HAI PHONG – From May to September is the most ideal time to travel to Cat Ba when the seawater is clear and the temperature is suitable for activities at sea.
Cat Ba archipelago located south of Ha Long Bay, is a famous destination of Hai Phong city. A cruise on Lan Ha Bay on a boat or boat is an experience visitors cannot miss when coming here. Lan Ha Bay is a calm, arc-shaped area with about 400 large and small islands.
Sightseeing tour takes visitors around the bay, through hundreds of large and small islands. Unlike Ha Long , all islands in Lan Ha are covered with trees or vegetation. If you’re lucky, you can sometimes catch mountain goats feeding on the steep cliffs of the islands.
One of the stops on the journey is floating fishing villages where people live by farming and catching seafood, such as Cai Beo fishing village (pictured), Cua Van, and Van Boi. Cai Beo fishing village is located right near Cai Beo port, not difficult to move.
Visiting a fishing village, visitors have the opportunity to experience the life of fishermen, admire seafood species in cages or enjoy local specialties.
On Cat Ba island, there is also Viet Hai fishing village, famous for various types of eco-tourism such as cycling, trekking through the forest, experiencing traditional winemaking… There are 3 ways to get to the village: kayaking, and walking. Boat or boat and trekking through Cat Ba National Park.
The coastal road leads to Viet Hai village. The road to the village will take visitors through caves, ancient trees and rice fields. The village has tourism services such as meals, accommodation, and homestay.
Kayaking is an experience that allows visitors to freely explore the bay. The water is so calm and clear that you can see the coral on the bottom. Boat rental price is about 50,000 – 100,000 VND each. The journey usually goes through Sang cave, a Dark cave bordering Ha Long bay… and gathers at Ba Trai Dao island.
If you do not watch the sunset on the bay, another suggestion for visitors is a trekking trip to Cat Ba National Park in the afternoon to see the sun descending the mountain. Kim Giao – Ngu Lam is the most popular climbing route.
This route consumes physical strength, requires the experiencer to be in good health, but young children can still participate. Visitors need to prepare snacks and drinks because there are no restaurants along the way. Remember to wear long clothes and bring insect repellent. Climbing time is about 1 hour 45 minutes.
Up to the top, the beautiful scenery will make up for the time and effort you put in. In addition to Kim Giao – Ngu Lam route, visitors can explore in the direction of Ao Ech – Viet Hai fishing village, or Trung Trang cave – Quan Y cave.
Currently, from Hanoi to Cat Ba, visitors need to pay attention to the opening time of the ferry on weekends so as not to affect the travel schedule.