Cruise Highlights & Activities:
Subject to change without prior notice
Ha Long bay will have the services if the top luxury cruise – Ha Long Violet Cruise
It will officially be launched on 1st November 2009, The newest five-star junk – the Ha Long Violet – will be fitted out in the 1930’s Indochine style. It will feature a boutique dining room, library & lounge, Spa & Gym and 6 individual theme cabins with marble bathroom, Jacuzzi & balcony.
The junk will also cruise its own way away from the crowd to untouched areas of the bay with a longer overnight cruise
Enjoy day-catch seafood or Vietnamese fusion cuisine in a spacious boutique dining room, indulge yourself with glass of champagne watching the
Sun set over bay or just relax with gentle pampering in Violet spa after exercise in the Violet gym. Ha Long Violet is the ideal place for honeymooners, small family or couples of friends who want to discover an exotic area while still enjoy the elegant comfort.
Leave Hanoi at 7:45 AM and arrive in Ha Long Bay around 12:00PM by private car or van (transportation service on your request)
Welcome aboard and sail through the Ha Long Bay. Allow your eyes to swim through the azure waters of this magical place, where thousands of sculpted limestone and islands rise from the water like gigantic teeth of dragons. Pass through picturesque areas like the Mat Quy and Am islets.
A delectable buffet lunch is served shortly upon boarding and you find yourself getting acquainted with the facilities of the boat. The boat starts to cruise into the Bay and within the first hour you can enjoy this World Heritage Site.
A first visit will take our guests by tender to the Tien Ong Cave. The Cave is huge – about 2.000 sqm –and is peppered with beautiful stalactites and stalagmites, formed out of ancient limestone karsts about 700,000 years ago. The cave is four meters above sea level. This visit will last approximately 20 minutes (we strongly recommend that you do not wear high heel shoes for this excursion).
The voyage continues with the arrival at the Cua Van Fishing Village, the biggest and oldest fishing village in Ha Long Bay via a pleasant boat ride (a maximum of four persons per boat). You will pass by this ancient village which comprises floating houses and floating schools – simply irresistible.
After returning to the boat in the late afternoon guests can sharpen their culinary skills at our cooking class performance conducted by our energetic chef. Surely you can give him a helping hand any time and try your skills in preparing special Vietnamese dishes. The boat cruises slowly with the evening sun to its mooring points. If not now when then it is time to enjoy a massage or at least to quaff a drink – in the miraculous descending sun – on our terrace deck.
At approximately 19.00h guests can attend a presentation in the restaurant area about the Ha Long Bay before dinner is served.
The night is yours – kick back on a comfy pillowed bench and inhale the surreal beauty whilst sipping a glass of wine.
Not many places in the world offer those special feelings. The mooring place is a fantastic overnight spot with glittering lights from the other boats and a calm sea, perfect for your first dream in the middle of the Bay where once Dragons played amid sparkling jewels.
Take a light bike ride along the coast line of Cat Ba, through the rain forest to the Viet Hai village. A fantastic way to get in touch with the nature of the biggest Ha Long Island, please read below the options of this day:A. If weather conditions are good:
In the morning, the Sunset crew welcomes all guests from Ginger, Jasmine and Violet. A breakfast is served in the cozy restaurant while the Sunset moves deeper into the Ha Long Bay straight to Cat Ba Island. The nature is simply marvelous in this area of the Bay. We arrive at Viet Hai dock and take a leisure bicycle ride along the water front, passing forests and a stone tunnel on the way to the Viet Hai Village. We explore the village with its traditional houses and its residents. Guests can take a short walk to the surrounding jungle. The journey continues to the local primary school (Heritage Line supports this school with teaching equipment). A memorable way of interacting with the children in the classroom is to become their substitute teacher or sing along with the kids – if you dare. After this, guests cycle back to the dock and board the junk. The cruise continues unhurried to Ho Ba Ham. During this slow trundle, lunch is served. At this secluded area guests kayak through water tunnels and close to stunning rock and islets. This beautiful lagoon allows as well jumping from the boat or at a quiet beach for a refreshing bath. Back on board take your seat or bench on the sun deck and simply dive into the nature on the way back to your mother junk for your second night.
B. If weather conditions are not good (strong waves prohibit cruising to Viet Hai Village)
In the morning, the Sunset crew welcomes all guests from Ginger, Jasmine and Violet. A breakfast is served in the cozy restaurant while the Sunset moves deeper into the Ha Long Bay straight to Cat Ba Island. Even the weather might not be that suitable but still the Bay offers mysterious views and photo objects from the sun deck.
Kayak and swim at the Hai Quan lagoon area and get in close touch with the Bay. Before midday, we cruise to the “Surprise Cave”. Lunch will be served in the restaurant of the Sunset. After lunch, guests visit the “Surprise Cave” or they can engage in kayaking around the Luon cave tunnel.
In the afternoon, the Sunset cruises back via several Ha Long Bay sights – Cua Van fishing village – Soi Sim – Dau Xuoi channel and Toad Islet – before boarding the mother junk again for the overnight.
Preparation and inclusions on this day:
– Biking helmet, First aid kit, durable shoes, water bottle during cycling, torch for cave visit, rain coats (in case of light showers, in the event of heavy rain, biking will be cancelled), kayaks/paddles and life jackets.
– For guests who do not want to go cycling to Viet Hai: Enjoy a relaxing spa treatment on board or walk along the water front, fish at the dock or take a cooking lesson from the chef.
For early risers complimentary tea, coffee and pastries are served in the restaurant followed by – if you so desire – a Tai Chi Class on the terrace deck (7.00 AM), A great morning activity to feel one with this natural wonder. Then it is time for an early morning bath – in the Bay. By tender boat we bring the guests to a natural white sandy stretch of a beach with crystal clear water. Sporty ones can climb up to a hill top to have a last view from above over the Ha Long Bay before we return to the boat and cruise slowly back to Ha Long City, passing picturesque areas like the Ti Top Island, the Tam Cung Cave and Poem Mountain.
During our trundle, a buffet brunch is served before we arrive at the shore at around 11.00h. The crew will bid you farewell and you disembark with our tender boat to the Tuan Chau Pier.
