Cat BaIsland & Lan Ha Bay guide

03Chapter overview

The island

Many visitors see Cat Ba only from a boat. That misses half the story. The island is steep, forested and full of history, from prehistoric shell middens to wartime tunnels, and its interior is one of Vietnam's oldest national parks.

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Fact sheet

Area
≈ 260 km² including inshore waters
Highest point
Cao Vong, 322 m
Population
≈ 19,000 (2021)
Protected
About a third of the land in the national park
Main settlement
Cat Ba Town
Administration
Cat Hai special zone, Hai Phong

Short answer

Give the island at least one day: the national park and Ngu Lam Peak in the morning, Hospital Cave on the way back, Cannon Fort for sunset. Add Viet Hai village if you have a second day.

8Pages in this section

  1. 01Cat Ba National ParkVietnam's first land-and-sea national park: trails, tickets and wildlife.
  2. 02Ngu Lam PeakThe classic short hike: steep steps to a lookout tower over the forest.
  3. 03Cat Ba langurOne of the world's rarest primates, found only on this island.
  4. 04Viet Hai villageA car-free valley village inside the park, reached by boat or a long trek.
  5. 05Cannon FortWartime guns, tunnels and the best sunset view over Cat Ba Town.
  6. 06Hospital CaveA three-storey secret hospital built inside a hill during the American War.
  7. 07Trung Trang CaveA natural cave with stalactites beside the national park headquarters.
  8. 08Cat Ba TownThe harbour town: promenade, market, seafood, night market and viewpoints.

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Pins mark approximate locations.

01The lay of the land

Cat Ba is a rugged block of limestone hills with narrow valleys between them. The main road runs from Cat Ba Town on the southern coast north through the Hung Son valley and past the national park headquarters, then splits towards the ferry and cable car piers at Cai Vieng and Phu Long and towards Gia Luan in the far north. The east coast, facing Lan Ha Bay, has almost no roads: villages like Viet Hai are reached by boat or on foot.

02A one-day island loop

  1. Early morning

    Ride or drive to the national park headquarters (about 15 km) and climb Ngu Lam Peak before the heat.

  2. Late morning

    Visit Trung Trang Cave next to the park, then Hospital Cave on the road back to town.

  3. Afternoon

    Lunch in the Hung Son valley, then a swim at Cat Co 2 or a detour to Xuan Dam on the west coast.

  4. Sunset

    Walk or ride up to Cannon Fort above town for the evening light over the bay.