Cat Ba is the most beautiful island and also the largest in Halong Bay. Lan Ha Bay is on the list of the most beautiful bays on the planet. Here there are beaches with blue waters, jungle, ancient Vietnamese fishing villages that have remained intact until now. A little paradise on earth.
I have been going there regularly since I lived in Vietnam and I wrote a detailed article for you to help you get an idea of what there is to see there.
This island is worthy of your next destination this summer. The following activities constitute 10 essential things to do in Cat Ba. You will never regret it!
1. Visit Lan Ha Bay
As one of the most beautiful bays in the region, Lan Ha Bay formerly belonged to Halong Bay, but is now separated. This allows Lan Ha Bay to preserve its pristine beauty. Visiting the bay is an experience that should not be overlooked by tourists during a trip to Cat Ba.
Visit Lan Ha Bay: if you are traveling with a large group of people (children or adults alike), it is best to rent a boat to tour the bay (combine with swimming at Monkey Island). Price ranges from 1.3 to 1.8 million Vnd for a trip.
If you are young and like the feeling of freedom and adventure, you can rent a boat or row a kayak yourself to explore Lan Ha Bay.
2. bathe at Halong Bay
In the middle of a hot summer, there is nothing happier than diving into clean, blue water. In Cat Ba town, there are some beaches, such as Cat Co, which are famous but very crowded. You can choose other pristine and deserted beaches, such as Monkey Island Beach, Tung Thu Beach… and beaches outside Lan Ha Bay.
So how do we get the uninhabited beaches out of the bay? You can go to Ben Beo and rent a boat to go to the beaches for only 300,000-500,000 VND / 6 people. In addition to swimming, you can combine it with visiting the beautiful Lan Ha Bay.
For young people who like the feeling of adventure, of discovery, they can rent kayaks in Quang Anh or Xuan Hong for around 200,000 VND/kayak/day and go to Money Island on their own.
3. Kayaking and scuba diving
You will never forget the feeling of kayaking here to a distant sea, where the waves soar, then returning to the pristine islands of Lan Ha Bay for a swim.
After swimming, you cross the fishing village, on the rocks of the bay. Kayaking is one of the experiences that left many impressions in Cat Ba. Additionally, you can also watch the corals using a diving mask (cheap) or tanks (more expensive with 1-1.5 million VND/person/trip).
Note: There are two ways to kayak: one is to paddle alone with a rented kayak; the other is to purchase a kayak tour (combined with snorkeling for coral viewing) in one day.
Self-navigation will allow you to freely explore the island, but purchasing the tour will allow you to go to the most beautiful places in the bay and then kayak there. In addition, you can also participate in a snorkeling session to observe corals and have a meal of VND$390,000/person.
4. Swim and explore Monkey Island
Located 3 km from Cat Ba, the private Monkey Island (also known as Cat Dua Island), with its untouched natural landscapes and beautiful beaches, has attracted many tourists and visitors. According to many reviews of tourists and visitors, this island has the most beautiful beach in Cat Ba Island with deep blue sea water, beauty of nature and wonderful climate.
You will be able to see monkeys on site, I’ll give it to you in a thousand words.
It has two sides, one is the resort for foreign visitors, and the other is a beach for everyone. In addition to swimming, you can climb the high tower of Monkey Island and see a corner of Lan Ha Bay. To go to Monkey Island, you can manually kayak, or rent a boat or go there by ferry.
5. Explore Cat Ba National Park
Located in the northwest of Cat Ba Island, this archipelago is approximately 40 km from Hai Phong and is administered by this city. As an impressive biosphere reserve, Cat Ba National Park is recognized as a World Heritage Site of Vietnam thanks to its cool atmosphere and rich biodiversity. It’s no surprise that Cat Ba National Park attracts thousands of tourists every year.
Cat Ba National Park is home to rare, red-listed langur species and lush vegetation. This is an opportunity for you to get closer to nature. In particular, in Cat Ba National Park, there is Ngu Lam Mountain, from where you can observe rolling mountains, one of the most beautiful and unique views of Cat Ba.
6. Camping on a deserted beach
One of the experiences suitable for youth groups on their trips is to rent a boat in Cat Ba (or a kayak and yes again) and then row to uninhabited beaches outside Lan Ha Bay to camp overnight.
The feeling of being “Robinson on the Desert Island” will surely be an unforgettable memory for every young tourist in Cat Ba.
7. Mountain climbing
One of the Cat Ba topics that adventure enthusiasts vote for is rock climbing.
Climbing sites include Dau Be Island (after a 2-hour boat ride from Cat Ba Port), Ben Beo Cliff (about 2 km from Cat Ba center, Ba Trai Dao Island (about about 22 km south of the tourist port)… However, if you don’t like adventure, you can also climb the mountains directly to Monkey Island.
8. Visit an old fishing village
Maybe you passed through a historic village while kayaking or sailing around Lan Ha Bay. In Cat Ba, there is the fishing village of Cai Beo, which is the oldest and most famous village in Vietnam. You cannot forget the calm kayaking through the floating village, the converted barges and the smiles of the village women. They are very enthusiastic and may even invite you to visit their homes.
Cai Beo fishing village is located near Cai Beo port. It’s not difficult to leave here.
However, there is also the ancient village of Viet Hai in Cat Ba, which is also popular for ecotourism. There are three ways to get to Viet Hai ancient village: take a boat for 300,000 VND/tour, hike through Cat Ba National Park, and go kayaking.
9. The Cat Ba Hospital Cave
Located 10 km north of Cat Ba and on the way to Cat Ba National Park, Cat Ba Hospital Cave was used as a secret hospital built during the American War and later was a refuge for the remaining Cach Mang leaders. until 1975 to avoid heavy American bombing.
Today, Cat Ba Hospital Cave is one of the most popular tourist destinations on Cat Ba Island as a remnant of the Vietnam War. This bomb-proof hospital cannot be easily seen from the air or ground, giving this cave a mysterious beauty.
10. Cannon Fort
Cat Ba, located in the north of Vietnam, is famous for its picturesque landscapes, beautiful scenery and numerous attractions. One of the must-see tourist destinations on Cat Ba Island is Canon Fort.
Its gateway is about a 10-minute walk from Cat Ba town. Offering different views of Halong Bay, Canon Fort is considered one of the most popular viewing sites on Cat Ba Island.
Price: 80,000 vnd
