Bhaya Soul cruise in Ha Long Bay has been recognized in TIME’s 2026 list of The World’s Greatest Places for its transformative wellness-focused experiences. Launched in July 2022, the cruise offers unique programs, including meditation, cycling through fishing villages, and wellness retreats, all within the stunning landscape of Vietnam’s UNESCO-listed bay.
Bhaya Soul cruise in Ha Long Bay has been included in the “Places to Stay” category of TIME’s annual list of The World’s Greatest Places 2026, which highlights 100 extraordinary destinations to visit and experience around the globe.
Each year, TIME gathers nominations from its international network of correspondents and contributors, as well as through a dedicated application process. The list features destinations – including hotels, cruises, restaurants, attractions, museums, and parks – that offer new, meaningful, and memorable experiences for travelers.
“Around the world, more people are venturing far from home,” the magazine noted, adding that approximately 1.5 billion international tourist trips were recorded in 2025, about four percent higher than in 2024.
In her feature for TIME, travel and lifestyle writer Kathryn Romeyn described Bhaya Soul as part of a new wave of experiences making journeys through Ha Long Bay more restorative.
Launched in July last year, the 20-cabin vessel positions itself as the bay’s first wellness-focused overnight cruise, featuring boutique-style cabins equipped with bay-view soaking tubs and private terraces. The ship also includes a swimming pool deck and curated wellness experiences designed to promote mindfulness and relaxation.
According to Romeyn, the cruise’s one- or two-night all-inclusive program focuses on wellness and local gastronomy, with multi-course meals featuring herbs and lotus stems grown at Bhaya Community Village’s organic farm, alongside seafood such as octopus and grouper caught directly from the bay.
Mornings begin with singing bowl meditation inside Tien Ong Cave, where archaeological evidence suggests human presence dating back around 10,000 years.
The itinerary also includes cycling through the traditional Viet Hai fishing village, a 40-minute foot massage beginning with a Vietnamese herbal ritual, and evening sound meditation sessions under the stars.
Selected sailings in 2026 will further expand the concept through “Soul Sanctuary” retreats, offering yoga, ocean breathwork, and sound healing sessions led by internationally trained practitioners.
According to the cruise’s official website, accommodation on Bhaya Soul ranges from US$776 to US$1,553 per night on a full-board basis.
Voyage packages are also available, including the two-day Soulful Journey through Ha Long Bay starting from $289 per person, the three-day Unveil Nature’s Symphony of Ha Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay from $579 per person, and the extended Waves of Wellness from Ha Long Bay to Hoi An experience from $1,808 per person.
Located in Quang Ninh Province in northern Vietnam, Ha Long Bay is one of the country’s most iconic natural attractions, famous for its emerald waters and thousands of towering limestone karsts rising dramatically from the sea.
The UNESCO World Heritage Site is home to floating fishing villages, caves, and lagoons, making it a popular destination for cruising, kayaking, and exploring coastal culture.
Other destinations featured on TIME’s 2026 list of the world’s greatest places to stay include Songtsam Lodge Cizhong in Cizhong, China; Oberoi Rajgarh Palace Resort in Rajasthan, India; Hotel Plesnik in Solčava, Slovenia; Avantgarde Refined Caves of Cappadocia in Turkey; Tinajani in Peru’s Southern Altiplano; and One&Only Moonlight Basin in Big Sky, Montana, United States.
Australian Hospitality Alumni Network Vietnam 