Cat Ba Island upgrades tourism and investment thanks to modern transportation network

The increasingly convenient and synchronous transportation system helps Cat Ba strongly develop four-season tourism, becoming the most attractive destination in the North.

Dong Bai - Cai Vieng ferry terminal is expanded, cable cars run all year round, electric buses pick up at the cable car station, or high-speed trains open new routes to the center of Cat Ba island...

The number of tourists traveling via the Cat Hai - Phu Long cable car route is increasing because it is fast, safe and convenient.

Air - sea - land - rail are all ready

Nearly 100 billion VND has been invested in expanding the Dong Bai - Cai Vieng ferry terminal to Cat Ba Island, which has just been allocated for investment and is expected to help increase the capacity to transport and pick up tourists to the island. This is just one of many routes to the island.

Previously, on the morning of February 19, the National Assembly unanimously approved the investment policy for the Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong high-speed railway project with a scale of nearly 8.4 billion USD.

Trade and tourism between neighboring China and the city of red phoenix flowers are opening up unprecedented opportunities.

Not only railways, Hai Phong in general and Cat Ba in particular are "opening wide" all air, water and land doors to welcome domestic and foreign tourists to experience the beauty of the world natural heritage bay.

Dong Bai - Cai Vieng ferry terminal is being invested in and expanded. Photo: Le Tan.

By road, traveling to Cat Ba has never been easier thanks to the large-scale Hanoi - Hai Phong; Ninh Binh - Hai Phong; Lao Cai - Hai Phong highways.

The second best option for international and regional visitors is by air (Cat Bi airport, Van Don airport).

Currently, Cat Bi Airport (Hai Phong) has opened direct flights to 9 of the busiest cities in and outside the country. Cat Bi is about to increase its capacity from the current 2 million passengers to 13 million passengers/year by 2030 and 18 million passengers/year by 2050.

Whether arriving in Hai Phong by rail, air or road, all visitors can quickly reach Cat Ba thanks to the sea ferry and world-record-holding cable car.

In 2024, in order to remove the bottleneck of maritime traffic, Hai Phong put into operation Dong Bai ferry terminal, along with a system of 5 newly built, spacious and modern ferries.

In parallel, the cable car route with a travel time of 15 minutes is operated by Sun World year-round, helping to reduce waiting time for ferries.

Statistics from the cable car operator show that the number of passengers traveling by cable car in 2024 has tripled compared to the same period, and is increasingly popular with tourists because of no traffic jams, fast travel time, civilized and safe cabins.

When arriving at the island, visitors continue to choose to travel by another green, zero-emission means, which is electric taxi.

Tuan Chau - Gia Luan ferry takes tourists from Ha Long to Cat Ba Island. Photo: Quoc Nam.

Other waterways such as ships, high-speed canoes from Tuan Chau to Cat Ba, and high-speed boats from Ben Binh to Cai Vieng also give tourists more diverse options.

Next April, the high-speed boat connecting the Heritage Bay is expected to officially operate, giving tourists more options for travel and experiences throughout the journey.

The high-speed ferry route connecting Dong Bai Ferry Terminal - Cat Ba Island center - Ha Long is also preparing to open from next April.

Symphony of Green Island show is about to open on Cat Ba Island from next May.

It is not an exaggeration to say that "all roads seem to lead to... Cat Ba". That is also the reason why the growth rate of visitors to Cat Ba in 2024 is up to 20% compared to the same period. Especially in the more than 3.6 million visitors to Cat Ba, international visitors alone account for over 1 million.

According to data from the Department of Culture - Sports - Tourism of Cat Hai district, total revenue from accommodation and catering services in 2024 on Cat Ba island reached 3,354.5 billion VND, equivalent to 121.1% over the same period.

The latest data for January 2025 also shows that Cat Ba welcomed nearly 126,000 visitors, including more than 85,000 international visitors, an increase of more than 30% over the same period in 2024. Total tourism revenue is estimated at more than 110 billion VND.

In the future, when the "pearl island" increases new entertainment experiences, the number of domestic and foreign tourists coming here will increase more and more.

Greening traffic, a stepping stone to attract high-quality customers

Not stopping at completing diverse infrastructure planning, Hai Phong also aims to build Cat Ba into the first green island with zero carbon emissions in Vietnam, with the establishment of a green transportation system on the island. To increasingly attract high-end guests, international guests staying long term.

Cable cars are a means of transport that helps reduce carbon emissions.

As analyzed by tourism expert, Associate Professor, Dr. Pham Trung Luong, Cat Ba Island has developed a system of electric passenger cars and the Cat Hai - Phu Long cable car line, both of which help reduce carbon emissions.

This is also a systematic approach to sustainable development that many countries around the world are pursuing to focus on human responsibility towards the environment, while attracting high-quality, responsible tourism.

For example, the "paradise island" Lamma, Hong Kong (China) is increasingly attracting high-quality visitors thanks to its status as one of the world's most worth-exploring car-free islands.

"Cat Ba has begun to limit emission vehicles with the support of the tourism service business community and Sun Group.

I hope Cat Ba will realize the goal of not accepting carbon-emitting motor vehicles to the island," said the former Deputy Director of the Institute for Tourism Development Research.

Sun World Cat Ba cable car applies a price of only 50,000 per passenger, children under 1m are free.

Along with the implementation of a tourism project in the center of Cat Ba Island, leading tourism investor Sungroup has announced a strategy to accompany the implementation of a green transport system on Cat Ba Island.

Developing an electric vehicle parking and charging area right at Phu Long cable car station, Sungroup's electric bus system will be ready to operate to pick up passengers from the cable car station to the center of Cat Ba town during this year's summer tourist season.

All travel within the central Cat Ba Bay area will be by electric buggy, bicycle or on foot.

Jet ski show combined with fireworks is about to open on Cat Ba Island.

When the Dong Bai - Cai Vieng ferry terminal expansion project is completed, this area will be able to receive 3 - 4 ferries of all types at the same time, and the Dong Bai and Cai Vieng ferry access roads will be expanded.

At the same time, building a large-scale parking lot near the ferry terminal area, in order to properly implement the Resolution on tasks and solutions for Hai Phong tourism development 2017 - 2020, orientation 2030 has set out - determining to build Cat Ba island according to the model of an ecological, smart island, as a lever for tourism and Hai Phong economy to develop.

Accordingly, Hai Phong will limit gasoline and diesel vehicles on Cat Ba Island.

Soon, guests staying on the island will have many green transportation options to explore the island such as electric buses, electric taxis, electric buggies...

Convenient transportation will also help tourists remove the need to drive to the island to move around, and become truly "responsible tourists", contributing to "greening" Cat Ba Island.

Source: https://www.baogiaothong.vn/dao-cat-ba-thang-hang-du-lich-dau-tu-nho-mang-luoi-giao-thong-hien-dai-19225032414442156.htm