Lan Ha Legend cruise was a budget-to-mid-range overnight boat on Lan Ha Bay, run from Cat Ba town by Vietnam Tonkin Travel. Our verdict: the brand appears retired, so there is nothing to book under this name today; for the same small-boat Lan Ha experience from Cat Ba, book Venezia, and if you were looking for La Regina Legend, read the section below.
Our scores
- Route
- 3.5/5Lan Ha, Viet Hai and Cat Ba National Park when it ran
- Cabins
- 2.5/59 simple cabins on a wooden boat
- Transparency
- 3/5Honest self-description while it traded
- Availability
- 1/5No longer sold under this name
- Booking flexibility
- 1/5No platform or direct listing
Pros
- Was a genuine small-group boat (max 20 guests)
- Cat Ba-based, no Ha Long transfer
- Included Viet Hai biking or trekking and the national park
- Plain, honest description of a simple boat
Cons
- Brand no longer marketed
- Website redirects to a generic cruise site
- Wooden hull, basic cabins
- Old reviews no longer match anything bookable
What happened to Lan Ha Legend Cruise
While it traded, the official site described the boat as managed by Vietnam Tonkin Travel: a middle-rank, wooden and traditional boat with 9 cabins and a maximum of 20 people, and it said plainly that it was not a luxury or new boat. The head office was in Cat Ba town, with a sales office in Hanoi.
By March 2024 the domain was redirecting to vietnamtonkincruise.com. That site sells generic "Lan Ha Bay 2D/1N Boutique Boat" and "Luxury Cruise" programmes, a 3-day trip and Ha Long day trips at much higher prices, and does not mention Lan Ha Legend at all. Whether the 9-cabin boat still sails under another name is not known. Treat the brand as retired, and see the operators overview for other renamed or retired names.
What Lan Ha Legend offered
The programme mixed Lan Ha with the edges of Ha Long and Bai Tu Long: a BBQ dinner, swimming, net fishing, biking or trekking to Viet Hai village and visits to Cat Ba National Park. The last published fares (spring 2023) were:
| Programme | Public fare per person |
|---|---|
| 1 night on board | $145 |
| 2 nights on board | $280 |
| Cruise plus a Monkey Island bungalow | $300 |
These are history, not current prices. Kayaking was part of the programme then; in the Cat Ba bays it has been under an official suspension since November 2024, re-confirmed in late 2025 (https://vnexpress.net/dung-cheo-kayak-tren-vinh-lan-ha-4818664.html).
Lan Ha Legend vs La Regina Legend
These are two different ships. La Regina Legend is a 27-cabin ship of La Regina Cruises that agencies say went into service in August 2018 and checks in at Lot 24, Tuan Chau, in Ha Long. Its agency programme covers the Dark and Bright Caves by kayak or sampan, a Lan Ha swim and, on Day 2, Cat Ba and Trung Trang cave. La Regina's own fleet menu no longer lists "Legend", and Legend is very likely the same ship as La Regina Grand; that is not officially confirmed.
You can book it on Klook as La Regina Legend, from $176 per person. Do not confuse it with La Regina Classic, which sails Bai Tu Long, not Lan Ha. A Vietnamese newspaper has also criticized La Regina Legend for being licensed on the Cat Ba bays while advertised as a Ha Long cruise (https://baovanhoa.vn/du-lich/tau-cap-phep-hoat-dong-tren-vinh-cat-ba-nhung-lai-quang-cao-tren-vinh-ha-long-lap-lo-danh-lan-con-den-74660.html), which shows how loosely bay names are used in listings. See the La Regina review.
A third name, Sealife Legend, boards at Gia Luan on Cat Ba and is also unrelated.
What to book instead
If you liked the idea of Lan Ha Legend (a small boat, few guests, starting on Cat Ba), these are the closest bookable options today.
Venezia is the best match: two small boats of 10 and 5 cabins from Ben Beo pier, 2 km from Cat Ba town, a Lan Ha-only route with Ba Trai Dao and a Viet Hai morning, and no Ha Long detour. It is from $125 on GetYourGuide; the operator's own fare is $125 with a Cat Ba hotel pickup or $145 with the round-trip Hanoi bus, plus 8% VAT.
Small Cat Ba-side boats on GetYourGuide run about $108–113 for 2 days 1 night, often with biking to Viet Hai. Check the boat's name and hull in the listing: wooden boats are legal, but Lan Ha safety inspections now focus on wooden tenders, and every passenger must wear a life jacket throughout the trip.
GetYourGuide2D1N
Hanoi: 2 Days Lan Ha Bay Cruise with Meals & Activities
4.7 (873)
from $125Check dates
GetYourGuide2D1N
Lan Ha Bay Cruise with private balcony: biking, kayak, meals
4.8 (142)
from $113Check dates
GetYourGuide2D1N
Lan Ha Bay cozy cruise: biking, kayaking, small group, meals
5.0 (16)
from $113Check dates
GetYourGuide2D1N
Ninh Binh: 2D1N Lan Ha Bay boutique cruises with small group
4.8 (52)
from $125Check dates
Prices checked on October 16, 2026
For a cheaper day instead of a night, Cat Ba day boats from Ben Beo start around $28; see day cruises. Getting to Cat Ba from Hanoi takes 3–3.5 hours by bus and car ferry: how to get there.
How to avoid booking a retired name
- Look for the ship's own name in the listing title or the "activity provider" field.
- Check the pier: Cat Ba-side boats leave Ben Beo; most big ships check in at Tuan Chau.
- Read recent reviews that name the boat; old reviews of a retired brand say nothing about today.
- If a listing says "or similar", ask the seller for the ship's name in writing before paying.
More checks in how to book, and every current ship on the Lan Ha Bay cruises hub.
Is Lan Ha Legend Cruise still operating?
Not under that name. Its website has redirected to a generic cruise site since early 2024, and that site never mentions Lan Ha Legend. Whether the boat sails under another name is unknown.
Is Lan Ha Legend the same as La Regina Legend?
No. Lan Ha Legend was a 9-cabin wooden boat from Cat Ba. La Regina Legend is a 27-cabin ship that checks in at Tuan Chau and is still bookable.
How much was Lan Ha Legend Cruise?
The last published public fares were $145 per person for one night and $280 for two nights. These are no longer current.
What is a good alternative to Lan Ha Legend?
Venezia: small boats of 10 and 5 cabins from Ben Beo on Cat Ba, Lan Ha only, from about $125 per person.
