48 hours in Cat Ba

Cat Ba is not only a summer destination, but autumn or early winter is also a good time to enjoy the fresh, deserted air.

The itinerary is based on the experience of a VnExpress reporter and the advice of Mr. Son Nguyen, an officer of Cat Ba National Park. The itinerary is suitable for tourists traveling from the center of Hanoi or Hai Phong, who want to change the atmosphere on the weekend and are active people.

Day 1

Tourists travel from Hanoi to Got ferry terminal, time is nearly 2 hours. If traveling from Hai Phong center, time is about 30 minutes. Tourists enjoy breakfast in Hai Phong center or at rest stops on Hanoi - Hai Phong highway, with the typical dish of crab noodle soup.

This season is quiet, there are not many tourists so the ferry crossing is quite fast. After buying tickets, visitors can cross the ferry right away, or if they have to wait, it will only take about 30 minutes. After the peak summer season, Got ferry (Cat Hai side) now runs the first trip every day at 5:30 am and the last trip at 6:30 pm. The schedule from Cai Vieng wharf (Cat Ba side) is from 5 am to 6 pm. There will be a trip every 30 minutes.

From the ferry terminal to the center of the island, visitors will pass through one of the most beautiful island routes in Vietnam.

Part of the coastal route on Cat Ba Island. Photo: Giang Chinh

Morning

Trekking Cat Ba National Park in the cool weather is a suitable experience. The entrance fee to the park is 80,000 VND per person. If you book a package tour, you will not have to pay this fee. Visitors can start at 8:30 or 9:00. Those who regularly exercise, walk or jog should choose the long route.

"Visitors can trek 6 km or 10 km depending on their needs and health. They can choose the shortest route of only about 2 km to Ngu Lam peak and return to the garden gate, visit Trung Trang cave, which takes about 2 hours. But it would be a pity not to go the 10 km route to have more experiences and enjoy many beautiful scenes," said Mr. Son.

If traveling 10 km, visitors will pass through all terrains, experience many beautiful scenes, learn about the forest ecosystem and different types of forests such as primeval forests, tropical humid forests, mangrove forests, and learn about many precious trees. Places passed include May Bau peak, Ech pond. The end point of the journey is Viet Hai village.

"The terrain of the entire route is quite diverse, with many flat sections through the forest, some steep climbs, mainly cliffs of medium height, with only a few short, steep sections," Mr. Son added, noting that you should choose suitable shoes with anti-slip function and bring snacks.

The total time for the 10km trekking trip is about 4 hours, don't go too fast, rest when tired.

Flat road in the middle of the forest on the trekking route. Photo: Tam Anh

A point on the trekking route. Photo: Tam Anh

Frog Pond. Photo: Tam Anh

Afternoon

In the early afternoon, visitors return to Viet Hai village. This is a small fishing village located deep in Cat Ba National Park. There are only about 400 people living here, but there are enough services such as accommodation, food, foot massage with fish to relax after trekking.

Late lunch is mainly home-grown food. Guests can pre-order seafood and garden vegetables, which are simply prepared but delicious and nutritious.

After relaxing with a fish massage service, 50,000 VND per person per turn, cycling around the village is a must or taking a walk to watch the sunset.

"If you rent a room in the village overnight, you will get a free bicycle, which you can use at any time. If you only visit the village for the day, the rental price is 50,000 VND," said Mr. Son.

Fresh grilled food at the fishing village. Photo: Tam Anh

Evening

Dinner with grilled meat and wine in the cool air. Some houses in the village take orders for BBQ parties. This place often welcomes foreign tourists so they are familiar with the diverse style of service and food preparation, including Western food.

Rest and stay overnight in Viet Hai village. Long Phuong Bungalow is one of the rental houses with the most rooms, private rooms for 2-4 people depending on the choice, each room price ranges from 500,000 VND to 700,000 VND. In addition, in the village there are many homestays, with cheaper costs, only about 200,000 to 300,000 VND.

Day 2

Morning

Wake up in the fresh air of Viet Hai village in the morning. A simple breakfast is served in the village with popular dishes such as instant noodles or vermicelli with fresh seafood. Each serving ranges from 20,000 to 25,000 VND.

Move to the pier to visit Lan Ha Bay. The boat takes people on the bay, passing famous spots such as Cai Beo floating village, Turtle island, Mo island and stops at Tay Keo beach for about 1-2 hours, where the space is quiet. In the summer, visitors to the bay can combine swimming, but in the fall and winter, visitors should choose kayaking.

Road from Viet Hai village to the wharf. Photo: Tam Anh

On Lan Ha Bay. Photo: Tam Anh

One of the small islands in Lan Ha Bay. Photo: Tam Anh

Noon and afternoon

Currently, the floating restaurants serving food on Lan Ha Bay are no longer allowed to operate. Therefore, after experiencing the bay, visitors dock at Ben Beo wharf at around 12 noon and have lunch on the island. Some restaurants to consider: Hai Yen, Huyen Beo Hotpot and Grill, Vien Duong, and Lang Chai. The dishes here are diverse, in addition to seafood, there are also beef, pork, and hotpots.

Before leaving the island, visitors should take a tour of Cat Ba Island on the cross-island road by car to see how beautiful and peaceful this island is.

Arrive at Cai Vieng ferry terminal around 3-4pm to return to the mainland. "Be careful not to arrive late at the ferry, close to the last trip to avoid risks that may affect the schedule of tourists," Son noted.

Ben Beo Port. Photo: Tam Anh

Some alternatives: The above itinerary is suitable for those who have been to Cat Ba, are no longer unfamiliar with this island because the whole group does not visit the town and attractions on the main island. If you want to relax, you should choose to stay in town, with some resorts such as Perle d'Orient Cat Ba-MGallery or Flamingo Cat Ba, in the Cat Co beach area, hot mineral baths. Visitors can also choose to spend the night on a cruise in Lan Ha Bay.

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