Bioluminescent Plankton Kayak Boat Tour
Overview
Available languages
5 hours
Mobile ticket
Your tour begins with a convenient hotel pickup (winter 4:15 PM, summer 4:00 PM). Board our boutique boat at Cai Beo terminal and cruise through the stunning scenery of Lan Ha Bay, passing by the Floating Fisherman Village. We'll head to Monkey Island, where you can relax, swim in the warm waters during golden hour, and keep an eye out for the playful wild residents.
As the sun sets, we'll cruise to our kayaking spot. Paddle under the moonlight and witness the magical glow of bioluminescent plankton illuminating the water around you. Around 8:00 PM, we'll return to the pier for a delicious dinner at our family-owned Alibaba’s restaurant. Enjoy a variety of dishes, with vegetarian options available. After dinner, transportation back to your hotel is arranged.
Important Things to Note:
The itinerary may change due to weather conditions.
Encounters with monkeys are common but are not guaranteed
Bioluminescence brightness varies daily and may not be as prominent as depicted in pictures
Additional Info
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Hạ Long Bay
Lan Ha Bay Cruise: Board a boutique boat and cruise through the stunning scenery of Lan Ha Bay, admiring the imposing limestone formations. Cai Beo Floating Fisherman Village: Pass by the oldest village in Northern Vietnam and get a glimpse into the daily lives of the local fishermen. Monkey Island: Stop here to relax, swim in the warm waters, and keep an eye out for the island's playful wild residents during the golden hour. Kayaking & Bioluminescent Plankton: As the sun sets, we'll cruise to a kayaking spot. Paddle under the moonlight and witness the incredible glow of bioluminescent plankton illuminating the water around you. Dinner: Enjoy a delicious dinner at our family-owned Alibaba's restaurant, located next to the pier, before we arrange transportation to take you back to your hotel.
What‘s Included
Kayaks
Bottled water
Dinner
Use of Snorkelling equipment
Alcoholic Beverages
Soda/Pop
Pickup points
Cat Ba 168 Homestay
No. 168, 1/4 Street Hai Phong Vietnam
Catba Seapearl Adventure
Hai Phong Vietnam
Lan Homestay
Viet Hai Village, Viet Hai Village Hai Phong Vietnam
Options
Bioluminescent Plankton Kayak Boat Tour
Pickup included
Reviews
11 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Amazing! Please give it a try and you won’t regret it.
Brandon H,,Feb 2, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Such a fun experience! The tour guides were so much fun and the sites were really really cool! Monkey island was a great experience! There were plenty of monkeys to see and plenty of baby monkeys too! You can feed the monkeys and they will climb on you if you let them. You can also pet them, but at your own risk of maybe being bitten if your to aggressive with the petting them. The tour guides will help you feeding them so you’re less likely to lose a finger. There is also beach for you to swim at on monkey island if you would like. I would suggest during the winter months to wear warm clothes as at night when kayaking it can get pretty cold and especially on the boat when in route back to shore. The bioluminescence were amazing! It’s something you can only see visually, nobody’s camera could pick up the light as the plankton light flickers to quickly when your paddling. This is a must do experience while on Catba island! The dinner at the end of the night was also great! Super tasty! There was fish, tofu, chicken, spring rolls, rice and French fries! All tasted great!!! This is one of the tours I actually tipped because of the great service and kindness of the guide!
Bioluminescent Plankton - Amazing
192gauravw,,Dec 1, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Amazing and Unbelievable. Thank you. It was a really good experience. We were 6 adults with 2 kids. The guide was really helpful and explained and guided us everything nicely.
Great tour and guide, more beautiful islands
E5563FXmelisat,,Oct 22, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This is a family business and they were super nice! The boat was comfortable and the guide was very friendly and smiling. We had the chance to see monkeys on the island and the guide helped us climb the mountain. And finally, dinner was delicious. I really recommend it.
Great fun and adventure
patrickhP3852RR,,Oct 11, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Had the best time with Ba! Really amazing experience getting to see the Plankton and climb and adventure Monkey Island. Great food with the spring rolls, fish and Tofu being our favourites! Ended up coming back the next day for the food and to see our favourite tour guide. Would definitely recommend
Great experience with Alibaba's
H744DGelises,,Sep 24, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I had an amazing trip with Ba and Alibaba's company. We enjoyed swimming to the monkey island, watched a wonderful sunset, kayak through the bioluminescent plankton and ended with a nice dinner in the family restaurant. Our group wasn't very big, which I really enjoyed. Ba is knowledgeable and the whole crew is very friendly.
Amazing experience
elsadJ3947GB,,Sep 14, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00A wonderful experience visiting Monkey island, incredible sunset and kayaking through the glowing plankton. Mr.Ba is an amazing guide with a lot of knowledge.
Well organized and fun
124rivkas,,Sep 10, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00It was an awesome experience! Ba is so kind and everything was well organized. We saw a large sparkling plankton. It was magical. I recommend!
A must do
Shreez1,,Sep 5, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Amazing experience. The tour guide was the sweetest ever. We had the most amazing time. The bio luminesce kayaking was a highlight. Highly recommend ali baba tour
Sunset & swim with a view
veronikabG4703CT,,Sep 5, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This was an amazing experience in Cat Ba! Ba is a wonderful, kind and enthusiastic host who treated us like family:) Would definitely recommend this experience to anyone visiting Cat Ba! Best 4 hours we spent there-definitely worth the time and money!
Great experience!
408kate inar,,Sep 5, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Ba is a wonderful guide! This tour had everything - sunset, swimming, monkeys, kayaking… and we saw so much plankton! The food was delicious. Highly recommend to anyone. Thanks!
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Operated by Alibaba's Tours