Best Things to Do on Cat Ba Island, Vietnam

Cat Ba Island is off the beaten path of the iconic Halong Bay. This travel guide will help you plan all the best activities. Don’t miss it on your trip to Vietnam!

Cat Ba Island is so much more than a hop off visit from the Halong Bay cruise boats. Cat Ba is a peaceful retreat from mainland Vietnam situated in the waters of Lan Ha Bay in the Gulf of Tonkin.

Not quite hidden, but it is a gem where you can easily spend a few days marveling at the Cat Ba archipelago from viewpoints around the island, explore local fishing villages, and walk through war history.

Is Cat Ba Island worth a visit?

Cat Ba Island is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve where you can immerse yourself in mountains, forests and beaches. There are lots of tour companies offering land and water adventure activities like kayaking, rock climbing, snorkeling as well as diving. If that’s your vibe, it is worth a visit!

Most of the island is still rugged and untouched by tourism, which I loved! After being limited to a cruise boat for a few days, I was ready to get out and explore. 

Cat Ba Island is a good alternative if you don’t like cruises or want to spend time on land in the beautiful surrounds of Lan Ha Bay. Cat Ba Island like most of Vietnam is easy on the budget, making it perfect for backpackers. If you want to get away from the crowds, visit in the colder months of January-March.

Cat Ba town center

Most hotels are located in the main area of Cat Ba town. I stayed at Hung Long Harbour hotel…I know, what a name. It was very cheap, but didn’t have heat which was a minor inconvenience if you are visiting during January. If you want to be closer to nature, there are homestays, eco lodges, and beach front resorts outside of Cat Ba town.

Restaurants and nightlife

You can walk along the main road in Cat Ba and find lots of restaurant options as well as floating restaurants in the bay. Seafood appears to be the specialty of Cat Ba Island. Almost all restaurants have aquariums of live seafood and shellfish on display and ready to be cooked.

The Cat Ba Pier area gets lively at night time. There is always karaoke and pool games happening in town where you can meet other travelers and new friends. 

Things to do on Cat Ba Island

Cannon Fort

There are many reminders of war history in Vietnam, especially at Cannon Fort. Take a walk through war history and explore the former military fort, tunnels, trenches, and see a cannon still perched on top of the hill.

The highlight was the beautiful viewpoint at the top of the fort with sweeping panoramic views of the island and bay. This is the best place on the island to catch sunset.

From the main harbor area, it’s about a 30 minute walk uphill to Cannon Fort. Yes, you can taxi or rent a motorbike, but the walk provided good views and was not difficult, just steep. The entrance gate is about 15 minutes up the hill and then you will continue onward to the fort. 

Rent a motorbike

Have no fear, Cat Ba Island is an ideal spot to ride a motorbike, even if it’s your first time. Traffic is minimal and once you get out of town, there’s only one major road around the island, so navigating is easy. This is the complete opposite of Hanoi traffic! 

Renting a motorbike will give you the freedom to see the whole island and make stops as you please. I found an excellent restaurant in someone’s front yard way off the beaten path that was better than anything in Cat Ba town, in my opinion.

You can drive right along the coastline on the west side and there are several caves and beaches scattered throughout the island. You might even see local fishermen working in the shallow waters around the island.

There are many motorbike rentals along the bay in the main tourist area. Make sure to ask what the hourly rate is compared to the full day rental. You shouldn’t have to pay more than 100,000 VND.

Be careful of the wild goats, they are all over the island and you might have to share the road with them.

Cat Ba National Park

Now that you have your motorbike rental, you are ready for an adventure. Cat Ba National Park is a quick 25 minute or so drive from the town center.

There is “free” parking for your motorbike across the street from the entrance, but you must make a purchase from the vendors sitting in the lot. Grab a water and a snack for the hike and you’re all set, otherwise you can pay for parking when you purchase your admission ticket at the main gate. 

Hike Ngu Lam Peak

If you’re visiting Cat Ba National Park, you must do this hike! The trail to Ngu Lam Peak is quite short, but will immerse you in nature and reward you with amazing views of endless misty green mountain peaks.

The trail begins by leading you through the lush tropical forest and then you will ascend up rocky steps to two viewpoints above the tree line. You can’t beat these views on such a relatively easy hike. 

Beaches

During the summer time, Cat Ba Island offers several beaches and where you can swim and soak up the sun. The best weather on the island is April-October. You can expect the summer months to be busier with locals visiting the island.

There’s a walking path that connects three of the beaches with beautiful coastline views along the way. Starting at Cat Co beach 3 you can follow the walkway to Cat Co 1 and onward to Cat Co 2 beach. Each beach has a different vibe and during the summer you can rent umbrellas and lounge chairs.

All of the Cat Co beaches are accessible by walking from Cat Ba town. If you rent a scooter and want to venture out you can explore Tung Thu Beach which is a little more off the beaten path.

Visit the local villages

If you want to experience the local culture outside of the big cities, visit the authentic and ancient villages of Cat Ba Island. It is an amazing feat for the locals to continue to live and thrive in these unique self-sustaining communities.

Cai Beo is a 7,000 year old floating village and fishing community. You will need to book a boat tour from Cat Ba island to visit the village.

Viet Hai is a small village within Cat Ba National Park. The locals here live in harmony with nature and self-sustain themselves by traditional gardening and fishing. You can tour Viet Hai village multiple ways; book a homestay, trek through Cat Ba National Park to reach the village, or book a 45 minute boat/ferry from Cat Ba pier to Viet Hai pier for a day trip.

Caves

If you want to beat the heat during the summer months and explore more of Cat Ba’s nature, head to one of Cat Ba island’s many caves.

Hospital cave is another historical war remnant rather than a natural wonder. Hospital cave is a 17 room hospital built into a cave in the limestone mountains. The cave provided bomb proof protection and shelter during the war. Admission ticket = 40,000 VND.

If you paid for admission to Cat Ba National Park, you will have access to Trung Trang Cave. It is a short walk through the cave making it an easy add-on activity for before or after you hike Ngu Lam Peak.

Overall, Cat Ba Island is small and you can cover a lot of ground in just a few days. I personally enjoyed visiting in the off season month of January. It was less busy and made visiting all of the attractions more enjoyable.

Outside of the main tourist area, it was such a treat to see the locals living simplistically off the land. There’s something very charming about the simple life, and that is what makes Cat Ba Island special.

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