Cat Ba (Ha Long Bay) – quick travel guide

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2 days is enough. I would definitely check the weather as you go, since the beaches and bay views aren’t as pretty/enjoyable when it’s cold. I went in January my first time and wouldn’t recommend that to anybody else. Other destinations like Ninh Binh can still look magical and peaceful in cold/cloudy weather whereas Ha Long Bay looks a little sad/boring.

Where to stay:

• Town center (southwest) – general location of where the life of the town tends to be.
• Northwest of town center

Hostels:

• Secret Garden Hostel – come for the vibe, 6 minute walk away from the water (no water views), but really nice courtyard garden restaurant with cozy firepit and lounge space to meet and chill with people. Really great vibes, nice staff. Cheap. Best hostel for me for solo travelers.
• Catba Pod Hostel – come for the view, fun setup with lots of personal space, great location (next to water and lively restaurants/bars), social. Cheap for what you get. Stairs (no elevator) can be annoying for someone on higher levels of the floor, but the elevation provides a beautiful view. I am a bit annoyed that the lady/owner was quite unfriendly when explaining to us certain details about the tour or motorbike rentals. She seems very pushy and impatient. If not for that, I would have given this place 5-stars easily. Tsk tsk tsk.
• Buffalo Hostel – party hostel, lots of party and socializing, but far location (quite remote, you definitely need motorbike if you plan to go regularly into town. Also scan through the bad reviews before you choose. Having driven past it, I definitely wouldn’t stay here.
• Cat Ba Green Hotel – another good option.
• Luna’s House Hotel –
• Cat Ba Mountain View –
• Cat Ba Pearl Hotel –
• Freedom Island Retreat – lots of bad reviews, and they seem to be trying aggressively to get rid of them. Not recommended.

I would suggest either Catba Pod Hostel for the view (for couples), or Secret Garden Hostel for the vibe (for solo travelers).

Neighborhoods & Walking areas:

Activities to do:

• Boat tour
• Bike (or motorbike around) – you have 4 directions/places.
• Beaches –
• Coastal walk –
• Cat Ba National Park – pretty much the green space taking up 80% of the island. Explore as you like, some nice terrain and wildlife (including the endangered white-headed langur monkeys).
• Caves – not my thing but you can checkout Trung Trang Cave. Easy enough to get to, easy enough to do. Also has nice view of the mountains at entrance. Some of you may find it fun and magical, others may find it not much different/unique from other caves they’ve already seen.
• Sunset views –

Restaurants & Cafes:

• The Little Leaf (same building as Catba Pod Hostel) – nice menu and food, very cozy and comfy with great views.
• The Secret Garden (hostel restaurant) – also nice menu and nice vibes.

Bars & Clubs:

Miscellaneous tips:

Nearby towns:

Unfiltered notes: