Heritage Line was founded in Saigon in August 2008 by John Tue Nguyen, and its first ship, Jayavarman, began sailing the Mekong in November 2009, with French-colonial and Khmer interiors, an Apsara Spa and the Club 1930 bar. The Jahan followed in 2011, themed on British India, with 26 staterooms for 52 guests. In 2012 the company bought Cruise Halong and with it ships for Ha Long Bay: Violet, whose six suites each have a balcony and Jacuzzi, and Ginger, redesigned in 2018 around food, with a restaurant glazed almost all the way round. Ylang adds a wellness theme, with spa, sauna and yoga studio. On the Mekong, the seven-night voyage from Saigon to Siem Reap calls at Cai Be, the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh and Tonle Sap Lake, and at high water, from mid-August to mid-November, the ship docks at Siem Reap itself. In the north, bay cruises board at Tuan Chau Marina, about two and a half hours from Hanoi, and since January 2026 Violet has sailed two-night cruises in Bai Tu Long Bay, far quieter than Ha Long. There are no single-use plastics on board. Anouvong sails in Laos.
- Nearest airport
- Varies by voyage; for Ha Long Bay, Noi Bai International Airport, Hanoi (HAN), 86.7 Miles / 139.5 Kilometres
- On board
- Seven ships, from Violet (six suites, 12 guests) to The Jahan (26 staterooms, 52 guests)
Insider tip Choose Bai Tu Long Bay over Ha Long: only 25 to 30 ships sail there, and it is often compared to Ha Long Bay as it was 20 years ago.
Why I choose it The most characterful way onto the Mekong and the bays of northern Vietnam.
