Cat Ba island off the beaten track : 7 Unusual Destinations for Your Travel Itinerary in Cat Ba

Looking for the ‘authentic’ Cat Ba island? Stay away from big tourist trails and experience a different Cat Ba island ?

Check out this Cat Ba island off the beaten track destination, which is less touristy or even ZERO tourists if you know where to go. 

That’s how to use your money to support local communities and lesser-known destinations. If you want to explore Cat Ba Island off the beaten track, you go to the right place. 

About Cat Ba island

Cat Ba  is known as one of the top 5 travel destinations in Northern Vietnam, famous for its amazing landscape of towering limestone cliffs similar to Halong Bay but less touristy, nature at Cat Ba national park.

Cat ba is 3.5 hours from Hanoi (2 hours drive to Got Pier, Ferry crossing and 40-minute drive to Cat ba town). There are touristy-friendly daily buses from Hanoi that you can easily book a ticket online 

5 destinations where you see Cat Ba off the beaten track

A local village near Cat Ba National Park

Local village in Cat Ba

I found this secret village on my motorbike trip from Hanoi to Cat Ba. This is the only place that grows rice in Cat Ba town.  A walk to this quaint village that is away from all tourist trails, see the lush green rice paddy fields, and village paths, see locals playing volleyball in the afternoon. 

You may ask to visit a local family and chat with them to learn more about their day-to-day lives.

Caves in Cat Ba : Trung Trang cave or Hospital cave

Tourists less visit those two caves; only some tourists from Cat Ba or overnight cruises visit on the second day since it is far away from the town. 

Trung Trang cave

Trung Trang cave

A cave close to the Cat Ba National Park. You can combine your trip when visiting the national park. Nothing special, just a limestone cave with 300 meters long. You need to hike 100 steps to reach its entrance.

Hospital cave

Hospital cave, Cat Ba

I highly recommend this cave if you want to know more about the history of locals during the Vietnam War. During the Vietnam War, the Viet Cong built a hidden bombproof hospital between 1963 and 1965. There is an emergency exit, a little pool, and a cinema. 

Boat trip in Lan Ha bay

A day boat cruise in Lan Ha Bay is a must when visiting Cat Ba island. Lan Ha Bay offers a similar landscape to Halong Bay but is way less touristy, less polluted, and quieter than Halong Bay. 

I recommend taking a small wooden junk boat since it’s cruising through hidden spots that the big boat can’t do. There are three main travel activities: kayaking, swimming and sightseeing. 

 I recommend taking a full day of the boat tour to explore Cai Beo floating village, Van Boi Beach and Ba Trai Dao (Three Peaches Beach). Ba Trai Dao is the most beautiful area in Lan Ha Bay.

There is another route called Dark and Bright Cave that most of the overnight cruises and some of the day cruises include in their tours. This route is much more crowded than the one above. It takes 2 hours to get there from the Cat Ba town. 

Trekking Cat Ba National Park

Trekking into the national park is a must-do if you are into nature. There are 2 routes to choose from

Easy route: Hiking to Ngu Lam Peak and Kim Giao forest

Ngu Lam peak, Cat Ba

It’s a common route for those who want to visit Cat Ba National park or just want to take a short hike and enjoy the spectacular view at Ngu Lam Peak. 

It usually takes 45 minutes each way to reach the peak and a small amount of time, more or less to get back to the park head quarter. So I would stay two hours to two and a half hour maximum for this hike. 

Please note that it might be slippery when it rains, especially light rain, so you have to be careful. Taking a walking stick would be nice.

Hard trek : Park center – Frog lake – Viet Hai village

I have done this route led by a local guide in Cat Ba with three Czech guests in 2019. I have to say it’s not easy, it requires a level of good physical health. It usually takes 4.5 hours to 5 hours. During the trek, you may have to climb the rock, which is not easy, supported by a local guide which means a lot to you; there might be no mobile phone signal in some parts of the trek. 

So I do recommend using a local guide for this trek for your safety. If you have any problem, or get injured, then someone can give you a hand. 

After the trek, there are 3 options for accommodations to choose from

Op1 : Spend the night in a homestay or bungalow in Viet Hai village. 

Op2 : Transfer to Viet Hai pier and spend the night in a floating homestay on Lan Ha Bay. I did it in 2019, it was great. The only thing is that. You need to bathe with limited hot water from a local thermos with a small amount of water. What I liked the most is that you can eat fresh fish from their farm. Having a hotpot dish or steamed dish is so yummy. 

Op3 : Take a short boat trip to head back Cat Ba and spend the night on a hotel. 

Note : Don’t expect to see any wildlife at the national park.

Ao Coi valley 

It is a private oasis run by a tour company based in Cat Ba. You can hike, kayak, and take a boat trip; it is a real hidden gem in Cat Ba.

Canon Fort, Cat Ba

Canon fort Cat Ba

If you want to find a great lookout point, see the panoramic view of Cat Ba Island and Lan Ha Bay. This is the perfect spot. The military manages the place so it doesn’t function as a tourist attraction. The opening hours is from 8.30am to 4pm. 

You can see old canons, tunnels, and viewpoints and learn about the Vietnam War’s history. It’s a great spot for sunset so it will be a bit busy that time but not super busy like Mua viewpoint in Ninh Binh.

I usually go there in the morning to beat the crowd and when it’s not too hot. If you stay in Cat Ba, get there in the afternoon to see sunset but the problem is that it closes around 4 pm. So it’s impossible to see sunset at that time unless it’s a gloomy or foggy day in the autumn. 

Add Canon fort in your Cat Ba itinerary 

Cat Ba local market

Cat Ba local market

Very few tourists come here, but it’s a great place to be. There are sections of fruits and vegetables, a food corner and a seafood section with some unusual seafood that you may never have seen before. 

You can get some snacks, and buy some fruits before taking a trek to Cat Ba National Park. 

I recommend a visit in the morning to feel the bustle and hustle of the market. 
Tung Thu beach

It is a hidden beach located about a 15-minute walk from the town. It’s a nice, quiet beach since it is a bit away from the main town.

Private tour guide in Cat Ba

If you want to look for a private tour guide in Cat Ba to take you to travel Cat Ba off the beaten track with guided tours, please get in touch with us via email at info@hanoiecotour.com or WhatsApp at +84974313104

Hanoi Eco Tour offer private guided tours in Cat Ba with years of experience

Over to you

Where is your favorite place to travel Cat Ba off the beaten track? What is your alternative destination that you would add to your next trip to Cat Ba