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CruisesReview · overnight cruise

La Pinta Cruise review: is it still sailing Lan Ha Bay, and what to book instead

La Pinta Cruise is a small balcony-cabin boat sold for Lan Ha Bay, but nothing about it can be confirmed from the operator today. Its website cannot be read, the pier in agency itineraries no longer works as a ferry pier, and no big platform sells it under its name.

Operator
Not identified; official site unreachable
Ship
La Pinta (marketed as luxury)
Cabins
16 with balcony (agencies); one listing says 20
Launched
Not published
Boards at
Cat Hai, Hai Phong side (agency itineraries)
Route
Lan Ha: Tra Bau, Viet Hai, Van Boi, Dark and Bright Cave
Price
Not published by the operator; agencies exclude 10% VAT
Official site
None readable

Updated October 16, 2026Facts checked against official sourcesContains affiliate links

La Pinta Cruise appears on agency pages and on Expedia as a Lan Ha Bay boat with 16 balcony cabins, boarding on the Hai Phong side rather than at Tuan Chau. That would make it unusual and attractive. The problem is that none of it can be checked at the source: every known La Pinta web address either blocks visitors, shows a broken security certificate or does not respond. Until the operator can be reached directly, we would book a comparable Lan Ha boat whose details are confirmed.

Our scores

Route
4/5Agency itinerary stays in Lan Ha with Viet Hai and the Dark and Bright Cave
Cabins
3/516 balcony cabins (agencies), sizes not published
Transparency
1/5No readable official site; operator not identified
Value
2/5No direct price; agency prices exclude 10% VAT
Booking flexibility
2/5Only via agencies and Expedia-type resellers

Pros

  • Agency itinerary is all Lan Ha: Tra Bau, Viet Hai village, Van Boi beach, Dark and Bright Cave
  • Small ship: 16 cabins, all with balcony according to agencies
  • Boards on the Hai Phong side, a shorter sail into Lan Ha than from Tuan Chau

Cons

  • Official websites blocked, broken or offline
  • Cabin count conflicts (16 or 20)
  • Boarding point given as "Got pier", which closed as a ferry terminal on 1 March 2024
  • Not sold under its name on GetYourGuide, Klook or Trip.com
  • Agency prices exclude 10% VAT

What is La Pinta, and is it still running?

What can be said with some confidence comes from Vietnamese agencies and international resellers. La Pinta is marketed as a luxury or "5-star" Lan Ha cruise with 16 cabins, all with a private balcony. A hotel-booking site lists a "Lapinta Luxury Cruises" property in Hai Phong with 20 cabins, which does not match. Launch year, operator name and cabin sizes are not published anywhere readable.

Expedia and Travelocity list a 2-day "La Pinta Luxury Cruise Halong Bay & Lan Ha Bay" and a 3-day version, sold through a tour agency. That suggests the product is still offered in some form. It does not tell you which ship turns up.

"5-star" deserves a note. Vietnam's rating for accommodation vessels is voluntary and runs only from 1 to 5 stars; few cruise ships hold an official rating at all. Treat the label as marketing.

The pier: Cat Hai, not Tuan Chau

Agency itineraries put La Pinta's boarding and return at Got pier on Cat Hai island, Hai Phong. That needs care. The Got ferry pier closed on 1 March 2024, when its land went to a port industrial zone; the car ferry to Cat Ba now runs from Dong Bai, also on Cat Hai island (VnExpress on the new pier). A large agency also states that no Lan Ha overnight cruises currently leave from Hai Phong.

So the boarding point is the weakest part of the La Pinta story. If you book, ask for the exact pier name, a map pin and the check-in time in writing. A Hai Phong-side departure would mean a different road from Hanoi than the usual Tuan Chau shuttle, so do not book a generic Ha Long transfer. The real situation at each pier is on Lan Ha cruise piers.

The route agencies describe

The 3-day, 2-night itinerary published by one agency is a good Lan Ha programme:

La Pinta 3D2N as described by an agency

  1. Hanoi to the Cat Hai pier; lunch while cruising past Da Chong, Con Vit and Gia LuanThen swim or kayak at Tra Bau, sunset party, overnight at Rang Dua

  2. Boat through Lan Ha to Viet Hai village by bicycle or electric carLunch, then kayak or swim at Van Boi beach

  3. Tender to a fishing demonstration, bamboo boat to the Dark and Bright Cave, brunchDisembark around 12:00, Hanoi around 14:30

Included, according to the agency: sightseeing fees, kayaking, a cooking class and meals, plus a bottle of wine in suites. Excluded: 10% VAT, the Hanoi–Hai Phong transfer and drinks.

Two current rules affect this programme. Kayaking in the Cat Ba bays has been under an official suspension since November 2024, so the kayak stops may be replaced by a swim or a bamboo boat. And since June 2026 every passenger on a Lan Ha passenger boat must wear a certified life jacket from boarding to the end of the trip.

Prices

There is no direct price. Agency packages exclude 10% VAT, and the Hanoi transfer is extra. Typical Lan Ha 2D1N "from" prices for comparable small balcony ships run from about $124 to $160 per person on the mid-range, and $155 to $225 for luxury-labelled ships. Compare like with like: transfer, VAT and drinks change the total a lot.

How to book safely, if you still want La Pinta

Checks before paying for La Pinta

  1. Ask the agency for the ship's name as it appears on the voucher and on the hull.
  2. Ask for the boarding pier by name, with a map pin, and the check-in time.
  3. Ask whether the price includes 10% VAT, the sightseeing fee and the transfer.
  4. Ask whether kayaking runs on your date and what replaces it if not.
  5. Get the cancellation terms in writing, including storm cancellations ordered by the port authority.

If any answer is vague, book an alternative. The booking guide explains how to find the real ship behind a listing.

What to book instead

These two are the closest match: small, Lan Ha-focused and verifiable.

  • Venezia Cruises: two small boats of 10 and 5 cabins boarding at Ben Beo on Cat Ba, so also on the Hai Phong side. The 2-day trip goes to Ba Trai Dao and Viet Hai, with no Ha Long leg. From $125 on GetYourGuide, rated 4.7 by over 800 guests. Cabins have large windows rather than balconies.
  • Rosy Cruise: launched in 2019, 22 suite cabins with balcony and bathtub, steel hull, boarding at Tuan Chau. Day 2 includes the Dark and Bright Cave by bamboo boat or kayak. Sold on Klook under its own name.

Prices checked on October 16, 2026

For a broader comparison, see Lan Ha Bay cruises, luxury cruises and 2-day, 1-night cruises.

La Pinta Cruise FAQ

Is La Pinta Cruise still operating in Lan Ha Bay?

It is still listed by agencies and on Expedia, but its official websites cannot be read and the operator is not identified. Treat it as unconfirmed and ask the seller to confirm the ship and pier in writing.

Where does La Pinta Cruise depart from?

Agency itineraries say Got pier on Cat Hai island, Hai Phong. The Got ferry pier closed on 1 March 2024 and the car ferry now uses Dong Bai, so ask for the exact current pier.

How many cabins does La Pinta have?

Agencies say 16, all with balcony; one hotel-booking listing says 20. Neither figure comes from the operator.

Can I book La Pinta on GetYourGuide or Klook?

Not under its own name. Similar small Lan Ha boats such as Venezia (GetYourGuide) and Rosy (Klook) are sold there with reviews you can read.

Is La Pinta a 5-star cruise?

It is marketed as one. Vietnam's ship rating is voluntary, and no official rating for La Pinta has been published.

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