Unforgettable 24 Hour Family Cruise 🇻🇳 (Ha Long Bay, Vietnam)

Unforgettable 24 Hour Family Cruise 🇻🇳 (Ha Long Bay, Vietnam)

Today marks one year since we left behind the familiarity of home. One year since we traded routine for adventure. one year of incredible memories, challenges, and unforgettable experiences. It’s been a journey of discovering the world and each other. We’re celebrating the beginning of our second year of travel with our very first cruise. But this isn’t your typical cruise. We’re keeping it simple yet epic as we traverse the still waters of northern Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay. Because life isn’t about the things you own. It’s about the moments that take your breath away. And out here, surrounded by silence and stone, we’re learning that all over again. We’ve never been on a cruise before and have no idea what to expect. But embracing the unknown is what we’re all about, so let’s get started. We left the rush of Hanoi behind and climbed into what’s called a limousine. Pretty much a van with soft seats and a little more breathing room. A quiet few hours later the mainland faded and we crossed the water toward Cat Ba Island. There’s a certain feeling that comes with travel days like this. not quite knowing what’s waiting on the other side, only that it will be different. The kind of day that gently shifts your perspective and reminds you of how vast the world is. And what a blessing it is to move through it together. Excitement quietly built with each step aboard the Venezia Cruises ship. This is our floating home for the next 24 hours. We just arrived here on the boat and it is beautiful. The wood paneling on everything. The room looks amazing. We have these huge windows, so we’re gonna get some pretty epic views. This is our first time on a cruise ever, and we are super excited to celebrate the beginning of our second year of travel with something as epic as this. Well, our first taste of the Ha Long Bay cruise is spectacular. Anywhere you look, it’s just an epic panoramic view everywhere, with these incredible cliffs just jetting straight out of the water. It’s unbelievable. Scattered across these still waters are floating villages, seafaring communities built entirely atop the sea. Here homes drift gently with the tide, and life moves to the rhythm of nets cast at dawn and gathered by dusk. Families live in wooden houses latched to barrels and bamboo and engage in aquaculture. One of the villages around here, Kaio is said to be the oldest in Vietnam. Archaeological evidence suggests that people have lived in these waters for over 7000 years. Even as the world around changes, life in these floating homes continues quietly. Steadily just as it has for generations. It’s hard to believe we’ve been traveling for a year. When we first started planning this life, saving was not easy. So I want to share something with you that actually helped us. browser extension that helps you save money online every single time you shop online. Coupert automatically finds and applies the best coupon codes at checkout. And on top of that, you also earn cash back at over 76,000 online stores. They split their commission with you and you can cash out via or direct deposit straight into your bank account. One of our favorite features is that it actually also compares prices across different websites. So you can know you’re getting the best deal at no extra effort to you It works with and pretty much any web browser you already use. If you’re saving for your next trip, this is a very simple way to make every little bit count in 2025. Click the link in the description to install Coupert for free. Just install, browse, and it does the rest. One thing I didn’t expect is look at how close you get to these limestone cliffs. Like you feel like you’re right in among the nature and the ocean. The views you get from these boats are just spectacular. They’re really awe inspiring. The only word that I could come up for this place is Wow. As we go on, we’re gonna get to do some really unique activities, uh things we’ve never done before. So we’re super excited about what this cruise is gonna turn out to be. Hopefully we don’t sink because wow, this looks pretty tippy. All right, we’re doing our first excursion and that is kayaking. I’m not sure what I expected in a kayak, but I I expected it to have more of an edge. These kayaks are kind of almost level with the water. So hopefully we don’t tip over. and it’s not like we even know what we’re doing. At first, every stroke feels unsettling in the uncertainty in the uncertainty of the waves. But soon you become familiar with their rhythm and in that cadence your balance finds its place. The angst of drifting in the ocean sea dissipates almost without notice, replaced by something far more captivating. A quiet rising awe. Towering remnants of ancient sea beds rise in every direction, sculptured by the elements over thousands of years. And you meet them from a vantage point you’ve never known before. The cliffs begin to fall away, and the water opens wide. From up here it looks serene, glass like, still. But down at sea level, things get a little splashier. With every paddle stroke, salt water finds your skin. I’m cold. The breeze wraps around you and suddenly the The open sea feels a whole lot cooler than it did a moment ago. I’m cold Really, really cold. This is definitely not what I expected from a cruise. I didn’t expect to be in this incredible landscape, kayaking on a tippy little kayak that can flip over at any moment. In rough waters. Yeah, the waters got rough there for a minute. It’s pretty choppy here. But we made it through and wow, what an incredible once in a lifetime experience. The sky softens into golden tones as the day begins folding itself away. Dusk by the water has a way of narrowing the distance between people. Maybe it’s the hush. or the way light softens everything it touches. Or maybe it’s just easier to feel close when the world around you begins to let go. Whatever the reason, connection lives here, in glances, in silence, in the simple comfort of being side by side. And the waves of connection begin to spill outward. Soon you are not just among familiar faces, but leaning into new ones, drawn by the simple invitation of food. Were learning how to make Vietnamese deep fried spring rolls, a delicacy often reserved for special occasions like weddings and the Vietnamese lunar New Year. They’re considered special not just for their flavor, but because their preparation is a labor intensive, as each ingredient must be carefully prepared. This has been such a fun first day and really our cruise I think is 24 hours long. So it’s been a really relaxing time. um and now we’re gonna eat our spring rolls that we just made. We didn’t actually really make them. We just rolled them up. There’s your rice paper. Take it and paint it with water. Here you go. And then I’m gonna put this on here. And then we’re gonna spread it out. You’re gonna fold the paper just over yep, just like that. But it was fun watching him explain how they do it and the story behind Vietnamese spring rolls. And yeah, it’s just such a relaxing place… In a beautiful area. Oh my gosh. It’s amazing. As night settles over the bay, we try our hand at squid fishing. A nod to the traditions of the coastal villages that have relied on these waters for generations. I actually got one. Didn’t think you would. Got a squid! Here you go. The lights dim, the voices soften, and the day folds in quietly one last adventure before we drift into tomorrow. We had an amazing sleep last night on the super comfortable beds woke up to an incredible view of the limestone cliffs. And now we’re taking an electric car into a little village here. You can actually ride bikes into the village, but they don’t have kid bikes, and so we’re taking the electric car. It’s one thing to see pictures of the landscape here and just kind of imagine what it would feel like. And it’s a totally different thing to actually be here in the midst of it. It’s completely indescribable. It’s a place you just have to come to. You really have to come here. We’ve just arrived in a quiet pocket of Cat Ba Island tucked between limestone cliffs and jungle paths. And before we could take in the scenery, we received the cutest, most enthusiastic welcome. Viet Hai was once a quiet farming village, sustained by rice fields, livestock, and the rhythms of a self reliant life. But times have shifted, with younger generations moving to the cities and farming no longer what it once was, the village now leans on tourism to stay afloat. What remains is a place shaped by tradition, held gently by those still here and quietly adapting to whatever comes next. They’re all coming! It tickles so much! Well, now that we’ve done this whole cruise, I have to say I was expecting something that was like really over-touristy. It definitely is touristy, obviously, because it’s Ha Long Bay. It’s one of the most popular things to do in all of Vietnam. But you could only see this by cruise. It really is worth coming out here and doing this cruise. The views that you see with the ocean and the straight up cliffs, the limestone and the vines flowing over it. It is really a once in a lifetime place to come. Thanks so much for celebrating with us. Seriously. We’re so grateful to have you here and couldn’t do this without you. And we can’t wait to bring you along for whatever comes next as we continue embracing the unknown in year two.

Ha Long Bay, Vietnam is one of the most iconic and unforgettable places we’ve explored. From kayaking through towering limestone karsts to taking in the quiet beauty of life on the water, come experience why this Ha Long Bay cruise is a must for any Vietnam itinerary in 2025.

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LOCATIONS FROM TODAY’S ADVENTURES 📍

⛰️ Cat Ba Island: https://maps.app.goo.gl/bDBfSV3MeB7PJapF8
⛰️ Ha Long Bay: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Sc7DBtB78hjhWXpH6

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00:00 Intro
00:47 Getting There
01:20 Venezia Cruises Ship
02:15 Floating Marine Villages
02:57 Coupert Sponsored Ad
03:55 The Amazing Landscape
04:32 Sea Kayaking
07:08 Sunset
07:34 Vietnamese Cooking Class
08:53 Squid Fishing
09:14 Viet Hai Village
11:24 Overall Impressions Of The Cruise