Anywhere in the world, Cat Ba would be a pretty lovely island in its own right, but it happens to be positioned, rather fortuitously, right on the edge of Halong Bay. Whether you're looking at the lush jungly peaks inland, or the crazy karst formations out to sea, there's just no escaping the scenic vistas.
If beaches are a major priority for your trip to Vietnam, Cat Ba shouldn't be your only seaside stop, but it's perfect for a few days of relaxation combined with a bit of walking in the jungle or exploring by motorbike.
Cat Ba can be easily combined with trips to Halong Bay, and almost every tour operator in Hanoi offers a combination of one night on a boat and one night on Cat Ba.
This is great in theory - seeing as the only feasible way of doing a Halong Bay boat trip is through a tour operator, why not let them arrange the whole thing for you? The problem is that these tours involve staying in a hotel in Cat Ba town – which is a bit of an eyesore and not on the beach – or at the expensive Sunrise Resort. Whereas, if you arrange your stay independently, you could be staying in a tent or hut on Cat Co 2 beach, dropping off to sleep to the sound of the sea...
Cat Ba can be visited separately from Halong Bay if you travel by hydrofoil from Haiphong (see below), but if you're short on time it makes sense to combine the two. The best thing to do is speak to a tour operator in Hanoi and ask if you can do the one night (overnight on boat) tour of Halong Bay and get dropped off on Cat Ba, without doing the full two night package.
I have done this through ET Pumpkin, although it’s not something they advertise. I was picked up by another boat at around 9am on the second day of the cruise and was in Cat Ba town by lunchtime (the boat arrives at the far end of the island from Cat Ba town but the tour company can arrange a minibus transfer). If you do it this way, you can make your own way back to Hanoi via the hydrofoil ferry and train (see below).
The three main beaches on the island are the small coves of Cat Co 1, 2 and 3, just outside Cat Ba town. Cat Co 1 and 3 are claimed by resorts (Cat Ba Island resort and Sunrise Resort respectively) as their private beaches. In practice this doesn't actually stop you using them, but there's no reason to do so when you can go to Cat Co 2.
Cat Co 2 gets busy on weekends, especially in summer, but otherwise is a laid-back and relaxing spot. The sea is fairly cool but swimmable for most of the year (I've even swum there in December). You can rent a wooden hut or tent to sleep here (see Cat Ba accommodation), or, if you're not staying overnight, you can also rent one of the sheltered wooden platforms the tents are pitched on for the day. There are also sun loungers for hire, although if you're staying here they don't seem to charge you.
- Rent a motorbike or bicycle and explore the island
- Visit the island's numerous caves, including the memorable Hospital Cave - a wartime underground hospital built over three storeys, which included a swimming pool and cinema!
- Go on a trek in the National Park - anything from a 1-2 hour walk to a 2 day trek with overnight homestay in a minority village is possible.
- Take a cruise: either around Halong Bay if you haven’t already done so en route, or to Lan Ha Bay, Cat Ba’s own mini-Halong, where you can kayak amidst dramatic scenery with barely another tourist in sight.
- Have an ultra-fresh seafood dinner (see below)
- Green Mango (on the main harbour road in Cat Ba town). Excellent European and Asian fusion food in a stylish setting.
- Floating restaurants in Ben Beo harbour (a couple of kilometres from Cat Ba town). The freshest seafood you'll ever eat - they have small fish farms round the back of the restaurant, so they catch your meal after you've ordered it! You order by weight and have to buy the whole fish, so bring a big appetite. Most of these restaurants double as fishmongers serving the locals, so in the off season they will still be open, but may be eerily quiet. Quang Anh is the most tourist-oriented, so even in the off-season, you probably won't be the only diners - though you could still be the only foreigners.
Transport
If you choose not to visit Cat Ba in combination with a Halong Bay cruise, you can either travel to Haiphong by train and then catch a hydrofoil ferry to Cat Ba town, or you can buy a bus ticket from Hanoi which includes a ferry ride.
The bus takes longer (around 5 hours with changes) but is cheaper and avoids a very early morning start. Contact Hoang Long bus company for up-to-date timetable information (031.3920920).
For the train/ hydrofoil combination you need to catch the 06.05 train from Hanoi, arriving in Haiphong at 07.55. Jump on a motorbike taxi to the harbour and you’ll be there in time to catch the 9am hydrofoil. It costs 130 000 VND (one way) and takes around an hour. The return hydrofoil leaves at 14.45, which means you have a few hours spare to explore Haiphong before catching the 18.10 train back to Hanoi.
