Becoming a World Natural Heritage - an opportunity for Cat Ba tourism to accelerate

According to Chairman of Hai Phong City People's Committee Nguyen Van Tung, the 16th Hai Phong City Party Congress, term 2020-2025, identified developing Hai Phong into a major tourist center of the country as one of the city's three strategic development breakthroughs.

Cat Ba and Do Son are the focal points for developing tourism infrastructure, high-class resorts, international scale and forming typical tourism products of the city associated with the sea, islands, historical and cultural relics...

Cat Ba archipelago has many beautiful beaches that always captivate tourists.

The Party Committee, government and people of the city have been making efforts to make Hai Phong an attractive destination for tourists on the tourism map of Vietnam and the world.

Cat Ba archipelago (Cat Hai district, Hai Phong city) with 358 majestic limestone islands, shimmering in the emerald green of the vast sky and water has long been a tourist attraction of the country in general and of Hai Phong city in particular.

Together with 775 limestone islands in Ha Long Bay (Quang Ninh province), it has created a complex of more than a thousand limestone islands of various shapes and sizes, like a shimmering wonder shining between the clouds and the vast, blue sea.

Cat Ba archipelago (Cat Hai district, Hai Phong city) with 358 majestic limestone islands. Together with 775 limestone islands in Ha Long Bay (Quang Ninh province), it has created a complex of more than a thousand limestone islands of various shapes and sizes, like a shimmering wonder shining between the clouds and the vast, blue sea.

More than 300 majestic limestone islands with many unique shapes always attract tourists.

Ha Long Bay has been recognized twice by UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage site based on aesthetic and geological geomorphological criteria. Cat Ba archipelago, in addition to its aesthetic and geological geomorphological beauty, also has biodiversity with many rare animals and plants.

This place has been recognized as a special national monument - Cat Ba archipelago scenic spot, a world biosphere reserve, a marine protected area and Lan Ha bay has also been honored as one of the most beautiful bays in the world....

Foreign tourists experience Lan Ha Bay - one of the most beautiful bays in the world.

Vice Chairman of the Hai Phong City People's Committee Le Khac Nam - a member of the Vietnamese delegation at the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee held in Riyadh (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) recently shared that Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago being recognized as a World Natural Heritage is the joy and happiness of the people of Hai Phong and Quang Ninh in particular and of Vietnam in general.

This is the 8th year that Vietnam has a heritage recognized by UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage and it is also the first heritage under inter-provincial management. At the meeting, international experts, scientists and member countries of the World Heritage Committee all highly appreciated the value and supported Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago to become a World Natural Heritage, and at the same time wished to visit the heritage in the near future.

With 358 majestic limestone islands, Cat Ba Archipelago, in addition to its aesthetic and geological beauty, also has biodiversity with many rare animals and plants. This place has been recognized as a special national monument - Cat Ba Archipelago Scenic Area, a World Biosphere Reserve, a Marine Protected Area and Lan Ha Bay has also been honored as one of the most beautiful bays in the world....

Hai Phong City and Cat Hai District have been persistent and determined in arranging, reducing and standardizing aquaculture rafts and tourist rafts on the bay to ensure people's livelihoods, preserve, conserve and embellish the landscape, natural environment and develop tourism.

Tourism infrastructure in Cat Ba is being upgraded.

Along with that, the tourism infrastructure is increasingly invested in, modern with a series of resort and entertainment complex projects of large corporations, not only changing the face of the island district, but also creating breakthrough opportunities for tourism, as well as the island district's socio-economy.

Recently, for the first time, Cat Ba was honored in the category of 10 friendliest cities in Vietnam 2023 announced by the travel platform booking.com, adding a highlight to attract domestic and international tourists to Hai Phong.

Mr. Nguyen Xuan Thanh, a tourist from Vinh Yen city (Vinh Phuc province) and his university classmates from 40 years ago had a trip to Cat Ba in the autumn sunshine and shared that Cat Ba beach tourism has many interesting things that are different from many other coastal areas in other localities. The main difference is the boat trip wandering on Lan Ha Bay.

The number of domestic and foreign tourists coming to Cat Ba is increasing.

Escaping from the crowded streets with the hustle and bustle of everyday life, lying on the deck, gently gliding on the emerald carpet, taking a deep breath of the fresh ocean air, visitors can feel and enjoy the feeling of floating in this "paradise" on earth.

Except for the slight “annoyance” of traffic jams at the Cai Vieng-Got ferry “bottleneck” when there are many visitors and the overloaded service infrastructure during the peak summer season of sea tourism – something often seen in seasonal tourist destinations of some northern localities, the tourist landscape in Cat Ba is wonderful, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Thanh added.

The pier welcomes guests to experience Lan Ha Bay.

Hundreds of large and small rocky islands (characteristic of tropical karst terrain submerged by Holocene sea level rise) with unique landscapes are named by locals according to the shapes of things such as Guoc, Ot, Chuong, Mai Rua, La Vong, Doi Rong, Bao, Su Tu...; looming along the rolling waves on the deep blue sea.

On those seemingly barren rocky islands, trees still grow, although not lush and shady, but enough to create a cool green color. These masterpieces of nature are subject to the biochemical and mechanical erosion of seawater (due to waves and tides creating concave edges around the island), which further enhances the strange and unique appearance of the islands' shapes...

Cruise ships take visitors to visit fishing villages on Cat Ba island.

Vice Chairman of Hai Phong City People's Committee Le Khac Nam said that, along with Ha Long Bay, Cat Ba Archipelago was recognized by UNESCO as a world natural heritage site, the result of more than 12 years of efforts to prepare the dossier for submission as well as to advocate, protect and preserve the site by all levels, central sectors, Hai Phong City and the joint efforts of businesses, authorities and people of the island district. Along with this honor, it also sets out the responsibility of all levels, sectors and people in preserving and promoting the value of this world natural heritage site.

Hai Phong City will continue to mobilize resources to invest in infrastructure, as well as human resources, accommodation facilities, restaurants, hotels, and ensure good security and order, environment, traffic, health care, etc., to meet the sightseeing needs of domestic and international tourists.

Cat Ba is an attractive destination for tourists.

And what is more important is the closer and more intimate coordination between Hai Phong city and Quang Ninh province along with the management responsibility to always preserve the wonderful image of the heritage, as well as an attractive destination that always "holds" and becomes the desire to return of many international tourists and domestic people.

At that time, heritage is not only a title, but also a brand - Vice Chairman of Hai Phong City People's Committee Le Khac Nam emphasized.