Cat Ba Travel Guide: Exploring Northern Vietnam’s Most Majestic Island

Cat Ba Island, located just to the south of the world-famous Ha Long Bay, is one of the best-kept secrets in Northern Vietnam.

That’s not to say it’s totally off the radar – Cat Ba Island welcomes almost 3 million visitors per year, most of whom are domestic tourists. Unfortunately, most of those visitors only visit a certain small part of the island and have a negative experience because the most popular part of the island, Cat Ba Town, also happens to be the least enjoyable.

The vast majority of Cat Ba’s visitors are domestic tourists, with most foreign tourists sticking to the much more famous Ha Long and maybe visiting Cat Ba for a night as a quick stopover. As a result, most of the island is almost untouched by tourism and is, in my opinion, one of the most underrated areas in Vietnam.

In this guide, I’ll try to convey why it’s so beautiful and how you can get the most out of a trip to Cat Ba Island. I’ll provide recommendations about how to get there, where to stay, what to do during your trip, and why it’s such a great addition to a Northern Vietnam travel itinerary.

What Makes Cat Ba Island Unique?

Cat Ba is the most beautiful island in Vietnam. I’ll always have a deep love for the more tropical “coconuts and palm trees” islands in the South like Con Dao and Phu Quoc, but the towering karst formations and thick greenery contrasting with the sunny beaches on Cat Ba offer a majestic appeal that I haven’t found elsewhere.

It’s a truly Northern Vietnamese version of an island getaway that you won’t experience in most of the country. Even the Cham Islands off Hoi An in Central Vietnam have a totally different vibe that is probably more in line with what most tourists envision when they hear the phrase “beach holiday.”

Cat Ba Island, on the other hand, is a fusion of vine-choked jungles, sheer sandstone cliffs, quaint hamlets, and sunny beaches. Plus, don’t forget the 350+ other islets in the Cat Ba Archipelago that provide a stunningly beautiful backdrop to the ocean views from the island.

Perhaps the most amazing thing about Cat Ba is how pristine most of the Island is even though it has a roaring city on the Southern tip. Cat Ba City is small but developed, with the amount of booming nightlife venues and other trimmings of modern urban life making it feel like a miniature Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City.

Getting to Cat Ba Island

There are four common ways to get to Cat Ba: by bus, by taxi, or by motorbike.

The first table below shows the transportation options from Hanoi Old Quarter. The second table shows the info for travelers coming from Cat Ba Airport in Hai Phong.

Getting to Cat Ba Island by Bus

Whether you’re leaving from Hanoi or Hai Phong, the bus will first go to Got Pier on the east side of Hai Phong. You will get off there and take a ferry across a short stretch of water to Van Vieng Pier. There, you’ll be loaded onto a second bus and ride the remaining 40 minutes to Cat Ba Town. This part of the ride is unbelievably picturesque and will be your first introduction to the lush green mountainous wonderland of Cat Ba National Park.

Both times I’ve traveled from Hanoi to Cat Ba, I’ve booked a bus with Daichii through the site 12go.asia and was not disappointed with the service.

Getting to Cat Ba Island by Taxi

If you’re willing to spend a bit more for privacy, hiring a taxi from Hanoi to Cat Ba may be your best option. Surprisingly, the most cost-effective way to do it is by using Grab (basically the Vietnamese equivalent of Uber) to book a car to Cat Ba Island.

You’ll take the same route as you would by bus, but cars can go on the ferry so you won’t need to get out and transfer vehicles at any point.

Getting to Cat Ba Island by Car or Motorbike

If you’re willing to brave the ride, driving a motorbike to Cat Ba is the best way to experience the island’s rustic wilderness. Feeling the breeze in your hair as you glide down the island’s empty roads is indescribably freeing. Being able to explore the island’s backroads without a destination in mind is another plus. Besides, the traffic on Cat Ba Island itself is almost non-existent except in the main town. There are plenty of shops and hotels that rent out motorbikes on Cat Ba as well.

If you are going from Hanoi or Ha Long by motorbike, make the drive to Tuan Chau Pier and buy a ferry ticket. The ferry doesn’t depart too frequently, so you should check the schedule beforehand. The ferry ticket with a motorbike costs 90k/person or 60k/person without a bike.

Getting to Cat Ba Island by Plane

There is no airport on Cat Ba. If you’re going there by plane, you’ll need to fly to either Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi or Cat Bi Airport in Hai Phong. Noi Bai is a better destination if you’re coming from outside the country since it is a large international airport. Cat Bi only services domestic flights but is closer to Cat Ba.

In either case, make your way to Got Pier in Hai Phong, take the ferry to Cat Ba, and continue to your accommodation.

Where to Stay on Cat Ba Island

The variety of environments you can find accommodation in on Cat Ba Island is pretty vast. A few areas you should consider are:

Cat Ba Town

Although you’ll have no trouble finding a hotel in Cat Ba Town, it’s not my top recommendation for accommodation. It’s certainly accessible and is full of restaurants and nightlife, but it’s very crowded and dirty. In fact, nearly every review of Cat Ba Town you see from experienced Vietnam travelers agrees that it’s overtouristed, overdeveloped, overpriced, and just nowhere near as nice as the rest of Cat Ba Island.

If you’re determined to stay in town, however, I’d at least stay at:

• Secret Garden Hostel. The large common spaces are great and I met some other interesting travelers over a few drinks in the evening. The rooms aren’t separate, but the full-size beds are divided by a partial wall and a curtain. The hostel is located in a quiet back alley less than a km from the beach.
• LePont Bungalow. This place is located on the outskirts of town, along a road leading down to the very tip of the island and some amazing views of the nearby karst formations. It’s much quieter than staying in town and you have two gorgeous views from the hotel’s massive deck – the ocean on one side and the twinkling lights of the city on the other.

Hung Son

After my first two nights staying in town, I walked around the area to see if I could find a quieter area to move my accommodation to. After only a few minutes on foot, I happened upon Hung Son, a community just to the northwest of Cat Ba Town. The island vibes are much stronger in Hung Son, with its clean air and small, quaint businesses. There are also a few great places to stay there, including:

• Windy Garden Hostel. The grounds of the hostel, consisting of a series of bungalows and a pool, are extremely cute. The rooms themselves are nothing special, but they’re clean and I had no complaints. It’s also extremely cheap, only around 285k.
• Cat Ba Mountain View. The bungalows are built on the face of a limestone mountain, and the photos of the property look amazing – I especially like the panoramic ocean views from the pool area.

Smaller Hamlets for Cultural Immersion

During my time on Cat Ba, I passed through several small hamlets in idyllic settings and I noticed they also have small accommodations in them. Staying in one of the hamlets would definitely make for a sleepier atmosphere when at the hotel, but it would be extremely peaceful, allow you easy access to nature, and offer an excellent window into local daily life.

Some examples of accommodations in hamlets on Cat Ba Island that I’ve heard are nice are:

• Cat Ba Eco-Lodge in Xuan Dam Hamlet. It features rustic wooden cabins, mountain and garden views, and a much more naturalistic vibe than staying in town.
• Lan Homestay in Viet Hai Hamlet. The definition of a lush green wonderland. Viet Hai Hamlet is far off the beaten track on the east side of the island, but it’s a prime location to get away from it all.

Staying in the National Park

For nature lovers, staying in Cat Ba National Park is also an option. I haven’t done it myself, but I’ve been told Hoi Lake Farmstay is a great place to stay for those who go to Cat Ba only to experience the activities in Cat Ba National Park (more on that below).

What to Do on Cat Ba Island

Book a Boat Tour

A boat tour around Cat Ba is the best way to get an overview of the area along the coast of the island. The exact itinerary differs by tour, but typical activities on Cat Ba boat tours include:

• Snorkeling, although the underwater scenery near Cat Ba Island is not as cool as in Nha Trang or other parts of Southern Vietnam.
• Crawling through narrow caves.
• Cliff jumping (on the more adventure-oriented tours).
• Climbing rocky islets for an incredible view of the surrounding oceanscape. The most famous of the islets is Titop Island.
• Kayaking from a floating barge.
• Swimming in the bay.
• Exploring Cat Ba’s Monkey Island, the only natural habitat of the Cat Ba langur.
• And, of course, being wowed by the otherworldly karst formations that are present all throughout Lan Ha Bay, the water that surrounds Cat Ba.

There are plenty of tour companies on Cat Ba offering half-day or full-day tours for 400-800k per person, but my recommendation is Captain Jack’s Cat Ba Island Day Tour. It’s inexpensive, the guide spoke great English, and the tour was planned down to the smallest detail to create a hassle-free experience.

Go to the Beach

Most people go to Cat Ba Island first and foremost for the beaches, and there are a couple of fantastic ones.

Cat Co Beaches 1, 2, and 3 are the most crowded and the most popular with domestic tourists. The main reason is their proximity to the main town. The second reason may be because there are tons of tourist agencies, restaurants, and other businesses right on the beach. There’s also a lot of ongoing construction, garbage, noise pollution, and other disturbances that I feel make the Cat Co Beaches bad experiences.

Tung Thu Beach is also right next to the main town and it’s still surprisingly pristine. The beach is relatively clean and has good views, and there are also water sports and activities on the water that make it a good beach for families.

My personal favorite beach I visited is Chut Chit Beach, which is on the west side of Cat Ba Island. It’s not very well known and so is almost always empty. There’s also a half-built abandoned resort beside the beach. The result is a sandy landscape that feels almost post-apocalyptic and is very memorable. The views of the ocean are still great, though.

Go Caving

Hospital Cave is probably the second most amazing cave I’ve been to in Vietnam, with #1 being Paradise Cave in Phong Nha. Whereas Paradise Cave is spectacular because of its geology and scope, though, Hospital Cave is amazing because of its history. During the War, Vietnamese soldiers used the three-level cave as an actual hospital. They cleared out the cave of debris and sanctioned off different parts for different purposes. The cave has operating rooms, exam rooms, a movie theater, staff lounges, and more. Words can’t do it justice.

Another amazing cave on Cat Ba is Trung Trang Cave. Trung Trang is one of the longer caves on Cat Ba Island and is easily accessible. It also has some of the coolest stalactites and stalagmites I’ve ever seen, many of which are formed into whimsical shapes to create an alien landscape underground.

Other caves on Cat Ba include:

• Hoa Cuong Cave
• Hang Luon Cave
• Kim Giao Cave

Most of them are tough to access, though, so Hospital and Trung Trang caves are the only ones I’d say are musts.

Hiking Trails in Cat Ba National Park

As I mentioned, the northern half of Cat Ba Island is dominated by a national park. The forested landscape is unique, as it is set on the limestone crags and karst formations that characterize the area. Entering the park costs 80k, a price that includes entrance to Trung Trang Cave.

There are dozens of trails around the park for all levels of hiker. The most popular ones, their levels on a scale of 1-5, their lengths (one way), and any details about the hike are listed in the table below.

If you prefer to be accompanied by a guide, you can book this full-day hiking tour at Cat Ba National Park.

Hike the Rock Trail

If you want to go on a short but gorgeous hike without spending all afternoon on it, this is the hike for you.

A friend of mine who lives on Cat Ba told me it’s his favorite activity to recommend to visitors, and I can definitely see why; it really gives you a feel for what makes Cat Ba such a nice place without making you trek through a forest or drive to the other side of the island for it. In fact, the path is paved and has a sturdy railing, and the walk only takes about 20 minutes.

To find the route, follow these instructions:

1. Start on foot at Cat Ba Square, which is basically at the center of town.
2. Head south on the footpath along the water. The crowds and the noise of the main Cat Ba town will quickly begin to fall away.
3. You’ll continue past Le Pont Bungalow, which is incidentally one of my most recommended hotels to stay at in Cat Ba Town.
4. Eventually, you’ll reach the beach at Cat Ba Sunrise Resort. Hike across Cat Co 3 Beach. At the far end is a set of stone stairs leading to a paved pathway.
5. For the next 20 minutes, the paved walkway will take you along the southeast tip of the island, giving you some of the best coastal views I experienced in Vietnam.
6. The walk ends at Cat Co 1 Beach. As mentioned above, Cat Co 1 is the most popular beach on Cat Ba island but was too crowded for my tastes.

Visit Hoa Cuong Temple

There’s a hidden pagoda on an unnamed islet near Gia Luan Bridge at the northern tip of Cat Ba, just down the road from the ferry pier – here is a map pin of the location. The pagoda is nowhere near as grand as some others I’ve seen in Vietnam, but it’s built into the side of the hill and has a gorgeous view of the bay inlet the islet is located upon.

There’s a rickety bamboo bridge leading out to the pagoda. It’s a bit too frail to accommodate motorbikes so you’ll have to cross the bridge on foot (parking at the start of the bridge if you came on a bike), but rest assured it is sturdy enough to support foot traffic.

The pagoda is an exotic, adventurous destination that is probably my favorite place to go on Cat Ba. I’d recommend stopping there on your way to or from the ferry terminal.

Ha Long Bay Cruise vs. Cat Ba Island

A Ha Long Bay Cruise is likely the most popular tourist activity in Vietnam, so it may be controversial when I say that Cat Ba cruises are unequivocally better than cruises on Ha Long Bay.

I’ve been on Ha Long cruises twice, in 2015 and 2024. Both times, the bay was overcrowded, never letting you feel surrounded by a true natural setting. The stops on the cruise itinerary were all clogged with tourists and wouldn’t have been very interesting even if they weren’t. And the price tag was around $1.5-2 million VND per person.

I’ve also gone on Cat Ba Island cruises twice, once with Captain Jack’s Cruises and once with a Vietnamese tour operator arranged by a friend. In both cases, the destinations were a lot more interesting than Ha Long. Both times, our tour boat was essentially the only commercial vessel out on the water the whole time, and it made the surrounding karst islets of Lan Ha Bay feel more spectacular than what I had observed in Ha Long Bay. Lastly, the price was lower (around 500k per person) for what I think was a much better experience.

In short, I’m confident in saying that you should go on a Cat Ba cruise instead of a Ha Long Bay Cruise. I’d be surprised if anyone who has tried both would disagree with me.