Cat Ba Island: Lan Ha Bay, the park, and how to get there in 2026

Cat Ba is the big island southwest of Ha Long Bay, and the main gateway to Lan Ha Bay: the same emerald karsts, but with far fewer cruise liners and selfie-stick crowds. Your base is Cat Ba Town on the south coast — a fishing town that has sprouted hotels and high-rises in recent years, but still the jumping-off point for the national park, the cliffs and the bay. Budget at least two days: one for the bay and the cliffs, one for trekking and caves.

• Cat Ba Town (Cát Bà (đặc khu Cát Hải)): Island hub: waterfront, hotels, seafood restaurants
• Butterfly Valley (Thung lũng Bướm): 60+ climbing routes, walls up to 30 m
• Lan Ha Bay (Vịnh Lan Hạ): 400 karsts without the cruise crowds — Archipelago entry 120,000 VND (~$5)
• Cat Ba National Park (Vườn quốc gia Cát Bà): Entry 80,000 VND (~$3). Treks 2–6 hours
• Hospital Cave (Hang Quân Y): Wartime secret hospital inside the cliff. 80,000 VND (~$3)
• Cat Co 1 Beach (Bãi tắm Cát Cò 1): Main town beach, sun loungers and cafés
• Cat Co 2 Beach (Bãi tắm Cát Cò 2): Smaller and quieter
• Cat Co 3 Beach (Bãi tắm Cát Cò 3): The wildest one, reached by a cliff path
• Cannon Fort (Pháo Đài Thần Công): Hilltop viewpoint over town and the bay. 80,000 VND (~$3)
• Monkey Island (Đảo Khỉ): Half-day boat trip, wild macaques, small beach

Getting to Cat Ba

This used to eat half a day of changes and waiting. It is far easier now: the Hanoi–Hai Phong expressway plus the Cát Hải–Cat Ba cable car have stitched the island onto the mainland, and the whole trip from Hanoi comes in at 3–4 hours. The simplest option is a combined bus-plus-ferry (or cable car) ticket, with several departures a day; check the timetable with the operator. Coming from central Vietnam, most people route through Hanoi first.

The cable car runs across the strait on two giant pylons and drops you on the north of the island, about 20 km from Cat Ba Town by shuttle or motorbike. If you would rather not rush, the plain Got–Cái Viềng ferry (25,000 VND) also carries cars and bikes, though it too lands on the north. The speedboat from Hai Phong is the smoothest — it drops you straight in the centre of town.

Book your ferry ahead if traveling on a weekend – It will sell out, and the system isn't always clearRose, rosecampau.com, 2025

You can also come from the town of Ha Long, but you change through Hai Phong. Flying in, the nearest hubs are Hanoi and Hai Phong (Cat Bi airport). For full timetables and fares on buses, boats and limousine vans, see our Ha Long transport guide. One tip: pay for the ferry in cash, ideally in small notes.

Rock climbing — the island's main draw

Cat Ba is Vietnam's climbing capital. There are more than a hundred sport routes, graded from 4a to 8a. A first-timer with no experience can top out a beginner wall within half an hour, while a seasoned climber will find overhangs that make them sweat.

Where to climb

Butterfly Valley is the main venue. Walls up to 30 metres, more than 60 routes, 30 minutes by motorbike from Cat Ba Town. Overhangs, slabs, cracks — all wrapped in jungle, with no city noise.

Hidden Valley is the second-most-popular crag. Routes run from gentle slabs to steep verticals, so it suits every level, and it sees fewer people than Butterfly.

Moody Beach hosts half-day sessions for anyone touching a rope for the first time. The cliffs rise straight from the water, with views over the bay.

Deep Water Soloing in Lan Ha Bay

This is a whole different thrill. There are lines above the water on dozens of crags, graded 4a–7c+. You climb the limestone above the water with no rope — if you come off, you drop into the warm bay.

You boat out from Cat Ba Town and reach the walls in about 20 minutes. Then it is cliff to cliff: climb, jump, swim to the next one. It is dangerously easy to get hooked.

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Operators and prices

Gear is included: harness, rope, helmet, climbing shoes. You do not need to bring your own. In peak season (October–December) book 8–12 weeks ahead.

Lan Ha Bay — the quiet alternative to Ha Long

Some 400 limestone karsts scattered across emerald water. Essentially the same scene as Ha Long, minus the crowds. There are fewer big cruise boats than in Ha Long, and plenty of kayaks, small boats and fishermen's sampans.

Lan Hạ starts right off Cat Ba's eastern shore. This is where you find floating fishing villages, wild beaches on uninhabited islets and caves only a handful of people reach.

Entry to the archipelago is 120,000 VND (~$5). Kayaking runs from about $15 for half a day. A full-day Lan Ha boat trip with lunch and a couple of coves starts around 500,000 VND (~$19). Or take a proper overnight cruise across Ha Long and Lan Ha for one or two nights, sleeping on board: a two-day trip starts at 2,650,000 VND (~$102) per person at 2026 prices.

Lan Ha from Cat Ba, or a Ha Long cruise? Want it quieter, cheaper and closer to the water — start from Cat Ba: small boats, kayaks, empty beaches, no queues at the caves. Want service on board, the famous Ha Long views and a hotel-to-hotel transfer — book a classic cruise. On the water it is essentially the same archipelago; the difference is the crowd and the price. For the boats themselves, see our Ha Long and Lan Ha cruise guide.

Just head to the pier when you get there and fix it up with a local travel agent who has a small group “for tomorrow”, simply to tag along. Or you can charter a boat yourself. Even for one tourist. You need the Bến Bèo ferry pierBolt_of_Justice, Vinsky Forum, 2025, translated by VietnamSpot

This is exactly where the Deep Water Soloing lines are — the cliffs rise straight from the sea. Only jump with a guide and at high tide: at low tide the water under the cliff can be shallow.

The national park and caves

Cat Ba National Park (established 1986) is tropical forest, mangroves and karst lakes, with more than 100 species of animals and birds.

Its pride is the voọc Cát Bà (Cat Ba langur), a white-headed monkey and one of the rarest primates on Earth. Estimates put the population at 50–70, all of them here on the tops of the limestone cliffs — the species lives nowhere else in the world. Spotting one is hard, but you get a chance on an early-morning trek or a boat run along the eastern shore.

Trekking

Several trails, from easy (2 hours) to serious (6 hours with climbs). The most popular leads to a summit with a view over the whole archipelago. The path is marked but slick after rain, so bring shoes with grip.

Caves

• Trung Trang Cave — 300 metres of underground galleries lined with stalactites. Entry 80,000 VND (~$3).
• Hospital Cave (Hang Quân Y) — a secret military hospital from the American War, three storeys inside the cliff. Entry 80,000 VND (~$3).

Entry to the park itself is 80,000 VND (~$3), plus 5,000 VND for motorbike parking. Treat these entry prices as a guide: we found no official price lists for the park or the cable car, so check at the ticket desk.

Cat Ba's beaches

Three Cát Cò beaches sit within walking distance of the town. Number 1 is the most developed — loungers, showers, cafés. Number 2 is compact and quieter. Number 3 is the wildest, but takes a little longer to reach along a cliff path.

Yellow sand, clean water. Swimming season runs May to September. Outside that you can sunbathe, but the water is cool for a dip (22–24 °C). Be warned: in summer the whole country turns up, and on weekends the Cat Co beaches are packed (quieter options are in our Ha Long beach guide) — the best light and empty sand come before 9am.

Cannon Fort

Above the Cat Co beaches sits Pháo Đài Thần Công — an old fort with coastal guns from the French and wartime eras. It is now the island's best viewpoint: from the hill you look over Cat Ba Town, the mouth of Lan Ha Bay and karsts scattered to the horizon. Entry is 80,000 VND (~$3), and sunset is the time to go.

Monkey Island

Đảo Khỉ is a half-hour boat ride: wild macaques, a small beach and a zipline. The trip starts from about 150,000 VND (~$6). The macaques can be brazen, so keep food and shiny objects out of sight.

Where to stay and eat

Cat Ba is the cheapest bed in the region. How it stacks up against Bai Chay hotels, Tuan Chau resorts and a night on a junk is in where to stay in Ha Long.

Where to stay

The whole budget scene is in Cat Ba Town, along the waterfront. Fair warning: the town is densely built up, with high-rises and hotel blocks now lining the shore — the sleepy fishing-village feel is long gone. For quiet and views you head out to the park and the bay, not into town. Flamingo sits on its own headland, with a private beach and karst views.

Right now, the entire harborfront is fenced off… Still, I found the older parts of Cat Ba charming — quiet back streets, open-air seafood spots, and little cafes that feel untouched by the resort buildoutRose, rosecampau.com, 2025

Where to eat

Seafood here is cheaper than on the mainland. The prawns and squid are fresh, landed that morning. A typical café bill runs 100,000–200,000 VND (~$4–8).

Reliable spots: The Little Leaf Restaurant (vegetarian plus seafood), Secret Garden Restaurant (European menu) and Casa Bonita. Most menus have English, and card payment is patchy — carry cash.

Practical tips

The best window is October to April — dry, comfortable, prime climbing. May to September is hotter and more humid, but Deep Water Soloing runs year-round and the park is at its greenest.

Motorbike rental is 100,000–150,000 VND a day (~$4–6). The roads are decent, though the mountain switchbacks want some riding experience. To rent, you need an International Driving Permit with the motorbike category together with your national licence; without them your travel insurance may not cover you.

Pack trekking shoes, swimwear (for DWS), mosquito repellent and a waterproof phone case. Climbing gear is supplied by the operators.

FAQ

Heading into the bay itself: Halong Bay attractions — caves, islands, viewpoints