Aug 2025

Review Body: This was a really lovely trip. Highly recommended. Stephen our guide was attentive from start to finish, the activities were all well organised and the atmosphere was relaxed. Thank you Sunlight tours!

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Monique van de Velde

Review Date: 15 Mar 2025

Review Body: Goede gids en begeleiding Geweldig eten! Fijne hut Vriendelijk en behulpzaam personeel Gezellige kleine boot, niet teveel mensen

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Hannah

Review Date: 10 Jan 2024

Review Body: Fabulous cruise, not too touristy and a good mix of activities and free time. The crew and guide were great!

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Aziz

Review Date: 21 Dec 2024

Review Body: This was a good experience. If you want a less touristy, a bit more authentic bay experience than this is definitely it. As the boat is small, you connect with the other guests better which makes this cruise a more social experience. The only negative thing was that the hot water didn’t work in the shower. All in all good value for the price.

Review rating: 4

Review Author: Eline

Review Date: 06 May 2025

Review Body: The itinerary was as described, everything went smoothly. The negative points would be that the logistics/transfers from and to Hanoi was very hectic! Also, it says maximmum 14 people on the boat but we were actually 20 tourists...

Review rating: 4

Review Author: Tom

Review Date: 13 Jan 2024

Review Body: Great trip with varied itinerary. Food was really nice and plentiful. They catered for vegetarians very well. Slightly chaotic with the return journey back to Hanoi but that is to be expected.

Review rating: 4

Review Author: Em

Review Date: 06 Dec 2024

Review Body: The trip was ok, the guide and crew were amazing, however a couple of things to note. 1. The trip description said maximum 14 people. We had 17 and there easily could’ve been another 5 with the bed space available. (Space for 22+ people on the boat) 2. We initially booked a balcony room through seek Sophie but then were told this was no longer available. We were refunded for the room price difference but it was a consideration in why we chose this particular cruise. 3. I had dietary requirements which I noted in every step of booking a confirmation with the cruise company, however when we boarded the boat and sat down for lunch the crew seemed surprised. They catered for the restrictions but I ended up with very bland food (plain veg/salad no sauces). 4. The cruise didn’t visit any of the caves,(which it doesn’t say it will but worth noting) and some of the activities were a bit limited . 5. They only provided two small bottles of drinking water for 2 days for 2 people, which is not much, otherwise you needed to buy additional at a high cost $1US for 500ml.

Review rating: 3

Itinerary Day 1

Itinerary Summary: Enjoy the views of Lan Ha Bay.

Itinerary Description: 7:30: Pick-up at Hanoi Opera House. Travel to Cat Ba via the expressway, with 1–2 short stops along the way for bathroom breaks. 12:30: Arrive at Beo Harbour, transfer by tender to Sunlight Cruise, and enjoy welcome drinks, receive cruise briefing and safety instructions, then check into your cabin. 13:00: Vietnamese lunch will be served while you are cruising through the islands. 14:30: The cruise sails through Lan Ha Bay and into the Cua Van Area. You will be surrounded by an extraordinary karst landscape. Explore the bay by kayak. 16:30: Enjoy swimming in the nearby area. 18:00: Chill out on the sundeck. The crews will teach you how to make local spring rolls. You can have a drink and enjoy the sunset. 19:00: Dinner will be served 20:00: Join the fishing excursion or karaoke. You can also drink at the bar. Overnight on board.

Itinerary Day 2

Itinerary Summary: Breakfast, cycling, lunch, and return to Hanoi via boat and bus.

Itinerary Description: 7:00: You will have breakfast while the boat cruises to Viet Hai village. 8:00: Start cycling to Viet Hai Village with your guide. Viet Hai is a small village in the midst of jungles, covered by the high mountain range of the Cat Ba National Park. 9:30: Return to the boat for a shower and check out of your cabin 11:00: You will have lunch on board 12:00: Disembark at Ben Beo Harbour. Get on the bus to return to Hanoi. The return journey follows the expressway, with 1–2 short stops along the way for bathroom breaks.