Cat Ba island for Couples : The Complete travel guide 2024

Cat Ba island is a great paradise for couples with deserted white sand beaches, lush green jungles in the Cat Ba National Park, and lots of romantic things to do for couples.

This Cat Ba Island for Couples is a definite travel guide with everything you need to know to travel as a couple to “Pearl Island” 

General information about Cat Ba island

WHERE IS CAT BA ISLAND LOCATED?

Cat Ba island is located in Northeast Vietnam, off the coast, and belongs to Hai Phong province. 

Cat Ba island is known as “the Pearl island”,  and the Unesco site since 2014 for according to the criteria of biodiversity and ecosystem 

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET FROM HANOI TO CAT BA ISLAND?

Cat Ba island is approximately three and a half hours travel duration from Hanoi : 2-hour drive to Got Pier from Hanoi, half an hour ferry crossing from the pier, and a 40-minute drive to the town of Cat Ba of the ferry crossing from Got Pier. 

Expressway 5B connects Hai Phong and Hanoi. Then drive along the Tan Vu – Lach Huyen road Got Pier, then a ferry crossing and transfer from Cai Vieng to the town of Cat Ba. 

If you miss the ferry, you will wait for another half an hour. 

Read more : Hanoi to Cat Ba island – The complete transfer guide 

HOW LONG SHOULD A COUPLE IN CAT BA ISLAND?

I would recommend at least 2 nights in Cat Ba island, 3 nights would be the best choice if you have time including spend a full day cruise tour of Lan Ha Bay from Cat Ba 

You can also spend the night on a boutique cruise to explore Lan Ha Bay with your own cabin 

Another day to explore Cat Ba island : The national park trekking, visiting caves of Trung Trang and Viet Hai, walking Canon fort. 

Another day is to hang out on the beach

CAN YOU VISIT CAT BA ISLAND AS A DAY TRIP FROM HANOI?

Yes, you can take a day trip to Cat Ba island, it should be Lan Ha bay for a day trip from Hanoi.Hanoi Eco Tour offers a private organized Lan Ha Bay day cruise from Hanoi that departs early from Hanoi to maximize your visit to Lan Ha Bay and you will see as much as possible. 

IS CAT BA ISLAND WORTH VISITING FOR COUPLES?

• Way less touristy than Halong Bay
• Lots of white sand beaches on the little islet so that you can find your own paradise.
• Hiking trails with panoramic view : Hiking the Ngu Lam Peak in the Cat Ba National Park, Canon Fort with the panoramic view of Lan Ha Bay
• There are luxury hotels and resorts in Cat Ba that offer romantic sea-view rooms overlooking Lan Ha Bay

IS LAN HA BAY AN ALTERNATIVE AS HALONG BAY?

Lan Ha Bay has a similar landscape to Halong Bay with towering limestone cliffs but much less touristy.  

If you want to take a Lan Ha Bay boat tour, take a full-day private trip on a wooden junk boat that offers you privacy and valuable moments just on your own. The private is much cheaper than taking a private overnight cruise, Just 119 USD per person instead of 500 USD per person. 

HOW TO GET TO CAT BA ISLAND FROM HANOI

Hanoi to Cat Ba island by shuttle bus

Take a tourist-friendly shuttle bus from Hanoi to Cat Ba with a really affordable rate, around 15 USD/way/per person. There are 3 transport companies: Good Morning Cat Ba, Cat Ba Express, and Daichi which offer bus services to Cat Ba. Among them, Cat Ba Express seems to be the top pick. 

Hanoi to Cat Ba Island by private car 

I would say it’s a very convenient option for those who want to travel in a comfortable vehicle. For a long distance, I would recommend an SUV, not a Sedan since you pay a bit extra but a comfortable seat and more room for your luggage. If it rains you still can stay in the car without getting off and walk to the ferry. The price is about 130 USD per trip.

If you want to save some money then take a car to Got Pier, get of the car and take a ferry to get to Cat Ba island from Got pier and take another car waiting for you on Cat Ba side and take you to the hotel in Cat Ba. If you take this options, you’ll save 18 USD for the ferry ticket. 

Top luxury hotels and resorts for couples in Cat Ba 

There are three luxury accommodations in Cat Ba island for couples, and honeymoon trips to Cat Ba that I highly recommend including

Hôtel Perle d’Orient Cat Ba – MGallery 

This is the most luxury accommodation in Cat Ba, the recent Norway couple who went on a honeymoon trip and booked my Lan Ha Bay tour, stayed in this hotel. The price starts from 135 USD per room per night

Flamingo Resort

If you don’t want to take luxury accommodation in an affordable price then Flamingo Cat Ba resort is the best choice. Located in an isolated area within a 15-minute walk to the town of Cat Ba. This hotel is perfect for nature lovers since you’ll see lots of trees that is grown in the balcony of the room. Price starts from 120 USD per room per night

Read more : Standard accommodation in Cat Ba – 3 stars hotel

Deluxe accommodation in Cat Ba – 4 stars hotel 

Top things to do in Cat Ba for couples

Enjoy the sunset on a less visited beach

What’s more romantic scenery when enjoying cocktails and watching the sunset on the beach with your beloved on a less touristy beach? I recommend Tung Thu Beach; it’s a hidden gem, but I tried to avoid getting there in the summertime from May to August since it’s the peak season for Vietnamese visitors. 

Enjoy a great panoramic view at Canon Fort.

Canon fort Cat Ba

Unfortunately, the opening hours are from 8.30 am to 4 pm, so you may not see the sunset view. Please note that Canon Fort is managed by the local military, not a tourist attraction. I tried to get there on weekends at 8.15 a.m., but the gate wasn’t open yet. 

It’s a great place for a couple for a panoramic view of Lan Ha Bay and Cat Ba Island. If you get there in the morning, it is less busy in the afternoon. Anyway, there is a few tourists there during the low season from September to the middle of April.

Stroll around Cat Ba town by night

Feel the breeze and quietness and listen to the ocean sound when walking along the beachside of Cat Ba town by night. You can also hire a double-push bike for adults to get around is a good option.

Hike Ngu Lam peak at Cat Ba national park

Ngu Lam peak, Cat Ba

It’s a short hiking route, only a 45-minute hike to reach Ngu Lam Peak at 550 meters above sea level. The panoramic view is spectacular; lush green jungles, mountains, and valleys can be seen. 

The peak is easy to climb but if you get there in the summer. It will be super hot so bring lots of water with you. When it rains, the steps can be slippery so you have to be careful.

The total length of this trek including sightseeing is 3 hours. 

Having a seafood dinner on a floating restaurant on Lan Ha Bay

This is what the guidebook doesn’t tell you. Locals told me that the seafood at floating restaurants are the best since the taste is fresh.

The only thing is that most of the floating restaurants don’t speak English since they only serve locals. Don’t worry. Google Translate will help! To reach a floating restaurant, you need to contact them in advance to arrange the pick-up from the pier. It’s better to have a Vietnamese who know the language to give you a hand. I would say hotel’s staff when you are staying is the best.

Taking a private boat tour on Lan Ha Bay

It isn’t necessary to take a wooden junk boat with a sundeck because the price is 75 USD higher than just one floor boat. The boat that I mentioned is good enough for couples, you can hang out in the front of the boat. The private tour gives you your own privacy, 

Taking a private boat allows us to cruise in the hidden route where you can see a secluded little beach to hang out and kayak in the middle of nowhere to avoid tourists.

Lunch will be served with fresh seafood bought from a local market in Cat Ba, making it the highlight of the trip. 

If you have time budget, then a 3-hour sunset boat tour in Lan Ha bay works for you. 

Joining a private Cat Ba street food tour

Cat Ba food is yummy. But there is only one Cat Ba food tour that is available. You will eat like a real local with best food in Cat Ba such as seafood, freshwater crab meat soup with brown noodles, Hai Phong bread stick and local dessert of sweeten soup will be a perfect local dinning experiences for Cat Ba island for couples list of things to do 

Taking a seafood cooking class in Cat Ba

Fresh food in Cat Ba will be your is favorite food, and this Cat Ba seafood cooking class in a unique cooking claas that shows you how to cook seafood with local ingredients that you will never find it elsewhere.

You will be picked up from the hotel and transferred to our location for the cooking class. 

Top private tours for couples in Cat Ba

Private guided Lan Ha Bay day trip from Cat Ba – The less touristy option

Private tour guide for couples in Cat Ba

If you are looking for a private tour guide in Cat Ba to travel at your own pace in a private customized tour, please get in touch with us via email at info@hanoiecotour.com or WhatsApp: +84.974.313.104

Private guided tours in Cat Ba with us can be easily organised

Over to you

If you have any questions or need further assistance about Cat Ba private tours for couple, please inform us. We are happy to help