About the Cat Ba Archipelago & Lan Ha Bay
Authenticity is the buzzword for Cat Ba Archipelago and Lan Ha Bay. Traveling to Cat Ba by road only takes 1.5 hours from Hanoi by the 5B Highway. Nowadays, travelers are switching from Halong Bay to Cat Ba and Lan Ha Bay in increasing numbers.
This place is now firmly in the development phase; everything is just getting started. Lan Ha is so small that you can rent a cruise boat to explore the bay by yourself. This is perfect for Cat Ba’s based travelers who are self-confident and experienced and want a whole new kind of adventure.
Cat Ba is the largest of the 366 islands spanning the 260km2 that comprise the Cat Ba Archipelago, which makes up the southeastern edge of Halong Bay in Northern Vietnam.
Cat Ba island has a surface area of 285km2 and retains the dramatic and rugged features of Halong Bay. This island belongs to Haiphong City – an important industrial city which, together with Hanoi and Halong, forms an important economic triangle in North Vietnam.
Approximately half of Cat Ba Island is covered by a national park, which is home to the highly endangered Cat Ba Langur.
The island has a wide variety of natural ecosystems, both marine and terrestrial, leading to incredibly high rates of biodiversity.
The types of natural habitats to be found in the Cat Ba Archipelago include limestone karsts, tropical limestone forests, coral reefs, mangrove and sea-grass beds, lagoons, beaches, caves, and willow swamp forests.
Cat Ba island is one of the only populated islands in Halong Bay, with roughly 13,000 inhabitants living in six different communes, and 4,000 more inhabitants living on floating fishing villages off the coast.
The majority of the population can be found in Cat Ba town, which is located at the southern tip of the island (15km south of the national park) and is the commercial center. Cat Ba’s fish sauce is particularly famous and one of the main industries on the island and travelers can visit the factory in Cat Ba town.
Halong Bay is understandably popular and crowded, but if you want to experience it without other tourists, be sure to book our private charter boat that will sail where you want, cruising on your own itinerary.
Go deep into the bay, explore the caves and grottoes, head over to Bai Tu Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay, trek in Cat Ba National Park, go rock climbing, kayaking, and watching some of the most amazing sunsets that you’ll ever set eyes on.
Heritage Cruises can help you to take up his challenge with three experiences: Dream Cruise for one day, Discover Cruise for two days, Explorer Cruise for three days and Expedition Cruise for four days. In addition, we arrange private charters for four or five day expeditions in the Gulf of Tonkin.
Discover Dong Hoa Cuong or Diamond Cave
Cat Ba Island is one of the main destinations of the Halong region. The island is famous for its many caves, both small and large, and prominent among them are Quan Y (historic Hospital Cave), Trung Trang, Dong Hoa Cuong and Thien Long caves, all with numerous impressive stalactites and stalagmites. Dong Hoa Cuong, or Diamond Cave, is one of the most amazing caves and you should make a point of seeing it if you join our Heritage Expedition four-day program.
Close to the village of Gia Luan one of the most beautiful and famous caves of the Cat Ba Islands, Hoa Cuong cave or Da Hoa cave, can be found. It has been named Hoa Cuong (Diamond) cave because of the interior’s iridescent sparkle, just like a diamond. The cave is located in a large mountain to the northeast of the village, at an altitude of 50 metres above sea level and 10 metres in height.
Reached through a large arched entrance, hidden by trees and bushes, the cave is wide and quiet, 25 metres in width and 100 metres long, with a pleasant temperature, perfect for a visit. In the Diamond Cave, there are many stalactites created in a variety of shapes by Mother Nature, many taking on the appearance of humans and animals. On the right-hand side of the cave is a giant curtain of stalactites, which inspired a local legend.
According to the legend, the King of Heaven found the climate here idyllic and the scenery charming, so he would take the princes and princesses to spend time together here in the cave. The stalactite curtain separated the boudoir of one of the princesses, guarded by two stone lions, where the princess rocked her baby to sleep on a magnificent bed, accompanied by a small fairy.
As you explore further into the cave you come across a luminous cool lake, the water so clear that you can see the white pebbles at the bottom. The people of Gia Luan believe that the women in this region have white skin as a result of bathing in the lake. Close by is a rock that looks like a boat belonging to a prince, giving the lake a romantic feeling and perpetuating the legend of the cave. When light floods into the cave, the lake shimmers and the reflections on the stalactites and stalagmites appear to be like flowers blooming, creating a sense of magic.
Archaeologists have excavated here and discovered the fossilized teeth of an ancient gibbon dating back tens of thousands of years, clearly demonstrating the existence of an ancient gibbon species living in Cat Ba Island.
Hoa Cuong cave is a particular favorite of both domestic and foreign visitors because of the pristine beauty of the area, the legends surrounding it, and the fascinating history revealed by the archaeologists. One not to be missed!
