10 Cool Things To Do In Cat Ba That You Just Can't Miss!

Vietnam has often been represented by a stretch of coast called Halong Bay. Interestingly enough this bay is compromised of numerous islands that have a karst topography. It is a landscape that has been admired and will be admired for centuries to come.

Cat Ba island is one of the iconic places to visit in the bay and for good reason. You will find that aside from providing a base to explore Halong bay, there are loads of things to do in Cat Ba that make the island so popular.

Often the tours that take you through Halong Bay are very expensive. That is where Cat Ba comes into the picture. Cat Ba is a relatively small island in the Halong bay which is occupied. It is the perfect spot to chill and relax or get out and indulge in some activities.

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Things To Do In Cat Ba

There is just so many things to do in Cat Ba that it is hard to really pick a place to start. Let’s start with the island first and then head out to see what can be done nearby. If I look at my whole trip in retrospect, I will have to admit that I loved Cat Ba the best.

The number of people on the island depend on the season. While Cat Ba is popular among foreigners it is also popular among the Vietnamese. From what our host told us, Cat Ba bursts at the seams during Vietnamese holidays. We however were lucky to find the island relatively empty and quiet.

That being said we spent 4 nights on the island and we never ever found ourselves bored. That is probably because there are just so many things to do in Cat Ba.

Since our days were so full with activity, we thought it would be wise to write a post to answer the question that everyone keeps asking us when we talk about the island: What to do on Cat Ba island in Vietnam?

1. Check out Cannon Fort

Wondering about the things to do in Cat Ba? Cannon fort is a great place to start!

We arrived in the afternoon and that meant that it was time for lunch. After a quick meal we headed out to the top of the hill that housed the famous Cannon fort. Today Cannon fort may be popular for its view but stick around and look around.

There is a lot of history buried at that spot. I would be the first to say that the fort could have been better protected and could have more educational information.

Looking past that you have to also understand that progress is slow and the Vietnamese are doing the place up in small baby steps. Don't stop at the entrance if you are in search of the best view. Plough ahead and your efforts will be rewarded.

2. Wander Into The Hospital Cave

As you can see the doors are reinforced.

Wandering around the hospital cave is another one of the things to do in Cat Ba. This cave was used to protect the Vietnamese from the bombings and served as a hospital.

I found it very interesting especially with my background in medicine. For those of us who have not faced war in our lifetime somethings are hard to comprehend. I found many parts of the Vietnamese war almost surreal while to the people who lived in Vietnam it was a glaring reality.

The hospital cave was definitely one of the things to do on Cat Ba that I would recommend just for the experience and the feel.

3. Take A Look At Butterfly Valley

A fleeting moment captured in time.

It is a little way off and there aren’t many butterflies as you would imagine but butterfly valley sure is pretty. It is peaceful, it is calm and it is a great place to rest in.

Not many people head over to this little nook on the island because few people talk about it and it is quite difficult to reach. It is also home to the Hive but I will be talking about that in the next point.

4. Do A Bit Of Rock Climbing

A moment of inspiration.

The karst landscape makes the rock climbing one of the things to do on Cat Ba. It is therefore not surprising that a large number of rock climbing enthusiasts head out to Cat Ba each year. Rock climbing takes place on the cliff faces that overhang over the sea and the land.

There are various climbing routes and the one that we stumbled across is called the Hive. The Hive is in the butterfly valley. Some people say that it is expensive to rent gear. So if rock climbing is on your list of things to do in Cat Ba you may want to consider carrying some of your gear.

5. Indulge In Some Water Activities

Kayaking is popular on our things do in Cat Ba list.

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Swimming, snorkeling and scuba diving are popular activities that take place in and around Cat Ba. In fact I’ve heard that a number of people even get their PADI certification in the vicinity but I’m not sure where. The water sports however are dependent on the weather and the temperature.

It is also dependent on the time of the year you visit Cat Ba at. Kayaking was on our list of things to do in Cat Ba. It is available as part of a tour or you can rent a kayak off one of the beaches.

6. Visit Monkey Island

Monkey island has become a popular tourist spot. As the name suggests this island is full of monkeys and the monkeys know that humans carry food. So if you are ticking this place of your list of things to do in Cat Ba I would advise being careful.

That being said there is a lot more to Monkey island than just monkeys. A trek to the top of the peak and offers an amazing view of the bay. I won’t go into the details of it.

7. Chill At The Beach

Pristine uncrowded beaches are a thing of beauty!

There are three famous beaches in Cat Ba and they are very close to the main town. Don’t restrict yourself to just those. There are plenty of nice clean secluded beaches around the island.

Most people don’t wander too far from town so you usually have the beach all to yourself. On the downside it also means that you can’t rent kayaks or snorkeling gear at these spots.

8. Take A Tour Of Halong Bay

Heading out on Halong Bay tours is one of the things to do in Cat Ba.

One of the popular things to do in Cat Ba is to visit Halong Bay. There are various types of tours and the cost varies depending on how much time you spend at sea. It also varies on the route that they take you through.

Half day tours are obviously cheaper than the full day ones. These tours also include a variety of activities like swimming, kayaking and even snorkeling but be sure to confirm what is included before you book.

We went with the longer whole day version. Comparing the trails and the prices between the different companies is also wise. For around $20 per person our trip included both Halong Bay, Lan Ha bay, the fishing village, 3 hours of kayaking (broken up in two sets at two different spots), snorkeling, swimming and food.

9. Visit Cat Ba National Park

That's me trying to overcome my fear of heights.

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Cat Ba National Park has its own quota of adventure. You can choose the long trek or the short one. We chose the short one. From what I have heard the long trek is more difficult. The short trek to the view points was fun and wasn't as challenging as the hike up to the top of Monkey island.

Definitely worth spending a day there. I would forewarn you to get there on time if you want to do the long walk because it takes a considerable amount of time to finish the trek. This is why people head out here early morning.

Also make sure that you take a photograph of the map before you start because the network really sucks in the middle of the park. You'll need the map to navigate through it.

Luckily if you don't feel up to trekking on your own, there are guided tours that take you through the national park. I highly recommend booking the tour online especially if you want to do the long trek!

10. Catch An Egg Coffee

Sure you could have one of the regular Vietnamese coffees which are delicious in their own right BUT if you want to try something a bit different I recommend trying the Vietnamese egg coffee. It is a unique preparation that is largely made in the Hanoi area. I tried my first one in Cat Ba and it was by far the best I had in the country.

Plus, I got to sit calmly at a nice café while looking out at the beach. Definitely a great way to end our rather hectic day and it was so destressing! I honestly wish I had done this everyday. We unfortunately found this spot only on our last day on the island!

Plan Your Things To Do In Cat Ba

So as you can see there are so many things to do in Cat Ba. It depends on what you like to do. It also depends a great deal on the weather. The part that I loved the most of Cat Ba is the ability to kick back and relax. It is peaceful, it is quiet and it is beautiful. What more could a person want?

Did I mention that the food on the island is good too? You can even taste the famous Vietnamese Egg coffee in one of the shops while looking out at the sea. Nothing more relaxing and pleasant than that!

Despite spending almost 5 days on the island I left wishing I had more time to enjoy the tranquility. People say that the island does get busy during the tourist season but I think we got really lucky.

If you are looking at heading over to Cat Ba island then you should take a look at the Ultimate Cat Ba Island Travel Guide. It is a little long but I've tried to explain how one can get to the island and include all the activities that are listed above. I'm sure that you will find it helpful.

Wondering Where To Stay On Cat Ba Island?

There aren't a ton load of options when it comes to accommodation on Cat Ba island. There are however a lot of backpacker hostels in the town. A couple of hotels are also present as you can see from the map above. We chose to stay away from the city as we heard that it can get quite active and we wanted a quiet time. Our choice was Little Cat Ba and we did not regret it one wee bit.

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