Oriental Sails

We opted for the 2 day cruise with Oriental Sails and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves!So lucky that we had Mr. Jackie as our tour guide. He always looked out for us and the other guests, giving us excellent information and guiding us efficiently through the bay.Just about 30 people on the boat so we had much space to roam around and the freedom to speak to lots of other guests. Varied and delicious meals, even for two vegetarians like ourselves. Day 1 was for kayaking and day 2 was for visiting a cave, and we did some cooking classes and karaoke singing in between.It seemed like they could have organised the second day better, as we ended up arriving to the cave at the same time as another boat and had to queue for a bit to get in. Then we got back to the cruise and had ‘lunch’ at 10.40am. If there’s anyway to push back the time of the day so that we get back to the harbour just about an hour later, then it would be so much better.Regardless of this, it was a fantastic way to spend 2 days in northern Vietnam! Highly recommend Halong Bay and the Oriental Sails to take you there.

We started this cruise at about midday and went kayaking for about an hour through the maze of 100m high islands. We enjoyed the lunch and the spring roll cooking class that also happened on that day. We made use of the happy hour and watched the sunset from the top deck. There was also a great dinner which was served by some really nice staff. The cabins were comfortable and the bed was soft. We woke up early the next morning and went to the top deck to do some tai chi. There was a cave visit and some breakfast after this and we returned to the harbour at about 12p.Good food, service, activities and guiding from Mr. Jackie. Definitely recommend. 

EwaWoohaWe needed a special tour for this trip to Halong Bay. We were meeting my brother and his girlfriend, who live on the other side of the world, so we decided to reconvene in Vietnam and head out to Halong Bay to catch up. This tour did everything to facilitate that and it couldn’t have gone much better!We knew that the scenery wouldn’t be a problem, we just wanted a good guide to take us through it and a good crew to serve us on the boat. We got both of these things and more, especially with Mr. Jackie, who was friendly, informative and always looking to help. His organisational skills were brilliant and he really put in a shift to make sure we had a good time. He deserves a lot of praise.It’s a very nice boat with some very comfortable cabins. We liked the beds and the ensuite bathrooms in ours. We spent a lot of time in the communal areas, especially the dining room, where we had some really fantastic food served by a delightful crew.There were the usual sites that most itineraries seem to go to, but it was still fun to explore the cave, pearl farm and fishing village as well as kayaking around the limestone mountains. So beautiful.The perfect catch-up and excellent value for money. Thank you so much Oriental Cruise!

It was an amazing experience for me, my wife and our 4 year old son to have this time in Halong Bay. The whole place looks exactly like the pictures but it feels so much different when you’re actually there and in amongst all of those magical islands! The crew often make a cruise and this was no exception. Our guide Man (my boy referred to him as Superman and I can’t really disagree!) was phenomenal and made the tour so much better through his humour, attention to detail and the genuine care he showed for my who family. The rest of the crew were also very nice and worked very hard for us.Staying overnight was a magical experience, even our son slept the whole night! There was some great kayaking and a visit to the floating village, all between spending some relaxing stints on the boat, watching the view from the top deck.Absolute mountains of excellent food and some excellent cabins with nice bathrooms. Great windows where we could see the bay, but we often headed upstairs to the top deck as we knew our son would prefer to throw himself around a bit. Efficient transfers and a stop halfway through at an expensive but very clean shop with adjoining toilet.Spectacular trip all in all, I’d highly recommend it!

This was one of the best value for money experiences I think I’ve ever had. I think I probably owe them more! It is very cheap for the great service you get in one of the most beautiful places in the world.In my mind, Halong Bay is right up there with the Grand Canyon and the alleys around Paris. Unbelievable views constantly, you really can’t get a bad photo of this place! The atmosphere around the place is really good and it helps to create a communal atmosphere on the ship. I think overnight is an absolute essential as opposed to the day boats that they have. I now wish that I did the 3 day option as even the overnight doesn’t give you enough time.The ship itself is very elegant and the food that they serve on board is perfect. Many different options and a multi-course dinner that we really weren’t expecting. Our last mention goes to our lovely tour guide Ms. Tracy, who was knowledgeable and always very upbeat. I’m happily recommending the Oriental Sails and the services of Ms. Tracey to everyone!