Travelling to Cat Ba Island – the pearl of Haiphong City

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Cat Ba island has a wonderful landscapes of sea and white sand beach, and it should be on your bucket list. It’s even considered to be one of the most popular island in Vietnam.In this article, you will find useful advice on how to travel to Cat Ba island without a tour guide. If you want to discover Cat Ba island by yourself, It’s high time to start!

Cat Ba island – vietnam immigration services

Experiences of the Cat Ba island tourism

1 / High speed hovercraft from Hai Phong

– You can take high speed hovercraft in Pha Binh Ferry Terminal, ticket price is about $200,000 VND / person, time for travelling is 50 minutes. The advantages are closed to the city central and easy for travelling.

– The ferry is suitable for families to drive private cars. From the day of Tan Vu – Lach Huyen bridge opened, the move to Cat Ba was much easier. The ferry runs continuously for 5 minutes.

Cat Ba island – vietnam immigration services

2 / Passenger cars from Hanoi straight to Cat Ba island

– Hoang Long car: Hoang Long car with a cost of $280,000 VND / person go straight to Cat Ba. The price is cheaper, but it is inconvenient to come because of when you come to Dinh Vu port, you have to change the car on the speed boat, go to Cai Vieng Ferry Terminal (Cat Ba) then again you need to catch another car to move into the city.

There are 4 trips from Nuoc Ngam Coach Station (Ha Noi): 5h20 – 7h20 – 11h20 – 13h205, the return trips from Cat Ba: 7h15 – 9h15 – 11h45 – 13h15 – 15h15 (ticket price is $280,000 VND)

Cat Ba island – vietnam immigration services

Discovering Cat Ba island – the places should not miss

Cat Ba island – vietnam immigration services

If you travel self-sufficient to Cat Ba, there are many places for you to explore. You can visit the famous beach of Cat Ba at first, if your purpose is go to the beach. In Cat Ba there are famous beaches such as “Cat Co 1, Cat Co 2 and Cat Co 3”. Cat Co 1 beach is the most crowded, Cat Co beach 3 is pristine and clean. Cat Co 2 the most beautiful scene. From the town, go by motorbike or electric bus to here only cost you $10,000 VND / person.

After bathing, you should go exploring on land. Do not forget to rent a motorbike in advance to be active (rent at the port). If you do not know where to go, you can buy a map and go around.

Seeing Cat Ba from above – Cannon Fort

The first place I recommend to visit is the Cannon Fort. It is the top of a hill overlooking the town, Lan Ha Bay, Cat Ba National Forest, Beo Beach, Monkey Island … There is a telescope and you will see very clearly the Cat Ba landscape through its prism. This place is the ideal place for you to take photos. Stand here, you will choose the next place for your journey.

Cat Ba island – vietnam immigration services

This hill used to be the cannon of the Vietnamese army before. There were two cannons and solid tunnels on the hills. It was built as a traditional retention of war memorials. Standing on the top of the mountain, you can see the panorama of Cat Ba town from above, an ideal place to enjoy sunset and taking photos in the afternoon. Besides standing here you can also see Cai Beo Bay, and a corner of Cat Ba National Forest.

Cat Ba National Park

Return to the mainland where you should visit next is Cat Ba National Forest. This is home to the world’s most endangered Douc, along with hundreds of other animals. Cross the trails and climb to the highest point of the national forest, you will see the grandeur of the island. The mountains are undulating, sharp like shark teeth. Everywhere covered in a blue color. This place is fresh and cool. Climbing to the top of Ngu Lam Mt, you will see the panorama of Cat Ba National Forest.

Cat Ba island – vietnam immigration services

Lan Ha Bay

Lan Ha Bay is like the scene in Halong Bay by the Rocky Mountains on the sea, but Lan Ha Bay has pristine white sand beaches stretching at the foot of the mountain – something that Ha Long Bay does not have. What you need to do is take a motorbike taxi to Cai Beo Beach (Cai Beo archaeological site more than 7,000 years old) and buy a train ticket for go around Lan Ha Bay.

Cat Ba island – vietnam immigration services

Train ticket price from $1,200,000 – 2,000,000 VND / trip, suitable when you travel with family. If you go private, you can rent a motor boat or ask for go with someone. Boat will take you around the Lan Ha Bay, Monkey Island to bath and return to the oldest fishing village in Vietnam – Cai Beo fishing village.

Cat Ba is also well-known for the type of adventure tourism. Do not know if you are interested in kayaking and mountain climbing, but I like it very much. Rowing small boats, rode on the waves and fluttered in the middle of the sea.