When you travel to Cat Ba Vietnam, you’ll discover captivating destinations, enjoy many exciting activities, and savor delicious seafood dishes.
Dubbed the “pearl of the Gulf of Tonkin,” Cat Ba always attracts travelers. With the self-guided travel tips for Cat Ba Vietnam below, we hope you’ll have an exciting trip!
1. Introduction to Cat Ba Vietnam
The Cat Ba archipelago in Hai Phong includes 367 large and small islands. Cat Ba Island (also known as Ngọc Island) is a special one, blessed by nature with great potential for tourism. Although people have known about it for a long time, Cat Ba still maintains its natural charm thanks to its isolated location.
[Image: The picturesque Cat Ba archipelago]
Where is Cat Ba Island? Many travelers ask this question. Cat Ba lies about 60km from the center of Hai Phong city, making it a popular tourist spot. A trip to Cat Ba, Hai Phong is perfect for summer vacations or weekend getaways with friends and family.
2. When is the Best Time to Visit Cat Ba Vietnam?
Summer is the ideal time to travel to Cat Ba, Hai Phong. From April to October, Cat Ba’s climate is relatively cool, perfect for relaxing and swimming. Especially in May, June, and July, the island fills up with tourists.
You don’t need to worry about the weather during this time, as storms are rare. However, in July and August, the sea can get rough, so pay attention to the weather forecast 3-5 days in advance to ensure your trip to Hai Phong’s Cat Ba won’t get canceled due to a storm.
[Image: Summer is the ideal time to visit Cat Ba]
From November to March, Cat Ba is relatively quiet, and the whole town seems to go into hibernation. However, this time is perfect for experiencing and exploring the island’s natural beauty. In winter, the island mainly welcomes international tourists looking for a peaceful retreat.
3. How to Get to Cat Ba Vietnam?
From Hanoi, you have many ways to get to Cat Ba Vietnam. According to many young travelers’ reviews, for an affordable tour, you can take a bus to Hai Phong city’s bus station. If you love to explore, a motorbike is the most suitable option.
[Image: Backpacking to Cat Ba by motorbike is perfect for adventurers]
Alternatively, you can go from Hanoi to Hạ Long and then to Tuần Châu. From Tuần Châu, a ferry takes you to Cat Ba. Combining a visit to Hạ Long Bay and Cat Ba will give you an exciting journey.
You can also travel from Hanoi by train to Hai Phong. From there, head to Gót Ferry Terminal to buy a ticket to Cat Ba; it’s a short ride. This option offers a very budget-friendly way to travel to Cat Ba.
For tourists from Central or Southern Vietnam, you can fly to Hanoi or Cát Bi Airport in Hai Phong for a quick and convenient trip to Cat Ba. From Hai Phong to Cat Ba, the most popular choice is the cable car. The Cat Ba cable car line starts from Cát Hải Island and ends at Cái Viềng Wharf. The total length is 3,955m, and it holds the record for the world’s tallest cable car tower.
[Image: Enjoying a chill view of Hai Phong from above with the modern cable car system]
Traveling to Cat Ba by cable car, you’ll float in the air, admire the view of Cat Ba from above, and feel the beautiful, dreamy nature of this island. This will certainly be an unforgettable experience for you and your family.
4. Getting Around Cat Ba Island
When you travel to Cat Ba Vietnam, you have many choices for getting around:
- Bicycle: This option works well for anyone who wants to explore and sightsee around the island.
- Electric car: Electric cars are the most common vehicles you’ll see on Cát Bà. This mode of transport is suitable for large groups, as you don’t need to rent separate vehicles or wait too long.
- Motorbike: For just 100,000 VND, you can rent a motorbike to easily explore all the spots on the island.
- Walking: Cát Bà town isn’t too big. You can take a leisurely stroll on the long beaches with their pristine white sand to admire the entire beautiful scenery of Cát Bà, Hải Phòng.
[Image: Cát Bà town is not too large, you can leisurely walk and enjoy the natural scenery]
5. What’s So Great About Cat Ba Vietnam?
Dubbed the “pearl of the Gulf of Tonkin,” Cat Ba has countless exciting things for you to discover. The beaches of Cat Ba have long, white sandy shores and crystal-clear water, perfect for swimming and taking pictures.
[Image: Cát Cò beach with crystal-clear water]
5.1. Explore and Check in at the Most Beautiful Spots
When you travel to Cat Ba Vietnam, be sure to stop and take photos at these places:
- Cát Cò Beach: Cát Cò is one of Cát Bà’s most popular tourist destinations. The beach divides into three areas, surrounded by mountains and forests. Locals say the name Cát Cò comes from a legend that in ancient times, celestial fairies transformed into white storks and came down here to bathe and enjoy the scenery. To this day, Cát Cò still maintains its pristine beauty, as if untouched by humans.
- Monkey Island: This is a small island not far from Cát Bà Island. It has many monkeys, and you can freely play with these smart animals. However, the island management advises against teasing or feeding the monkeys strange food.
- Lan Hạ Bay: Lan Hạ looks like a miniature Hạ Long Bay with countless small islands and sandy beaches at the foot of limestone mountains. On your trip to Cát Bà, Hải Phòng, remember to take a boat to visit the beaches and Vạn Giá floating fishing village to discover the lives of the fishermen.
[Image: Lan Hạ Bay is beautiful through the eyes of tourists]
5.2. Experience Exciting Activities on Cat Ba Island
In addition to exploring famous tourist spots, when you come to Cat Ba Vietnam, you also get to experience exciting activities:
- Kayaking: Sitting in a kayak on the sea, weaving into caves between the rocks, you will appreciate the beautiful and romantic landscape that nature has given to Cat Ba.
- Overnight on a cruise ship: This will be an interesting experience. You can watch the sunset on the horizon or wake up early to catch the first rays of sunlight and enjoy premium dishes from famous chefs right on the sea.
- Scuba diving to see coral: This activity promises a memorable experience. Seeing many rare seafood species and schools of fish swimming around will give you a new perspective on ocean life.
[Image: Kayaking is an exciting activity when you explore and travel to Cat Ba Vietnam
6. What to Eat in Cat Ba Vietnam?
In Cát Bà, besides relaxing and enjoying outdoor activities, you can also savor famous and delicious specialties.
6.1. Steamed Blue Crab
Locals catch or farm Cát Bà’s blue crabs in brackish lagoons. The fishermen’s cooking method keeps the crab’s natural sweetness. A plate of steamed blue crab is a must-try dish on any trip to Cat Ba.
[Image: Blue crab prepared by fishermen, retaining its sweetness]
6.2. Cát Bà Shrimp Noodle Soup
It would be a mistake to travel to Cát Bà, Hải Phòng without trying the special shrimp noodle soup. This dish carries the distinct flavor of the sea and requires careful preparation.
[Image: Shrimp noodle soup – a can’t-miss specialty when you travel to Cát Bà, Hải Phòng]
You stir-fry fresh shrimp with dried onions and wood ear mushrooms until they become firm. After blanching the rice noodles in hot water, you arrange them in a bowl with shrimp, fish cakes, grilled pork with betel leaves, a little chopped Vietnamese coriander, and a few tomato wedges. The broth, simmered from pork bones and shrimp shells, has a delightful sweetness. When you enjoy a bowl of this noodle soup, you’ll taste the sweetness of the shrimp and fish, which blends with the sweetness from the pork bones, awakening your senses.
6.3. Salt-Roasted Mantis Shrimp
Cát Bà’s mantis shrimp are characterized by their round, large, and shiny bodies. To make delicious salt-roasted mantis shrimp, locals must go to the market early to choose fresh, live ones. The meat must remain intact during cooking. Salt-roasted mantis shrimp has a distinct, delicious flavor that attracts every tourist.
[Image: Salt-roasted mantis shrimp – a specialty of Hai Phong]
6.4. Horseshoe Crab
The sea around Cát Bà, Hải Phòng has many horseshoe crabs. People cook them into many delicious and nutritious dishes with a characteristic seafood flavor, such as: horseshoe crab salad, grilled horseshoe crab, sweet and sour horseshoe crab, and grilled horseshoe crab eggs.
[Image: Horseshoe crab is a delicious dish that requires careful preparation]
According to the locals, horseshoe crabs always come in pairs. If someone catches one, the other will die. Therefore, if you want to enjoy horseshoe crab, you should order a pair to avoid getting a “cold stomach.”
6.5. Geoduck
Geoduck is also known as “con thut tho” (the creature that retracts) and is a very nutritious seafood. Geoduck lives in many different seas, but the most delicious ones come from Cát Bà Island. You can cook this seafood in many ways, such as: geoduck salad, geoduck congee, and grilled geoduck with scallion oil.
[Image: Delicious grilled geoduck with scallion oil]
Geoduck meat is sweet, chewy, and fragrant. When you travel to Cát Bà, Hải Phòng, you must try steamed geoduck or grilled geoduck with scallion oil. The salty flavor of the sea blends with a smooth sauce to create an excellent dish that will keep you coming back for more.
7. Important Notes for a Self-Guided Cat Ba Trip
I just finished a 2-day, 1-night self-guided trip to Cat Ba, Hai Phong. For a safe, complete, and meaningful trip, I want to share a few tips:
- Cat Ba’s weather gets quite cold at night. My Cát Bà travel tip is to bring a warm jacket in winter or a light jacket in summer to avoid catching a cold.
- Many services on Cát Bà use intermediaries. To avoid getting overcharged, tourists should research carefully and check prices before using any service.
- “Guides” often offer night squid fishing. However, few boat owners provide a quality service for this activity. Be careful with these offers unless you are sure they are reliable.
- On holidays, weekends, and other days off, many tourists flock to Cát Bà, which drives up service prices. To save money and avoid waiting, you should avoid traveling during these times.
[Image: Pay attention to your clothing when you travel to Cat Ba]
Blessed by nature with many attractive landscapes, Cát Bà, Hải Phòng always draws in tourists. We hope the information about traveling to Cat Ba Vietnam we’ve provided will help you create a suitable itinerary. What are you waiting for? Pack your bag and go!
