DAY 1 – HANOI | TRANSFER TO HA LONG BAY | LUON CAVE | TITOP ISLAND
07:30 — Hanoi Departure Private limousine or shuttle bus transfer from your hotel in Hanoi’s Old Quarter to Ha Long Bay — approximately 3.5 hours through the Red River Delta flatlands as the limestone horizon of Quang Ninh Province gradually emerges ahead.
11:30 — Tuan Chau Marina | Welcome & Check-in Arrive at Tuan Chau International Cruise Port and be welcomed by the Amanda team in the air-conditioned lounge. Complete check-in formalities before boarding.
12:00 — Embarkation | Welcome Aboard Step aboard Amanda Cruise to a welcome of chilled towels and a refreshing welcome drink. Your cabin — all 25 are ocean-facing — is ready. The vessel casts off into Ha Long Bay as lunch is served in the on-board restaurant: Vietnamese and international cuisine prepared from fresh ingredients, eaten as the karst towers begin to multiply around the ship.
14:00 — Luon Cave | Kayak Excursion Transfer by tender to Luon Cave — one of Ha Long Bay’s most serene water caves, its entrance a low archway of limestone that opens into a hidden lagoon ringed entirely by karst walls and open to the sky above. Kayak or raft through the cave’s interior, the paddle echoing off formations that have been accumulating for hundreds of millions of years. The guide points out the stalactites and the green water below; everything else is silence.
16:00 — Titop Island | Summit Hike & Swimming Transfer to Titop Island — named after Soviet cosmonaut Gherman Titov, who visited Ha Long Bay with Ho Chi Minh in 1962 and declared it the most beautiful place on earth. Hike the 400-step staircase to the summit for a panoramic view over the bay’s 1,600 islands in every direction — the most complete Ha Long Bay view available from land. Or swim in the clear water at the island’s curved beach below, the karsts reflected in the water around you.
17:30 — Sunset Party & Cooking Class Back on board and moving toward the evening anchorage, the sundeck becomes the site of the day’s most social hour. Sip Vietnamese tea or coffee as the bay turns gold around the ship, and join the chef’s demonstration of Gỏi cuốn — Fresh Spring Rolls: rice paper, river herbs, vermicelli, and grilled shrimp assembled at the table and eaten immediately. Happy Hour runs simultaneously: buy two drinks, receive a third.
19:30 — Gala Dinner on the Sundeck When the weather allows — and in Ha Long Bay it usually does — the evening meal moves to the open sundeck under the stars. The ship anchored in a quiet section of the bay, no other vessel within sight, the limestone karsts dark shapes against the night sky: this is the dinner setting that Amanda was designed to deliver.
21:30 — Evening on the Bay The night belongs to whatever draws you. The herbal foot bath prepared in your cabin — warm water infused with traditional Vietnamese herbs, the foot basin waiting on your cabin floor — is one of Amanda’s most consistently praised touches. Or: Bamboo dancing on the sundeck, a fashion show of traditional ethnic minority costumes called Footsteps of Heritage, squid fishing from the lower deck with lines provided by the crew, or simply the Sky Bar with a drink and the silence of Ha Long Bay at anchor.
The vessel anchors overnight in a quiet bay, away from the main cruise traffic.
DAY 2 – SUNG SOT CAVE | HA LONG BAY | RETURN
06:15 — Tai Chi on the Sundeck The bay at dawn. Morning mist in the karst valleys, the water completely still, and a Tai Chi session on the upper deck as the light strengthens — the single most peaceful hour available on any Ha Long Bay cruise.
06:30 — Light Breakfast Tea, coffee, pastries, and fresh tropical fruit served on board as the vessel moves toward the morning’s first destination.
07:30 — Sung Sot Cave Disembark by tender for Sung Sot — Surprise Cave — the largest and most visually dramatic cave in Ha Long Bay, its two main chambers measuring 10,000 and 12,000 square metres respectively. The path to the cave mouth passes under a canopy of jungle vegetation; inside, the guide leads the group through formations of aragonite crystal, cave pearls, and stalactites of shapes that Vietnamese imagination has named after animals, gods, and landscape features for two centuries. The cave earned its name from the French geologists who first mapped it: they had not expected anything on this scale.
09:30 — Check-out & Final Time on Board Return to the vessel for check-out. Leave luggage with the crew, settle any additional charges, and take the remaining time on the sundeck — photographs of the bay, a last look at the karst horizon, and the particular feeling that comes at the end of a Ha Long Bay morning that has been genuinely unhurried.
10:00 — Early Lunch Buffet A full buffet lunch at the restaurant before disembarkation — Vietnamese and international dishes, the seafood prepared from the morning’s market.
11:00 — Tuan Chau Marina | Disembarkation Arrive at Tuan Chau Marina. Private transfer back to Hanoi or onward to your next destination. Optional: a bicycle ride around Tuan Chau Island before departure, available for guests returning by shuttle bus.
Tour Inclusions
- 1 night accommodation on board Amanda Cruise (5-star, ocean-view cabin, daily breakfast)
- Welcome drink and cold towel on embarkation
- 4 meals as per itinerary: lunch (Day 1), Gala Dinner (Day 1), light breakfast (Day 2), early lunch buffet (Day 2)
- Gala Dinner on the sundeck (weather permitting)
- Herbal foot bath basin and herbal bags in cabin (complimentary)
- Fresh fruit in all cabins throughout
- Afternoon tea service (15:00–16:30) and late-night complimentary menu (21:00–23:30)
- Luon Cave kayak or raft excursion
- Titop Island summit hike and swimming
- Sung Sot Cave guided visit
- Sunset cooking class: Fresh Spring Rolls
- Footsteps of Heritagetraditional costume fashion show
- Bamboo dancing activity
- Squid fishing experience
- WiFi on board
- Complimentary cabin decoration for birthdays, anniversaries, and honeymoons (on request)
- All sightseeing entrance fees and service charges
Tour Exclusions
- Transfers Hanoi–Ha Long (available separately: limousine bus or shuttle bus)
- Beverages beyond the complimentary menu
- Massage and spa services (available on board, subject to additional charge)
- Personal expenses and gratuities
What to Bring
Swimwear for kayaking and swimming · Waterproof bag for phone · Sunscreen, hat, sunglasses · Flip-flops and sneakers · Passport or valid ID
Practical Information
Vessel: Amanda Cruise — 5-star boutique cruise, 25 ocean-view cabins, sundeck, Sky Bar, spa room, Jacuzzi, restaurant
Boarding Time: 12:00 at Tuan Chau Marina, No. 12
Disembarkation: 11:00 at Tuan Chau Marina
Best Time to Travel: April – October (best visibility and warmest water for swimming)
Sun DMC Contact: For NET rates and B2B booking, contact your Sun DMC account manager.
Hanoi → Ninh Binh → Ha Long Bay → Ho Chi Minh City → Mekong Delta 
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