Exploring Northern Vietnam’s Most Majestic Island

Cat Ba Island, positioned simply to the south of the world-famous Ha Lengthy Bay, is among the best-kept secrets and techniques in Northern Vietnam.

That’s to not say it’s completely off the radar – Cat Ba Island welcomes virtually 3 million guests per yr, most of whom are home vacationers. Sadly, most of these guests solely go to a sure small a part of the island and have a unfavourable expertise as a result of the preferred a part of the island, Cat Ba City, additionally occurs to be the least satisfying.

The overwhelming majority of Cat Ba’s guests are home vacationers, with most overseas vacationers sticking to the way more well-known Ha Lengthy and possibly visiting Cat Ba for an evening as a fast stopover. Because of this, a lot of the island is nearly untouched by tourism and is, in my view, some of the underrated areas in Vietnam.

On this information, I’ll attempt to convey why it’s so stunning and how one can get essentially the most out of a visit to Cat Ba Island. I’ll present suggestions about learn how to get there, the place to remain, what to do throughout your journey, and why it’s such a fantastic addition to a Northern Vietnam journey itinerary.

What Makes Cat Ba Island Distinctive?

Cat Ba is essentially the most stunning island in Vietnam. I’ll at all times have a deep love for the extra tropical “coconuts and palm bushes” islands within the South like Con Dao and Phu Quoc, however the towering karst formations and thick greenery contrasting with the sunny seashores on Cat Ba supply a majestic enchantment that I haven’t discovered elsewhere.

It’s a very Northern Vietnamese model of an island getaway that you just gained’t expertise in a lot of the nation. Even the Cham Islands off Hoi An in Central Vietnam have a completely totally different vibe that’s in all probability extra in keeping with what most vacationers envision after they hear the phrase “seashore vacation.”

Cat Ba Island, alternatively, is a fusion of vine-choked jungles, sheer sandstone cliffs, quaint hamlets, and sunny seashores. Plus, don’t neglect the 350+ different islets within the Cat Ba Archipelago that present a stunningly stunning backdrop to the ocean views from the island.

Maybe essentially the most wonderful factor about Cat Ba is how pristine a lot of the Island is regardless that it has a roaring metropolis on the Southern tip. Cat Ba Metropolis is small however developed, with the quantity of booming nightlife venues and different trimmings of contemporary city life making it really feel like a miniature Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh Metropolis.

Attending to Cat Ba Island

There are 4 widespread methods to get to Cat Ba: by bus, by taxi, or by motorcycle.

The primary desk beneath exhibits the transportation choices from Hanoi Outdated Quarter. The second desk exhibits the data for vacationers coming from Cat Ba Airport in Hai Phong.

Attending to Cat Ba Island by Bus

Whether or not you’re leaving from Hanoi or Hai Phong, the bus will first go to Bought Pier on the east facet of Hai Phong. You’ll get off there and take a ferry throughout a brief stretch of water to Van Vieng Pier. There, you’ll be loaded onto a second bus and trip the remaining 40 minutes to Cat Ba City. This a part of the trip is unbelievably picturesque and will probably be your first introduction to the plush inexperienced mountainous wonderland of Cat Ba Nationwide Park.

Each instances I’ve traveled from Hanoi to Cat Ba, I’ve booked a bus with Daichii by way of the location 12go.asia and was not disenchanted with the service.

Attending to Cat Ba Island by Taxi

Should you’re keen to spend a bit extra for privateness, hiring a taxi from Hanoi to Cat Ba could also be your only option. Surprisingly, essentially the most cost-effective solution to do it’s through the use of Seize (mainly the Vietnamese equal of Uber) to e book a automotive to Cat Ba Island.

You’ll take the identical route as you’ll by bus, however automobiles can go on the ferry so that you gained’t must get out and switch autos at any level.

Attending to Cat Ba Island by Automotive or Bike

Should you’re keen to courageous the trip, driving a bike to Cat Ba is the easiest way to expertise the island’s rustic wilderness. Feeling the breeze in your hair as you glide down the island’s empty roads is indescribably releasing. Having the ability to discover the island’s backroads with out a vacation spot in thoughts is one other plus. Moreover, the visitors on Cat Ba Island itself is nearly non-existent besides in the primary city. There are many retailers and inns that lease out motorbikes on Cat Ba as properly.

If you’re going from Hanoi or Ha Lengthy by motorcycle, make the drive to Tuan Chau Pier and purchase a ferry ticket. The ferry doesn’t depart too often, so it is best to examine the schedule beforehand. The ferry ticket with a bike prices 90k/particular person or 60k/particular person with out a bike.

Attending to Cat Ba Island by Airplane

There isn’t any airport on Cat Ba. Should you’re going there by aircraft, you’ll must fly to both Noi Bai Worldwide Airport in Hanoi or Cat Bi Airport in Hai Phong. Noi Bai is a greater vacation spot should you’re coming from exterior the nation since it’s a massive worldwide airport. Cat Bi solely providers home flights however is nearer to Cat Ba.

In both case, make your solution to Bought Pier in Hai Phong, take the ferry to Cat Ba, and proceed to your lodging.

The place to Keep on Cat Ba Island

The number of environments you will discover lodging in on Cat Ba Island is fairly huge. Just a few areas it is best to take into account are:

Cat Ba City

Though you’ll don’t have any hassle discovering a resort in Cat Ba City, it’s not my prime suggestion for lodging. It’s actually accessible and is stuffed with eating places and nightlife, but it surely’s very crowded and soiled. In truth, almost each assessment of Cat Ba City you see from skilled Vietnam vacationers agrees that it’s overtouristed, overdeveloped, overpriced, and simply nowhere close to as good as the remainder of Cat Ba Island.

Should you’re decided to remain on the town, nevertheless, I’d at the very least keep at:

• Secret Backyard Hostel. The big widespread areas are nice and I met another attention-grabbing vacationers over a couple of drinks within the night. The rooms aren’t separate, however the full-size beds are divided by a partial wall and a curtain. The hostel is positioned in a quiet again alley lower than a km from the seashore.
• LePont Bungalow. This place is positioned on the outskirts of city, alongside a highway main right down to the very tip of the island and a few wonderful views of the close by karst formations. It’s a lot quieter than staying on the town and you’ve got two attractive views from the resort’s huge deck – the ocean on one facet and the twinkling lights of town on the opposite.

Hung Son

After my first two nights staying on the town, I walked across the space to see if I might discover a quieter space to maneuver my lodging to. After just a few minutes on foot, I occurred upon Hung Son, a neighborhood simply to the northwest of Cat Ba City. The island vibes are a lot stronger in Hung Son, with its clear air and small, quaint companies. There are additionally a couple of nice locations to remain there, together with:

• Windy Backyard Hostel. The grounds of the hostel, consisting of a sequence of bungalows and a pool, are extraordinarily cute. The rooms themselves are nothing particular, however they’re clear and I had no complaints. It’s additionally extraordinarily low cost, solely round 285k.
• Cat Ba Mountain View. The bungalows are constructed on the face of a limestone mountain, and the images of the property look wonderful – I particularly just like the panoramic ocean views from the pool space.

Smaller Hamlets for Cultural Immersion

Throughout my time on Cat Ba, I handed by way of a number of small hamlets in idyllic settings and I seen additionally they have small lodging in them. Staying in one of many hamlets would positively make for a sleepier ambiance when on the resort, however it will be extraordinarily peaceable, permit you quick access to nature, and supply a wonderful window into native each day life.

Some examples of lodging in hamlets on Cat Ba Island that I’ve heard are good are:

• Cat Ba Eco-Lodge in Xuan Dam Hamlet. It options rustic wood cabins, mountain and backyard views, and a way more naturalistic vibe than staying on the town.
• Lan Homestay in Viet Hai Hamlet. The definition of a lush inexperienced wonderland. Viet Hai Hamlet is way off the overwhelmed observe on the east facet of the island, but it surely’s a major location to get away from all of it.

Staying within the Nationwide Park

For nature lovers, staying in Cat Ba Nationwide Park can be an choice. I haven’t executed it myself, however I’ve been informed Hoi Lake Farmstay is a superb place to remain for individuals who go to Cat Ba solely to expertise the actions in Cat Ba Nationwide Park (extra on that beneath).

What to Do on Cat Ba Island

Ebook a Boat Tour

A ship tour round Cat Ba is the easiest way to get an summary of the realm alongside the coast of the island. The precise itinerary differs by tour, however typical actions on Cat Ba boat excursions embody:

• Snorkeling, though the underwater surroundings close to Cat Ba Island shouldn’t be as cool as in Nha Trang or different components of Southern Vietnam.
• Crawling by way of slender caves.
• Cliff leaping (on the extra adventure-oriented excursions).
• Climbing rocky islets for an unimaginable view of the encircling oceanscape. Probably the most well-known of the islets is Titop Island.
• Kayaking from a floating barge.
• Swimming within the bay.
• Exploring Cat Ba’s Monkey Island, the one pure habitat of the Cat Ba langur.
• And, in fact, being wowed by the otherworldly karst formations which are current all all through Lan Ha Bay, the water that surrounds Cat Ba.

There are many tour firms on Cat Ba providing half-day or full-day excursions for 400-800k per particular person, however my suggestion is Captain Jack’s Cat Ba Island Day Tour. It’s cheap, the information spoke nice English, and the tour was deliberate right down to the smallest element to create a hassle-free expertise.

Go to the Seashore

Most individuals go to Cat Ba Island at the beginning for the seashores, and there are a few improbable ones.

Cat Co Seashores 1, 2, and 3 are essentially the most crowded and the preferred with home vacationers. The principle motive is their proximity to the primary city. The second motive could also be as a result of there are tons of vacationer companies, eating places, and different companies proper on the seashore. There’s additionally plenty of ongoing building, rubbish, noise air pollution, and different disturbances that I really feel make the Cat Co Seashores dangerous experiences.

Tung Thu Seashore can be proper subsequent to the primary city and it’s nonetheless surprisingly pristine. The seashore is comparatively clear and has good views, and there are additionally water sports activities and actions on the water that make it a superb seashore for households.

My private favourite seashore I visited is Chut Chit Seashore, which is on the west facet of Cat Ba Island. It’s not very well-known and so is nearly at all times empty. There’s additionally a half-built deserted resort beside the seashore. The result’s a sandy panorama that feels virtually post-apocalyptic and could be very memorable. The views of the ocean are nonetheless nice, although.

Go Caving

Hospital Cave might be the second most wonderful cave I’ve been to in Vietnam, with #1 being Paradise Collapse Phong Nha. Whereas Paradise Cave is spectacular due to its geology and scope, although, Hospital Cave is wonderful due to its historical past. In the course of the Warfare, Vietnamese troopers used the three-level cave as an precise hospital. They cleared out the cave of particles and sanctioned off totally different components for various functions. The cave has working rooms, examination rooms, a movie show, workers lounges, and extra. Phrases can’t do it justice.

One other wonderful cave on Cat Ba is Trung Trang Cave. Trung Trang is among the longer caves on Cat Ba Island and is definitely accessible. It additionally has a number of the coolest stalactites and stalagmites I’ve ever seen, lots of that are shaped into whimsical shapes to create an alien panorama underground.

Different caves on Cat Ba embody:

• Hoa Cuong Cave
• Cling Luon Cave
• Kim Giao Cave

Most of them are robust to entry, although, so Hospital and Trung Trang caves are the one ones I’d say are musts.

Climbing Trails in Cat Ba Nationwide Park

As I discussed, the northern half of Cat Ba Island is dominated by a nationwide park. The forested panorama is exclusive, as it’s set on the limestone crags and karst formations that characterize the realm. Getting into the park prices 80k, a value that features entrance to Trung Trang Cave.

There are dozens of trails across the park for all ranges of hiker. The most well-liked ones, their ranges on a scale of 1-5, their lengths (a technique), and any particulars in regards to the hike are listed within the desk beneath.

Should you favor to be accompanied by a information, you’ll be able to e book this full-day mountain climbing tour at Cat Ba Nationwide Park.

Hike the Rock Path

If you wish to go on a brief however attractive hike with out spending all afternoon on it, that is the hike for you.

A buddy of mine who lives on Cat Ba informed me it’s his favourite exercise to advocate to guests, and I can positively see why; it actually provides you a really feel for what makes Cat Ba such a pleasant place with out making you trek by way of a forest or drive to the opposite facet of the island for it. In truth, the trail is paved and has a sturdy railing, and the stroll solely takes about 20 minutes.

To seek out the route, observe these directions:

1. Begin on foot at Cat Ba Sq., which is mainly on the middle of city.
2. Head south on the footpath alongside the water. The crowds and the noise of the primary Cat Ba city will rapidly start to fall away.
3. You’ll proceed previous Le Pont Bungalow, which is by the way considered one of my most really helpful inns to remain at in Cat Ba City.
4. Ultimately, you’ll attain the seashore at Cat Ba Dawn Resort. Hike throughout Cat Co 3 Seashore. On the far finish is a set of stone stairs resulting in a paved pathway.
5. For the following 20 minutes, the paved walkway will take you alongside the southeast tip of the island, supplying you with a number of the greatest coastal views I skilled in Vietnam.
6. The stroll ends at Cat Co 1 Seashore. As talked about above, Cat Co 1 is the preferred seashore on Cat Ba island however was too crowded for my tastes.

Go to Hoa Cuong Temple

There’s a hidden pagoda on an unnamed islet close to Gia Luan Bridge on the northern tip of Cat Ba, simply down the highway from the ferry pier – right here is a map pin of the placement. The pagoda is nowhere close to as grand as some others I’ve seen in Vietnam, but it surely’s constructed into the facet of the hill and has a beautiful view of the bay inlet the islet is positioned upon.

There’s a rickety bamboo bridge main out to the pagoda. It’s a bit too frail to accommodate motorbikes so that you’ll should cross the bridge on foot (parking firstly of the bridge should you got here on a motorbike), however relaxation assured it’s sturdy sufficient to assist foot visitors.

The pagoda is an unique, adventurous vacation spot that’s in all probability my favourite place to go on Cat Ba. I’d advocate stopping there in your solution to or from the ferry terminal.

Ha Lengthy Bay Cruise vs. Cat Ba Island

A Ha Lengthy Bay Cruise is probably going the preferred vacationer exercise in Vietnam, so it could be controversial once I say that Cat Ba cruises are unequivocally higher than cruises on Ha Lengthy Bay.

I’ve been on Ha Lengthy cruises twice, in 2015 and 2024. Each instances, the bay was overcrowded, by no means letting you’re feeling surrounded by a real pure setting. The stops on the cruise itinerary have been all clogged with vacationers and wouldn’t have been very attention-grabbing even when they weren’t. And the worth tag was round $1.5-2 million VND per particular person.

I’ve additionally gone on Cat Ba Island cruises twice, as soon as with Captain Jack’s Cruises and as soon as with a Vietnamese tour operator organized by a buddy. In each circumstances, the locations have been much more attention-grabbing than Ha Lengthy. Each instances, our tour boat was basically the one business vessel out on the water the entire time, and it made the encircling karst islets of Lan Ha Bay really feel extra spectacular than what I had noticed in Ha Lengthy Bay. Lastly, the worth was decrease (round 500k per particular person) for what I believe was a a lot better expertise.

In brief, I’m assured in saying that it is best to go on a Cat Ba cruise as a substitute of a Ha Lengthy Bay Cruise. I’d be shocked if anybody who has tried each would disagree with me.