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
Options
Bioluminescent Plankton Kayak Boat Tour
Pickup included
Reviews
16 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Highlight of whole backpacking trip
N7071IGhollyl,Mar 22, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Very well organised trip. picked us up from hotel and took us to boat and first to monkey beach even introducing us to some monkeys and helping us to feed them which was such a once in a life time experience. then went to hike a viewpoint which was difficult and more like a rock climb but very beautiful for sunset and we had time to swim in the sea. then took us to kayak which felt very safe and seeing the plankton so clear and bright was a top experience of this whole trip that i would recommend to anyone- everyone was shouting in delight! then took us home to his family restaurant for dinner which was extremely delicious range of meat and vegetarian food- best tuna i have held. excellent value for money
Amazing experience
Newme87,Mar 15, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I can only recommend this tour enough! From start to finish, everything was great with good communication. By the owner when booked to the taxi driver sending you a picture with his car to recognise him. 1st was the Monkey mountain where we were lucky enough to be with Monkey's friend, Ba. As soon as we arrive, the monkey appeared to greet him which was fun. Then Ba showed us where and how safely go to the top and have an amazing view of the bay. 2nd was the bioluminescent plankton kayak tour. Let just say, it was magical to be sounding by those light. And finally on the way back. Ba's wife cooked some very good Vietnamese food. Thanks a lot, it was truly a magical moment and can't thank you enough
Bioluminescent kayaking tour
svenjar575,Mar 10, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We really liked the tour. The group was nice and small with 6 people and we were lucky that the evening was very dark and we could see a lot of plankton glowing. It was an incredibly fascinating and beautiful experience!
Warm recommendation
noaa403,Feb 28, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Really good experience. The guide was nice and knew good English. Recommended
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.
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Operated by Alibaba's Tours