What to do in Cat Ba Island: Our experience

Cat ba Island is the largest of the 366 islands in Halong archipelago located in northern Vietnam and 140 kilometers from Hanoi.

Most part of the island is a national park, so this is perhaps the best place in all of Vietnam from an ecological point of view. As soon as you go down to the shore you will immediately feel the warm and humid tropical air of the island, which differs significantly from the mainland.

When it comes to things to do in Cat Ba, there are a lot of interesting places. First of all, you can explore the unique beauty of Halong Bay and Lan Ha Bay as there are few places in the world that can offer similar views.

As for other things to do in Cat Ba, you can enjoy the untouched nature of Vietnam, breathe in clean air, go to the jungle, climb, explore the caves, look at houses on the water, go fishing and of course eat seafood. But let’s talk about everything in order.
Some people choose to stay here just 1 or 2 days but we recommend you to stay more as there are so many things to do in Cat Ba Island.

Where to eat and where to drink in Cat Ba Island

Like Coffee (Vegan/Vegetarian Friendly) - This cafe boasts some of the finest coffee you’ll find not only on the Island…but in all of Vietnam. Yes we really mean that! After doing a motorbike tour of the whole country and trying coffee from 100’s of places, this spot truly makes the top 3 and with a generous serving size uncommon in Vietnam. Aside from the coffee and the excellent service, you’re left with an affordable and delicious menu to satisfy all sorts of travelers.

Yummy (Vegan/Vegetarian Friendly) - After reading all of the google reviews online about this spot, we knew that it had to be a must-try place on our list. After visiting 3 times now we can 100% tell you that you must go here, especially if you’re a budget traveler trying to get a really good meal and save some money. Portions are generous but you will have a language barrier if you’re trying to order specifics as this place is locally run. Point to your order and you’ll do fine! Otherwise, google translate is your best friend!

Secret Garden (Vegan/Vegetarian Friendly) - So say this is the WiFi paradise would be an understatement. We found this hostel/hangout/cafe to be the best overall hangout spot while on the island. You can honestly sit at your laptop and listen to the soft music on speakers while sipping good coffee and eat some good healthy dishes. Do try the Veggie Buddah Bowl!

Napoli Pizza Restaurant - The go-to place to taste some good western style pizza before a night out with your family/friends. They offer free beer for half hour each night, and turn into a nightclub as the night turns late. You can’t go wrong when you can dance for free and order beers in a central location for under $1usd!

Where to stay in Cat Ba Island

Hostel - Napoli Hostel - It can honestly be said that this was one of our highlights on the island. From the moment you enter this place, you begin to feel as though you’re part of a family and at no point do you ever feel like it’s hard to meet people. For the low price of $2.50 you’re offered a bed in a dormitory and left with an experience to last you a lifetime!

Budget Hotel - Trang Anh Seaview Hotel - Can’t say enough good things about this spot. The owner and volunteer worker that were here while we stayed helped us to get situated on the island. You can’t go wrong with a $3 private room, $4 motorbike rental, and a clean bedroom with one of the best hot showers we’ve had on our trip thus far!

Homestay - Green Homestay - Not enough good things that we can say about this off-the-beaten-track local homestay! When we finally got around to staying here we appreciated the 6km distance we were away from the downtown hustle and bustle. The solitude and coziness of this homestay shocked us to the core with it’s new facilities, comfy beds, and most importantly the absence of the morning honks of motorbikes/buses! For $15 a night for a king size room with a view, this is a steal!

Mid-Range Luxury - Tropical Beach Villa Resort - Another off-the-beaten-path adventure awaits if you choose to progress a little bit further off the main island! With all transportation being arranged by the resort, you’ll find yourself secluded and in paradise in Vietnam with a King size room with an ocean view! The manager here speaks perfect English, the rooms are extraordinarily clean, and the night time family dinner is just like you’re eating with the locals.

Google translate will be your best friend at dinner as most people who grew up there don’t speak another language. With transportation included as well as food, this experience can all be done for just $44/night.

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Take a one day tour

Normally, we are not fans of tours but sometimes you just have to take a tour as some places of interest are not easily accessible. Our tour has turned out to be one of the best things to do in Cat Ba!

We have opted for a tour with Blue Swimmer and didn’t regret it for a moment! We had the honor to meet Tran, the owner of Blue Swimmer and experience real Vietnamese hospitality.

So, the tour started at 8.30 in the morning and we took about 2-hour boat ride across Halong Bay. We took a lot of great pictures and then put our camera aside and enjoyed the unforgettable sights, sometimes you just have to do that much.

We arrived to Lan Ha Bay and the captain parked the boat in the docks in the middle of nowhere and we went kayaking for about an hour. We had a chance to kayak through Dark and Light caves under the supervision of an experienced guide. This was our favorite experience during the tour and top of the list for things to do in Cat Ba Island.

After that, we had a great lunch on the boat which included rice, vegetables, tofu, egg and spring rolls, and fish. Then, we headed out to the Monkey Beach for a hike. We have to warn you that the hike is not for the faint-hearted but once you overcome your fear, it gets fun. It’s more of a rock climbing experience in fact. There is another option for those who don’t want to do a hike, it’s a route for a nice walk under the trees. That was the last point of the tour and after that we took a boat back.

Relax on the Beaches

Since the Island is a beach resort (the only one in the north of Vietnam), of course, for the things to do in Cat Ba you would expect to spend some time on the beach.

There are four beaches here suitable for sunbathing and swimming: Cat Co 1, Cat Co 2, Cat Co 3 and Catba Emerald Beach or Tung Thu Beach. Despite their small size, even in high season (from June to August), there is enough space for everyone. But on weekends it gets too busy indeed, especially Cat Co 1.

All of them are located in the south next to Cat Ba town. Despite the huge perimeter of the rest of the island, it is useless to look for other “secret” beaches, since the coasts are practically not suitable for swimming: too shallow, dirty, and have many dangerous rocks.

Pto Tip: The beaches Cat Co 1 and Cat Co 2 are surrounded by mountains so it is sunny there only in the morning. On Cat Co 3 its is sunny for the whole day.

The conditions on all four beaches are approximately the same: they are located in bays, there are sunbeds and cafes, the water is warm and moderately clear, sand is white or yellow. During low tides, the water does not go far and you can still swim. You will not find here the water activities like jet skis. In theory, you can snorkel here, especially along the edges of the beaches near the rocks, but there are not too many creatures to see.

All beaches are available without time limits and for free which makes it one of the most chill and accessible things to do in Cat Ba.

Also, if you take a tour you will have a chance to swim on some of the most secluded beaches in the middle of the Halong or Lan Ha Bay.

Feel closer to nature in Cat Ba National park

Cat Ba National park is a must-visit on the list of things to do in Cat Ba Island because it is a World Heritage Site protected by UNESCO and home to langur monkeys. The park occupies more than half of the island and the landscapes are fascinating! However, it is almost impossible to meet the animals living here, because only a small part of the park is accessible for hiking.

Note that the national park is not a park for walks in the evening, it is untouched jungle with narrow walking paths and signs. Since the terrain is mountainous, often the paths turn into steps cut down right in the rock which will require some stamina to climb up.

There are several routes in the national park that lead to the viewpoint. The shortcut which is supposed to be the fastest route is quite steep, we took it on the way up. This turned out to be one of the most thrilling things to do in Cat Ba. On the way down, we took a normal route and we felt like with all the climbing the first one didn’t save us too much time. So if you don’t want to climb, the “longer” route is quite fine.

The entrance to the park costs 80.000 VND ($3.5) and it also includes an entrance to Trung Trang Cave. The food at the vendors outside of the park is expensive, but there is one lady that sells water and snacks inside the park after you pay for your ticket and walk inside a little bit.

Explore the Caves

Trung Trang Cave

The cave is included in the price for the National park ticket so why not check it out. We went there in the afternoon after the park and we were pretty much the only people there, it was quite cool.

Trung Trang Cave is the largest cave in Cat Ba with a length of about 300m through the mountain. The cave is a loop so you don’t have to come back the same way. This Cave is much more impressive that Hospital Cave in terms of natural stalactites and geological values.

Some passages in the cave are narrow but not very long and they lead to the big enough chambers.

By the way, if you love caves, make sure to visit the cave paradise in Phong Nha!

Hospital Cave

A small cave, which used to be as a bomb shelter and a hospital during the war with the Americans. There are no exhibits in the cave premises, only the concrete walls of rooms without windows. Overall this is a rather unusual place, with a slightly eerie atmosphere and an interior that could well serve as a set for a horror movie.

Sung Sot Cave (Surprise Cave)

Sung Sot Cave is located not in Cat Ba itself but on the smaller island close to it. If you love caves, taking a boat trip and exploring Sung Sot will become great things to do nearby Cat Ba.

It is famous for its awe-inspiring beauty, spectacular chambers, and numerous stalactites hanging from the high ceiling. This magnificent natural wonder sits is in the center of the UNESCO World Heritage area and dates back about 480-510 million years ago when intense tectonic plate shifting in the Halong Bay area created vast limestone mountains, which sometime after were eroded by long periods of heavy rain.

Sung Sot cave is the biggest and most impressive cave on Bo Hon Island, which is in the center of Halong Bay. First discovered by French explorers in 1901 who were so amazed by its grandeur and size, they nicknamed it the “Grotte des Surprises”, or “Cave of Surprises” (aka the Sung Sot). Now the cave is a regular stop for most travelers on their Halong Bay trip.

There are two chambers covering 10,000 m2 in total. The first chamber (‘Waiting Room’) resembles a large concert hall. A huge open area filled with stalactites and stalagmites bathed in colorful lighting, which accentuates their shapes and lends an eerie feeling of drama to this most majestic of performance spaces. The second chamber (‘Serene Castle’) is even larger and supposedly capable of holding up to 1,000 visitors.

The narrow path connects the two chambers so, keep this in mind because the cave can get very busy in the day as this cave is arguably the first thing to check out when coming to Halong Bay.

I was fascinated by the history of this place as explained to the group by the tour guide as he brought us through the cave. The cave’s natural formation was gorgeous and the multicolored lights that lit the cave interior certainly highlighted its beauty.

I was a bit taken aback due to a great variety of forms, hooks, and spirals that seemed way too intricate for a natural formation and it was nothing short of amazing. A 15-minute trek takes you through the well laid-out cave with many varied 'rooms' and sections and cavernous spaces.

Written by Ivan from Mind The Travel

Go Kayaking

By far one of the coolest things you’ll be able to experience out in the bay, especially if you’re being led by a reliable tour guide/company! When you’re out there and get to hear the silence that’s contained between the mountains, it’s only then that you truly feel like you’re one with the island!

It’s best if you get out there first thing in the morning as you’ll get the cool breeze coming through and won’t overheat under the midday sun! Kayak tours on the island start at $15usd and generally run up to $30usd depending on companies and lengths of tour.

Visit Butterfly Valley

We think it’s be one of the most lesser-known things to do in Cat Ba and definitely not a must-visit but you can go there if you already have a motorbike rented and have some free time. Don’t take us wrong, the Butterfly Valley is a quiet, lush and serene place in the nature. Not many people know about it so it’s more of the off-the-beaten path place in Cat Ba. There is no entrance fee as well.

The only catch is that there are not that many butterflies as you would expect from the name. There are a lot of them but not hoards. Our advice is not to expect to see thousands of butterflies around and you will have some really good time in the nature.

Meet the locals in Floating Villages

Currently there are approximately 1600 locals who permanently live on the water. You have a chance to meet these people and communicate with them vie Google Translate to find out more about their unusual lifestyle firsthand.

Here are some interesting facts about living in floating villages:

The Vietnamese build the house foundation from the barrels tied together, and the floor is made of boards placed on top. Such a base can withstand up to several hundred kilograms.
Walls and roof can be made of iron sheets, wood or bamboo.
A house usually consists of one room, which is both a bedroom and a living room at the same time. Here, younger members of the family sleep, relax and do their homework - all life happens on a few square meters.
Children go to school, there is a longboat that picks them up daily and takes to school on land.
Some homes have TV and radio powered by electric generators.