Tuan Chau Island hotels & places to stay

Fantastic hotel. I booked this in a hurry on my travels through Vietnam and was expecting something quite different. I wasn't really after super luxury as I was looking for something unique and authentic an d I find posh hotels a little bit over the top for my tastes. However I made the best of it and enjoyed the luxury of a fantastic bed and huge shower. The area is quiet at the moment as work is still on going on Tuan Chau Island and I dare say this will change going into 2016. If there is anyone looking at this that is on a lengthy travel then if you spent some days on Cat ba island doing the full on backpackers drinking and exploring thing then this could be a great place to stay afterwards as you could chill out for one night have a fantastic shower and a great sleep in a huge bed. It also right next to the ferry port to Cat Ba so nice and handy.

We got such a stellar deal from agoda and Aphrodite didn’t disappoint at all! There’s a reason why their rating is truly the best! We loved the attention to detail everyone in the crew had (just a minor mashup with my food but was cleared right away). The food was EXCELLENT! And we loved that they do the room cleanup every meal time it seemed like magic to return to fixed room every single time! Tip tho— to save on $$ get a shuttle ride from old quarter versus booking the limo service (tho that was such a treat! Loved it!). If you take the shuttle bus it’s 50% less but make sure you get details on pick up for return to Old Quarter. Don’t even hesitate getting this cruise when in Hanoi— it’s a must and Aphrodite is the best provider there is. Just the right size for a boat and right number of guests to have personalized service. Ask about the activities tho especially if you have challenges walking and going up— the Tiptop (?) trip wasn’t well received by our co-travelers. I sat that one out since I was sleepy. The cave trip and the lagoon one were very very nice tho! Must try! Happy cruising!

Everything was so nice. The cabin was too clean and the cruise facility was too good. All employees were kind. Especially, Duy was one of the best crew in the cruise He always provided service with a smiling face. And when he gave me the shrimp It was really impressed Because he had a great skill to peel shrimp. It's so great that I can't record it!! ^0^ I recommend Alisa Cruise if you are planning to use cruise in Halong Bay. If there's one thing I'd like to do, I'd like to do kayaking in a zone where I can play between islands and islands. (For example, In the area where I can pass through the caves underneath or through the island.) And... While a kayaking, the ship slowly sank, but the crew was lucky to be nearby. (If we sank down in the middle of the sea far away from the crew, it could have been very dangerous..;;;;;) Next time, I hope you perform the proper maintenance of the kayak. If I have a chance, I want to use Alisa Cruis with my family. Alisa Cruise was the best choice for a pleasant trip.

This cruise was one of the highlights of my trip. Don't hesitate to book this ship. I saw many others on the sea and glad I booked this one. It is a new ship, the staff are superb and the food great. They work hard to accomodate everyones needs. I stayed in Tuan Chau for two days before because I didn't want the long drive from Hanoi and then get on the ship. So glad I did. Took a tour to Cat Ba island with Si who I booked at the hotel in Tuan Chau. Next time I will stay three days. I took the 3day 2 night cruise. You can stay the second night at the bungalows and they are in a dreamlike setting! I was supposed to go kayaking but because of shoulder problems they accomodated me, I spent the day st the bungalows, had a great trip back to catch the boat and relax in the two person Hot Tub in my room!! Absolutely everyone is friendly and super helpful. They are attentive to everyone at all times. They work really hard and totally deserve the highest rating. I was asked frequently if everything was OK. I would like to name names but then I would leave someone out and they would feel bad. Book this boat! I hope to go back next year and take the same cruise but also book time on Cat Ba island. You will not be disappointed. Karaoke is the fun of the evening but don't feel intimidated. Trying to show others that it was ok I delivered the worst performance in Karaoke history. Don't go for the cheapest boat, believe me , there are a lot of ones that the difference is significant and you can see that from looking at the outside of the boat alone. David Mark Benveniste

Simply amazing! After a comprehensive internet research decided to go for Paradise Elegance cruise. Comes with a higher price tag but worth every penny in return for the standard received. Ship is new, high quality and tastefully decorated. Rooms are 5 star hotel standard. Extremely clean, comfortable with all the amenities including a powerful hot shower and bath. Food amazing; great and tasty bufet selection and high end a la carte diner. Paradise itinerary goes through the real Halong Bay, hence you will see the highlights. Staff are very professional. Have to also mentiom a very professional and timely pick up drop off service from the hotel carried in a luxurious mini van with leather seats and available water. Considering a number of low quality and service ships, questionable safety I would not hesitate to pay little extra for what Paradise has to offer.

Our three-day, two night cruise was cut short by one day due to the approaching Typhoon Mangkhut in September 2018. Although we were disappointed, there were several upsides. Our guide, Ken, did his best to include as many of the planned activities in the shortened time we had. When we visited the famous “Surprise Cave” during our final morning, our group of 15 were the only visitors — we literally had the cave to ourselves as the coming storm evidently scared everyone else away. The shortened schedule was not a surprise, as we had been tracking the storm as it headed towards Southeast Asia. At the outset of the cruise, I received a phone call from Agoda informing me that Halong Legacy had instructed them to refund 50% of the cost of our cruise. Good service and a completely fair outcome. We had one of the 4 larger cabins on the 2nd deck of the Halong Legacy Legend boat (recommended), which was very comfortable. Food was abundant, and mostly good quality.

We heard lots of stories of disappointment of other boat operators in Halong Bay and we wanted to finish our 4 week holiday with something special - and Au Co Cruise did not disappoint. From the moment we booked, every point of contact with staff was efficient, helpful and friendly. Arriving on the boat confirmed we were in for a memorable few days. Our cabin was beautifully presented, clean and spacious. The meals on board were of exceptional quality and the crew were lovely. The two night cruise took us out further into the bay where the water quality is better, the scenery is magnificent and you escape the presence of 100 other boats & tourists. The activities/on-shore trips were well planned, just the right amount of time at each place and well worth doing. This company seems to put a lot of effort into training their staff and have a good corporate culture and it is reflected in the cruise. I highly recommend this cruise to anyone who wants the best possible experience of Halong Bay.

Not sure what happened with food on this boat but it was cheap and small quantity - almost like the chef was switched out or they were skimping out. The reason I say this is because on the last day we got the best cooked food / buffet / crab / seafood but ONLY on the last day ? and for the other days it was soup / chicken nothing special not filling. The host was good but at the end of every meal he would ask everyone if they were happy with the food - we all ate together it's not as if someone was going to complain in front of everyone else. Everything else was absolutely amazing - the boat is second to none - I did enough research and this is by far the best boat out there in terms of quality and facilities. The SeaView rooms are small and no good but are advertised as premium. We stayed in the Royal Suite room which was like a mini hotel room with its own balcony and sundeck chairs on the end of one side of the boat. Definitely recommend paying the extra for this beautiful room

Not sure what to expect cruising on a private charter for the first time, I now would recommend it to anyone and certainly Bhaya/Legend. We opted for the limousine transfer from Hanoi, which was a great start. Extremely comfortable, not rushed and punctual. The transfer through the cruise centre is slick and very professional. But, nothing could prepare us for the cruise itself. A brief trip to our cabin to reacquaint ourselves with the luggage we hadn't seen since the hotel and then a briefing from our Butler Mr Tien. He was genuinely interested in our likes and dislikes, from crowds to cuisines. He said from the outset that the better he knew about us, then the better he would make the experience. And how true I was. Our 5 course lunch was delicious, as were all the meals thereafter. The captain, by communicating with other vessels, guided the boat to every location minimising clashes with larger boats who were disgorging countless passengers. Fab Trip!

Went for 2 day 1 night on 18 Jan to 19 Jan. Made wrong booking on Agoda (1 person instead of 2). The sale staff (Mr. Andy Luu) was excellent in helping me to sort it out. I informed him I have special request for food and that the shuttle bus service to picked me up at Tuan Chau Hotel on 20 Jan instead of leaving for Hanoi on 19 Jan. The food on board was very excellent, and the lead steward (?) went around to make sure everyone is comfortable and to answer questions. Tai Chi session was a bit of a letdown, as the instructor does not seem to be bothered and in a world of his own. Would suggest him to stand facing the side of the boat instead of the back so that people have space to move. The staff on cruise somehow know which guests ordered the different dinner options, and even remembered my diet requirement without asking. Impressive. On 19 Jan, the lead steward insisted that I need to head back to the cruise centre for the trip back to Hanoi. I contacted Andy again who resolved the issue with the operation staff. He also help me to check with the lost and found department as I found out I lost my allergy medication after the cruise. Very excellent follow up from him.

I was blown away by the care and hospitality my butler, Ms Huyen (yes, you get a butler on Paradise Peak), as she tended to my every needs on the day transit boat. Ms Huyen was really approachable too; we had casual chats to know and understand each other better, shared jokes as if she was more of a friend than someone who was providing service for her job. Halong Bay itself was breath-taking, only if you truly enjoy nature. Paradise Cruises themselves make sure to protect the sanctity of the environment, so there wasn't any crazy partying or loud music like some of the other cruise ships. They seem to know the best times to visit attractions and beaches; Usually when we disembarked the ship we see hordes of tourists heading back to their ship, leaving the beach/cave/hiking trail for only us to enjoy. It was only until late afternoon when I finally boarded Paradise Peak. The Cruise Manager, Mr Teddy, was there to personally welcome on board, help me with the check-in process, and lead me to my room. Ms Huyen followed closely, and took the time to make sure I was familiar with the facilities of my room, including the Jacuzzi in the bathroom. Mr Teddy and some of the crew members also joined us as the guests jumped into the water in the middle of nowhere to cool ourselves off after a really hot day out. They organized ball games and made sure everybody that wanted to be involved were having fun. Food-wise it was absolutely amazing: street food aside, the 9-course Vietnamese dinner was straight up the best food experience I had during my 10-day stay all around Vietnam. In a very large nutshell Paradise Peak and Paradise Cruises is the best experience I've ever had with both a hotel and cruise. I would definitely book a Paradise Peak trip again when I go back to Vietnam. Special thanks to Mr Teddy, Ms Huyen and the rest of the ship crew for making my time on board such a memorable experience.

We booked the Queen Suite for a 3 day/ 2 night cruise in early April 2017. The bed was comfortable and we liked the way it was positioned to look out at the view through the large picture window. The additional (semi)private deck area was also nice. The photo showed a shade umbrella on the cabin deck which wasn't provided because it would blow over during cruising. The weather was so cloudy during our cruise that the lack of umbrella wasn't an issue. There was plenty of food during meals. The pumpkin soup was very good. All drinks at lunch and dinner are an additional charge - including water. I believe you will find this is the practice on most of the Ha Long Bay cruises. The staff was attentive & spoke English well. There was also a French speaking guide. We were looking forward to seeing the fishing village (which no longer exist because the bay is too polluted and over fished to make fishing viable), kayaking (which the government put a stop to as of April 1, 2017 - we did not see a single kayak on the entire bay), exploring Cat Ba island and Bat cave, Dark and light cave, and amazing cave (none of which were provided. We were told the government also made changes to access to Cat Ba island, etc). We did go to a pearl farm where we were given an informative and amusing tour by a local guide, were taken on a small "fishing" boat and shown how locals would drop gill nets & encourage the fish toward the nets, a trip to Ti Top island to swim or climb to the peak of the island, a boat ride inside Hang Luon to see the monkeys, and a stop at Me Cung to see the cave and hike up to see a small fresh water lake, which was interesting. Ha Long bay offers amazing natural formations and beauty and I'm sure it was really something 5 or 10 years ago, but now the water is littered with trash and swimming is quite uninviting. I'm glad we made a side trip to see Ha Long bay while we were in Vietnam, and Grey Line cruise was a good cruise line, however, the activities offered

This was the best experience i had in Hanoi & Halong bay. The stuff response to my request very fast, and give immediate assistant whenever i need, even before i reach Hanoi & Halong bay, they also willing to give all necessary & information for me. The V'spirit tour guide pick me from the hotel in Hanoi, and along the journey, they give all required information to us. The tour guide is very friendly and helpful for all request. On the cruise, i was very surprise and satisfied with the room condition. Room was very comfortable and clean. You don't face any issue with air conditional and water heater even on the cruise. The food is another impressive thing for me, i would give 5 star for the food, it was delicious and finger licking good. Most of all, Halong bay itself is the main character. It was so beautiful and fascinating that i will definitely coming here again. If you looking for a middle range pricing cruise in Halong Bay, i will definitely recommend V'Spirit as you top choice.

The food served out of the kitchen was delightful and tasty. The room was very clean had a good shower. After diner it was great to go on the top deck to drink and mingle with the other cruise people.The trip to the island ne by which included a walk to a lookout and swim was very enjoyable.The staff on the boat are friendly and can't do enough to help out.Highly recommend Glamor star cruise.

Where can I start? The beginning yes. Booked through online imperial junk halong for 2 day 1 night trip, It was one day ahead booking so couldn’t haggle much for a lower price, but you could get the same deal at 100 usd/person if you book ahead. When Luky came to pick us exactly at appointed hour of 8 am he told us that we got an upgrade for free to imperial legend , yay Lucky was lucky for I suppose. AC bus went from hotel to hotel picking people and reached ha long bay at 12:30 amidst the confusion of the staff to sort the people. In another half hour we were on the junk and at the lunch table. Delicious food started coming to the table that wouldn’t stop. Fries and salads and fish and meat and vegetables and rice and fresh fruit, you cant go wrong with food. However drinks including water were extra, don’t forget to pack a bottle or two of water if you are on a crunch. The price of drinks was double than the mainland. The weather was cloudy, no sun at all, but still enjoyable, I loved how the scenery appeared misty and magical, Lord of the Rings type. We went to see the caves, did kayaking, swimming, happy hour, squid fishing (we caught about more than a kilo of squid which was served at the breakfast next day). Met great travellers, staff was charming and helpful. Next day breakfast and pearl factory trip and lunch and back to the bus for transfer, back in Hanoi at 4:30 as promised. There was nothing to complain about, best part was food and the wonderful people we met on the junk, we shared contacts and met them again at our next common destinations. I would recommend paying little extra and taking the imperial cruise (however if you are looking to party on the boat look elsewhere as this is not the one, although we had our share of alcohol and music ;) Recommened for every onn with this company

We stayed for 4 nights and enjoyed our time. There is nothing at all about this hotel that we could complain about. The staff and facilities are top. If you don't mind walking 10 - 20 minutes, there are good places to go, such as Sandy Bay (good beach and cafes) and the ferry to Cat Ba Island. We took a Grab Taxi to the mainland and found SunWorld Amusement Park which was totally worth it, so lovely and fun. We stayed in October and expected huge crowds and rubbish/litter (as we were told) but in fact there were very few people (except for those going on harbour boats) and the entire area was clean. The bathroom was 5/5 star, really nice. Most people only are in Halong Bay for a few hours or not even a full day, but we decided to have a relaxing long stay and we are glad that we did so.

Had a great time on the imperial Cruise. Stayed one night on the boat and the other on nam cat island bungalow. Was travelling with my friend! The rooms were quite nice and clean with comfy beds. All of the food on the trip was excellent. Trip to the surprising cave is very touristy but worth a look around. Kayaking is fun! Stayed in a Deluxe Bbungalow and still had beautiful sea view! Lots of fun on the island and choice to take a cycle or relax on the beach. Our tour guide was fantastic and made the trip unforgettable. All round a great trip! Would recommend

Ha Long Bay Cruise is a must do. Margaret Cruises have a nice boat, clean, spacious and comfortable. The meals included with the cruise were excellent. The excursions were well organized and a great way to see things. Staff did their best to accommodate to the best of their abilities. The biggest criticism I would have is in regard to beverages. Coffee, tea, juices and water are not included with most meals. As a 5 star cruise one would expect not to be nickel and dimed for such things. All in all a great experience though.

Not too close to harbor to hear boats, not too far to walk. Was nicely designed and pool os best part of hotel. Rooms are dated with little signs of maintenamce. Wss a 4 star. Rapidly approaching a 3. It is no wonder why so many visitors to Halong Bay choose to stay in Hanoi and make the 12 hour round trip/cruise. Not many good choices in Halong and 3 x the price!

Although you hear of a ton of garbage, it’s not as bad as people make it out to be. Any cruise, it seems is a good one. Probably better to go with smaller ones 6-10 cabins than the massive ones. Has a bit more of a community vibe. If you can find a cruise that does not go to Titop Island, that would be best. It’s so crowded and you’re left there for 2 hours. Better yet- stay on the boat and enjoy the peace and quiet.

Stayed here one night after a tour of Ha Long Bay. I think it's a relatively new hotel and I'm pretty sure we were the only guests. At first glance the room was clean and well looked after, however, we did have some ants crawling around the room as well as a cockroach in the bathroom. Apart from this the room had good beds and a good shower. There isn't a lot to do around the hotel but from what we saw that could be said about the whole island.

I booked Imperial in hopes of getting the free upgrade after reading the reviews. Yeah I did ! Felt like I've won a lottery (Imperial to Silversea) Thank you! Our guide Tony came to pick us up from the hotel, gave us a brief insight of the itinerary, and background information of Halong Bay~ We headed there in a 4 hr coach journey, with a pitstop at a souvenir shop (washroom/snacks/souvenirs). Arrived at the port, and checked into our cruise smoothly and was ushered to our rooms. All the facilities are clean, in working condition, aircon was the BEST! Wifi was available at certain area of the cruise. Went to an island, for beach activities and hiking to the top view. The view is phenomenal, will recommend travellers to press on , to catch a glimpse of halong bay with all the tiny islands and cruise. Beautiful sight, a little crowded though. Lunch/Dinner was a 5-course meal, a little insufficient for a glutton like myself. Day2, we opt for a stay in the bungalow. Breakfast was buffet, yeah! Visited the surprising cave, crowded but a wonderful guided experience. Pity that there's no kayaking available any longer due to the current law regulations. Was ushered to another boat to take us to the Catba island bungalow. Visited the Catba town (Cannon Fort). The facilities in the bungalow can be improved a little, overall was a pleasant stay. Food was great as well. Got transferred back to Silversea Cruise in Day 3, learned to make Vietnamese springrolls, simple learning experience :) had buffet for lunch! Food was awesome! About the drinks, Yes they are a little pricey, but given their outstanding service and sincerity and buffet-style meal, luxurious course meal, BEST aircon, friendliest tour guide. The drinks are considered very affordable in my opinion. Once again, thank you Tony and all the awesome crew members for making our trip so memorable.

The pickup was on time with a nice minibus. The 4 hour drive (with a welcome break half way) is as bad as I remember but at least they are trying to improve the road (don't hold your breathe). As soon as we arrived we were taken onboard for a fantastic lunch as we sailed out into the Bay. The weather was poor (it was mid March) cloudy, cool but dry but our guide was very friendly and spoke good English as she outlined our itinerary for the 2 day 1 night cruise. Our first stop was the Vung Vien Floating Fishing Village where we transferred to a local sanpan boat (rowed by a 66 year old man who was stronger than me). It's amazing to see people living on the water this way. We stopped at the pearl farm to see how they culture pearls, then went back to the ship and cruised to Titov Island where we climbed for a spectacular view of the islands. We then returned to the ship and had a cooking lesson in making spring rolls before some squid fishing from the back of the ship. We then had a wonderful seafood dinner. The food really was first class on the ship. After dinner we had a film night then retired. Next day we had tea and pasties for breakfast as we sailed to the Surprise Cave nearby. After that we returned to the ship and had brunch as we sailed back to Halong City. This is a standard itinerary that most cruises follow but it works well even given the poor weather. As to the ship itself - it was in very good condition with well appointed cabins (we had a deluxe seaview cabin on the 2nd deck) that were well decorated and maintained. The ensuite was lovely with a good shower with lots of hot water. Everything worked in the cabin including the aircon unit. The rest of the ship was clean and elegant too with the staff very attentive and friendly. I can wholly recommend this cruising experience with Syrena. This is a mid-price range cruise package and you can pay quite a lot more but I doubt you'll have a much better experience than we did.

A lovely cruise with helpful and friendly crew who provided great service. Appreciated that they kept us a distance from tour groups in the restaurant so that we had a quieter table. The buffet meals were quite nice, a variety and plentiful. Drinks were comparable prices with dining in city restaurants, but the happy-hour prices were great. This is not a party boat, which was great for us. Movie screened was Indochina (French with English sub-titles). At our request they screened a different movie - Kong Skull Island - on the second night. The day-boat that we were transferred to on day 2 also provided great helpful and friendly services. It was an enjoyable cruise with memories to cherish.

As we got upgraded to their Stellar boat I can't comment on the Legend however as a company Aclass staff are excellent, friendly and will try their best to make sure you have an enjoyable time. The food was good and plentiful and as my daughter and her friend were vegan they provided an excellent alternative. My biggest tip is don't go for 1 night go for 2, we did and it was the best decision you get much more from this amazing place.

I booked this one night/two day cruise through Agoda, obviously, at least two weeks in advance. For all that time, I never received an email from neither Agoda nor the Indochina Sails regarding our transportation from Hanoi to Halong. Therefore, we took the liberty of going to the place it said on the website where we could take a minivan to Halong to get on the cruise. Luckily, we got there early to find out that we had to book our transportation beforehand and not on the spot. We intended on booking our transportation, but didn't find any contacts of the sort.We were also told by the other cruise companies that we were supposed to be picked up at our hotel in Hanoi and we were supposed to be informed by either Agoda or Indochina Sails. As it was approaching 8:00 AM (the time where the minivan was supposed to leave to Halong) I started to get panic. So, I gave Agoda a call and told them about the situation. An Agoda representative put me on hold for about ten minutes and wouldn't let me speak to the Indochina sails staff directly. While I was being put on hold on the phone, an Indochina Sails van showed up to pick my boyfriend and I up. As soon as we got inside the van, the driver had told us that he went to our hotel to pick us up and I was very confused because we weren't informed of the matter whatsoever. In about two minutes, I was put on the phone with an Indochina Sails rep. She told me that Indochina Sails was informed of where we were staying and it was Agoda that was supposed to let us know all of the transportation etc. All in all, I blame Agoda for their poor communication with me. All I got from Agoda was the confirmation and nothing else. How were we supposed to know what to do without being informed? I will really reconsider doing business with Agoda again. The cruise, on the other hand, was excellent. The food was surprisingly amazing. The service was superb and the program itself was well put together. I highly recommend this cruise.