We stayed in Hanoi, but we did the one day trip to Ha Long Bay via a shared bus (very convenient!). Our guide Minh was very helpful and knowledgeable. We had several activities to choose from and he was very clear with instructions. We explored a cave, hiked to the top of Titop to see a great view of the bay, went on a speedboat ride, and even went swimming. The boat had good food and music too. A fun day - thank you, Minh!