Cat Ba is the largest island located in Lan Ha Bay and Halong Bay. There are much things to do on Cat Ba as you will find a beautiful national park and special attractions here. In addition, Cat Ba is known for the many boat trips through Lan Ha Bay and Halong Bay where you can see the impressive limestone rocks. Discover below all about Cat Ba, a delightful destination in Vietnam.
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1. Two-day cruise from Lan Ha Bay to Halong Bay
This is THE thing to do in Cat Ba. Via an overnight cruise, discover the beautiful landscapes in peaceful Lan Ha Bay and popular Halong Bay. Cat Ba Ventures’ tour will take you to places where there are almost no other tourists. Read all the information about the two-day cruise here.
If you find the overnight cruise too expensive or you don’t have 2 days, you can also choose to book a day trip. You will also kayak and swim, only you will not sleep on the boat.
2. Rent a motorbike and explore the beautiful nature of Cat Ba
If you are comfortable riding a motorbike, this is a fun way to explore the island. The roads are very good and you will see beautiful views along the way. You can easily drive yourself to the sights; you don’t need a guide or tour bus for this. The cheapest place to rent a motorbike is at Thuê xe máy Cát Bà. You pay 80,000 dong (€3.20) for one day of motorbikerental here.
Read more about renting a motorbike in Vietnam here
3. Hike to the Ngu Lam Viewpoint
Are you somewhat fit and in the mood for a fun hike? Then climb to the Ngu Lam Viewpoint in Cat Ba National Park. Admission costs 80,000 dong (€3.20). For this fee, you get to climb to the viewpoint and also get a ticket to the Trung Trang Cave (which we give more information about below).
To get to the Ngu Lam Viewpoint, you will have to climb considerably through the jungle. From the entry point below, it takes about 45 – 60 minutes to get to the top. It is not a difficult climb; there are many steps and supports to hold on to. Only the last bit to the top is a bit trickier because you have to climb over large rocks. At the Ngu Lam Viewpoint, there is a small covered house where you can rest and enjoy the insane view of the high mountains of Cat Ba.
After this, you can walk another 10 minutes to different viewpoint. You have kind of the same view here as from the cottage. From here you will spend about 30 – 45 minutes descending until you reach the entrance again. Drink a nice cold coconut here and recover from the climb. Then drive on to the Trung Trang Cave.
4. Trung Trang Cave
The Trung Trang Cave is 1 kilometer from the Ngu Lam Viewpoint. So you drive here in 2 minutes on the motorbike. You can park your motorbike along the road and show your ticket (which you already bought at the viewpoint). The Trung Trang Cave is a stalactite cave. This is reflected in the unusual formations in the cave. Lights have been placed so it is well lit and you can enjoy the beautiful images.
Once you reach the exit of Trung Trang Cave, walk past a small restaurant to the main road. Here you turn left and walk for 5 minutes along Cat Ba’s main road back to your motorbike.
5. Hospital Cave
The Hospital Cave on Cat Ba is a special story. To care for the wounded during the Vietnam War, they were brought to this cave where they received medical attention. The enemy had no idea that the cave had been turned into a hospital, so it was never bombed. Read all the information about the Hospital Cave including tickets and what to expect from your visit here.
6. Cannon Fort: most beautiful view of Cat Ba
The Cannon Fort on Cat Ba is not very special. You see a large cannon standing with a sign with some explanation attached. You come here mostly to enjoy the view. After all, that is phenomenal. You overlook Lan Ha Bay, with its huge limestone cliffs and floating villages. To visit the Cannon Fort you drive up a section very steeply, then arrive at a gate where a local is standing.
You have to pay 50,000 dong (€2) per person to pass through here. The local has no official suit on and you don’t get a ticket either, so it’s someone who just stood here and asked for money. You will have to pay for this or you really won’t get through the gate. Follow the route to Cannon Fort on Google Maps; this is the correct route.
7. Monkey Island
Monkey Island is a large island along with nearly 400 islands of the Cat Ba archipelago. With its beautiful unspoiled nature, Monkey Island, also known as Cat Dua Island, has become a famous destination in Ha Lan Bay.
Monkey Island is about 1 kilometer from Cat Ba. Tourists often take a boat from Beo Harbor, which takes about 10 minutes to sail to Monkey Island via the fishing village of Cai Beo and other small islands. The name Monkey Island, of course, comes from the monkeys that live on the island. They are generally friendly because they are used to the many tourists who visit Monkey Island daily. Be sure not to take any food with you and keep a close eye on your bag.
8. Beach at Cat Ba
Cat Ba also has a number of fine sandy beaches. If you look to your left and right you will see limestone rocks: what more could you want! For 50,000 dong (€2), you have a beach bed for the whole day. There are also a few beach bars where you can get something to eat or drink.
Tip: Keep in mind that in the months of June, July and August there are vacations in Vietnam. Cat Ba is then overrun by Vietnamese who vacation here for several days. Especially on weekends, it gets super crowded.
Best accommodations on Cat Ba
When staying at Cat Ba, you can choose to stay downtown on the southeast side of Cat Ba. You will then walk a lot among the (Vietnamese) tourists but you are close to all the restaurants and sights. The Catba View hotel is perfect for this. You can also choose to be in a slightly nicer accommodation a few kilometers from the center. You do get beautiful views and good quality in return. We found the most beautiful accommodation in Cat Ba to be JoyStay. You will stay in a beautiful bungalow in the middle of nature, already available from €35 per night!
Are you looking for a nice hostel in Cat Ba? Then Secret Garden is the best option with cozy people and a beautiful garden.
How do you get to Cat Ba?
The easiest way to get to Cat Ba is via Hanoi. Almost all buses will go through Hanoi first, where you will have to transfer to another bus to Cat Ba. From Hanoi, you first spend 2 hours on a bus to the port, then you spend 10 minutes on the speedboat and then another half hour on the bus to the center of Cat Ba. Allow for a travel time of about 4 hours from Hanoi to Cat Ba. Tickets for this route and other buses and trains in Vietnam can easily be booked in advance through 12GO.Asia.
