The Ultimate Guide to Cat Ba Island

Cat Ba Island… do you imagine it flooded with cats like Japanese island Ōkunoshima is smothered by bunnies? No. On Cat Ba Island, you will find only hotels, hostels, restaurants, friendly locals, tourists in awe… and Monkey Island, Cat Ba National Park, places to hike, bike, and kayak!

Quirky fact: The name Cat Ba means women’s island and comes from an old legend that says 3 women of the powerful Tran dynasty (1225–1400) were killed and their bodies washed up, each on a different beach shore in Cat Ba. Hence the name Cat Ba.

Many people have heard about Halong Bay. And many people go there. The whole bay has seen a surge in tourist inflow. Put Cat Ba Island into Google Maps and you will find it has more than 13 000 inhabitants and it is the largest island of the bay. Many of these visitors stay in Halong city. In this guide, we want to tell you some insider things we found out on our repeated visits and present you with some local tips for Cat Ba city and Lan Ha Bay, which is geologically an extension of Halong Bay, but there are differences.

So, before you embark on one of the cruises in this UNESCO-protected bay located in Quang Ninh province, floating around 1,600 islands and limestone rocks, not believing your eyes how mother nature could create something this beautiful, dive into our guide.

Discover beautiful caves all around the island and trek around in the national park that takes most of the island. If you are in Lan Ha Bay, you will visit the southern part of Cat Ba island, all away from the crowds in Halong Bay and only interrupted by a few backpackers that take a scooter ride to the island. Sounds good, right? So…

Position of Cat Ba Island on the map of Vietnam

When to visit Lan Ha Bay and Cat Ba Island?

Climate and weather

Located in Northern Vietnam you will find four different seasons; spring, summer, autumn, and winter. It is not only the temperatures that change during this period but also the scenery. There is not a bad time for visiting the Halong Bay area or do a cruise, but the best time is in the spring (from March to May) and autumn (from September to November), as the sun is not that strong and there are fewer people. However, if you like to get your tan on, what better place to do it than a terrace of one of Cat Ba island accommodations, Lan Ha Bay cruise or a kayak! The summer season is when the sun is bright and the water super warm for a swim. It is also the offseason, giving you great deals up to 40% of the original price during the high periods. However, there is one thing you should be aware of during the summer period, and that is typhoons (from June to August). Cruises can get cancelled (safety first, right?) but still, if you follow the weather forecast, you will be fine. If you book with a travel agency, even better, because we as locals know best. In the winter time, you will find misty and soft rain most of the day. It does not affect any of the activities, but swimming can be a bit chilled. The fog in the winter months makes the bay look more like a dreamland and make everything blurred like an out focused romantic picture. From June to August and temperatures peak at 30°C. Winter temperatures from December to February average 15-20°C, but can drop as low as 10°C with the north-east monsoon. The water temperature varies from a cool 19°C (67°F) in January and February to over 30°C (87°F +) in July. Air temperature varies from 17°C (63°F) in the winter to 29°C in June, July & August (84°F) Rainfall is from 20mm average for January to 265 mm of rain in August, with the wettest months being the warmest, May to September.

cat ba island weather

How to get there and around?

How to get there

From Hanoi

A comfortable bus or a private car

Settle into a comfortable bus or a private car that will take you on a two-hour drive to Lan Ha Bay, compared to Halong Bay that takes three hours of transfer. Cat Ba Island is about 15km from Hai Phong City where you change to speedboat or take a ferry from the Pha Binh port.

Speedboat is the fastest way. You can also spend a bit more on a luxury private car or take the luxury bus, which is able to transfer 18 people in combination with a boat. Lean back in the comfortable seats and admire the landscape or sleep in to have a lot of energy when you arrive at the Lan Ha Bay pier.

Public buses

If you are going on a budget trip you can take the local bus from Hanoi bus station to Hai Phong bus station. Book your tickets at the bus station or online. Hai Phong is the main port of northern Vietnam and a commercial and industrial centre. Called “the city of red poinciana flowers” it is the 3rd largest Vietnamese city. If you find yourself here in September, here is a local tip: Đồ Sơn Buffalo Fighting Festival held since 18th century takes place and you can witness buffalo fighting. Later, you can transfer from the Hai Phong bus station to the Cat Ba Island by boat. Takes approx. half an hour and then a few minutes on a minibus to Cat Ba Town. The total cost is about 350,000 VND (15 USD), depends on when and with whom do you book.

Getting around

The hidden Lan Ha Bay area has several attractions that should be on your list when visiting the area. Some are reachable from Cat Ba Island and others are better done from a cruise.

Renting a bike is one of the things to do in Ho Chi Minh

Rent a bike

Arrived, safe and sound? If you are not a part of an organised tour but you are on your own, you might consider a motorbike. Never tried? Cat Ba is definitely a better place (compared to bustling Saigon or Hanoi) to do it. An automatic motorbike will be around 100,000 VND (4.50 USD) with helmet provided. The fuel for the day can cost around 70,000 VND (2.60 USD). Depends on your pace.

  • TipsOn your way from Hanoi to Cat Ba, you will pass the Tan Vu-Lach Huyen Bridge, the largest sea bridge in Vietnam!

What to see? Top attractions in Lan Ha Bay

Top five attractions in Lan Ha Bay cover everything from local life to natural treasures.
cat ba island beach

White-sand beaches

Sunbathe on the beaches during the summer period and swim in the refreshing water in the winters while admiring the view. Own a drone? Now it is your time to flash it. Laws in Vietnam do not forbid them but you have to get a permit from the Vietnam Ministry of National Defense, and then there are just basic rules to follow (do not fly over military objects, respect privacy, take weather into consideration.)

The oldest fishing village

Visit the oldest fishing village in Vietnam, Cai Beo (located near Cai Beo port), where people live their everyday life. Children go to school on boats, there are restaurants and guesthouses. Take a small boat to the village which is about 300 households making their living from fishing and fish farming, mostly.

cat ba island floating village
cat ba island village

Viet Hai Village

Experience the untouched Viet Hai Village, where the locals do not lock their doors at night or when they are not home. Surrounded by jungle and mountains this simple villages will make you feel welcome and happy when interacting with the locals that do not have or need much but will offer you all they have. There are three ways to get to Viet Hai ancient village: taking a boat for 300,000 VND / trip (12.8 USD), trekking across the Cat Ba National Park, and kayaking. Another thing about Viet Hai, you can experience fish pedicure here!

Trung Trang cave

Hidden in the Cat Ba nature reserve you find Trung Trang cave (nicknamed gold treasure) and Uy Ban grottos with thousands of natural stalactites glittering under the dim light creating a fairytale scenery. Entrance fee is included in the natural park entrance ticket.

 

cat ba island trung trang cave
Credit: Catbaisland.org
cat ba island hospital cave
Credit: Catbaisland.org
cat ba island hospital cave
Credit: thewholeworldornothing.com

“Hospital cave”

  • Location: 10 km (6.2 miles) north of Cat Ba Town on the road to the national park entrance
  • Opening hours: 8 AM to 5 PM, everyday
  • Price: 40,000 VND (1.7 USD) and 10,000 VND (0.5 USD) to park.

Do not go there on your own, hire a guide if you are into war history. It could not be seen from the ground or the air, making it the perfect spot for a safe house. And literally, there was a small hospital with surgeries performed, hospital rooms, room for doctors, even a cinema and a swimming pool! It operated undiscovered by “the enemy” until 1975, for over 10 years!

 

Butterfly Valley

Have time to spare? Head to Liên Minh (Butterfly Valley). Do not expect a scene from a Disney movie but we promise you will see butterflies.

 

cat ba island butterfly valley
Credit: halongbayairport.com
cat ba island monkey island
Credit: tintaynguyen.com

Monkey Island

If you are doing a cruise, it is on your itinerary already. Do not feed them and encourage scavenging for human food though.

 

Corals on Van Boi Beach

Dive to admire corals on Van Boi Beach, where the clear blue water and calm waves create the perfect place for corals to grow. Rent a snorkeling gear (very cheap) or an oxygen tank (1 to 1.5 million VND / person / trip – 43 to 63 USD). The Cat Ba Archipelago is a highly biodiverse spot, you will love it.

 

cat ba island van boi beach
Credit: monkeyisland.com

Aye aye, pirate... So, Ye want t' visit t' land…? Done with t' beach, are ya? Yo-ho-ho:

The No 1 attraction on Cat Ba Island is:

Cat Ba National Park

  • Location: 30 kilometres/19 miles east of Hai Phong
  • Opening hours: 8 AM – 5 PM
  • Price: 40,000 VND (1.7 USD)

This unique place has more than 3000 existing flora and fauna species. 130 rare species are named in the Vietnam and World Red Lists, among which, 76 species are found in the rare category of the IUCN, and 21 species are endemic (it means they live only on Cat Ba). Among them, we can find Cat Ba langur, which is a unique primate (it drinks salt water) and is critically endangered. There are only about 60-70 left. This national park is also home to Kim Giao trees, ancient and endangered. The national park includes the marine environment to offer protection and conservation for this delicate habitat as well. The habitat contains more than 900 sea fish, 7 types of sea snake, 4 turtle species, more than 170 coral species and more than 20 seaweed species. This was the first national park in the country to cover marine areas and include coral reef, mangrove, seagrass beds, and willow swamp forests. Standing on the top of the Ngu Lam (Ngự Lâm) mountain (1.5 km / 0.9 miles), you will feel like a king of the jungle. And many after you will feel the same. However, Cat Ba is estimated to have 5-6 million tourists by 2020 and 8 to 10 million by 2030. Visit it in a respectful way, it is for sure a sight to behold and a gem to protect.  

cat ba island national park

What to do on Cat Ba and in Lan Ha Bay?

Top activities

1. Go for a swim

Something you will do with a 99 per cent probability is swimming. Most people head to Cat Co (Cát Cò) beach number 1, 2, 3 (south of the island) which are famous but very crowded. You can park your bike for 9,000 VND (0.4 USD) parking fee and get to the relaxing or pick other pristine, more desert beaches, such as the beach at Monkey Island (Đảo Khỉ), Tung Thu (Tùng Thu) beach. Rent a boat from Bến Bèo for 400-500,000 VND / 6 people (17-21 USD).

cat ba island cat co beach

2. Cruise

A must do when in Lan Ha Bay, is to jump into a kayak and paddle around islands and fishing farms. You can also rent a Stand Up Paddleboard. Visitors either rent it at a shop for about 200,000 VND / kayak / day (17-21 USD) or it is included in the price of the cruise. You can choose 2 days/1 night, 3 days/2nights and spend a night onboard or you can just opt for a single day Lan Ha Bay cruise. The benefit of an overnight one? More time to relax and discover. You might spot bioluminescent plankton (tiny fluorescent organisms, which light up as a defense mechanism against predators…or in this case you, swimming around them). Shhh… the best place to see the fluorescent plankton in Cat Ba is Cat Co Beach 2. The benefit of a one day cruise? Price and density of awesome experiences. One day cruise starts from 600 000 VND to 1 600 000 VND (25-68 USD) 2 days/1 night starts from 3,280,000 VND (140 USD) and 3 days/2 nights from 4,700,000 VND (200 USD) /approximate prices/ We often board Lan Ha Bay cruises, read about why we choose it over Halong Bay cruises. You can also kayak alone or in a group (a tour that usually includes lunch.) Moving smoothly on a kayak will get you close to the local life in the bay together with the relaxing sound of the paddle touching the water mixed with complete silence. Secure your kayak on a white-sand island and jump into the clear blue water or visit one of many floating fishing houses. A highlight can be a visit to a fishing farm.

cat ba island cruise

3. Sightseeing & Camping

The main reason why people take trips to Halong Bay area is the stunning landscape. You should make sure to take time to slow down, chill on your balcony on the cruise or drop down to the harbour to soak in the beautiful view. Do not forget the camera and make sure to climb on of the islands to capture a panorama view of the bay. Take time to relax before continuing your trip in Vietnam, as you will find less calm places than this. For the romantics out there, this is also a perfect place to enjoy the sunset. We recommend to watch it from the boat or Cannon Fort (perfect for romantic historians out there), built in 1942, located 177m above the sea. Buy cold drinks in the town, pay the entrance fee of 40,000 VND (1.7 USD) and watch the sun go down. Are you more of a “Bear Grylls” or “Robinson” type? Camp on a deserted beach, it is not prohibited. However, do not venture into the wild forest in Cat Ba National park without the hired guide, as this island was heavily bombed during the war. There is a commemorating monument on a close-by island of Cat Hai.

4. Cycling

Not that adventurous? No worries, accommodation on Cat Ba ranges from hostels, homestays, hotels, eco-lodges, villas… to floating houses!

Take a day trip to Cat Ba Island and bike around the island, passing fields, buffalos and local villages. You will see how the income from tourism helped the economy of the Halong Bay area and also how important it is to do it in a wise, sustainable way. More and more places in the world have to restrict tourism in order to protect special places, from Indonesian Komodo islands, Thai Maya Beach to European Venice, Santorini or Mallorca. This is the perfect time to let your mind wander but also to get some exercise while enjoying nature on the island, that seems to be untouched for decades. Grab your camera and shot some great pictures of you on a bike in the stunning landscape with jungle surrounding you. Or take a selfie.

  • Quirky fact:Did you know that according to GOASEAN, the world's first ASEAN travel channel–tune Halong area is among the top selfie spots in SE Asia?
cat ba island cycling

5. Sailing & Fishing

Spice up the day and jump on a bamboo boat rowed by an old woman. It sails to the Dark & Light cave, which are only reachable from the ocean. Admire caves from the bamboo boat while sailing through them. Usually, these boats are used for traditional fishing in the area. Relax before returning to your cruise or back to Cat Ba Island.

Oh, and you can fish too! Fishing is a source of living for the locals. Ask any accommodation or boat owner, arranging it is not a problem. A short trip costs about 500,000 VND (21 USD). Fishing for squids is particularly popular.

6. Outdoor sports

Adventurous? Take things to the next level and go for rock climbing in Cat Ba. Located on the island is an international rock climbing center, where you can buy a climbing permit on Cat Ba Island or at the Monkey Island (Cat Sand Island). If you are not an experienced climber, you can hire a guide or you can try hiking. Anyhow, the hidden valleys will still take your breath away.

The daily hiking permits are around 60,000 VND (2.5 USD) and you can purchase them the Asia Outdoors office in Cat Ba town. You can also rent the gear.

cat ba island rock climbing

Extra tip: Do not forget:

  • Your camera (and waterproof case if you have it)
  • Water/windproof coat (depending on the season)
  • Sunscreen (good to buy at home since local people hide from the sun and your brand or UV factor might be harder to purchase here)
  • Mosquito repellent
  • Hat
  • Swimsuit
  • A towel that dries quickly (Vietnam can get humid)
  • Goggles
  • Snorkelling gear (but you can get it there too)
  • Other pair of shoes apart from flip-flops and water. But if you do a cruise, the latter will be taken care of. And if you own a dry bag, take it. Kayaks are safe but wearing a life jacket and putting your valuables in a sealed bag won’t hurt.

 

What to eat?

Lan Ha Bay and Cat Ba Island specialities

The Cat Ba area and Lan Ha Bay is known for its fresh fish and large fishing farms that nurse hundred of different fish species and mussels. When going on a cruise or just a trip to Cat Ba Island, you should make sure to try out all the different special dishes with fish found in the area. If you are on a cruise, you will likely try most of them. Here are our top five dishes to try when in Cat Ba. PS: Some of them are made/served with Cat Hai fish sauce (typical for Cat Ba island like Phu Quoc has its own sauce)

cat ba island oyster
Credit: Phuot.biz

Geoduck clam or “ngao”

Known as rare seafood with high nutrition and special taste, this is a must try in Cat Ba where these snout otter clams are taken right from the ocean to your plate. Get a dish where they are boiled, stir-fried with onions and peanuts or our fav, grilled with cheese. And men, this clam is on the list of aphrodisiac foods!.

 

Lobster or “tôm hùm”

Caught right outside your restaurant is the king of the ocean – lobster. This is as fresh as it gets. Pick your lobster from a tank and get it cooked the way you want to. In Cat Ba, it is much cheaper than in other places around the world.

 

cat ba island lobster
cat ba island fish
Credit: catbacity.vn

Grouper or “cá song”

Known as the ugly fish in the ocean, we present to you: the Song fish. There are 37 species around Vietnam and three of them are found in Cat Ba. Our favourite taste is when it is cooked in tomato sauce. Yummy. But you will find the fish in a hot pot, steamed, grilled or mixed with a papaya salad. Other popular fish include cobia, snapper.

 

King-Crab or “Cua hoàng đế”

We recommend the speciality of Hai Phong that can be also found here, “bánh đa cua” – crab noodle soup. As the name says, it contains crab, tomatoes, vegetables, water spinach, fish pie, meat, and red noodle. Another dish you can try is crab roll called nem cua be. However, you can always go for a simple grilled or boiled crab meat.

 

cat ba island king crab
Credit: Cooky.vn
cat ba island shrimp
Credit: Hanoi Voyages

Shrimps or “tôm”

Enjoy shrimp noodles like the locals or get them grilled to get tender meat with a lot of taste.

Octopus/squid or “bạch tuộc/mực ống”

Grilled or seasoned with garlic, this is another must.

 

cat ba island squid
Credit: 24h.vn
cat ba island oyster
Credit: Kham pha Vietnam

Oyster or “hàu”

For local people, oysters are most popular in a dish called “cháo hàu” aka oyster porridge. Or you can head to one of many restaurants and enjoy them in a classic (and classy) way with cocktail sauce, lemon juice or grilled.

 

Watersnake or “rắn biển”

1-2 meters length, they might scare you in nature. But on the plate, they provide nutrients for those who dare to try them.

And prices? A seafood plate for 1 person, consisting of freshly caught fish (you can pick yours!), a crab and three oysters, served with rice and vegetables costs about 250 000 VND (11 USD)

 

cat ba island snake
Credit: dulichcatba.com

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