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Cat Ba

Ha Long Bay's wilder, less-visited island neighbour

island · nature · kayaking · trekking · beach

Solo Friendly · Adventure · Budget · Hidden Gem

Province
Hai Phong
Stay
2-3 days
Transport
Motorbike or bicycle rental on the island. Kayak for Lan Ha Bay. Walking works for Cat Ba town.
Cat Ba

Cat Ba is the largest island in the Ha Long Bay archipelago and the smarter alternative to a standard Ha Long cruise. A rugged national park, Lan Ha Bay's quieter limestone waters, hidden beaches, and a genuine fishing town at its centre - with far fewer tourists than the main Ha Long circuit. Base yourself here to kayak Lan Ha Bay, trek the national park, and get the same dramatic karst scenery without the floating hotel crowds.

When to go

Climate

80035°60030°40025°20020°015°mm°CJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Monthly climate averages for Cat Ba
MonthAvg temp (°C)Rainfall (mm)Rainy days (≥1 mm)
January16.2287.6
February17.02410.4
March19.54314.3
April23.48611.4
May26.918312.0
June28.429715.5
July28.636416.5
August27.943018.7
September27.127614.1
October25.01439.2
November21.5395.8
December17.9185.2
Data: long-term station averages from the Vietnam Institute for Building Science and Technology (IBST). Rainy days as reported by the station. Station: No station on Cat Ba in the source; nearest comparable station is Bai Chay across Ha Long Bay.

Best Months to Visit

Best time
Apr-Jun and Oct-Nov are the best windows: warm, calm enough for kayaking, and outside the Jul-Aug domestic rush. June is already rainy but it is beach season. Jul-Sep is the wettest stretch and typhoons can cancel boat trips at short notice. Dec-Mar is cool and often foggy - quiet, but not swimming weather.

Highlights

  1. Currently closed long-term - check current status before visitingCát Bà Cannon Fort
  2. For panoramic views and sunset, the nearby Radio Tower viewpoint is the recommended alternative - see /locations/radio-tower-cat-baCát Bà Cannon Fort
  3. WWII-era fort with cannons, bunkers, and tunnels - historically significant if it reopensCát Bà Cannon Fort
  4. Last habitat of the golden-headed langur - fewer than 70 individuals remaining, the world's most endangered primateCát Bà National Park
  5. 17,363 hectares combining tropical limestone forest, coastal mangrove, and inland forest - over 1,500 animal speciesCát Bà National Park
  6. 12km jungle trek to Việt Hải village through primary forest, with a boat return option from the villageCát Bà National Park
  7. The main base for Lan Ha Bay kayaking, overnight cruises, and Cat Ba National Park treks - all tour operators are walkable from any accommodation in townCat Ba Town
  8. Seafood dinner on Núi Ngọc street - the local eating street one block from the harbour with better prices and more authentic atmosphere than the tourist waterfrontCat Ba Town
  9. Sunworld beach is 200 metres from the town welcome gate - the easiest sea access directly from the town centreCat Ba Town
  10. Free entry, with a scenic cliffside boardwalk connecting Cát Cò 1 and Cát Cò 3Cát Cò Beach

What To Do

Nature & Outdoors

  • Trekking
  • Wildlife
  • Hiking
  • Swimming
  • Kayaking
  • Snorkeling
  • Caving
  • Cycling

Culture & History

  • History
  • Walking Tour
  • Photography
  • Culture
  • Homestay

Chill & Relax

  • Beach
  • Boat Tour

Food & Local Life

  • Food
  • Nightlife
  • Markets

Route Map

Suggested Itineraries

2D1N

Island highlights

Day 1Lan Ha Bay kayaking + Cat Co beaches

Lan Hạ BayCát Cò Beach

Morning: join a kayak tour of Lan Ha Bay - dramatically fewer boats than Ha Long, better for swimming and exploration. Afternoon: Cat Co 1 or Cat Co 3 beaches for swimming. Evening: seafood in Cat Ba town. Optional: bioluminescence night kayak tour (around 400,000-700,000 VND) - a guide leads you through the bay in darkness to see plankton glow in the water. Book in advance, runs most nights. Only worthwhile if you're not exhausted from the day.

Day 2Cat Ba National Park + Trung Trang Cave + Hospital Cave

Hospital CaveTrung Trang CaveCát Bà National Park

Hospital Cave first - a secret hospital built inside the rock in the 1960s. It is currently closed, so you can only see the outside; check locally before going. Then buy the 120,000 VND ticket for Trung Trang Cave and the national park summit trek (Ngu Lam Peak). Optional: continue the full 12km jungle trek through to Viet Hai Village (160,000 VND, ~5-6 hours one way) - only if you have the energy and an early start. Arrange a boat back from Viet Hai rather than trekking back.

3D2N

Full island experience

Day 1Arrive + Cat Co beaches + town

Cát Cò Beach

Arrive, drop bags, swim at Cat Co beach. Cat Ba town for evening seafood and cold bia hoi. Optional: bioluminescence night kayak tour (around 400,000-700,000 VND) - book on arrival if interested, runs most nights. A relaxed first day is the right context for this.

Day 2Lan Ha Bay full day kayak + Viet Hai Village

Lan Hạ BayViệt Hải Village

Full day kayak through Lan Ha Bay. Viet Hai is an isolated village inside the national park, reached by boat from Ben Beo pier and then a short ride or walk, or by a long jungle trek - one of the most memorable experiences in northern Vietnam. Rest well tonight - tomorrow is active.

Day 3Cat Ba National Park + Trung Trang Cave + Radio Tower viewpoint

Hospital CaveTrung Trang CaveCát Bà National ParkRadio Tower Viewpoint

Morning: Trung Trang Cave and summit trek (120,000 VND ticket). Hospital Cave is on the way (currently closed - exterior only). Afternoon: Radio Tower for panoramic views over Lan Ha Bay - one of the best viewpoints on the island. Ferry back to Hai Phong or Ha Long City.

Places to Visit · 8 spots

Cát Bà National Park
National Park

Cát Bà National Park

Cát Bà National Park covers 17,363 hectares of the island's rugged interior - the last habitat of the critically endangered golden-headed langur, with jungle trails to a summit viewpoint over Ha Long Bay and Lan Hà Bay simultaneously, a 12km trek through primary forest to Việt Hải village, and butterfly swarms along the trails in April and May.

Apr - Jun, Sep - Nov
Cat Ba Town
Town

Cat Ba Town

Cat Ba Town is the main settlement on Cat Ba Island in Hải Phòng province - a compact harbour-front town that serves as the base for Lan Ha Bay kayaking, overnight cruises, and Cat Ba National Park trekking, with a lively seafood restaurant strip, night market, and the new Sunworld beach on its doorstep.

Apr - Oct
Cát Cò Beach
Beach

Cát Cò Beach

Cát Cò is a series of three beaches on the southern edge of Cát Bà town - the island's most accessible swimming spots, set against karst peaks with forested cliffs dropping to the sand, a short walk from the town centre.

Apr - Oct
Lan Hạ Bay
Bay

Lan Hạ Bay

Lan Hạ Bay is the southern section of the Ha Long karst system - 400 limestone islands, hidden beaches, floating fishing villages, and some of the clearest water in the Gulf of Tonkin, with a fraction of Ha Long's boat traffic and far better kayaking conditions. The bioluminescence night kayaking tour is an experience Ha Long Bay doesn't offer.

Apr - Jun, Sep - Nov
Radio Tower Viewpoint
Mountain

Radio Tower Viewpoint

The Radio Tower viewpoint on Cat Ba Island is the best accessible sunset spot since Cannon Fort closed in late 2025 - a Viettel telecom tower near the summit of Nui Ngoc offering panoramic views over Lan Hạ Bay, Ben Beo harbour, and Cat Ba town from nearly 100 metres above sea level.

Oct - Apr
Sunworld Beach Cat Ba
Beach

Sunworld Beach Cat Ba

Sunworld Beach on Cat Ba Island is a recently developed artificial beach in the town centre - nearly 1km of white sand and clear water with palm trees, a beach club, bar, and a growing complex of nightlife venues including a ticketed jet-ski and fireworks show, positioned as the main beach attraction directly accessible from Cat Ba Town accommodation.

Apr - Sep
Trung Trang Cave
Cave

Trung Trang Cave

Trung Trang Cave is the largest accessible cave on Cát Bà Island - a 300-metre limestone grotto inside the national park with exceptional stalactite and stalagmite formations, a bat colony, and a history stretching from local legend to wartime military use.

Apr - Sep
Việt Hải Village
Village

Việt Hải Village

Việt Hải is a fishing and farming village of 87 households inside Cát Bà National Park - nicknamed 'island within an island', reachable only by boat from Bến Bèo or by a 12km jungle trek through the national park. No road access to the outside world.

Feb - Mar, Jun, Oct - Dec

Getting There

Hai Phongferry
45 min-1.5 hours80,000-200,000 VND

Fast ferry or slow ferry from Hai Phong port. Hai Phong is 1.5 hours from Hanoi by bus.

Cat Bi Airport (Hai Phong)cable car
30 min transfer + 15 min cable car110,000 VND combo ticket

Take a taxi/Grab to the Sunworld cable car terminal. One-way cable car ticket: 70,000 VND. Recommended: buy the combo (one-way cable car + shuttle bus to Cat Ba town centre) for 110,000 VND.

Ha Long Cityferry
45 minutes150,000-200,000 VND

Speedboat from Tuan Chau pier. Good option if combining with Ha Long Bay cruise.

Hanoibus
4-4.5 hours total200,000-350,000 VND

Combined bus + ferry ticket available from Hanoi. Most direct option for travelers coming straight from Hanoi.

Emergency & help

  • 112Emergency (all services)
  • 113Police
  • 114Fire and rescue
  • 115Ambulance

Free from any phone. National emergency line since 2025, routes to police, fire or ambulance.

Frequently Asked Questions

No special permit is required for foreign visitors to Cát Bà Island or Lan Ha Bay. Both are open to tourists with a standard Vietnamese visa. You will need to pay entrance fees to Cat Ba National Park if you plan to trek inside the park boundaries.

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