Cat Ba is a favorite destination for those who want to immerse themselves in nature and explore the beauty of our country's golden forests and silver seas. How do you travel to Cat Ba on your own? What play? Where to eat? Which places cannot be missed? Let's explore with HoaBinh Tourist now!
Cat Ba Archipelago is one of the tourist attractions in Hai Phong, located south of Ha Long Bay. This place is the meeting place of mountains and forests, characterized by the scenery of Ha Long Bay, with limestone mountains and a calm blue sea. Therefore, the climate is quite mild, and the scenery here changes with the seasons, so Cat Ba is beautiful in every season.
Transportation is one of the issues to keep in mind when you travel to Cat Ba on your own. Cat Ba is about 40km from Hai Phong city center. Choosing the right means of transportation to Cat Ba quickly also makes your trip much more convenient.
On weekends or holidays, it is advised that you should not go straight by car to Cat Ba Island because there will be traffic jams and ferry jams and a very long wait, especially between 8 and 11 a.m. When traveling by private car at this time, you should park the car at Got Wharf to take the ferry or cable car, or go to Binh Wharf to take the speedboat.
Taking the cable car will help you avoid ferry congestion and give you the opportunity to see the entire island from above. When you get to the other end, there will be a shuttle bus to Cat Ba town. Cable car and shuttle ticket prices are 180.000 VND per person per way.
If you choose to take a ferry or speedboat, when you arrive, you can take a taxi or bus to the town center. The island area is quite small; you can walk or take an electric car, so you don't need to worry too much about transportation on the island. island. High-speed train ticket: 250,000 VND per person per way. Ferry ticket: 12,000 VND/person/way.
When traveling during off-peak months, you are completely free to travel by private car to the island.
If traveling from Hanoi, choosing the Hanoi-Cat Ba bus will be both fast and convenient. You will take the highway to Hai Phong and travel to the island by speedboat or private ferry, so there is no need to wait. After crossing the ferry, there will be a bus to take you to the town center.
Some car companies with reputable high-speed train travel that you should refer to are: Discovery, Daiichi, and Catba Express. The total travel time from Hanoi to Cat Ba is about 4 hours. The ticket price from 250.000 VND per person per way.
For young people who like to travel to Cat Ba on their own and experience it, they can choose to ride a motorbike. You arrive at Got Wharf, 30km from the city center, and take the ferry from Got Wharf to Cai Vieng Wharf (ferry time is about 20 minutes). The current ferry ticket is 12,000 VND per person per way, or 45,000 VND per person per motorbike per way.
From here, move to the center of the island for another 25km. This is one of the most beautiful coastal roads in the North; you will definitely be satisfied with this experience.
As the meeting place of forests, mountains, islands, valleys, and magical caves, the pearl island of Cat Ba is no different from paradise on earth. This wild, poetic, and beautiful bay is also an ideal tourist destination because there are many places to explore and adventure during a self-guided Cat Ba trip.
Cat Ba is famous for its three beaches, Cat Co 1, 2, and 3, right in the town area. You can choose one of these beaches to immerse yourself in the blue sea and golden sand. Cat Co 1 and Cat Co 3 beaches are right in the center, connected by a beautiful coastal mountain road, a favorite check-in location for many tourists to Cat Ba.
Cat Co 2 Beach is a bit far but is wider, more beautiful, and less crowded. In addition, Cat Ba also has the famous Tung Thu beach, 10km from the town center, so it is more deserted and pristine, so it is also sought after by many tourists.
In the hot summer, there's nothing better than immersing yourself in cool water and having fun with friends and relatives on the beach. However, the waves in Cat Ba are very big; if you have children, you also need to pay attention.
When traveling to Cat Ba, you must definitely visit Lan Ha Bay. This is also the most popular experience when traveling to Cat Ba on your own. Lan Ha Bay is like a miniature Ha Long, with countless small islands in the sea and white sand beaches at the foot of rocky mountains—a difference compared to Ha Long Bay. There is also a Van Gia floating fishing village, where hundreds of households live on the bay.
To visit Lan Ha Bay, you have to take a boat from Beo wharf for about an hour to the bay. You can proactively rent a boat to explore on your own or choose short, economical tours of 2.5 hours, 4 hours, or 1 day to fully explore and participate in fun activities on Lan Ha Bay.
Some destinations not to be missed when visiting Lan Ha Bay are Cai Beo fishing village, Light and Dark Cave, Turtle Island, etc., along with countless interesting activities waiting for you to explore, such as swimming in the bay and scuba diving at some beaches. wild bathing, kayaking,...
The Cat Ba archipelago has many old fishing villages on the sea. During a self-guided trip to Cat Ba, visitors should stop by Viet Hai port to visit the ancient fishing village surrounded by the blue sea, high mountains, and old forests. You will have the opportunity to learn about the lifestyle of the fishing village people for thousands of years.
Or visit raft houses and Cai Beo fishing villages. Rowing between floating rafts, buying seafood, and learning about the daily activities of peaceful fishing village life are experiences not to be missed.
One of the places you should visit when traveling to Cat Ba on your own is Cat Ba National Park. This place is a world biosphere reserve, possessing a rich and diverse flora and fauna. Coming here, you can walk or cycle on the paths through the rows of trees, which is also a very chill experience when coming to Cat Ba.
Cat Ba National Park has trails through the forest, natural caves, and cliffs suitable for those who love trekking. The ticket price to visit Cat Ba National Park is 40,000 VND for adults and 20,000 VND for children.
A place that gives visitors a panoramic view of the beauty of Cat Ba during a self-sufficient trip to Cat Ba is the cannon fortress. This place attracts those who hunt for sunset and sunrise moments on the sea because of its high, convenient location, covering the entire landscape of the island. The ticket price to visit the cannon fortress is 80,000 VND per person.
If you go to Cat Ba on your own and visit Lan Ha Bay, Monkey Island is a place you definitely should not miss. Monkey Island is not too far from Beo wharf, especially with its clear blue sea water and gentle waves suitable for swimming.
On the island, there are more than 20 monkeys; however, these monkeys are quite "fast" and do not mind tourists, so you need to manage your belongings! On the island, there are also catering services and bungalow rooms.
When traveling to Cat Ba on your own, the indispensable activity is swimming. In addition to the beaches on Cat Ba island, such as Cat Co 1, 2, 3, Tung Thu Beach, or Monkey Island, there are other famous beaches in Cat Ba.
However, during the peak season, it is often quite crowded, so choosing to swim at the pristine beaches on Lan Ha Bay, Nam Cat Island, Tu Do Island, and Van Boi Island will bring you wonderful experiences.
The beaches on the deserted island in Lan Ha Bay only appear at low tide; white sand appears; clear blue water; calm waves; and there are very few people. An ideal getaway for those who do not like crowds, dispelling all the fatigue of everyday life.
Another interesting activity that many tourists love on their journey to explore Cat Ba is kayaking. Sitting on a kayak floating in the vast ocean, wriggling through caves and rocky crevices, you will fall in love with the charming landscape of the water, immersing yourself in the poetic nature that nature has bestowed on Cat Ba. Don't forget to save your moments with beautiful check-in photos at Lan Ha Bay!
An interesting nighttime experience in Cat Ba is squid fishing. The most ideal time for tourists to go squid fishing in Cat Ba is from March to June, when squid often swim close to the shore to reproduce, making it easy for those who experience this activity for the first time.
When fishing for squid at night, fishermen will enthusiastically guide you, and visitors can especially enjoy their results right on the spot.
The soul and heart of Cat Ba Island lie in the square area where the Cat Ba Night Market takes place. Cat Ba Market sells a variety of products, from fresh seafood to dried seafood to souvenirs. The market is also a community center for people on the island. You can experience shopping and rent bicycles to walk around this area to enjoy the bustling atmosphere of Cat Ba at night.
When traveling to Cat Ba on your own, there are many types of accommodation, from affordable to luxurious, for you to choose from.
If you like to stay in the center, still have a sea view, and enjoy the bustle of Cat Ba town, you should choose hotels and homestays located along 1/4 Street, Tung Dinh Street, or Flamingo Cat Ba Beach Resort, MGallery.
Besides, if you want to vacation on private islands, you can choose high-end resorts such as: Nam Cat Island Resort, Cat Ba Bay, Monkey Island Resort, etc.
Camping is loved by many young people when traveling to Cat Ba on their own because of the interesting experiences of being immersed in nature. You can spend the night in fishing villages on the sea and in the Lien Minh valley.
One of the interesting experiences on your trip to explore Cat Ba, if you have the opportunity, you should not miss it. Floating on the poetic green pearl of the Gulf of Tonkin, visitors will watch the sunset on the horizon or wake up early to catch the first rays of sunlight on the sea. Besides, enjoying premium dishes and admiring the natural beauty are extremely valuable experiences.
Coming to Cat Ba, you must definitely enjoy fresh seafood. With a rich source of seafood such as crab, geoduck, grouper, lobster, shrimp, snails, or steamed blue crab, it is always an indispensable menu when traveling to Cat Ba. Crabs are caught naturally or raised in brackish lagoons. No need for elaborate cooking; just steam and enjoy the fresh, firm meat.
Visitors to Cat Ba can go to the market to enjoy the cuisine. There are many set or buffet restaurants here, with fresh seafood and affordable prices. In addition, Thuy Anh Grilled Hot Pot Restaurant on Cai Beo Street is one of the places chosen by many tourists.
When exploring Cat Ba on your own, you should note the following things to make the trip more complete:
The above article, HoaBinh Tourist sends you detailed self-sufficient travel experiences to Cat Ba, hoping that these can help you have a smooth trip. Let's plan your trip to have fun-filled experiences on this beautiful pearl island! For any information you need advice on, please contact our hotline at 0939.311.911 - 0913.311.911 for 24/7 support.
