What to do in Cat Ba: the quieter side of Halong Bay

Today we’re going to tell you everything you can see and do in Cat Ba, with a few tricks we picked up along the way and the mistakes you’re better off avoiding.

We first visited 6 years ago and, like everyone on their first trip, we’d heard about Halong Bay a thousand times and assumed it was a mandatory stop. But when we arrived we found cruise boats packed to the brim with tourists taking selfies. Don’t get us wrong — it was beautiful, but it wasn’t what we’d expected.

Someone in Hanoi told us about Cat Ba. “It’s like Halong, but without so many tourists.” At first we assumed it was yet another place where someone’s trying to sell you something, but in the end we decided to give it a chance. And honestly, we’re glad we did.

Cat Ba sits in the same archipelago as Halong, half an hour by boat from the Hai Phong port. It’s the largest island in the area, and truth be told, it caught us quite by surprise. 

We expected to find a handful of little houses and not much else, but it turns out it has everything: decent beaches, great hiking trails, caves steeped in history and a town that’s small but has plenty of life to it.

Whether you fancy a few days of downtime away from Hanoi, or you’re after a different, budget-friendly way to visit the Halong Bay area, keep reading — in this post we cover all the essential places to see in Cat Ba.

Sail Lan Ha Bay on a boat trip, the best of Cat Ba

On our first day we booked a tour around Lan Ha Bay. At first we didn’t even know it existed — we thought there was only Halong Bay. But it turns out Lan Ha is every bit as beautiful as its big sister and, best of all, has far fewer people.

The difference is huge: instead of sailing among dozens of boats as in Halong, it’s nowhere near as crowded here. There were just 18 of us on a traditional Vietnamese boat. Our guide, Duc, spoke perfect English and shared stories about the area as we drifted among the limestone islets.

What we loved most were the caves, which you can explore by kayak.

We also stopped at Cai Beo, a floating fishing village, where the houses sit literally on the water, built on drums and wood, and where the village kids leap from the houses into the water as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

The good news is that tours from Cat Ba are much cheaper than from Hanoi, so if you’re already here, you can take one like the one we did — we loved it.

If you have the budget and the time, there are also two-day tours with a night on the boat.

We skipped it for budget reasons, but the people who did it told us the sunrise among the islets is spectacular. Next time, for sure.

Go hiking in Cat Ba National Park

We love hiking, so Cat Ba was a treat for us. 

The National Park covers almost the entire island, so you’ll find some genuinely interesting routes here — here’s a rundown of the main ones.

Ngu Lam Peak

One of the best hikes in Cat Ba is without doubt the climb to Ngu Lam Peak — and having done it, we finally understand why it’s so famous.

It’s essentially an accessible, perfectly signposted trail of about 3 km. The start is dead easy: a one-kilometer stroll along a paved road that works perfectly as a warm-up. Along this first stretch we passed the old collective houses from the 1960s and the park’s botanical garden.

But then things start to get a little harder when you reach the Kim Giao Forest, where the uphill begins.

The final section is unquestionably the most challenging: the path turns into steep, rocky terrain where at times you have to grab onto roots and rocks to haul yourself up. It’s only 1.5 kilometers in total (one way), but it took us a good while to finish, what with the stops to catch our breath and take photos.

When you reach the top, the views are gorgeous, so don’t forget to bring something to drink and a snack while you take in the view over nearly the whole island.

With a bit of luck, you might spot some of the park’s wildlife, like the Cat Ba langur. We didn’t see one, but we did run into swarms of butterflies.

Hours and prices 

• Open daily from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.
• Price: 120,000 VND (~US$4.60) — you can buy your ticket at the park entrance.
• We recommend arriving before 2:00 pm so you have enough time.
• To reach the trailhead, you can rent a motorbike (about 150,000 VND per day), take a taxi (around 250,000 VND) or book a tour.

Trek to Viet Hai village

If you’re looking to add some adventure and excitement to your days in Cat Ba, we recommend the trek to the village of Viet Hai.

In total you’ll cover some 12-14 km, and fair warning: it isn’t for everyone, as it involves more technical difficulty and some tricky terrain.

Although you can do it on your own, we strongly recommend going with a tour — not only because the terrain is somewhat tricky, but because it spares you all the logistics of booking the return boat and transport to the trailhead; besides, having a guide adds real value to every place you pass through.

Here’s the link to the one we booked.

We set out shortly after sunrise from Cat Ba Town and reached the checkpoint, where we registered our names and were handed the entry permit. Backpacks ready, we started the hike along a wide trail running through secondary forest.

At around the 2 km mark, we left the main track behind and took the turnoff toward May Bau, where the flat ground ends and the trail climbs to crest a small pass.

We pressed on as the trail grew narrower and narrower, to the point where the vegetation practically closed in around us.

After about two hours of steady climbing, we reached the spot known as Frog Pond, where we took a break before tackling the final stretch: the torturous ascent of Doc Dai.

This last part is basically a series of technical ups and downs, where you often have to scramble and grab onto whatever you can find.

At last, after some 5 hours of trekking, we reached the village of Viet Hai.

Once in the village, you can grab lunch, wander around, recover your energy and take the boat back to Cat Ba Town.

Tips for the Viet Hai trek:

• Keep in mind that, while it’s an amazing experience, you’ll need a minimum level of fitness to do it.
• Although it’s possible on your own, we recommend booking a tour for ease and safety.
• Leeches are a common find along the trail if it’s rained in the days before.
• Some sections have very dense vegetation, so we recommend long pants.
• Don’t forget a rain jacket, water and something to snack on along the route.
• You’ll need a boat to get back — make sure it’s included, or negotiate it in advance if you’re going independently.

Venture into Cat Ba’s caves

Cat Ba island, like any good karst landscape, hides a multitude of caves — but two stand out for their history during the Vietnam War.

Hospital Cave

The first is Hospital Cave — for us, the most impressive cave in Cat Ba. It’s about 10 kilometers from Cat Ba Town.

The Vietnamese spent years fitting this place out to make it habitable during the war. Although it served as a shelter, its main role was as a hospital, safe from the bombs — hence its name.

The site itself is fascinating to see, and in its day it had operating rooms, wards and even a natural pool for drawing drinking water.

The mind-blowing part is imagining how the doctors and the wounded lived in there for months on end, unable to leave.

Entry costs 40,000 VND, and there are guides with basic English you can hire separately to walk you through the whole history as you explore the different rooms. It’s one of those visits that stays with you, honestly.

Trung Trang Cave

Another of Cat Ba’s main caves is Trung Trang Cave, which is larger and quite beautiful thanks to its stalactite formations.

Entry is included with your Cat Ba National Park ticket, so there’s no need to pay for another one.

To get there, you can walk from the park entrance along the road for about 15 minutes — or, if you’ve arranged transport or you’re on a motorbike, you can ride right up to the entrance.

Reaching it involves a short, very manageable hike of around 100 steps.

What surprised us about this cave was how uncrowded it was — it gets far fewer visitors than Hospital Cave, where the tours tend to arrive and fill it up fast.

Once inside, you can follow a short marked route of about 20-30 minutes, all signposted and lit, and enjoy the views over the area.

Unwind on Cat Ba’s best beaches and rest between adventures

We won’t lie to you: Cat Ba’s beaches are not Vietnam’s finest. If you’re coming in search of white sands like Phu Quoc’s, you won’t find them here. 

But they have their charm for a while at the end of the day, or for watching the sunset — above all because they’re framed by those rocky cliffs that make them feel like little coves… just ones you’ll usually be sharing with a fair few people.

Around Cat Ba Town there are 3 main beaches you can visit: Cat Co 1, Cat Co 2 and Cat Co 3.

• Cat Co 1 is where the younger crowd goes — there are a few bars and music. It’s the perfect spot to meet other travelers or have a few beers while watching the sunset.

• Cat Co 2 is our favorite. It’s smaller and quieter, perfect for reading a book or simply relaxing. The water is clean and you can snorkel a little, though there isn’t much to see underwater. What we liked most is the wooden walkway connecting the three beaches along the cliffs. The views are gorgeous, especially at sunset.

• Cat Co 3 is the most “exclusive”, surrounded as it is by luxury hotels. The beach itself is free, and you can rent sun loungers and other equipment for a small fee.

We also went to Tung Thu Beach, a little farther out. Getting there means walking some 20 minutes along a trail through the vegetation, but it’s worth it because it’s much wilder. There’s hardly anyone around and the water is spotless. Just bring water and something to eat, because there’s nothing out there.

How to get to Cat Ba

Getting to Cat Ba is very straightforward, and you can do it from different parts of the country — Ninh Binh, Hanoi or Ha Giang — without much trouble.

You’ll normally stay in Cat Ba Town, where most travelers base themselves to explore the island.

That said, being an island, getting there means at least one leg by road or rail, combined with a ferry, a speedboat or a cable car.

The good news is that most tickets you can buy already cover the combined journey, saving you from hunting down each leg separately.

• To reach Cat Ba from Hanoi, the trip takes around 2.5-3 hours — check schedules and book here.

• To arrive from Ninh Binh (Tam Coc), around 4 hours — we’ve got them at this other link.

• The trip from Ha Giang to Cat Ba stretches out considerably, up to 11 hours, so we recommend taking the overnight cabin bus and using the night for the transfer — schedules here.

Here’s a complete post with all the information on getting to Cat Ba

Where to stay in Cat Ba

Almost all the options are concentrated in Cat Ba town, near the harbour and the restaurant area. Fair warning: the island is simple and you won’t find true high-end here, so adjust your expectations.

Here are two options:

Practical tips for visiting Cat Ba

How many days to stay

We stayed 3 days and were left wanting more, but if you just want the highlights, that’s enough.

If you only have a couple of days it falls a little short, since there’s plenty to see — but with good planning you can devote one day to Lan Ha Bay and another to a trek or a cave.

Getting around the island 

The easiest way to get around Cat Ba is renting a motorbike. You’ll find them in Cat Ba Town for around 120,000-150,000 VND per day, and it’s the best way to see the island on your own.

In general the roads — there are only two main ones — are in decent shape, with little traffic, which is a welcome bonus. 

If you don’t dare take on the motorbike, taxis can get you to the main places, though they’re on the pricey side — then again, everything in Vietnam is a matter of negotiating.

If you don’t ride, though, our recommendation is simply joining an organized tour to see the main sights — the price difference isn’t that big and they’re well worth it.

Where to eat in Cat Ba

Being right on the sea, the seafood and fish in Cat Ba are delicious and ultra fresh — so if you’re the type who loves a proper seafood feast, here you can have one at very affordable prices.

Some tourist-friendly restaurants we tried and can recommend:

• Yummy Restaurant: fresh seafood at good prices, with vegetarian options
• Nhà Hàng Hải Yến: ideal for fresh fish and seafood at affordable prices. 
• The Cat Bar: perfect for an evening drink with views over the harbor

When is the best time to visit Cat Ba?

We went in May and the weather was perfect.

Bear in mind, though, that from June to October it’s very hot and rains a fair amount. 

Avoid November-February if you want to enjoy the beaches, since it’s cold and usually overcast.

Our verdict on Cat Ba

Well, there you have it. After hauling ourselves across half of Vietnam, Cat Ba took the prize for “best random discovery of the trip”. And it wasn’t even in our original plans — go figure.

The truth is it strikes a strange balance that somehow works: nature by the bucketload, heavy war history, lovely people and low prices.

And since it isn’t as overrun as other places, you can move about at your own pace without feeling like a sardine in a tin.

Although at first we planned to use it merely as a springboard to Lan Ha Bay, thankfully by day two we’d realized Cat Ba had enough substance of its own for at least a few unhurried days. Would we see ourselves going back? You know what — maybe we would.