Top Things to do in Cat Ba
What to do and see in Cat Ba, Vietnam: The Best Places and Tips
Discover the best top things to do in Cat Ba, Vietnam including Lan Ha Bay, Bai Tu Long Bay, Cat Ba Island, Sung Sot Cave, Cannon Fort, Dong Thien Cung, Hon Ga Choi Island, Ti Top Island, Hospital Cave, Cat Co 1 Beach.
Restaurants in Cat Ba
1. Lan Ha Bay
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 418 reviews
Reviewed By Jocelyn S - Magliano Sabina, Italy
Much less touristy, at the moment, than doing your boat trip from Halong Bay which is anyway accessed from Cat Bar comfortably and it's fun to kayak, see the floating fishing villages up close, swim where rhere are no other people.
2. Bai Tu Long Bay
Overall Ratings
5 based on 690 reviews
Bai Tu Long Bay is the name of an area located in the east of Halong Bay Vietnam. Although it shares many similar geological characters with Halong Bay, Bai Tu Long Bay is considered as off the beaten tourist track with many deserted and pristine Beaches, no less impressive karst Mountains. The Bay has a rich biodiversity with two ecosystems: a tropical, moist, evergreen rainforest ecosystem; and a marine and coastal ecosystem. The area has scarcely seen any tourist development. A large number of guests, through online research, wish to visit the Bai Tu Long Bay because it is much less crowded than Halong Bay. The only disadvantage is that it does not have many grottos. The nearest place for a visit (Vung Vieng Fishing village) is at around 20 km from tourist port.
3. Cat Ba Island
Overall Ratings
4 based on 1 reviews
Reviewed By bluemarvin - Bristol, United Kingdom
Spent 6 days there in March - did get some very atmospheric views of the karst islets but missed the bigger views due to fog (which also meant our day cruise was curtailed as they couldn't travel safely at their usual speed). Probably better weatherwise from May. We were a bit put off by all the floating rubbish which definitely took the edge off our enjoyment of the scenery (and completely put us of the idea of swimming). Highlight was kayaking through sea-caves. Cat ba port itself a bit too concrete/touristy although some great bars, cafes & restaurants.
4. Sung Sot Cave
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1 reviews
Situated in the centre of the UNESCO-declared World Heritage area, the Sung Sôt or Surprise Grotto is on Bo Hòn Island, and is one of the finest and widest grottoes of Ha Long Bay.Ascending to the grotto, the way is covered by trees and foliage, and consists of great paved stone blocks.Inside, it is partitioned into two chambers; the first one being similar to a wide theatre hall. Many stalactites hang from the high ceiling, with numerous possible forms and shapes.
Reviewed By bandit153 - St. Pete Beach, Florida
Never expected to see such a beautiful large cave. Some of the negative things first. Nobody explained to the people that it was a difficult walk until you arrived at the site. Several people turned around and left disappointed because nobody on the boat explained that the walk was very difficult. If you can walk, this is a beautiful and worth while adventure. If is very crowded because all the boats arrive at the same time and you have 100's of people walking the same path making such a beautiful place over crowded. It is very large and it can handle a lot of people but once again this site should be limited on the amount of people allowed in one day. Loved the view and happy I did go.
5. Cannon Fort
Overall Ratings
4 based on 467 reviews
Reviewed By TheTraveller314 - Toronto, Canada
We walked from Cat Ba town to the top in about 30 minutes. There’s a 40,000 entrance fee.
The walk up is on a road that isn’t too steep. Obviously it goes up, so it does take some work to walk it.
At the top there is a circle route around the summit with different exhibits and buildings from the various wars. It takes about 30 minutes to do the route and there are Lookouts on each side of the summit so you can see all sides of south Cat Ba island.
There’s also a cafe at the top where you can relax and have a drink or lunch and enjoy the views.
If you have a couple of hours free and the weather is nice, it’s a good thing to do.
6. Dong Thien Cung
Overall Ratings
4 based on 436 reviews
Reviewed By roaming_kiwi58 - Christchurch, New Zealand
Similar to other caves in Halong Bay. We stopped here as part of a cruise around the bay. Worth doing a cave while in the area, as they are quite impressive. There are several different caves which are included in the various bay cruises. We did a different one on a previous visit.
7. Hon Ga Choi Island
8. Ti Top Island
Overall Ratings
4 based on 760 reviews
Reviewed By Commz - Wales UK
This island is named after a former Soviet Union hero! There is a large statue of him to view. We climbed the mountain but didn't go beyond the cave as the weather was not good the view would have been obscured by the mist. The cave was well worth seeing and everyone in our group managed to climb the steps without problem.
9. Hospital Cave
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 480 reviews
Reviewed By SabineDV - Luxembourg, Luxembourg, Luxembourg
I passed by the cave on my way back from the national park and decided to give it a try. The entry fee is 40k and for 5k you can park your bike. The cave looks very interesting but I wish there had been more signs with information. The top floor was a bit scary and dark when I was there alone, so I left really quick. I would say it's worth a visit.
10. Cat Co 1 Beach
Overall Ratings
4 based on 84 reviews
Reviewed By FrannyCooperGraham - Toronto, Canada
I loved this beach, and I loved exploring the network of Beaches in Cat Ba. It was kind of hard to figure out which beach was which, however I enjoyed all of them, and the walk between them. Parking our scooter was a bit tricky, but we managed. We brought our own snacks and drinks, as not all of the Beaches had much to offer.
