Testimonials

Real travellers share their Halong Bay experiences — from family cruises and romantic getaways to seaplane trips and multi-day adventures. Browse recent reviews, see who helped organise each trip, and discover why guests recommend HalongViolet for a seamless Halong Bay holiday.

Travelling Vietnam - Mar 2025
Dzung organised our Northern Vietnam trip and it couldn’t have gone better. From smooth transfers to a flawless Ha Long Bay cruise and comfortable hotels, everything was handled with care — exactly what we needed flying in from England. Highly recommend booking with Dzung for future Vietnam plans. 
Marcus F from UK 

Mon Cherie — 2 nights Halong Bay - Feb 2025
Our family loved the Mon Cherie cruise — friendly crew, delicious meals and brilliant activities. Big thanks to Hachi for putting the whole itinerary together so well. 
Sophie L from Canada 

Grand Pioneers Cruise — 3D/2N — Jan 2025
After a lot of research we chose HalongViolet and it paid off. Binh answered every question fast, set clear expectations and booked a fantastic Pioneer Cruise. Pickup, cruise and airport drop-off were seamless — one of our best family trips. 
David R from USA 

Romantic Escape — Ha Long Bay - Dec 2024
A dreamy two-day cruise — incredible scenery, comfy cabins and attentive service made it our favourite part of Vietnam. Ha Chi kept us informed at every step so we felt completely relaxed. 10/10 for couples. 
Lena & Mark from Australia 

Peony Cruise + Seaplane — 3D/2N - Nov 2024
The Peony experience was unforgettable. Ha Chi kept communication clear from booking to the final transfer. The seaplane views were stunning (felt a bit shorter than advertised), staff were brilliant and the food was plentiful and excellent. 
Oliver M from UK 

Smooth 3D/2N from Hanoi - Oct 2024
Everything was planned perfectly — timely reminders, clear driver info and faultless transfers. The three-day cruise ran like clockwork. Thanks Vicky for the excellent organisation. 
Priya S from India 

Halong Bay 3D/2N — Sep 2024
Binh arranged our transfers and cruise with zero fuss. The boat staff were friendly, meals were tasty and the whole trip felt effortless. Would book again. 
Carlos T from Spain 

Flexible Booking, Great Support — Aug 2024
Chi was super-helpful when we needed to tweak plans and arrange extra transfers. Quick responses and personal attention made exploring Vietnam much easier. Highly recommend her service. 
Emma P from Ireland 

Low-Season Value — Mon Cheri Cruise - Jul 2024
We grabbed a discounted package and halongviolet.com handled a smooth switch to Mon Cheri when our original option changed. Ha Chi provided personal, fast replies — no bots, just real help. 
Jonas K from Germany 

Customised Vietnam Trip — Jun 2024
Binh helped us tailor a multi-stop Vietnam trip after impressing us with the Halong booking. She kept us updated at every stage and everything ran seamlessly — felt like having a local friend on call. 
Hannah W from New Zealand 

Top Agent Experience — May 2024
Binh went above and beyond arranging our custom itinerary — prompt, caring and great value. She even mapped our arrival so finding the driver was stress-free. A brilliant travel partner. 
Michael & Anna from USA 

President Cruise Family Cruise — Apr 2024
Our kids still talk about the activities on President Cruise. Crew were warm, the food plentiful and Chi’s planning made the whole family holiday effortless. 
Nadia G from France 

Heritage Line Violet Cruise Highlights — Mar 2024
We wanted a proper Ha Long experience and the Heritage Line Violet delivered. Clear communication from Binh before and during the trip meant no surprises — highly recommend her for first-timers. 
Thomas H from Australia 

Couples’ Choice — Romantic Ha Long - Feb 2024
Stunning scenery, intimate moments and attentive staff made this two-day cruise perfect for our anniversary. Chi kept checking in so we felt completely safe and cared for. 
Sophia R from Canada 

Seaplane Surprise — Jan 2024
Adding the seaplane was the best decision — breathtaking aerial views of the bay. Transfers were seamless and the Peony team treated us like royalty. Thanks to Ha Chi for the smooth booking. 
Ken L from UK 

Excellent Planning & Communication — Dec 2023
From booking confirmations to local pick-up details, everything was handled professionally. The cruise itself was excellent and the service matched the promise. Thank you, Vicky. 
Amira Z from UAE 

Reliable Service — Nov 2023
HalongViolet provided clear, friendly support throughout our cruise booking. Binh kept communication steady and ensured our transfers and itinerary were all set. 
Ethan B from USA 

Holiday Made Simple — Oct 2023
Hanh Nguyen helped us rearrange plans at short notice and handled transfers beyond the usual package — much appreciated for travellers who like to be flexible. 
Marta S from Poland 

Family Favorite — Sep 2023
Our two-night cruise was relaxed and fun. Crew members like Tuan made the kids feel welcome and the meals were a highlight. Yen organised a memorable family break. 
Harrison K from Australia 

Great Value & Support — Jun 2023
We booked during a quieter period and received great value plus personal replies from Ha Chi. The whole booking process was reassuring and efficient. 
Isabella N from Italy 

Personal Touch — Mar 2023
Binh’s attention to detail turned a tricky multi-leg trip into a smooth holiday. She checked in regularly and made sure everything was on track. 
Lucas P from Brazil 

Perfect Intro to Ha Long — Dec 2026
As first-timers we appreciated the clear advice and patient answers. The cruise felt well-paced and the crew were friendly — a lovely introduction to Vietnam’s coast. 
Yuki T from Japan 

Well-Planned & Friendly — Sep 2026
Transfers, cabin comfort and daily activities were all well organised. Communication from the agent was prompt and personal — made the trip stress-free. 
Nora C from Sweden 

Memorable Bay Views — Jun 2026
Incredible limestone scenery and warm service made the cruise stand out. Everything from pickup to drop-off was handled smoothly. Highly recommend for first visits. 
Owen M from South Africa

Great expereince with a friendly and wonderful cruise (22 Jan 2023)
We had the two day one night cruise on Paradise Elegance. We enjoyed the hospitality from the crew and the nice program. The cruise manager was really helpful and considerate to us as we had a senior on board. The beautiful scene of Halong Bay and the lovely and comfortable ship really gave us a great trip. We will consider going back again for another cruise.

Wongshen from Hongkong

Perfect Cruise (8 Jan 2023)
After arriving at Ha Long bay, we boarded our ship called Paradise Elegance. We had booked an Executive Balcony room on the second floor, a beautiful little room with a flair of past colonial days (wooden walls and parquet flooring). The bed was spacious considering it’s on a medium sized cruise boat. A bathroom (with shower and toilet) as well as an attached space for luggage storage were included.
After checking in, all guests were invited to follow safety instructions on the third level where the restaurant and bar are located. Mr. Lee (the boat manager) and his crew (all very professional and fluent in English) walked us through the what and what nots before starting the the lunch buffet.

The food was good, a mix between eastern and western choices.

Excursions can be booked on spot (prawn farm or/and a cave visit as well as kayaking or/and beach visit/hiking).

Due to the lack of time we didn’t do any of them so we can’t comment on wether they are worth it.

We especially enjoyed the upper deck with amazing views over Ha Long and the possibility to have a cocktail or drinks while enjoying the mesmerizing environment.

Dinner was an a la carte menu, with a choice between eastern or western cuisine. The food was really good.

We have been very pleased with our stay at Paradise Elegance and would definitely recommend.

Ryoko from Luxembourg City, Luxembourg

Relaxing, Value for money, Will definitely go again! (22 Dec 2018)
Staffs are nice and very accomodating to your needs. Service is very good. Expect to be well pampered during your stay. Lots of activities to do such as hiking, cooking class, fine dining, night band, pearl farm and cave visits. Overall, a well scheduled line of events.
Marcon from Los Angeles

Great trip with Halong Violet cruise (20 Sep 2018)
We did an overnight stay on Violet in Halong Bay. The whole trip was magical. The boat is beautiful. We stayed in the 'Moon' suite which was very spacious and had a lovely balcony. The food was very good. My husband is very fussy and doesn't eat any seafood so they made a real effort to ensure he had something he liked at mealtimes. We didn't get off the boat for the cave/fishing village trip. We preferred to lounge on the top deck and enjoy the scenery. In the morning we joined the Tai Chi at 7am. Though we did the excursion to the beach we wished we had stayed on the boat. The beach was quite busy and didn't really add to our overall enjoyment.
The staff are wonderful. We thoroughly enjoyed the tour. Being on a small boat was great. Everyone spoke with each other and it was very relaxing.
Clark from London

Memories are made of this 3 days trip (3-5 July 2018)
A truely memorable trip around Halong Bay with Violet cruise. We had a lovely room at sea level with a little balcony at the bow by the captain. The weather was kind to us and we were lucky enough to share the boat with just 2 other couples. We were 3 different nationalities and a variety ages, this added to the fun of our 3 days on the Violet. The day side trips to the caves and river people were extremely worth while. Cameras and walking shoes are advisable as there is a 400 step mountain to climb and uneven stones when walking around the caves. On the last day canoes were provided and a beach swim after the mountain climb. The food was great and good variety. 

Anita from New Zealand

Absolutely Fabulous Trip with Violet Cruise (8 May 2018)
My friend Barb and I recently did a one day cruise with Sami and his staff to Ha Long Bay on board the Art Deco themed Heritage Violet. Our suite ‘Cloud’ was gorgeous and we took full advantage of all the amenities and excursions available which included of course fabulous food, facials (or massages), kayaking, Cave exploring, hiking to the top of Ti Top Island, swimming in the Sea, Tai Chi and a-bit of sleep in super comfortable beds. What a fabulous almost 24 hours!
Zoe from Vancouver, Canada

One night on the amazing cruise (29-30 April 2018)
We had the pleasure of going on a one night cruise on this beautiful boat! We were upgraded to an Imperial suite as it was around the time of my husband’s birthday. First top tip is to let them know if your trip is around a special occasion! Our suite was simply exquisite. I just wish we could have enjoyed it for two weeks rather than one night! The food on board was absolutely amazing. Michelin star stuff. A few pictures included. If I had one tiny criticism it would be they try to pack too much in so you don’t have much time just to enjoy the amazing scenery! My second top tip would be to ask for breakfast on the top deck as you can then appreciate the views. Good luck and enjoy this amazing boat! We met lovely people too.

Janes from Livingston, United Kingdom

2 days 1 night on Halong Bay with Violet Cruise (from 18 to 19 April 2018)
We had an overnight cruise on the Violet, what a beautiful boat, the food and service was out of this world, throughout our whole tour of Vietnam the food on the boat was definitely the best. The staff are amazing - I cant think of a better way to have seen the beautiful and stunning scenery than on the Violet, thank you very much for making this an unforgettable part of our travels.

Tracy from Wakefield, United Kingdom

3 Days from 12 to 14 March 2018
Many thanks to the staff of the Violet for a wonderful 3 days on board cruising around Halong Bay. Excursions were good and interesting. Food was excellent, the best we had on our 2 week trip. Comfortable cabin had floor to ceiling windows to enjoy the amazing scenery. The cruise was good but the staff on board made it special.

Tim from Washington DC, USA

Violet Cruise 3 days 2 nights ( 20-22 Jan 2018)

We were very welcomed into this boat and our guide Ann was wonderful. The trip is just magical. We had a wonderful spacious cabin, big bathroom with jacuzzi tub which was very clean. Big comfy bed and tv with lots of movie choices. Food was excellent and beautifully presented. Only negatives, last day start was a bit early for us and no free water offered with meals. Recommend the 3 day 2 night trip as big surprise cave and pearl farm worth the visit.

Lousie from Birmingham, United Kingdom

Violet cruise 3 days (8-10 Jun 2017)
Hi Vicky
We are still traveling but we were very pleased with the service, boat, food and above all the service. Excellent experience
Fernando Marfil from USA

Indochina Sails Cruise 2 days 1 night from 22 to 23 March 2017
Thanks a lot for the excellent services !! The driver of the private car was excellent too as good as the cruise .
Best regards,
Rodrigo Cordoba from Mexico

Package Visit Hanoi – Cruise Halong Bay 5 days from 9 May to 13 May 2017

Hi Giang,
How are you? I am safely back in Malaysia. Thank you very much for organising our trip. The Orchid Cruise was the highlight of our trip, it was very very very excellent! We all loved it. I will definitely recommend Orchid cruises to everyone. The rooms were spacious, and the bathroom had a fantastic view of the bay, the food was good, and the staff and crew were friendly. The cabins were very clean and new too. 5 star luxury cruise at its best!

Sofitel Metropole was marvellous! We all loved our stay there. We used the swimming pool and it was great, there was a lifeguard who saved me from almost drowning! Wish out stay there was longer tho.

Golden Silk Hotel was not as good hotel but it was in a very good location. The rooms were a little old, and it smelled a little musky. It was clean but a bit dated. The spa in the hotel was a bit old. Sometimes the receptionist couldn't really speak good English. But overall it was still okay, not too bad.

Mr.Huy was a very knowledgeable and friendly guide, we loved him, and Mr.Tec the driver was also very polite and gentle. We had a really good 1 day tour of Hanoi and grateful that we got to see many places and Mr.Huy accomodated our request to see the lacquer and embroidery factory. We gave them both a lot of tips as we thought they were excellent. The private van was spacious and clean, and new, we were happy with it. We were impressed that there was even wifi on the van!

Lastly, thank you to you Ms Giang, for your hardwork and also for the gift. I will not hesitate to use TravelVietnam for my future travels and look forward to seeing you in Malaysia someday. Do let me know if you plan to come and I can try and give you some tips. If you visit Australia, let me know too and I can give you a few tips.  Of course, I am no travel agent, so my tips may not be that good but I will try my best.

Kind regards and thank you again,

Anjali from Australia