2 Nights Cruise Through Bai Tu Long Bay with Indochina Junk Dragon Legend

Ha Long Bay is one of Vietnam’s most stunning natural wonders and receives over 11 million visitors every year, international and local alike. We absolutely loved sailing through this slice of paradise on a luxurious one-night cruise! But high popularity often means dense crowds, less pollution control and maybe not the quietness you were hoping to find in Northern Vietnam. Bai Tu Long Bay, on the other hand, is everything that Ha Long Bay isn’t! Secluded, pristine and little to no noise or environmental pollution. Getting off the beaten track and exploring this side of Ha Long for three days on Indochina Junk’s Dragon Legend was the soul recharge we didn’t know we needed!

Bai Tu Long Bay is situated in the northeast pocket of Ha Long Bay. While the expanse of Ha Long Bay stretches out over the span of 1553 sqkm, the 158 sqkm dedicated to Bai Tu Long Bay is secluded and practically untouched. With fewer visitors flocking to this side of the bay, the vastness of Bai Tu Long felt immense. We were often the only ship in sight!

The Dragon Legend cruises for three days and two nights, taking you to epic islands, caves, fishing villages and beaches. After experiencing this Bai Tu Long Bay cruise, we’re excited to share all the details with you in this review! And without further ado, let’s get into this three-day excursion sailing through the young dragon humps aboard a luxurious junk ship.

What Is a Junk?

You might be wondering why the Vietnamese cruise company calls itself “junk” at this point – or maybe that was just me? Not to be confused with scraps you pick up from a junk yard, it’s actually an anglicized loan word of the Chinese word ? “chuán”. A junk is a type of Chinese wooden sailing ship with sails that are fully battened. It’s beautiful if you get a chance to see the ship open its traditional sails fully!

The Dragon Legend Ship

The Dragon Legend is one of the larger crafts that cruise along the bay’s waters. It’s the newest member of the Indochina Junk fleet! The large boat features 24 cabins, 4 decks including a spacious sundeck as well as indoor and outdoor spacing, a spa, bar and other entertainment areas.

The meaning behind the Dragon Legend has everything to do with the Vietnamese legends of Ha Long Bay. Where Ha Long refers to the reverence of the descending Mother Dragon, Bai Tu Long refers to the reverence of her children. Dragons play a huge role in Vietnamese culture. Legend has it that the entirety of Ha Long Bay tells the story of the coming down of the dragon and her children from the heavens, in order to defend the Vietnamese people from invaders.

The dragon motif is ever-present on this boat, revealing a window into the Vietnamese legend of Bai Tu Long Bay. The dragon head placed at the bow of the ship is also another symbol of protection and prosperity.

Dragon Legend Cruise Itinerary

Between a morning pick-up from Hanoi on Day 1 and a late afternoon return on Day 3, the cruise itinerary is quite packed with a variety of experiences. There is some down time, but it’s mostly after the sun goes down or early morning before breakfast. Essentially, no cruise in Ha Long Bay – unless you opt in for a private cruise – will be super relaxing. And this two-night cruise is in fact one of the better options to have more downtime onboard!

After being picked up in Hanoi with a rest stop on the way to Ha Long, you’ll be able to check-in, get on board and start cruising by 1pm. On Day 1, you’ll visit the Vung Vieng Fishing Village for a rustic row boat experience and to learn about harvesting pearls while interacting with the locals.

Day 2 was our favourite with the most exceptional kayaking excursion in the hidden lagoons and geological park of Cong Dam. Back onboard, we also got to do a little cooking class, learning how to make bánh xèo, which is one of my favourite Vietnamese street foods!

Day 3 was quite a busy morning as we embarked on our last excursion earlier in the morning. We explore the island of Hon Co where we hike up to the Thien Canh Son Cave and finish with a swim or kayak at the beach. All of this before 10am when we had to check out of our rooms. The final experience was on our way back to Hanoi from Ha Long, where we enjoyed a water puppet show performed in a local village.

This is just a summary. Now let’s get into the detailed review!

Where to Stay in Hanoi

Included in your cruise package is your pick-up and drop-off at any accommodation in Hanoi’s Old Quarter. It’s the best area to stay in Hanoi in our opinion and there is no shortage of vacant and affordable stays here! In between different multi-day tours from Hanoi, we stayed at three hotels in Old Town. Our favourite was the Aurora Premium Hotel & Spa, which is a top notch 4-star property for super affordable.

If you’re looking for a place of an even higher caliber, then The Oriental Jade Hotel is a true 5-star for a lower price than any 2-star hotel we have in Canada! You can also check out the interactive map I have below for so many more accommodation options in Old Town Hanoi.

If you’re staying somewhere outside of the Old Quarter that surrounds Hoan Kiem Lake, there may be a surcharge for your transfer pick-up. Check with your guest relations representative at Indochina Junk if your hotel is eligible for complimentary pick-up!

Limo Van Pick-Up From Hanoi

At your designated time for pick-up, which is typically 8am, a limousine van will arrive at the pick-up location. Where we were staying, our hotel was along a street that wasn’t permitted for cars, so we had to meet our driver at the closest intersection. It was pinpointed to us by our rep who communicated with us prior to.

The limousine van that we got picked up in is so nice! If this is your first time experiencing a limo transfer in Vietnam, you’re in for a treat. Extremely comfortable and spacious seating, personal cup holders, seat recliners for the first rows, and sometimes some mood lighting… It doesn’t get much better than this. We all got complimentary waters that were already placed in our cup holders. And during our pick-up, the driver came around to place our luggage in the back for us.

The road to Ha Long is just a little over 2 hours, which means a rest stop is well appreciated. We stopped at a large pearl museum and boutique where we could go for a bathroom break and do some window shopping. There were also many stalls selling all kinds of local snacks, hot foods and drinks. We enjoyed a hot cup of Vietnamese coffee during our break here. After about thirty minutes, we hit the road again for Ha Long.

Arrival & Check-In at Indochina Junk Waiting Lounge

Our driver dropped us off at the Indochina Junk office and check-in area. He brought our luggage out, along with the help of the Indochina Junk staff, and as we checked in with our hosts, they provided luggage tags and tied them on our suitcases. They then organized all guest luggage pieces based on what ship we were assigned to with colour coded tags.

Jason and I were smoothly ushered into the indoor waiting lounge to proceed with our check-in. It was super quick and we just filled out any information the team might have been missing while we were seated on the couches. After a quick minute to check-in, we enjoyed about 20 minutes relaxing while we waited for all other guests to arrive.

Our hosts offered us some welcome tea at the lounge and came around to offer seconds. We weren’t hungry as we had packed some snacks, but they actually had a cute snack vendor stall in the waiting lounge you could purchase from.

Before we headed out, we were encouraged to finish and leave any disposable plastic bottles and bags we had on us. In an effort to preserve Ha Long Bay, the city’s management has started to ban these harmful plastics that can so easily get thrown off-board, polluting the waters and harming the bay’s marine life. If you want to carry your own water onboard with you, we recommend packing your own reusable water bottle!

Boarding the Dragon Legend

As our boat name and number were called, we started lining up and heading out the door to get on an electric buggy. The short buggy ride led us to the Halong International Cruise Port.

We migrated as a group from the entrance to the other side of the building, following our lead guide. The train of guests slowly came together at the port, and our guides counted us to make sure we were all there. Then they led us down to the docks and we boarded one of two tender boats, along with our group’s luggage.

We weren’t there yet! We pulled out of the marina, seated with our lifejackets on, and we slowly reached our home for the next two nights. The Dragon Legend staff greeted us with the cutest waves as we approached the junk ship! It reminded me of our seaplane arrival at Conrad Maldives.

Finally, we made it onboard! We were ushered to the dining room on the third level where we took a seat at any table we wanted. The dining room was already set up for lunch but you could sit anywhere for now. Our host proceeded with going through introductions of himself and the crew while we were provided a welcome drink and moist towelette. The team proceeded with the safety briefing and then came around to give us the keys to our cabins so we could settle in before lunch.

Our Dragon Legend Stateroom

When we reached our room, our luggage was waiting for us at the door and neatly placed on both sides of the doorway. We brought them into our stateroom and had more than enough space for luggage storage within the hallway that stretches from the bedroom to the bathroom. We also found our branded indoor rubber slippers stored in the cabinets here which we slipped right into.

There’s a total of 24 cabins on the junk ship and every single one of them has an ocean view. Our room was on the first floor along the starboard and towards the stern (back of ship). It was pretty quick for us to get to the stern and hop on the tender boats since we were so close!

One thing we noticed was a damp smell on our floor. It was somewhat unpleasant, and possibly due to guests getting wet and creating a trail of wetness on the carpet. Fortunately, the smell didn’t creep into our cabin and we could leave that at the door!

Everything about this ship’s aesthetic exuded an old-world elegance and traditional luxury over modern luxury. The dark wood and the colours and symbols of Indochinese prosperity are predominant in the room, and they bring you back in time to Vietnamese luxury of an older era. There are of course still timeless touches and comfort throughout the room!

The decor actually reminded me so much of what my parents have. The art pieces and tapestries, dark red round decorative pillows, the white and blue lamp stands and vases and even the curves and framing of the furniture. This is a theme I see a lot in my parents’ home!

Bedroom

The bedroom was comfortable and spacious, particularly for a cruise cabin. The king size bed was really comfortable and faced a medium sized flatscreen TV installed on the wall. We didn’t end up using the TV but our understanding is that you can request to play select movies that they have in their entertainment repertoire.

On one side of the bed against the interior wall is a vanity counter with a large round mirror, giving me plenty of space to do up my face if need be. A large jewelry box that resembles one I have at home passed down to me was set on the countertop. A couple of snacks were placed here as well as two glass bottles of drinking water. With Ha Long Bay making strides to reduce plastic waste ending up in its waters, glass bottles are the way to go on the cruise. If you run out of water, you can request housekeeping to fill the bottles up any time.

On the other side of the bed is a window enclave with some seating to peer out to the view. It’s not incredibly spacious but adds a little living area to the bedroom.

Bathroom

Through a door on the exterior wall of our cabin was a four-piece bathroom, complete with a large bathtub, a shower, sink and toilet. The fixtures seemed to have been replaced with a more updated look while some of the finishes were kept original. The bathroom was spotless nonetheless.

The tub was large enough to fit two people – perfect for a romantic soak! And it had quite the view through a large window you could also manually open!

The shower stall used a curtain which isn’t my favourite and the built-in hairdryer was outdated. But I guess, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it! Both these things impeded on us in no way. They just might be due for an upgrade soon. Shampoo and shower gel were provided in reusable bottles and a new soap bar was placed at the top-mount basin sink for our hands.

One decorative feature I loved in the bathroom was the wooden ladder used to display and hang our Indochina branded bath towels! The towels were also incredibly thick and soft. Definitely a luxury quality we appreciated.

Dragon Legend Dining

Aboard the Dragon Legend, every meal, apart for additional drinks, was part of an all-inclusive package. We were provided with seven meals from boarding to disembarkation: three lunches, two dinners and two breakfasts. All meals were family style or self-serve buffet style with the help of the staff. The quality of the dishes was quite superb, with no repeated dish being served throughout the cruise. Apart from the seasonal fruit which stayed the same!

We feasted on so much fresh seafood and tasty Vietnamese specialties. There were some dishes that didn’t quite hit the mark for us but some that completely wowed us with the flavours! But I mean, you can’t really go wrong with Vietnamese ingredient combinations.

For each lunch and dinner, we shared at least six different dishes with a variety of fresh and cooked vegetables, seafood, fish, beef, chicken and sometimes pork. Us Vietnamese love a variety of fresh cold dishes as well as hot dishes including soups. This is honestly how I love enjoying a meal – being able to try smaller bites of different things.

One of our absolute favourite dishes was the fresh oysters topped with a tapenade made out of peanuts, lime juice, onions and fried shallots along with other herbs. That one hit the spot! Another was the crispy fried fish that we got to wrap in rice paper with fresh slices of veggies and dip in a fresh fish sauce. Deeelicious!

But the best meal of all was our outdoor lunch BBQ! Coming back from our excursion on the second day, the sun came out just in time and we got to have a feast with savoury BBQ skewers of various meats and a delicious ensemble of side dishes. We also got to enjoy the grilled squid that some of us caught the night before! More on night squid fishing in a bit.

Off-Ship Excursions & Sightseeing

Our itinerary was the perfect blend of enjoying our time on the ship and out exploring the sights of Bai Tu Long Bay. Each of the days, we were out discovering new places in different capacities.

Vung Vieng Fishing Village

On our first day after leaving Ha Long, checking into our cabin and enjoying lunch on the ship, we were bound for the Vung Vieng Fishing Village. We got to learn about the cultivating and harvesting of stunning varieties of pearls and we set sail on the most peaceful rowing adventure.

In groups of about six we hopped on a traditional fishing rowboat as a local villager rowed and steered our wooden watercraft from behind. The rowers were so quiet and efficient at guiding the boats that we felt like we could lose ourselves in the quiet serenity.

This was our first closeup view of the limestone islands jutting out of the calm deep blue-green waters. We passed some local fishermen on their houseboats as we made our loop through the beautiful and pristine Vung Vieng area.

Anytime we saw a piece of rubbish floating in the water – which wasn’t often – our rowboat captain used his handmade net to pick it up and put it in his garbage bucket. We could see the village really trying to make the effort to clean the bay’s waters, for the betterment of its people, marine life and the scenery.

A great start to our Bai Tu Long Bay cruise! Even as a slight rain drizzle was coming down. Indochina Junk prepared us with our own rain ponchos, umbrellas and rice hats to keep dry and warm.

Kayaking in Cong Dam Geological Park

On our second day, we embarked on our favourite tour and highlight of our entire cruise. This was one of our most incredible kayaking experiences, as we explored the Cong Dam geological park with no end or other ship in sight! Our group of 30 or so set off with our main cruise guide leading the way through the precious waters and lush mountainous islands.

The silence was deafening. I felt like we teleported to another world where no one else existed but us. This is the very reason why we fell in love with the remoteness and peacefulness of Bai Tu Long Bay. And this is what separates it from the crowded Ha Long Bay.

As we kayaked through the calm sea, we explored different caverns and holes in the islands. And after about 1.5 hours of a gentle row, we circled clockwise around a few islands in search of a secluded and unnamed beach.

We were meant to take our BBQ lunch here on the beach – the tender boats were going to bring the food and equipment. But it started to rain a little and the consensus was for us to return back to our ship and enjoy lunch there. As I mentioned above, the sun ended up coming out and we had a delightful and elegant BBQ lunch on our top deck after freshening up on the Dragon Legend!

Hiking to Thien Canh Son Cave

On our last day after a quick yet yummy breakfast, we docked at Hon Co Island for our last excursion. This was the first time it felt just a tad busy with other cruises docking here in the morning as well. We took a short hike up to the mouth of a small cave called Thien Canh Son. It wasn’t a particularly remarkable cave but the stalagmites and stalactites were fascinating nonetheless. A short walk through and we were at the other entrance to the cave, a neat viewpoint where we could spot our junk ship!

We actually had a few moments where everyone left and it was just us too at the viewpoint, having the cave all to ourselves! After snapping a few shots, we followed our group back down the well constructed steps of the hike to the shores of Hon Co Island.

We spent about half an hour of free time soaking in our last bit of Bai Tu Long Bay taking a stroll along the beach. Some of the families spent theirs kayaking in the shallow waters at no cost or dipping their feet in the water. It was much too cold to go for a swim so we opted to simply take in the scenery from the sand.

Onboard Activities

Across the 48 hours that you’re on the ship, you do get a bit of off-time to do whatever you’d like. Whether that’s relaxing in your cozy cabin for some quiet time, playing board games in the living area beside the dining room or joining in on some complimentary scheduled activities, there’s always something to keep you busy.

Morning Tai Chi

In the morning at around 7am on the second day, you can partake in an invigorating morning ritual of Tai Chi on the sundeck to wake up your mind and body. I felt so tired before and honestly just wanted to sleep in. But after the Tai Chi session, I was so ready to take on the day with the fresh morning air filling my lungs and a good dose of oxygen in my limbs.

Dip in the Sundeck Mineral Pool

When it’s nice out and especially after getting out on an excursion, you can take a dip in the deck’s mineral seawater pool. There are’t many plunge pools out there with a moving view like this one! You can take a dip in the pool anytime you’d like so this one’s isn’t scheduled in, but perfect to squeeze in on a sunny afternoon after your excursion.

Bánh Xèo Cooking Class

On day 2 in the afternoon, after working up our appetite, we tried our hands at making a specialty street food favourite in an open cooking demonstration. Everybody was able to participate in making their own bánh xèo: a deliciously crispy fried seafood pancake. It’s a thin Vietnamese crêpe made out of rice flour and filled with fried pork belly, shrimp, bean sprouts, fresh leafy greens and green onions. Dipped in a fresh zesty fish sauce and you’ve got a mouthwatering street food treat!

Night Squid Fishing

Lastly was our nightly squid fishing session! After night fall, you can head to the stern of the ship and grab a fishing rod to test your squid fishing skills. It is hard! We never caught one, but we had some great laughs when others did and got squirted with black ink. Ha! We knew to come protected with a rain poncho the next night. It was fun rhythmically swinging the rod up and down hoping to feel a tug and preparing to dodge a black spray. It was also a great way to bond with the other guests before heading off to bed!

Indochina Junk Cruise Pros & Cons

There were a number of things we loved about our Indochina Junk two-day cruise through Bai Tu Long Bay and a few things we thought needed improvement. We want to be fully transparent with you so that you can best prepare for your time aboard the Dragon Legend! Even though this post is written in partnership with Indochina Junk, we share our experiences with full honesty to give you the best picture we can.

Below are our pros and cons of the cruise. But don’t get us wrong! Every con here we were able to overlook and the feedback was most welcome by the Dragon Legend team. We hope that by the time you board the ship for your Bai Tu Long Bay cruise, you won’t even have to think of it!

Conclusion

Cruising with Indochina Junk’s Dragon Legend is one of our most valued experiences in all of Asia. With touches of luxury and unmatched skills of the service staff, guides, cooks and crew, we were completely enamoured with our time cruising along Bai Tu Long Bay. We felt that two nights and three days was just perfect for us to take in the sights, go on fun excursions and experience the lesser travelled side of Ha Long Bay. There was also plenty of time and space for us to get to know and bond with the other guests, which definitely isn’t common space on other cruises.

After we docked back at the Ha Long pier and said our goodbyes, we all split off to go onto our next destinations. But most of us who were heading back to Hanoi got to enjoy one last experience together: a traditional Vietnamese water puppet show! At the Yen Duc village in the Dong Trieu province, we stopped for a fun performance of singing and puppeteering in a pond, while enjoying some treats and tea.

Our cruise had a few things that could do with some improvement. But if you’re looking for a two-night cruise of high value and serene landscapes, you cannot go wrong with the Dragon Legend! Thinking of booking this incredible experience for yourself? You can do so right here on Viator!