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Island in Haiphong, Vietnam
Photo: TomFitzhenry, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Cat Ba is an island in the Cat Ba Archipelago of Vietnam's Ha Long Bay. Cat Ba is the largest island in the Bay and approximately half of its area is covered by a national park, which is home to the highly endangered Cat Ba langur.
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Don't expect surfable waves, though!
There are a lot of caves around the island, though none of them are particularly impressive. Some cost money and may have optional guides. You can find them using the map or signs on the island.
Organised 2- or 3-day trips into Ha Long and Bai Tu Long Bay for kayaking, caving, swimming and diving. Book via the honest and fair Mr. Lu at the post office. Prices ~US$45 per person for 2-day, 1-night trip (assuming 4 people in group).
Several boats run day trips to nearby Monkey Island either in isolation or as part of a larger tour. The island apparently has monkeys, but only a few around the accommodation were in evidence. These animals are used to getting their food from either the guests or the bins, and therefore are not afraid of humans, so they might cause a problem. There is some accommodation on the island, which consists of eight small, but cosy, bamboo huts just behind a secluded beach. The food was nice, the drinks cheap, and the scenery was spectacular. There's some kayaking available, and a trail for walking, but that's about all. The staff like to fire up the generator during the day to listen to their music quite loudly, so you might want to take a kayak trip at that point. Still, a good place to get away from it all.
The domain of the endangered Cat Ba Langur, of which there are supposed to be only around 100 left. Things on offer include a walk to a peak viewing tower (1½-2 hr round trip; slippery and muddy if it's rained recently), a frog pond (probably better in the off (wet) season), a short nature walk near the frog pond, more stuff which you can probably find online.
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Cat Ba island
Mostly good meals, but if he offers you an enormous (2 kg) round-looking crab creature thing, save your US$35.
The restaurant has views of the sea, serves Vietnamese food and European food. Airy space, at an affordable price. Be wary of very long wait.
Tien Thang hotel and restaurant
Offers 2 for 1 cocktails and free pool.
Kiwi chim không cánh
The original bar on the island, run by a New Zealander and going strong for 15 years. The drinks menu includes reasonably priced imported bottles of wine from various parts of the world as well as a straight to the point cheap drinks section. Darts upstairs.
Awesome drink menu, most cocktails 40,000. Brand new with nice atmosphere, and a really helpful, friendly young owner. Best cocktail prices in town, if you're sick of drinking beer all the time. Open late, rare in Cat Ba.
Really nice, large, clean rooms. Has free Wi-Fi included and satellite flat screen TV. Good showers with hot water that actually have pressure. They also serve some great food in the restaurant during the busier summer months. Friendly staff and family-owned and run.
Rooms facing the bay, close to the ferry. Free Wi-Fi. Elevator. Fridge and air-con included. Family restaurant downstairs. Tours and motorbikes available at good prices if you ask, but the staff is not pushy. Their restaurant serves good simple Vietnamese food, soups, noodles, rice. Strong coffee and fruit smoothies. Big beer for under a dollar.
A great value hotel along the main strip in Cat Ba town. Very friendly staff who can also organise onward travel or tours around the island. Ask for Mr. Thuy, and go on the national park trek with his uncle.
Many rooms have sea views. It is often used with Ha Long Bay boat tours when an overnight stay is requested on Cat Ba Island. It is a quality hotel with good food. It has Wi-Fi in rooms, but it can be somewhat unreliable. Its sister hotel, Sunflower Two, which is often used with cheaper Ha Long Bay tours, is about 1 km inland on the same road, and is not as nice.
Many rooms with a view to the sea, the room is cheaper in the low season with US$7 included breakfast.
Cheap convenience store. For example, Snickers costs 16,000 dong, unlike shops on the front that charge 25,000 dong.
By bus/ferry from Hai Phong
Cheapest way to the island is with public buses from Hai phong with short ferry ride in between.
By boat
The vast majority of people take a pre-booked tour from Hanoi on a tourist boat, though this is probably the slowest, least flexible, and most expensive way to visit Cat Ba and should be avoided at…
By ferry
Local ferries to Cat Ba island provide very cheap travel from different locations.
By bus
Local buses across the island leave from the western edge of Cat Ba town, on the water near the market intersection.
By taxi
Getting around Cat Ba takes some organising. There are electric vehicles which will take you to the beach for 10,000 dong and occasionally elsewhere for a hefty fare.
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Haiphong (Hai An) · International · HPH
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