Home Heritage Expedition Cruise | 4 Days, 3 Nights
Feel and live the destination, don’t just cruise through it. Heritage Expedition is a program particularly designed for those who love exploring and immersing themselves in local life, nature, culture and adventure to discover the authenticity of the destination.
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” Mark Twain said.
Heritage Expedition, four-day/three-night program
Feel and live the destination, don’t just cruise through it. Heritage Expedition is a program particularly designed for those who love exploring and immersing themselves in local life, nature, culture and adventure to discover the authenticity of the destination.
Venture off the beaten track, go kayaking and visit floating fish farms and villages. Discover secluded beaches, lagoons, coves and caves. The Heritage Expedition itinerary is the same itinerary as the 3-day cruise program, but the extra day gives you the time to discover the Cat Ba Archipelago in depth. We include a day to explore Cat Ba Island, Trung Trang Cave, visit the local market and a fishery factory, Beo seaport, Lan Ha floating village and Lan Ha Bay.
Cruising is all about personal experiences. With this expedition cruise, we ensure your cruising experience is comfortable and special, with excellent food, friendly staff, an interesting itinerary with many optional activities, service excellence, attention to detail, elegance, sophistication and a sense of adventure.
Heritage Cruises aims to offer each guest the opportunity to create their own memories with exquisite cuisine, 24-hour room service and fun activities. Dine whenever and wherever you wish, and choose from massage options.
This boutique cruise starts at Halong Bay, reached from Hanoi by shuttle bus (optional). At noon, the boat’s team welcomes you aboard and checks you into your exclusive cabin. The first part of the cruise presents the wild beauty of Halong Bay and part of Bai Tu Long Bay followed by Lan Ha Bay’s panoramas. A few minutes into the cruise guests are invited to taste Vietnamese dishes at the restaurant. This is just the beginning of four days packed full of highlights ensuring a memorable trip.
After this, guests have a range of options including massages, kayaking or afternoon tea. In the evening a chef gives a cooking demonstration featuring traditional Vietnamese spring rolls. After an a la carte dinner, activities can include board games and squid fishing.
The second day is dedicated to leisure including meeting locals and visiting remote villages, hidden coves and lagoons.
After breakfast on the third day, take the speedboat to the Gia Luan seaport to explore the largest island, Cat Ba. Visit the largest cave on the island, learn about the process for making the sauce at the Nuoc Man (Fish Sauce) factory, a favorite with the Vietnamese, then board the speedboat to explore Lan Ha floating village and Lan Ha Bay.
The fourth day starts at sunrise with Vovinam, a Vietnamese martial art session. It is followed by an exploration of Dark and Bright Cave, and there is enough time to take a swim or sunbathe on the beach. After checkout, brunch is served on board while cruising back to Got Ferry Terminal in Haiphong City for your onward destination.
DESTINATIONS
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ACTIVITIES
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Day One: Hanoi – Haiphong – Halong Bay – Lan Ha Bay
8:00 – 8:30 You will be greeted at your hotel to take the new highway to Got Ferry Terminal, Cat Hai Town, Haiphong City (if book our shuttle bus). You will travel on the longest bridge in Southeast Asia and be greeted at our lounge before boarding.
12:30 Board the Heritage Cruises boat and enjoy a welcome drink as you receive a cruise briefing, safety instructions and check in to your suite. Lunch is served at L’Indochine Restaurant.
12:40 Cruise to Da Chong islet, where you can see a heritage lighthouse built by the French more than 100 years ago. After lunch, cruise to Gia Luan Lagoon where limestone karst formations rise out of the sea. This quiet bay is untouched and remote, as not many cruise ships visit.
15:30 Approach the Ba Trai Dao beaches in Lan Ha Bay, a natural frontier between two provinces, Halong Bay and Cat Ba Archipelago. This is a secret hideaway with its pristine beaches, caves and coves, plus the natural beauty of about 400 limestone islands. Options include kayaking or swimming.
17:30 Head back to the cruise ship and grab a cocktail to watch the sunset over the Gulf of Tonkin.
18:30 Options include a tea ceremony, massage, or a Vietnamese traditional cookery class.
19:30 A memorable dining experience at the restaurant features local delicacies in an intimate setting.
21:30 Relax at the top-deck bar, try your hand at squid fishing. The bars are open late.
Day two: Halong Bay – Bai Tu Long Bay Hideaway
6:15 Practice Vovinam on the sundeck at sunrise, followed by coffee, tea and pastries.
8:30 Transfer to a speedboat to visit Viet Hai Village. Take a bicycle ride through a rainforest tunnel that leads to a rice-field vista. Visit a traditional house in a village deep in a national park where you can observe the lifestyle of the local people. Lunch is served in a restaurant at Viet Hai Village. Then, back to the speedboat to visit Bai Tu Long Bay.
13:30 Visit Bai Tu Long Bay where you can go bamboo boating, kayaking at Ba Ham Lake, enclosed by vertical cliffs (if the weather permits).
16:00 Return to Heritage Cruises and join a traditional cookery class. Watch the sunset over the Gulf of Tonkin and enjoy cocktails, beer or fine wine as the sky changes color.
19:30 Enjoy a fine-dining experience in the main restaurant.
21:30 Relax at the top-deck bar, try your hand at squid fishing. The bars are open late.
Day three: Expedition day on the Cat Ba Island, Lan Ha Bay and its floating village.
10:00 After a brunch de luxe, go by speedboat to the Gia Luan seaport and disembark to explore the largest island in the Gulf of Tonkin, Cat Ba.
10:30 Our driver and tour guide will meet you to drive you into the lush rainforest and scenic karst landscapes where you will stop to visit the largest cave, Trung Trang Cave, or Quan Y Cave close to Cat Ba National Park.
11:30 Head to the center of the island, join the locals at the market, and learn how Nuoc Mam (Fish Sauce) is produced, a favorite of the Vietnamese, at the fisheries factory.
13:00 Have lunch at local restaurant in the center of the island.
14:00 You can enjoy swimming from the Cat Co before heading back to Beo seaport.
15:15 Detour to the Beo seaport where the speedboat will be waiting to take you out to explore Lan Ha floating village, the largest floating village in the Gulf of Tonkin, and relish the beauty of Lan Ha Bay.
16:00 Your adventure on land and waters ends, and you are transferred back to Heritage Cruises.
1600-19:00 Free time to enjoy the swimming pool and enjoy a cocktail or glass of wine at the Pool Bar while the sun sets over the bay.
19:00 Dinner will be served at Le Tonkin Restaurant.
21:30 Relax at the top-deck bar, try your hand at squid fishing. The bars are open late.
Day four: Halong Bay – Hanoi
6:15 Start the day with a session of Vovinam on the sundeck
6:45 Have a light breakfast on board
7:15 Head off in a bamboo boat to explore the Dark and Bright Cave.
9:00 – 9:30 Return to the ship for checkout.
10:00 Enjoy brunch while cruising back to harbour.
11:00 Return to Got Harbour and relax at our lounge while your transportation arrives.
12:10 Departure to Hanoi for those who have booked our Limousine service.
14:00 Approximate time of arrival in Hanoi, and drop-off at your hotel.
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