Lovely Cat Ba Island, in Vietnam's Ha Long Bay

[Orient Skyline Travel]

In the northeast of Vietnam, Cat Ba, is in the southeast part of Halong Bay, and the largest of its nearly 2,000 islands. Best accessible via the city of Hai Phong, under which it's administered, Cat Ba is an ideal destination in the summer, for both domestic and foreign visitors. in Vietnam. Here are five of the top things to do here:

Swimming and Beaches


There's a lot of choice on this front. On the island itself there are three beautiful beaches, known as Cat Co 1, Cat Co 2, and Cat Co 3. All are fairly popular, so if you want somewhere more relaxing and peaceful, you can rent a boat and take a day trip over to Lan Ha Bay, an extension of Ha Long where there are many small islands with dreamy, uncrowded beaches. If you opt for an overnight, stay at an ecolodge resort such as Nam Cat Island Resort and Monkey Island Resort.

Kayaking/Canoeing


There are plenty of kayaks and canoes available for rental on Cat Ba to paddle through the emerald green water and explore both Ha Long and Lan Ha Bay, including the island's six towns, floating fishing villages out on the bay, and secluded beaches you may have all to yourself.

Trekking


At the heart of the island, taking up about a third of its land mass, Cat Ba National Park has beautiful trekking trails and is home to more than 1,500 species of flora and 280 of fauna, including endangered species such as the extremely rare monkey called the golden-headed langur, Experience the tropical forest, discover local village life, and even have lunch with a local family (this can be arranged through local tour operators).

Rock Climbing


The karst (dramatically craggy limestone) hills dotting Ha Long and Lan Ha Bay offer thrilling climbing options for the extra adventurous, and they can be arranged through local outfitters at levels from beginning to advance, with equipment and instruction provided. After reaching the top, you can either rapel back down or jump into the bay's emerald waters.

Boat Cruises


There are quite a few cruise operators on Cat Ba offering options on Ha Long, Lan Ha, and also nearby Bai Tu Long Bays. Options range from day trips to three-nighters and with different types, sizes, and classes of boats (these days all painted white, by the way).

 

How to Get to Cat Ba Island from Hanoi

 

You can drive yourself in about an hour and 15 minutes, go by train in a little over two hours, or take a bus. This last offers two options:

- Take a bus to Got ferry pier, catch a speed boat from Got pier to Cai Vieng pier, then another bus from Cai Vieng pier to Cat Ba center; this will take four to 4½ hours.

- Take a bus to Hai Phong/Ben Binh pier, then a speed boat to Cat Ba Island, taking around three hours.  With this option you need to buy two separate tickets, one the bus from Hanoi to Hai Phong, another for boat from Hai Phong to Cat Ba (you can buy them on the spot but we recommend to purchase with a local travel agent to avoid ticket unavailability).

 

For more information, contact Orient Skyline Travel at [e-mail] or consult the websites  OrientSkylineTravel.com or OrientSkylineTravel.net.