In short
The bay is seen from a boat, not from the town. Ha Long City itself is a charmless resort; the whole point is on the water.
To sleep nearby, Cat Ba or Lan Ha make a far more pleasant and far less crowded base.
What it really costs
The main line is the cruise, not the accommodation. A day and a night aboard costs several times a night on land.
The cheapest tours visit the busiest zone. Paying a little more for Lan Ha changes the experience completely.
When to go
October, November, March and April. Winter haze hides the karsts, and summer concentrates the storms and typhoons.
Tours are cancelled without notice when a storm warning is issued, and rarely refunded.
What nobody tells you
The bay is a mass tourism site. The empty photographs exist, but early in the morning and off the short circuits.
Boat quality varies enormously at the same advertised price: this is the one line where reading recent reviews genuinely changes the outcome.
