Travel Guide

All cruise companies in Halong Bay need permission to be allowed to sail in Halong Bay by the Management Board of Halong Bay. In case of bad weather conditions, cruise can be postponed, shortened or cancelled and Halong Bay Management Board will be in charge of making decision. If your cruise is cancelled by Management Board of Halong Bay due to unexpected bad weather, cruise companies and travel agents CANNOT do anything as it is for your safety.

 

Fog cover all the bay

 

What is bad weather that might occur in Halong Bay?
 

Reasons for cruise cancellation are usually known as: tropical storm, typhoon, thick fog, tropical monsoon, cyclone, and thunderstorm…

 

1. Tropical storm and typhoon (July – September)
 

Summer is the time when tropical storms break out in the area and bring heavy rain. The period from May to July is considered as storm weather in Halong Bay with many unpredictable weather conditions. Hence, cruises will be cancelled with short notice. In the end of summer and early autumn, there are heavy rains and powerful tropical storms with strong affection. September is often the time when the major storms in the south pacific tend to drift across towards Vietnam, sometimes lead to considerable damage. The chances of your cruise being disrupted by a storm is still extremely low, but it is higher in September than in previous months.

 

2. Foggy weather (January and February)
 

In the winter, from December to the end of February, the weather is cold with strong wind. There are times of heavy fog with low visibility in December, January and February. In extremely foggy conditions that human vision is limited in short distance, the tour will be cancelled.  

 

3. Monsoon (October to late March or early April)
 

Northeast monsoon in winter is now one of 3 most frequent reasons to force tour cancelled in Halong Bay, it is even more difficult to prepare for it in advance, sometime cause many disappointments. The northeast monsoon can also affect tropical cyclones over the sea and Halong Bay in particular. As the result, the wind and sea level is not safe for cruising during this time. Unlike cancellation tour by storms, monsoon causes tour cancellation in short time (a day or two days) then tour is fine to operate in next days.

Tropical storm

 

How to deal with cancellation due to bad weather?
 

Final decision by the Halong Bay Management Board is usually known only at 3.00pm on the day of departure. Make sure to check updated news before your departure and listen to any advice that you are given on bad weather. Leave your contact details, such as your hotel in Hanoi or your mobile number in Vietnam to receive the cancellation news as soon as possible.

 

-  In case cancellation news was informed before the departure from Hanoi, contact your travel agents to know cancellation time and when you could get the next trip or any alternative option. There are some day trips around Hanoi that you can consider (if you would love to). Also check your hotel booking in your hotel.

 

-  In case cancellation news was informed when you had arrived at Halong Bay, the cruise operator will arrange lunch for you and transfer back to Hanoi. You can choose to stay at hotel in Halong for the next day cruise (not recommended for cancellations due to storm with bad rainy weather and customers have to wait a number of days for cruising again).

 

-  In case cancellation news was informed when you had been doing trip in the bay, the trip would be shortened, other arrangement would be made by cruise operators. If the weather is expected to be better on the next day and you are on the first day of the trip, you will be advised to stay one night at a hotel in Halong instead of overnight on cruise and your trip will continue on the next day. If the weather is bad, cruise operator will arrange to transfer you back to hotel in Hanoi and you can choose other alternative option (if you want).