Lan Ha Bay is favored by nature when it has more than 100 small and empty sandy beaches like “blue straits”. Many sandy beaches stretching between rocky mountains, quiet and without big waves, are ideal beaches for tourists who like to swim. In May 2020, the Association of the most beautiful bays in the World awarded the certificate of Lan Ha at the top of the most beautiful bays. This is a sightseeing route not to be missed for those who come to Cat Ba Island.
Beautiful season
Lan Ha Bay has four seasons according to the northern weather. Usually, from May to August is summer, the sea is calm, the sky is clear, sunny and windy, suitable for swimming and experiencing yachting and exploring the bay. This is also the busiest time for tourists. From about September to November, the bay is peaceful, suitable for those who like to relax in a quiet space. At this time, the weather is cool, it is still possible to swim. The remaining months are suitable for visitors to occasionally experience activities in the forest and breathe in the fresh air.
Move
The means of sightseeing on Lan Ha Bay are boats. Visitors will go to Cat Ba island then buy a train ticket at Beo wharf in the center of the island to visit Lan Ha Bay. One-way ticket price from 80,000 VND for adults and 40,000 VND for children.
If traveling in a group, you can rent a private boat. Group of guests from 10 to 20 people, with rental price from 1.6 million to 5 million VND per boat. Group of guests from 25 to 50 people, rent from 2.2 million VND to 7 million VND per boat. The rental price depends on the type of boat and the time of visit.
Some routes to visit Lan Ha Bay:
Route 1: Ben Beo – fishing village – Monkey island
Route 2: Ben Beo – Monkey island – Turtle island – Viet Hai gate – Ba Trai Dao island – Dark cave – Sang cave
Route 3: Got Wharf – Gia Luan – Tra Bau – Ang Ong Cam – Dark cave – Sang cave
Route 4: Pier of Cat Ba Tourist Center – Cat Ong Island – Thien Ung Pagoda
Stay
Lan Ha Bay used to have many spontaneous resorts on the islands. But from the end of 2022, these places must all be demolished to contribute to the conservation of marine ecosystems.
Currently, visitors can choose hotels in Cat Ba island with bay views. Upscale accommodation options include Flamingo Cat Ba Beach Resort and Hôtel Perle d’Orient Cat Ba – MGallery. These two resorts are 1 km apart, connected by the mountain road of Cat Co beach.
Flamingo Cat Ba Beach Resort has three buildings overlooking Lan Ha Bay, including 756 rooms, located at Cat Co 1 and Cat Co 2 beaches. It has a skywalk (elevated walking path), event area, workshop, four-season swimming pool, speed water slide, thrilling games such as canoe towing parachute, canoe towing water slide, water motor, kayak. Room rate per night from 2 million VND.
Hôtel Perle d’Orient Cat Ba – MGallery is an Asian-style boutique hotel. All rooms have a balcony overlooking Lan Ha Bay. This is the most luxurious hotel in Cat Ba area. Facilities include a restaurant with a terrace, a Japanese restaurant, a bar, a rooftop swimming pool, a spa area, a gym, and a private beach. Room rates from 3.5 million VND per night.
Freedom Island Retreat on Tu Do Island is a rare resort in the middle of the bay. This is a place with a beautiful space, a special beach with two sides of the sea, separated by a small sandy beach. Visitors can walk from side to side to admire different views. This destination attracts mainly foreigners and lovers of unspoiled experiences.
Overnight cruises on Lan Ha Bay are quite rich, with popular names such as Heritage Cruises Binh Chuan, Mon Cheri, Scarlet Pearl, Stellar of the seas, Paradise Grand. These yachts are equipped with modern amenities, full service for guests, including all meals. Normal itinerary 2 days 1 night or 3 days 2 nights, with the price per night per person from 2.5 million VND.
Viet Hai fishing village is a suitable place for those who love to explore nature. There are no big hotels in the village, visitors can stay at homestays such as Viet Hai Lan, Lan, Lotus, Whisper Nature bungalow, Long Phuong motel. The price per room is from about 200,000 VND to 700,000 VND.($1=24,000 VND)
What play
Cat Ba National Park
Cat Ba National Park is located in Cat Hai district. This is one of the largest special-use forests in Vietnam. Currently, Cat Ba National Forest is conserving a lot of marine ecosystems, terrestrial forests, submerged forests, and rare species of flora and fauna. In 2004, Cat Ba National Park was recognized by UNESCO as a biosphere reserve of the world.
Visitors can choose to climb the mountain for 4-8 hours, or the short route of more than 2 hours. Walking, bicycle, motorbike or car for 2-3 hours is also the choice of many people. Visitors can go through Kim Giao forest, go to Ngu Lam peak to see the whole national park, see wild animals at night, explore caves… The trekking route will lead visitors to Viet Hai village.
Entrance ticket is 40,000 VND per adult, 20,000 VND for children.
Viet Hai Village
Viet Hai Village is located in Cat Ba National Park, in Cat Hai Island District, connecting to Lan Ha Bay. The village can be reached from the forest direction as well as the bay direction. Because it is located in the forest, the road is winding, so very few people came to the village before. Viet Hai is almost completely isolated from the outside world. Currently, Viet Hai has begun to be invested in tourism, which is attracting a lot of tourists, both at home and abroad. Especially, this is an ideal spot for bike tours or trekking tours close to nature.
Monkey Island
Monkey Island is the second largest island in the Cat Ba archipelago. Monkey Island is located in the middle of Lan Ha Bay, formerly known as Cat Dua Island because there are many wild pineapple trees on the island. Currently on the island there are more than 20 monkeys residing. They often go to the beach, are fed by tourists and are quite friendly. However, sometimes they can take things from guests or if not careful, they can injure visitors.
Luon Cave
Luon Cave is located in the middle of a closed group of islands in the bay, connecting to the sea only by a cave gate about 4 m wide, 3 m high and 100 m long. The brackish lake in the cave is surrounded by four mountains, about 1 km wide. On the cliffs, fossilized freshwater snail shells remain. There are not many caves of this type in Lan Ha Bay. This is a great place for kayaking. Tourists can experience the peaceful natural space after passing through the gate of Luon Cave by boat.
Van Boi Beach
Van Boi beach is located along the protruding part of a mountain range, where many tourists often come here to explore boating, swimming… Van Boi beach has beautiful natural scenery with sandy beaches. Smooth white stretches, clear blue sea water, quiet and peaceful space.
Cai Beo ancient fishing village
Cai Beo fishing village is located in the territory of Cat Ba archipelago, Cat Hai island district. In 2009, Cai Beo was recognized as a national relic, is one of the largest ancient fishing villages in Vietnam, is now home to more than 500 households with fisheries and cage fish farming on the bay. . To get to Cai Beo fishing village, visitors will start from Cat Ba island, go about 20 km more, you will see villages floating on the waves, lined up close together like a miniature city.
Light Cave – Dark Cave
Bright Dark Cave (also known as Sang Cave – Dark Cave) is located on the water surface, 70 m long through the mountain, about 12 km from Beo wharf. To visit the cave, visitors often have to row a bamboo boat or kayak. Dark and Bright Cave is a destination not to be missed for tourists to visit and relax on Lan Ha Bay, especially for overnight guests on a yacht. This is also a popular stop for boats taking guests to Lan Ha Bay during the day.
Sports activities
Climbing on Cat Ba beach is an activity that attracts tourists, especially foreigners. There are dozens of climbing spots on the islands of Lan Ha Bay, on the mainland and around the Cat Ba area. There are craggy cliffs here, challenging those who love this adventure sport.
In addition, guests can swim and kayak. To have a convenient location for boating, you should rent a boat to see the bay or buy a kayak tour. Often the boats will take you to calm areas, near the shore to make it easier to paddle and also to ensure safety. Some convenient places are Dark cave – Sang cave, Luon cave, Secret cave, Ba Trai Dao beach…
Eat and drink
The cuisine in Lan Ha Bay is mainly seafood, in which species such as sea sam, tu comei, grouper, surface, shrimp or snails are the most popular. In addition, seafood can be bought as a gift, with a reference price of about 500,000 to 700,000 VND for a pair of sam, 200,000 to 250,000 VND for a kilogram of tutu.
Previously, Lan Ha Bay had many seafood raft houses for tourists to eat on the spot. But now, you will have to eat on the shore, in Cat Ba Island or buy your own seafood and organize BBQ meals on allowed beaches like Monkey Island or Tu Do Island.
Note
When eating seafood in Lan Ha Bay area, visitors should pay attention to ask the price before buying, especially during the summer peak from May to August.
Swim only in the allowed beaches, remember to wear life jackets when swimming far to ensure safety.
Photo: Internet (Vinlove.net)