Hai Au Aviation
Hai Au Aviation
4.5
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
About
A truly unique way to see a wonderfully unique country, Hai Au Aviation is proud to offer Vietnam's only seaplane service. From speedy transfers between Hanoi and Halong Bay, to scenic flights over the islands of Halong, Hai Au's flights are limited to a maximum of just 12 passengers ensuring everyone superb views in true style and comfort.
Halong Bay, Vietnam

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(26 reviews)
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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4.5
287 reviews
Excellent
247
Very good
17
Average
6
Poor
4
Terrible
13

Doug obryan
16 contributions
May 2022 • Friends
We flew the halong bay tour on May 12. The first flight was canceled to weather and the crew graciously set up a transfer for us.we did get to fly the following day but also had weather delays. The crew took us back and again the crew did a fantastic job fixing the situation. With these small planes ,weather can be a bigger factor than a. Iarge plane..the tour was excellent, the service was beyond my expectations.
Written May 13, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Cele
Padova10 contributions
Feb 2023 • Friends
We really enjoyed flying over Ha Long Bay, it was a spectacular view even though it wasn't a very sunny and clear day. The flight itself is probably just 10min, which feels like a very short time. But I would say it's worth it.
Written March 12, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Deanette C
Spokane, WA17 contributions
Mar 2020 • Friends
Wonderful experience seeing the sites from the air. Our pilot James was funny and informative. Easy check in process and the staff was very attentive. Plane was comfortable and wonderful views regardless of where you sat. A must if you are in the area!
Written March 2, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear 647deanettec, Thank you for choosing to spend your flight with Hai Au Aviation. We highly appreciate your compliments and we are glad you had an enjoyable time. It's a great pleasure to know that you had a wonderful holiday with us and found everything to your satisfaction. On behalf of the team, I look forward to welcoming you back very soon. Cheers, Hai Au team.
Written August 17, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

927lynch
Melbourne, Australia1 contribution
Nov 2015 • Family
As time was short we decided to take the seaplane to Halong Bay. The flight time is about 30 minutes but we choose to opt for the extra scenic flight over Halong Bay which adds another 15 minutes.
The check-in was smooth although the check in staff appeared to wish they were somewhere else. Note that although there is a strict 7KG carry on luggage limit, our bags were not weighed. We then passed(accompanied by the check in person) through security where the usual restrictions apply to liquids. A bus took us to the plane where we were met by our friendly pilots before boarding the plane. Seats are NOT allocated on check in thus its first come , first served for window seats - the seating is configured with two seats on one side plus one on the other side of the aisle. Planes appear to be very new and were cool once the air conditioning was working. A pleasant flight down to the coast was followed by a superb 15 minute scenic flight over the bay and then ended with a perfect water landing after which the plane mounted a ramp at the marina where we disembarked to be met by a glass of chilled orange juice!. Electric carts then took the passengers to the cruise terminal which is only two minutes away. All in all, a well run company which provides a faster option of getting to Halong Bay than going by road. The only slight negative point is that the tickets issued to us did not state which terminal the plane left from which necessitated a promptly replied to e-mail to find out (Its counter 10 at the domestic terminal).
Written November 10, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Dsalonso
San Francisco, CA7 contributions
Oct 2015 • Family
The bottom line is if you can afford to fly to Halong Bay with Hai Au (They are only company to fly there) you should do it.

I was with my family of five (kids 11, 8,8) and it was an amazing experience. I've never done the bus trip, but this must be better than a 3-4 hour bus trip each way. Note that we booked a last minute fare so we did not pay the normal price.

Also, for full disclosure, I ended up randomly meeting one of the Canadian pilots, Justin (I needed a barber recommendation) on the streets of Tay Ho on our first morning in Hanoi and he ended up showing my family around while we were there. This was before we booked our flight, but we had seen ads for the service and were planning on booking it. Small world.

Anyway-Justin wasn't flying the day we went so we flew with Dave-also from Canada.

Here is the lowdown:

Canadian pilots with Vietnamese co-pilots. I'm no aviator, but my sense is that if you can fly a float plane in Canada, flying in Vietnam probably isn't as challenging. You check in at the domestic airport. We didn't pay when we booked online-they took payment at the airport check in which I thought was kinda strange. Then their credit card machine didn't work and I had to pay half the fare in cash (basically I had to take the maximum daily amount at the ATM). You take a bus on the tarmac to the plane. They use brand new Cessnas- Justin said it was like flying a Cadillac. It was just my family of 5 and one other person in a plane that seats 12 or 15 people I think. FYI no bathroom on the plane, but it's a really short flight anyway. If you are not used to flying in a smaller plane you might think it's a little loud, so I suggested they provided headsets or ear plugs. I didn't think it was a big deal, but you know some people- I am trying to nit pick here for the sake of objectivity.

You take a more scenic route on the way to Halong Bay and it is just amazing. If you are on a boat it's hard to get the scale of it all. You cruise over the bay for about 15 minutes and then land on the water and taxi up a boat ramp as the tourists on the ferry nearby take pictures of this really cool plane that just switched from water to land. As you depart you are met by a 15 seat golf cart with cold towels and water and wait in their brand new lounge (with coffee/sodas/water) and then they take you to whatever boat you booked.

On the way back it's more of a direct flight. It was just my family and another couple on that flight. We did encounter some rain and lightning and it was a little bumpy so keep that in mind. I've been on small planes before and it didn't bother me. My kids didn't even notice. My wife was a little more sensitive, so it bothered her more. They mentioned that sometimes they have to cancel the flight due to weather in which case they would arrange for the traditional bus so you don't miss your boat-they all usually leave around1200/100pm.

For me it was totally worth the splurge. When are you ever going to fly in the float plane above one of the most beautiful places in the world (in my opinion)? Plus you are not going to be as tired on the ride to and from. From what I understand it's not the biggest highway to Halong Bay and you could hit traffic. I got to know the pilots personally (even said hi to Dave as he was biking down the street one day) so I might be a little biased. But even so I'm not going to compromise when it comes down to my family's safety.

In my opinion its the only way to go. Hope to see you guys again soon!
Written October 21, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

montreal1977
Montreal, Canada42 contributions
Jan 2018 • Solo
They did not let me got on the plane to get 2 passengers instead of one! I had already paid and received a confirmation. Their policy states that you need to pay upfront to secure your seat BUT they let the 2 people take my place even if they had not paid yet!
Written January 12, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear montreal1977, We would like sincerely apologize for this late reply and thank you for taking the time to give us feedback. We deeply regret your experience with us. On the day of your flight, we unfortunately could not let everyone board since we exceeded the weight capacity. We have also looked into the other two passengers who boarded the plane and found that they booked via an agency, not directly with Hai Au Aviation. They were therefore under a different payment policy. It caused us great regret that we could not give you the service we promised, but we hope you understand our decision only came from a safety point of view. Thank you once again for reaching out to us via email and Tripadvisor. We have dully noted this incident and devised counter measures to prevent unpleasant experience for guests. Should you have any further comments, please do not hesitate to contact us at online.sales@haiauaviation.com Thank you.
Written June 27, 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

vandos
hong kong40 contributions
Jul 2017 • Family
We got confirmation the night before our scheduled flight that our flight had been moved forward due to unscheduled maintenance and that we would have a hotel pickup at 6.00AM. No issues with this we confirmed everything and reconfirmed that the pickup would be at the Hanoi Hilton Opera. We were down in the lobby at 5.45am ready to be taken to the airport.
6.15 am still no pick up.
6.30 am still no pick up.
6.45 am still no pick up.
7.00 am you guessed it still no pick up.
During this time we tried to call them several times and no answer it was only at 7.10am that we managed to get through at which time we were informed our pickup would be at 7.15am.
Got to the airport and then there was a further delay no real reason given for it.
Due to the fact the flight was earlier Hai Au Aviation agreed to provide breakfast on arrival but since we were originally going to be waiting for three hours for our boat connection as part to their tour I asked if there was anything we could do. They suggested pearl farm and gave me the choice of paying for breakfast or the Pearl Farm. I chose breakfast but found out latter that the pearl farm was no cost you could just walk in. A bit of a con don't you think? They should have let me know the Pearl Farm had no entry fee so that I could have made the right decision and gone for the Breakfast.
Got to the boat trip arranged by Hai Au Aviation and part of their company another 45 min wait in the lounge to get on the boat. Then told that due to bad weather the boat could not go out but we could have lunch. Got on boat and lunch not ready. Go figure.
We were meant to be on a 4.15 flight back to Hanoi on Hai Au sea plane but you guessed it not on time. The flight eventually left at 5.15 am.
The only truly professional part are the pilots. They were attentive, explained everything and acted truly professional.
My concern is if they run the aircraft maintenance the same way they run their company then there could be some serious issues. Hopefully my experience was a one off.
If you have the time and are not on any kind of schedule and are willing to sit through delays without explanation or bogus explanations and are willing to pay the high price then go for it otherwise think twice. I would not recommend this type of day trip organized by Hai Au Aviation and am curious to see how they will respond.
Written July 4, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear valued customers, We had well acknowledged your comment and immediately sent it to our Reservation and Customers Service Department. Our team had replied through your personal email right after your travel date to explain the situation as well as to send our sincere apologies for the inconvenience caused you by those unfortunate events. As per our conversation through separate emails, on 4 Jul there was an unexpected error on the online system of our transportation partner which led to the late pick-up. In additions, due to the ATC (Air Traffic Control) – VIP flight arrival at Noi Bai Airport on that day, all flights had been delayed including our seaplane flights. Please find the official apology letter and compensation offer in your private email inbox. Once again, thank you for your kind understanding and acceptance to our offer of service fee refund and gift vouchers. It would be our great honour if we could be at your services again in the near future. We are looking forward to welcoming you on board soon. Best regards, Hai Au Aviation
Written July 17, 2017
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

KMDG3
New York City, NY14 contributions
Apr 2016 • Solo
We have lived in Hanoi for several years and fully appreciate services catering to tourists destinations in VN (or any other country) are subject two tiered pricing with visitors being charged more. We have been to Halong Bay twice when accompanying family on vacation and wanted to try something new on an upcoming trip. We (4 ex-pats) all made inquiries for similar date. The one with a local surname (actually born in Toronto) booked a flight for $130. The three with foreign surname - $385, no exceptions. For fun we tried a fictitious Chinese surname and common local given name and were quoted $175. We expect this type of pricing from tour boat operators but were surprised to see it slip into transportation providers. To put this in context for visitors, we have found other services in tourist areas (train, taxis, ect) to have a 30%-50% mark up for visitors. There is a term used by some locals for gullible tourists: ATMs. If you want to feel like an ATM, Hai Au Aviation is for you.
Written May 3, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear KMDG3 Thank you for bringing this situation to our attention. We are looking into your case carefully and will take appropriate action. At Hai Au Aviation, like most other companies, price varies between the different products we offer. From time to time, we have early bird, last minute, seasonal and bundled package promotions. We also offer discounts for big groups, travel agents and frequent customers. I would like to emphasize that we do not offer differentiated rates for the same product based on guests’ nationalities or races. From your review, I deduce that you may have not booked with Hai Au Aviation, as it is not possible to book a flight without providing accurate passenger information including name, nationality, date of birth etc. We have checked our system but could not locate your enquiries/booking. Therefore, we appreciate if you could please contact us at rsvn.online@haiauaviation.com and provide us with references of your enquiries and correspondences with Hai Au Aviation. Thank you in advance for your cooperation. Yours sincerely Trang Dinh Managing Director
Written May 20, 2016
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Sabina I
5 contributions
Please be cautious as our flight was cancelled due to bad weather and still waiting a month for refund of $970US. Was assured refund would be processed within 14 days and still waiting. Extremely disappointed and please be very cautious about this company as payment is required upfront but refunds are not processed promptly (hopefully forthcoming soon).
I saved for this trip and am so angry that I'm still waiting for the refund

Written February 16, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Sabina, We would like to sincerely apologise for your unpleasant experience, as well as this late reply. I believe you have been refunded for your purchase at this point; but nonetheless, our handling of your case is truly inadequate. We are very disappointed to have not kept our promise of timely refund. We understand how deeply frustrating this is for our guests and our finance department has since worked on improving our payment process. We regret your experience with Hai Au Aviation and can only hope to receive your sympathy in this matter. Thank you for taking the time to give us feedback, which is highly valuable to our service improvement.
Written June 27, 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Bart J
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia27 contributions
Sep 2016 • Solo
Great experience, great staff... when everything is perfect there is not much to say... just book this, you won't regret it.
Written September 26, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Bart J, I always love here such great comments about the staff and they deserve all the credit they get - it makes me proud to work with this great team and deliver experiences that have a positive impact on our guests. Thanks again, and we hope you'll choose Hai Au Aviation the next time you're in Vietnam. Best regards, Hai Au Aviation
Written October 6, 2016
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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