How to Relax and Have fun

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Cat Ba Island (pronounced as Geh Pa Island) is a beautiful island and the largest one in Vietnam. It makes up the southeastern edge of the Lan Ha Bay in Northern Vietnam that leads out to the breathtaking Ha Long Bay. My time spent on Cat Ba Island was during the later part of my time in Vietnam and it was the only part of the trip where we were able to relax and go with the flow.

During February 2020, I traveled to Vietnam and Cambodia with a friend. We started our trip in Ho Chi Minh in Southern Vietnam and then took a short flight to Siem Reap in Cambodia. After spending a few days in Siem Reap, we took another short flight back to Vietnam where we explored Da Nang for two days before heading to Hoi An for a day and a half. When we concluded our time spent on the Central Vietnamese coast, we then took a short flight to Hai Phong and then a short ferry ride to Cat Ba Island where we spent the next three nights. We relaxed at the beach, went hiking, ate delicious food and explored.

We spent two and a half days on Cat Ba Island and it was a laid back and fun time. In this blog post, discover what you must do during your time in Cat Ba Island, Vietnam.

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Vietnam Visa:

Before you travel to Vietnam, you will need to apply for a visa from a local embassy. (I did mine online and it cost me $17 USD. Please note that the visa application fee could vary.) Click here to learn more! If you fill out the application correctly and there are no issues, you will receive your Visa Approval Letter within 72 hours via email. I was thankful I received mine in less than 24 hours.

Once you receive your Visa Approval Letter, please look through it thoroughly to ensure there are no mistakes or typos. You can be denied entry on arrival in Vietnam if your passport and visa do not align! After receiving your Visa Approval Letter and checking to see if everything is correct, make sure you star the email and print out the letter (all pages) before you depart for your trip. I had to show the printed letter to officials when I checked into the airport at JFK here in New York.

When you land in Vietnam (I originally landed in Ho Chi Minh when I first arrived in the country), you will need to present your Visa Approval Letter and passport (valid at least 6 months beyond date of arrival) to customs officials. They will also ask you for two photos and if you do not have them, they could take your photo for you for an additional $5 USD. Please note that payment is cash only in either USD or Vietnamese Dong (VND). There are ATMs available when you arrive. In addition, you will need to pay for your actual visa when you arrive and present your Visa Approval Letter. A 1 or 3- month single entry visa is $25 USD; a 1 or 3-month multiple entry visa is $50 USD and a 1-year multiple entry visa is $135 USD per applicant. This is extremely important to take note of, especially if you are looking to travel to another country and come back to Vietnam! Since we traveled to Cambodia in the middle of our trip, we needed to get the multi-entry visa for $50 USD. If you accidentally get the single-entry visa and you leave the country, you will NOT be allowed back into Vietnam and in worse case scenario, you will have to spend $200 USD to get an approval letter sent to you right away. Please also have at least two full pages open in your passport for the Vietnamese visa and stamps. The visa is a sticker that will take up one entire passport page and the stamps will reside on the page next to it. Since most of my passport is filled up with stamps, I was forewarned to keep some pages opened for my Vietnamese visa.

Getting to Cat Ba Island:

After spending a few days in Central Vietnam in Da Nang and Hoi An, I took a short flight to Hai Phong (Cat Bi International Airport), located in Northeastern Vietnam (mainland). Hai Phong is a major port city in Vietnam and it is where you get the ferry to head over to Cat Ba Island. You could find affordable flights through Skyscanner!

There are a few ferry options to take in order to get to Cat Ba Island. The best and easiest way in my opinion is booking tickets through the Cat Ba Express bus from Cat Bi International Airport to the town of Cat Ba Island. (It is best to take the Cat Ba Express to and from Hanoi as well.) Please take note of the time schedules before you arrive at Cat Bi International Airport because the bus and ferries will stop running after a certain hour! The bus will pick you up at the airport and take you to Ben Pha Got ferry terminal in Hai Phong where you will then hop on a ferry that will sail 10 minutes over a harbor to Ben Pha Cai Vieng ferry terminal on the Northwestern side of Cat Ba Island. When you get off the ferry, the bus will be waiting for you and then it will be another 45 minute ride to the town of Cat Ba Island, which is where you’ll want to stay. From the town, you could either walk or take a taxi to your accommodation. You could also rent a motorbike too!

Where to Stay on Cat Ba Island:

During our three nights on Cat Ba Island, we stayed at CatBa Island Resort & Spa located on Cat Co Beach 1. It was a lovely resort located in walking distance to the heart of town. The resort also includes spacious rooms with en-suite bathrooms, two pools, waterslides, a spa, restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating, laundry services and more!

I will be completely honest and say that Cat Ba Island was almost vacant when we visited because we traveled there during the 2020 coronavirus pandemic. The island usually attracts a lot of tourists and because of the strict regulations Vietnam had at the time to prevent the spread of the virus in the country, it was quiet. In fact, we were one of the only people staying at the resort in addition to a large French family. I don’t mind having a place to myself, but this specific resort is definitely made for a lot of people. It was a little too vacant for my liking, but it was definitely one of the nicest resorts on Cat Ba.

In addition to CatBa Island Resort & Spa, there are other resorts and hotels located throughout the island. There are also a lot of hostels and some Airbnb options.

Things to do on Cat Ba Island:

Go Hiking in Cat Ba National Park:

One of the highlights during my time on Cat Ba Island was hiking Cat Ba National Park. CatBa Island Resort & Spa organized a taxi for us and it was around a 15 to 20-minute drive from the town center to the national park. It was awesome that our cab driver waited for us as we hiked since there aren’t as many taxis near the remote areas of the island.

Cat Ba National Park is home to the highly endangered Cat Ba langur, which is in the monkey family. (You will see a lot of monkeys in Vietnam!) Overall, Cat Ba’s nature is incredible as it features stunning landscapes that include tropical forests, coral reefs, lagoons, caves, swamps, mountains and more. It also has a wide variety of natural ecosystems as well as high rates of biodiversity.

We did the 2-hour hike to Ngu Lam Peak. I truly enjoyed this hike as it wasn’t that difficult and the views at the top were absolutely breathtaking. They feature cone-shaped mountain peaks and trees that are portrayed in photographs and videos of Vietnam. This is definitely not something you should miss out when you go to Cat Ba Island. In addition, there is a fee to enter the park, but it only 40,000 VND, which is around $2 USD.  

Relax on the Beach:

On a beautiful day, you definitely have to enjoy the beaches on Cat Ba Island. During our time on Cat Ba Island, it definitely wasn’t prime beach weather. Please note that during the winter months, Southern Vietnam will still be very hot, but Northern Vietnam gets a bit chilly. The temperature during our time there was overcast and in the high 60s/low 70s (Fahrenheit). To me, that is comfortable weather, but it’s definitely not the type of weather suitable for swimming.

On a nice and warm day, there are several swimming beaches to choose from. Cat Co Beach 1, 2 and 3 are located just short of a 5-10 minute walk from the town center, so it is definitely the liveliest. We personally enjoyed sitting on Cat Co Beach 3, which is where the Sunrise Resort is located. (Unfortunately, the resort wasn’t open at all during our time there because of the Coronavirus situation.) At Cat Co Beach 3, you could enjoy the resort’s bar, lounge chairs and more!

The other beaches to enjoy on Cat Ba Island are Tung Thu Beach. It is definitely more secluded than the Cat Co beaches. The beach is located near Monkey Island Resort and there is also another private beach that the resort owns. All of the beaches on Cat Ba Island are perfect for sunrise and/or sunset.

Enjoy the Beauty by Taking a Walk from Cat Co 1 Beach to Cat Co 3 Beach:

Located right on the property of CatBa Island Resort & Spa is the start of a cliffside walkway that goes from Cat Co Beach 1 to Cat Co Beach 3. (Please note that Cat Co Beach 2 is not in the middle.) The walk offers stunning views of Lan Ha Bay and the rock formations and mini islands located there. In addition to the actual walk, there are plenty of spots along the walkway for photo opportunities!

Sail Along Ha Long Bay:

One of the most popular things to experience when you make your way to Cat Ba Island is a cruise or boat tour around Ha Long Bay. In fact, everyone who has been to Cat Ba Island said it was the highlight of their time there. Unfortunately for us, all Ha Long Bay boat tours and cruises were canceled due to the strict precautions surrounding the coronavirus outbreak. It was definitely a bummer, but it’s better to avoid an unwanted situation.

You could choose a day tour around Ha Long Bay and they also have tours that last a few days. It all depends on what you want to do and see. Most tours go to and from Cat Ba Island or Hanoi. Click here to learn more. Some of the popular activities to do on a Ha Long Bay cruise is to visit the Pearl Farm and floating villages; swim at a private beach or island; go cave exploring; do tai chi or cooking classes, go fishing or take a biking excursion. Of course, there are plenty of photo opportunities during a tour around Ha Long Bay.

Visit the Hospital Cave:

Another must-visit spot on Cat Ba Island is the Hospital Cave. This cave served as a secret bomb-proof hospital during the Vietnam War. It is located near Cat Ba National Park and the entry fee into the park also includes a tour through the Hospital Cave.

The Hospital Cave was built in the mid 1960s with the help of the Chinese and it includes three stories: the bottom two were a hospital where soldiers would rest and recuperate and the third floor was a safe house for Viet Cong leaders. It was equipped with access to fresh water and there were even escape tunnels available for a quick getaway. The Hospital Cave is located up a mountain and it is pretty dark and eerie.

Savor Great Food and Drinks at Oasis Bar:

Cat Ba Island is one of the only populated islands in Ha Long Bay and the town center, which is located at the Southwestern tip of the island is where most inhabitants reside. It is also where you could find most of the resorts, hotels, hostels, restaurants, cafés, bars, shops and more.

Our favorite place to grab food and drinks on Cat Ba Island was Oasis Bar. It definitely attracts a huge backpacker crowd, which makes it lively and fun both during the day and at night! We came here for dinner two nights as well as for lunch during one of our days on the island. The owner was welcoming and the food and drinks were delicious! During the first night we had dinner at Oasis Bar, we got a Vietnamese hot pot that included a savory broth with vegetables. We also got seafood items to add into our hot pot such as clams, mussels, fresh local fish, shrimp, calamari, scallops and squid. In addition, we also got noodles (similar to ramen noodles) to add to the broth. It was amazing! After dinner, Oasis Bar turns into a lively nightclub.

Our next night at Oasis Bar, I had a delicious pad Thai and then for lunch, I enjoyed their pineapple fried rice that was actually in a pineapple! In addition to the food, Oasis Bar also has delicious fruit smoothies and juices as well as egg coffee, which is a Vietnamese specialty that must be tried!

Catch Butterflies at Butterfly Valley:

If you are butterfly lover, then you must visit Butterfly Valley (Lien Minh) on Cat Ba Island. We did not make our way here, but from others’ experiences, I did hear that it could be a hit or miss when it comes to seeing a lot of butterflies.

In addition to seeing the butterflies, you could also go trekking at Butterfly Valley on rugged limestone jungle. It is a great way to see untouched beauty!

Explore the Floating Villages of Viet Hai:

Located in the heart of Cat Ba National Park is the floating villages of Viet Hai. In order to reach the village, hikers will need to embark on a 5-mile trek passing the Ao Ech Lake. If you do not want to do the hike, you could take a 45-minute boat ride from Beo Pier in Cat Ba’s town center.  

Viet Hai village reminds me of the traditional villages I visited in Chiang Mai, Thailand. It includes 80 bamboo houses and locals make a living by fishing, farming and breeding. In addition, their food and income come from nature.

Have Fun on the Floating Barges:

Located across from Cat Ba’s town center are floating barges where you could get dinner and drinks or even do karaoke. You could catch a ferry from the pier and check out all the menus. It is such a cool concept.

Get a Vietnamese Massage:

You cannot travel to Southeast Asia and not get a massage, especially if you are at the beach. Cat Ba Island Resort & Spa has a wonderful spa that offers a variety of packages. If you read my blog post on Koh Samet, Thailand, I experienced a handful of different Thai massage services, so I couldn’t wait to experience a Vietnamese massage on this trip. The traditional massage method in Vietnam focuses on stimulating blood circulation. It is a great way to release pain and also relax.

I hope you all enjoyed discovering what you must do if you visit Cat Ba Island, Vietnam. If you have any questions about my time on Cat Ba Island or Vietnam in general, please email me at [email protected]

Basic Facts of Vietnam:

Currency: Vietnamese Dong, Capital: Hanoi

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*Anything could happen during your travels. Always make sure you are insured in case there are unforeseen circumstances such as lost luggage/theft, natural disasters, personal liabilities and more. Click here to get insured for your next trip.

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