Cat BaIsland & Lan Ha Bay guide

05Chapter overview

Things to do on Cat Ba

Cat Ba is an active island. You can paddle into lagoons, climb sea cliffs, hike through jungle and ride a near-empty road loop, then eat grilled seafood on the harbour. Here is everything, roughly in order of how much we would recommend it.

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Fact sheet

Top experience
Kayaking in Lan Ha Bay
Best hike
Ngu Lam Peak
Best view
Cannon Fort at sunset
Adventure
Deep water soloing
Evening
Seafood and squid fishing
Rainy day
Caves and the market

Short answer

Do at least one full day on Lan Ha Bay with kayaking, climb Ngu Lam Peak in the national park and watch the sunset from Cannon Fort. Add climbing, a night on a boat or squid fishing if you have time.

13Pages in this section

  1. 01KayakingPaddle into lagoons and through cave arches. Tours, rentals and routes.
  2. 02Boat tripsDay boats from Ben Beo pier: types of trip, what to ask, prices and tips.
  3. 03Overnight cruisesSleeping on the bay: what one night in Lan Ha Bay is like and how to choose.
  4. 04Rock climbingBolted crags at Butterfly Valley and deep water soloing above the bay.
  5. 05HikingFrom a one-hour forest loop to the full-day trek to Viet Hai village.
  6. 06Scooter loopA full-day ride: national park, caves, northern piers and the west coast.
  7. 07CyclingValley roads, Viet Hai lanes and electric bikes for the hills.
  8. 08Squid fishingAn evening on a boat with lights, lines and your catch cooked on board.
  9. 09SwimmingWhere to swim, water quality, jellyfish and why snorkelling disappoints.
  10. 10Food & drinkSeafood by the kilo, Hai Phong specialities, night markets and how to order.
  11. 11NightlifeHarbour bars, backpacker hangouts, karaoke and the seafront night market.
  12. 12Sunset spotsCannon Fort, the Cat Co coves, the west coast and the deck of a boat.
  13. 13Rainy day ideasCaves, the market, massages, cafés and making the most of grey days.

01Our top ten

  1. A full day on Lan Ha Bay by boat with time in a kayak
  2. Sunrise or sunset on an overnight boat
  3. The climb to Ngu Lam Peak
  4. Climbing at Butterfly Valley or deep water soloing
  5. Sunset over the harbour from Cannon Fort
  6. The quiet valley of Viet Hai by bike
  7. The island road loop with the west coast
  8. Hospital Cave, a wartime hospital inside a hill
  9. A summer evening of squid fishing
  10. A long seafood dinner on the harbour