Luon Cave Ha Long Bay: Boat Or Kayak? (2026)

Luon Cave was a quick little outing from our Ha Long Bay cruise, with a boat ride through the cave and monkeys climbing around the rocks. It was cool to see, though once was enough for me! Here’s what to expect and why I’d choose a rowboat over a kayak.

Luon Cave is a short cave in Ha Long Bay that you visit by kayak or rowboat. It’s pretty cool passing underneath the rock and coming out into a lagoon with cliffs all around you. We even spotted some monkeys climbing around the rocks, which was a nice little bonus!

I visited during our two-day, one-night Indochine Premium cruise, and it ended up being the only excursion we joined (though plenty more were on offer, I just wanted a relax)!

We went with the rowboat, and honestly, I was happy with that decision after seeing another rower knock some kayakers into the water. Being confident with a paddle doesn’t help much when someone else rows straight into you!

Below, I’ll share what visiting Luon Cave was like, how to get there, and the handy details to check before booking. I’ll also go through the rowboat and kayak options to help you decide how you’d like to explore.

Luon Cave: Is It Worth Visiting In Ha Long Bay?

Luon Cave: The Basics

Here’s a quick look at the practical stuff, including the fees to check when booking your trip!

Detail	What To Know
Location	Bo Hon Island in Ha Long Bay, around 13 kilometers from Tuan Chau Marina
Visiting Hours	7:30 am–5:30 pm from April 16–October 31 & 7:30 am–5 pm from November 1–April 15
Sightseeing Entry Fee	250,000 VND / US$9.70 per person for the daytime Route 2 sightseeing ticket, which includes Luon Cave.
Row Boat Cost	50,000 VND / US$1.95 per person
Kayak Hire	50,000 VND / US$1.95 per two-person kayak
How To Visit	On a Ha Long Bay day tour or overnight cruise that includes Luon Cave
Time Needed	Our rowboat ride took around 20 minutes

Our Luon Cave excursion was already included in our Indochine Premium cruise, so we didn’t pay anything extra on the day!

Monkey sitting on jagged limestone rocks near Luon Cave, with a boat passenger in the foreground — We spotted some monkeys hanging out on the rocks around Luon Cave!

Rower wearing an orange life jacket and conical hat guiding a wooden boat beside limestone cliffs near Luon Cave — A little exploring around Luon Cave, the only excursion we joined during our cruise

What Is Luon Cave And Where Is It?

Luon Cave is on the northeastern side of Bo Hon Island in Ha Long Bay, around 13 kilometers from Tuan Chau International Marina. It’s out on the bay, so you’ll need a boat trip to reach it.

The cave itself is a short tunnel through the limestone, with water running underneath it. You pass through by kayak or rowboat and come out into a lagoon with steep cliffs all around and open sky above you.

Heads up, the amount of headroom changes with the tide, so the cave ceiling can feel a lot lower at certain times. During our visit, we couldn’t touch it, though the dripping water still managed to get everyone wet!

Tasha standing on a jetty beside a transfer boat in Ha Long Bay, with passengers and limestone cliffs behind her — Off the ship for a little exploring before heading back to enjoy more time on board

Floating boat and kayak station beneath forested limestone cliffs at Luon Cave — The boat and kayak boarding area, with some pretty impressive cliffs behind it

How To Visit Luon Cave

You can visit Luon Cave on a Ha Long Bay day cruise or as an excursion during an overnight cruise.

The main thing is checking that Luon Cave is actually listed on your itinerary before booking!

Visiting On A Day Cruise

A day cruise lets you visit Luon Cave as part of a bigger day out on Ha Long Bay. You’ll find trips with around six to eight hours of cruising and sightseeing, returning to the mainland that afternoon.

Luon Cave will usually be one of several stops. A common itinerary combines it with Sung Sot Cave and Titov Island, with lunch onboard between activities. That gives you a chance to explore a larger cave, head out on a kayak or rowboat, and swim or walk up to the viewpoint at Titov Island.

If you’re coming from Hanoi, allow the whole day for it! Some tours collect you in the morning and don’t get back until around 8:30–9 pm. Check whether you’ll be picked up from your hotel or need to walk to a meeting point.

Cruise boats on Ha Long Bay surrounded by limestone islands beneath an overcast sky — Boats out on the bay

Visiting On An Overnight Cruise

Luon Cave also appears on overnight cruise itineraries, perfect if you have a little more time in your Vietnam itinerary. You can fit the cave into a one-night stay, though check the actual stops when choosing your boat, as each cruise has its own schedule.

We visited during our two-day, one-night Indochine Premium cruise, with Luon Cave scheduled for the first afternoon. The ship organized everything, so we just joined the excursion when it was time to leave.

Our cruise ship stayed out on the bay while a smaller transfer boat took us over to the boarding area.

We also had the choice to stay onboard. Personally, I wanted time to enjoy our beautiful room and the ship, so we skipped Surprise Cave and Titov Island and only joined this excursion.

Our rowboat ride and sightseeing fees were included, and we didn’t pay anything extra on the day.

We arrived in Ha Long after finishing the Ha Giang Loop. If you’re following the same route, my guide to getting from Ha Giang to Ha Long Bay covers our sleeper bus journey and that painfully early arrival!

Tasha and her partner standing on Indochine Premium’s deck overlooking limestone islands and cruise boats in Ha Long Bay — Taking a moment to appreciate the view

My Experience Visiting Luon Cave

We chose the rowboat for our visit to Luon Cave, so we could sit back and let someone else do the paddling!

The ride through the cave and around the lagoon took about 20 minutes, with other boats and kayaks exploring alongside us.

Honestly, it wasn’t a mind-blowing stop for me, though passing underneath the rock and coming out into the enclosed lagoon was pretty cool.

Hand holding a Luon Cave boat and kayak ticket marked 50,000 VND per person — Our ticket which the cruise paid for

Arriving And Getting On The Boat

We took a smaller transfer boat from Indochine Premium over to the Luon Cave boarding area, which only took around five minutes. Everything was organized through the cruise, so there wasn’t much for us to sort out ourselves!

There was a small shop selling snacks and drinks near the boarding area if you needed anything. It wasn’t crazy busy when we arrived, and we didn’t have to wait for a rowboat.

The staff helped us get onboard, which was easy enough, and we were given life jackets to wear during the ride. There were around eight of us in our boat, though you could’ve fitted more. Some of the other boats had people squished in a fair bit tighter!

Once everyone was seated, we headed toward the cave, with other rowboats and kayaks out exploring alongside us.

Visitors wearing life jackets in wooden rowboats beside the covered boarding area at Luon Cave — Some of the boats had people packed in a fair bit tighter than ours!

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Passing Through Luon Cave

The cave itself is pretty short, so you’re only underneath the rock for a small part of the boat ride. Since it had been such a wet day (literally flooding in the city) water was dripping from the ceiling as we passed through, and we all ended up getting wet!

It wasn’t too low during our visit, and we couldn’t reach up and touch the ceiling. Though the headroom depends on the tide, so you may have less space above you when you go.

Coming out into the enclosed lagoon was the cool part for me. You pass underneath all that rock, then suddenly have steep cliffs around you and open sky overhead!

A rower guiding passengers through Luon Cave beneath the limestone ceiling — Passing underneath the rock on our way through Luon Cave

Exploring The Lagoon And Spotting Monkeys

Once we’d passed through the cave, we spent a little time exploring the lagoon by boat. There were around ten other boats and about the same number of kayaks out there, though it didn’t feel crazy busy.

We did see one of the rowers go straight into some kayakers, knocking them into the water with little care. They had to be helped into our boat afterward, absolutely soaking wet!

Honestly, I was pretty happy we’d chosen the rowboat after seeing that. Even if you’re confident with a paddle, you can’t control what the other boats around you are doing, and they weren’t bothered at all!

After the chaos from that happened, we also managed to spot quite a few monkeys climbing around the rocks! Keep an eye on the cliffs as you go, as well as taking in the views across the water.

After a look around, we headed back through the cave to the boarding area. The whole boat ride took around 20 minutes, including the passage through the cave in both directions, so it was a pretty quick excursion!

A monkey perched on a narrow ledge on the limestone cliffs beside Luon Cave — Keep an eye on the rocks for monkeys while you’re looking around!

Kayak Vs Rowboat At Luon Cave

Honestly, I’d go with the rowboat at Luon Cave. We were only out on the water for around 20 minutes, and I was pretty happy sitting back while someone else did the paddling!

Of course, you can kayak if you fancy doing a bit more yourself. You’ll head through the same cave and explore the lagoon, though after seeing a rower go straight into those kayakers, I wasn’t regretting our choice.

I’d say only kayak if you’re happy getting wet and can swim.

Being confident kayaking doesn’t help much when someone else rows into you! Plus the guys who jumped onto our boat couldn’t actually swim, so the whole thing was quite full on.

The one downside of the rowboat is that you do share it with other visitors. There were around eight of us in ours, though some of the other boats had people squished in a fair bit tighter. Though to keep out of the water, I’d be happy enough being shoulder to shoulder.

Kayakers paddling toward the dark entrance of Luon Cave beneath an overhang — Heading into the cave by kayak, though we were happy letting someone else do the paddling

My Tips For Visiting Luon Cave

Our cruise organized the excursion, so there wasn’t too much for us to sort out. Though there are a few things worth knowing before you head over!

Check what your cruise includes: Make sure Luon Cave is listed on the itinerary, then check whether your boat or kayak ride is covered. Our rowboat ride was included, so we didn’t pay anything extra.
Keep your phone and camera dry: Water was dripping from the cave ceiling, and we all got wet! A waterproof pouch or somewhere dry to tuck your camera away would be handy.
Wear your life jacket: We were given life jackets and wore them for the ride. Keep yours on while you’re out on the water.
Take a hand getting on and off: The staff helped us board, which was easy enough. Accept the help if you need it!
Pick up snacks or drinks before boarding: There was a small shop near the boarding area if you needed something before heading out, or if you can’t wait until dinner on your boat.
Keep an eye on the cliffs: We spotted monkeys climbing around the rocks beside the lagoon, so don’t spend the whole ride looking out over the water! They do blend in with the rocks quite a bit, but there’s a good chance your rower will stop if you spot some.

Rowboats carrying visitors beneath a towering limestone cliff in the lagoon at Luon Cave — The boats look pretty tiny next to those cliffs!

FAQs About Luon Cave

Can You Walk Through Luon Cave?

No, the cave has water running through it, so you visit by boat or kayak. You’ll go underneath the rock to reach the lagoon on the other side.

Is Luon Cave The Same As Surprise Cave?

No, they’re two separate caves on Bo Hon Island. Surprise Cave, also called Sung Sot Cave, involves walking through large chambers, while Luon Cave is a much shorter cave you explore from the water.

Can Bad Weather Affect Your Visit To Luon Cave?

Yes, for sure, weather can affect your visit by changing your cruise itinerary. Though this will only happen if there is a safety concern, so it’ll be in your best interest if you aren’t able to go.

View from inside dark Luon Cave toward daylight, a kayak and the floating boat station — Looking out through the cave opening from our boat

Wrap Up: Is Luon Cave Worth Visiting?

I’m glad we got to see Luon Cave during our Ha Long Bay cruise, though honestly, once was enough for me! It isn’t somewhere you really need to go back to.

Passing underneath the rock and coming out into the enclosed lagoon was unique, and spotting monkeys climbing around the cliffs was an extra little bonus.

Personally, I’d definitely choose the rowboat again. We could sit back and have a look around while someone else did the paddling, which suited me fine for a short outing from the ship! Plus I was kept somewhat dry.

If Luon Cave is included in your itinerary, I’d head over for a look. Though I’d also leave yourself some time to enjoy the cruise itself, especially if you’ve booked a beautiful room like we did. We only had one night onboard, so choosing a couple of activities and leaving time to relax was pretty important!

If you’re planning the rest of your trip as well, have a look at my 3 weeks in Vietnam itinerary for help putting your route together.

Any Questions? Let Me Know In The Comments!

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Luon Cave was a quick little outing from our Ha Long Bay cruise, with a boat ride through the cave and monkeys climbing around the rocks. It was cool to see, though once was enough for me! Here’s what to expect and why I’d choose a rowboat over a kayak.

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