HaLong Paradise suites destination - Cat Ba Island and Beach

kanparadise

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May 17, 2014
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Located on the southeastern edge of the World Heritage - Halong bay, Cat Ba island strikes any visitors to this beautiful archipelago by its unbelievable stunning sceneries and ecologically diversity. Cat Ba is known as the largest ones among the total of 366 islands with the area of 285 km2 comprising the whole Cat Ba archipelago. More than 285 km2 of surface area, 50 km to the east of Hai Phong city and 150 km from the heart capital of Vietnam, Cat Ba is currently one of the most attractive destinations for any tourists. Together with the central bay in Halong, Catba appears a unique feature that makes your cruise really a heavenly dream. No longer hesitate, enjoy a comfortable drive by boat or car, passing through beautiful landscapes and you get the chance for one of the most unforgettable experiences in your life with breath taking scenic view of white sandy beaches, diversified ecosystems with abundant tropical fauna and flora and also limestone rocky outcrops for endless exploring.
cat_ba_island_1.jpg

Breath-taking scenic view
With about 13000 inhabitants living in 6 different communes and 4000 more in floating villages, Cat Ba is one of the most populated area in Halong bay and also known as the central hub for commercial activities within the area. Tourists to Cat Ba and on Halong cruise at no time fail to find pleasant hospitality from warm-hearted locals, one of the features that make Cat Ba and Halong a spiritual soul keeper for any visitors with the chance of setting their foot on this breath taking island.
Archeological remains found on the island suggests that people seemed to have inhabited and made living in Cat Ba area for at least 6000 years. Consequently, the archipelago is also regarded as an interesting site for any tourists fascinated in archeological cruise.
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A Catba floating village
On your cruise to Halong bay, Cat Ba Island and beaches deserve your thorough consideration as one of the must - do sites that will definitely exceed any of your expectations. Such is the wide variety of featuring attractions available on the island that tourists can verify their itinerary for so many different ways to make the most comfortable trip to their own liking. Like many other islands on Halong bay, Catba provides a stunning view, dotted with fishing boats and floating restaurants, and hosting its share of smoldering sunsets on the western horizon. During your trip, you can enjoy outstanding delicacies with local fresh seafood and enjoy the unique relaxing atmosphere of water and wind from floating restaurants.
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Traditional Halong seafood dish
Among various attractive features on the island, one of the first things that make Cat Ba striking to any tourists is its National Park, lying at the heart of the island and attracting with a visual stunning and ecologically diverse landscape. If you want to spend some time back to the nature, exploring interesting features from the virgin forest with many types of tropical fauna and flora or observing one of the last remaining langur in the world, then the National Park is highly recommended for you. You can also join some trekking routes among the mangroves and fresh-water lakes.
cat_ba_island_4.jpg

Diversified ecosystem with abundant tropical fauna
For ones who desire for something a little more relaxing, Cat Ba sandy white beaches with 2 separated areas simply known as Cat Co 1 and Cat Co 2 are ideal places to lounge around for the day. Connecting two beaches is a small hillock that can be climbed over in about 20 minutes. However, most tourists take the much easier route along the 700m wooden seaside walkway around the mountain. Cat Co 2 is the less busy and more attractive of the two; and also offers simple accommodation and camping. A quick swim or some bathing on the sand can spiritually treats your mind.
cat_ba_island_5.jpg

Where sea meets jungle
Other entertaining features on Catba Island worth your try are kayaking trips to explore some of the nearby tunnel caves, rock climbing trips, walking tour around the local market for discovering inhabitants' life, cruise tours for panoramic stunning view of the entire Halong or some time with the relaxing foot massage services. All of these can perfectly complete one of the most wonderful cruise in your life.
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Kayaking in Catba
Source: http://halongparadisesuites.com & http://paradisecruises.vn
For more information, please visit: http://bestcruiseshalong.com or Holidays in Vietnam - Tours in vietnam - Vietnam tour packages
 
looks amazing mate..but do you have any info on border crossings with thai plates/own bikes?? that could be a nice october -nov trip!
 
looks amazing mate..but do you have any info on border crossings with thai plates/own bikes?? that could be a nice october -nov trip!

Cat Ba is a nice little island,mostly National Park and can be explored in a day but also a great place to cruise the Marine National Park from which is right next to it.
I'd advise caution at that Monkey Beach too as they are vicious. Saw many people get bitten by them when i went there.

Also electricity on Cat Ba island is not reliable or available all day when we were there.
 
Thanx for info Loop...ye monkeys can be bad news, but my main concern is border crossing with bikes into Vietnam
Ps i just got a solar charger for phone/camera/gps etc highly suggested to charge when bikes are parking ;)

Cat Ba is a nice little island,mostly National Park and can be explored in a day but also a great place to cruise the Marine National Park from which is right next to it.
I'd advise caution at that Monkey Beach too as they are vicious. Saw many people get bitten by them when i went there.

Also electricity on Cat Ba island is not reliable or available all day when we were there.
 
Thanx for info Loop...ye monkeys can be bad news, but my main concern is border crossing with bikes into Vietnam
Ps i just got a solar charger for phone/camera/gps etc highly suggested to charge when bikes are parking ;)

Try Hung at flamingo travel <info.flamingotravel@gmail.com>;

He told me a few years back that he might able to help in that regard.
 
mmm...interesting,but you didn't have first hand experience ?

Try Hung at flamingo travel <info.flamingotravel@gmail.com>;

He told me a few years back that he might able to help in that regard.
 
I loved Halong Bay



 
^ very much like Phang Nga bay but much more of it.
El Nido,Palawan PI looks similar too.

mmm...interesting,but you didn't have first hand experience ?

Sorry,no didn't get a bike into VN.
 
thanks Loop, and great pics bigF!! did u ride there?
 
I rode in Vietnam... but not up to Halong. I bought a scooter in HCMC and rode east, north, in to Dalat, back to the coast and then trained it north, then I rode if from Lao Cai up to the China border, around to Dien Bien Phu and the Laos border, down to Cuc Phoung and back to Hanoi. Somewhere around 3 to 3.5k kilometres. I gave it away when I was finished with it.
 
Years ago, I was doing some startup work at a power plant east of Hanoi. Used to scooter over to Halong Bay on my off days.

Got a good laugh out of watching the Viet guy renting bathing suits to the Chinese tourists.
 
Border crossings into Vietnam with your Motorbike

Try Hung at flamingo travel <info.flamingotravel@gmail.com>;

He told me a few years back that he might able to help in that regard.

Hi,

Chris here from Flamingo Travel. I have just created a new thread with information about bike border crossings into Vietnam.

Border crossing your bike into Vietnam legally.

Cheers!

Driving to Cat ba and Halong bay isn't such a bad little tour. I've done it myself a few times. I would recommend to drive to Hai Phong and from there catch a small ferry across to Cat Ha ($3) then a drive across the small Island and catch one more ferry to the east of Cat Ba Island ($3) Then head south to Cat Ba town, where you can find plenty of accommodation and book any Halong bay tours. To ake your way back to Hanoi head to the North of the Island. There are 2 public ferry's that run per day ($5) One in the morning and one in the afternoon. It takes about 1 hr to reach Halong city and you get to see some of the most incredible islands in the surrounding area. From Halong city you can make you way back to Hanoi. If you miss the public ferry's you can always pay about $15 for a private boat to take you to Halong city.

When i next do the same trip i'll create a detailed trip report.

Chris Flamingo
 
Hi,

Driving to Cat ba and Halong bay isn't such a bad little tour. I've done it myself a few times. I would recommend to drive to Hai Phong and from there catch a small ferry across to Cat Ha ($3) then a drive across the small Island and catch one more ferry to the east of Cat Ba Island ($3) Then head south to Cat Ba town, where you can find plenty of accommodation and book any Halong bay tours. To ake your way back to Hanoi head to the North of the Island.

Yeah,that's exactly what we did.

On the ferry...

4559010803_a3d398c295.jpg

On the Frog Pond trail..

Frog Pond trail Cat Ba National Park (Large).jpg

View from $10/night hotel.

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Great value hotel.It had a lift and AC....but little electricity or water 555
 
thanks Chris ,keep me posted if a group forms,I would love to join.Very beautiful there

Hi,

Chris here from Flamingo Travel. I have just created a new thread with information about bike border crossings into Vietnam.

Border crossing your bike into Vietnam legally.

Cheers!

Driving to Cat ba and Halong bay isn't such a bad little tour. I've done it myself a few times. I would recommend to drive to Hai Phong and from there catch a small ferry across to Cat Ha ($3) then a drive across the small Island and catch one more ferry to the east of Cat Ba Island ($3) Then head south to Cat Ba town, where you can find plenty of accommodation and book any Halong bay tours. To ake your way back to Hanoi head to the North of the Island. There are 2 public ferry's that run per day ($5) One in the morning and one in the afternoon. It takes about 1 hr to reach Halong city and you get to see some of the most incredible islands in the surrounding area. From Halong city you can make you way back to Hanoi. If you miss the public ferry's you can always pay about $15 for a private boat to take you to Halong city.

When i next do the same trip i'll create a detailed trip report.

Chris Flamingo
 
Flamingo seems to be one of the best tour and rental companies you can deal with in Vietnam as they are very flexible in their approach. Contacted them yesterday morning about information on entering with your bike into Vietnam and a few hours later Chris put up the information.
 
cheers guys.. ye flying there then renting sounds a good option for quiet a few countries ,without knocking your head on border rules ,fees etc .. :banghead:
matter of fact..Ladakh-India i am coming!! ;)


Rental XR 250's through Hung at Flamingo.

He shipped them down to HCMC from Hanoi and we rode them back north over 2 weeks.
 
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