Viola Cruise Halong Bay

We loved our room (1 double and 1 single bed)four our family of 4, A/C and a small balcony with ful length windows to take in the view of the bay. The staff were lovely and Hai (our guide) was so friendly and helpful and was with us from the moment we were picked up from our accomodation in Hanoi from the moment we were dropped back off. The meals were great and there was so much! We dont eat pork and our son is vegatarian... they catered to our needs throughout our stay and made so much effort. Special attention was took for our children who recieved properly fitting life jackets which we really appreciated! Activities - - the kayaking was around an hour and was amazing (I went in a double kayak with my 9 year old). And my husband went with our 3 year old in a traditional Vietnamese boat that held about 6 people per boat. - There was a pearl farm stop on the way back from kayaking but thats not our thing so we just waited outside as it was really quick anyway. - Wine and fruit sunset party was really nice to get mix with the other guests and there were fruit juices for those that dont drink wine. - Squid fishing... again, wasn't our thing so we didn't participate in that activity. - Tai Chi morning class on the deck was really nice and our instructor was very enthusiastic. - Cave and beach trip was a really great trip! But you cannot swim in the sea (its some government rule)... paddling is allowed. - Cooking demonstration was great and hands on. Was perfect for the whole family and we made spring rolls. We dont eat pork so we had a separate veggie batch to make.

The only thing i can fault them on is I think water should be free. It was very expensive too... I think 2 dollars (around 45000 dong) for a small bottle of water which would really add up when it was so hot out and for a family. But we already heard about the drink prices so we brought our own water.

Great trip - very busy as lots to do! Kayaking, visiting a cave, squid fishing, karaoke, tai chi. Lots to eat too. They gave us lunch when we arrived, drinks and nibbles, dinner, breakfast - so much to eat! There were vegetarians in our group and there were very accommodating. They cooked various veggie dishes. The beds were super comfy and the views were amazing. There was also plenty of space for everyone so not at all crowded.

Would like to have had a swim but there was no opportunity.

Our guide, Lucky Hoi, was fantastic, he looked after us well, was informative & was genuinely caring towards all passengers, made this a great experience. Definitely recommend joining his cruise