Cat Ba Town Guide: Harbour, Market, Food and Things to Do

Cat Ba Town

Cat Ba Town wraps around a small harbour filled with fishing boats on the island's southern tip. Rows of tall, narrow hotels line the waterfront, scooters buzz along the promenade and in the evening the whole town seems to sit down for seafood.

2 min read

Last checked 18 October 2026

Fact sheet

Location: Southern tip of Cat Ba Island
Main street: The harbour front (1/4 Street)
Market: Cat Ba market, north end of the harbour
To Ben Beo pier: ≈ 2 km
To Cat Co beaches: 10–20 min walk
Feel: Busy, practical, lively at night

Short answer

Stay here for convenience: everything from tour desks to ATMs is within a short walk. Choose a room on a side street or the hillside if you value sleep.

01Getting your bearings

The harbour front road, 1/4 Street, is the spine of town. Hotels, restaurants and tour offices line it, and the market sits at its northern end. Núi Ngọc Street climbs inland past more hotels and cafés. To the south, a road and footpaths lead over the headland to the Cat Co beaches; to the east, the harbour road continues to Ben Beo pier and the floating village.

02Things to do in town

Walk the harbour at sunrise, when fishing boats unload, or at dusk with the town lights reflecting in the water.
Cat Ba market. Fish, shellfish, fruit and household goods, busiest in the early morning.
Night market. Stalls along the waterfront in the evenings, plus a large seafront night market and entertainment complex by the central bay.
Climb to Cannon Fort for the view over everything.
Fishing village festival. Around 31 March and 1 April the town marks the anniversary of Ho Chi Minh's 1959 visit to the island's fishermen with a festival that also marks the official start of the tourist season.

03Eating and drinking

Seafood rules: pick from tanks, pay by weight and choose how it is cooked. Prices are higher on the waterfront, and a street back you will find cheaper noodle shops, bánh mì stalls and local rice places. Bars cluster along the harbour and in a few backpacker lanes. More in Food & drink and Nightlife.

04Noise and construction

Cat Ba Town has grown fast, and hotel building continues. Some streets have construction noise in the daytime, and the harbour front can be loud with karaoke and traffic until late in summer. If you are a light sleeper, ask for a room at the back or stay on the hillside or in the Hung Son valley. See Hotels in Cat Ba Town.

Where it is

Open the island map

?Questions people ask

Is Cat Ba Town nice?

It is a working harbour town rather than a postcard village: busy, a bit chaotic, but lively and convenient, with great views from the hills around it.

Where should I stay in Cat Ba Town?

On the quieter streets back from the waterfront or on the hillside near the road to the Cat Co beaches. See Hotels in Cat Ba Town.