Cat Ba National Park

Best of Cat Ba National Park

Cat Ba National Park Essentials

Cat Ba National Park encompasses a diverse landscape of limestone karsts, tropical forests, and coastal ecosystems. This list highlights the area's geological features, from the labyrinthine Động Mê Cung cave to the panoramic vistas at Đinh Ngự Lâm and Monkey Island Summit. It includes the expansive floating fishing villages of Lan Ha Bay, the secluded Van Boi beach, and specialized sites like the Pearl Farm and the Frog Pond wetland. Visitors can access these locations through hiking trails, kayaking routes, or boat tours.

Cat Ba National Park Essentials — Map

Viethavvh / Public domain

A

Lan Ha Bay

Located south of Ha Long Bay, this area features hundreds of limestone islands and small sandy beaches. It is primarily navigated via boat tours and kayaks.

B

Động Mê Cung

A complex cave system on Lom Bo Island featuring fossilized shells and intricate stalactite formations. It overlooks a secluded salt lake.

C

Monkey Island Summit

A steep, rocky viewpoint offering 360-degree views of the surrounding bay. The trail requires a short scramble over sharp limestone rocks.

D

Dỉnh Kim Giao

A peak within the national park reachable via a forested trail. It is named after the Kim Giao trees (Nageia fleuryi) found along the path.

Thomas Hönicke / CC-BY-SA

E

Floating Fishing Village. Biggest in Vietnam

Vietnam's largest floating village, consisting of hundreds of interconnected houseboats and fish farms where local residents live and work year-round.

F

Pearl Farm

An aquaculture facility where visitors can observe the process of oyster cultivation and pearl extraction in the waters of Lan Ha Bay.

G

Floating Fishing Villages

Traditional aquatic settlements where families maintain fish farms and live in floating houses anchored among the limestone karsts.

H

Hidden Valley

A secluded area used for rock climbing, featuring various routes on vertical limestone cliffs accessible from the interior of Cat Ba Island.

I

Van Boi

A small, quiet beach in Lan Ha Bay characterized by clear water and coral reefs, typically accessed by kayak or small boat.

J

Đinh Ngự Lâm

The highest viewpoint in Cat Ba National Park, reached by a 1.5-kilometer hike through the rainforest. It provides expansive views of the karst landscape.

K

Dark cave, passage to lagoon on low tide

A sea cave that serves as a natural tunnel to a hidden lagoon. It is only accessible by kayak or small boat during low tide.

L

Kayaking village

A hub in Lan Ha Bay where visitors can rent kayaks to explore the surrounding limestone formations and narrow sea passages.

M

Lan Ha Bay

A southern extension of Ha Long Bay containing approximately 400 limestone islets and numerous natural white sand beaches.

N

Frog Pond

A large freshwater wetland located along the main hiking trail through the national park, supporting unique aquatic plants and wildlife.