Pham Luc’s Northern Vietnam Secret

The mysteries and legends in the wartime of Northern Vietnam before 1975 was described specifically underbrush works, colors and skilled shapes of the artist who is known as a master painter of Vietnamese arts. 

Pham Luc, who is one of the most famous artists in Vietnam, is often glorified by art collectors as Picasso. 

The art of Pham Luc depicts the histories, cultures, heritages, daily lives and Vietnamese humans as well from the past to the present. He can create art with any materials such as canvas, silking painting, woodcut, lacquer. 

However, Pham Luc’s branding works in the Vietnamese painting village are the authentic sketches in the Resistance War Against America which are drawn on the burlap sacks being made from the jute or woven yarns. 

The sketches on paper or burlap bags might depict slightly the secrets under the immense vast forest of Truong Son, after the Ham Rong battle or being sometimes the mood, fate and loss in the war.

The people who are an artist, as well as a soldier like Pham Luc, have gone through plenty of fierce battles and lots of wounds, losses and magnanimous moments, easily showing frankly and truly the hardships of the soldiers’ lives and how heating the battles can be. 

After finishing his study from Vietnam College Of Fine Art (1960 – 1965) and graduating from the Vietnam University Of Fine Art in 1977, Pham Luc attended the Vietnamese army within 35 years. He got involved in many battles, especially in Ham Rong. His haunting sketches about the battles which are drawn on paper or burlap sack are collected by the writer being named “The Bac Viet secret during the Resistance War Against America”. 

Summer in 1999, I visited this artist at his home and also his studio in Nghi Tam Street, he introduced about 10 sketches on the paper in the wartime which all were older than me. Beside cups of green tea manually embalmed with West Lake Lotus blossoms, he said that he had just found those sketches and brought them from Ha Tinh to Hanoi. 

He was eager to tell about the obsessive memories of war, life experiences, the people he met and portrayed, the beautiful countryside landscapes, marvelous mountain ranges, blue oceans, the loves amongst people during the war and final, the comradeship of between soldiers and residents. By the quick and simple sketch under the brilliant hands of the artist, the paintings but still present the authentic and idyllic charm. 

“This is war memories and a part of the national histories that I have kept until now. These pictures are only a few paintings left. Precious things should belong to a fine person. Since I very adore you, so I give it all to you. You will be the person who keeps the part of my artist-soldier life”, he told me. 

We were born in the 1970s when the country was in the process of unification. Therefore, we had no ideas about the war. Only when we heard many war stories from our family did we imagine more specifically about wartime and history. 

For me, the memories of the War Against America are the indelibly impressive stories that I heard from my grandparents, parents, and relatives as well. They used to live and fight in the North of Vietnam and had a common target “Across Truong Son to beat the Americans” to save the Nation and gain national unification like my father. 

I grew up with my father’s memories and the soldier stories of my grandfather from Old Ha Tay Province to the 17th parallel. My mother often told me about difficult and rough lives when the people have to produce the provisions and foods to relieve the battles and also are ready to fight and protect the village when needed. Besides, the women have the feeling of missing their husbands and are happy when receiving husband’s letters from the battle due to knowing that he’s still alive. They also feel the pain when a part of their body is lost due to booms.   

She told about the classes organized under the trenches to avoid unexpected booms, many students moved from the city to the countryside. The women played an important role not only in fighting to protect their houses, villages and the nation but also in working in the fields and producing provisions as men. They did anything since their husbands were against the enemy. 

Despite collecting so many paintings of Pham Luc, I get accessed to his first war sketches that leave me extremely profound impressions. The secrets and heating battles memories of the lives in Northern Vietnam before 1975 are captured completely in each picture from the brush strokes, colors to different shapes. With the brilliant combinations, this man had created the masterpieces. 

Pham Luc’s sketches are presented in different kinds of paper such as covers, newsprints, soft papers as well as all smooth materials that he uses to depict what he could see and feel. The contents of pictures might be the secret of soldiers and residents in the North during the wartime. 

His paintings are drawn during the 1965 – 1975 and shown on various materials with different topics. The quick sketches that the artist see, feel, grasp and convey quickly like being afraid of a moment of historical loss.

The shaping way is rustic, open-minded and simple mixed color as well as Pham Luc’s familiar style. Typically, the mood of a young wife remembers her husband and loves her kid making a strong impression or the young wife looks at the picture of her husband being a dead soldier and touches the child in his womb who is about to give birth without knowing his father’s face.

Beside vision perspectives, Pham Luc’s paintings impressed me by the contents with clear themes. That was the parallel of romantic emotions, burning desires for peace and freedom, and war memories. 

Along with the war topics, Pham Luc made the mark of pictures close to countryside landscapes, mountainous areas, motherhood and daily routines of soldiers and people in Northern Vietnam (Bac Viet). 

Pham Luc’s paintings present somethings strength, generous and improvisation that you can easily see from Vietnamese soldiers. When drawing, Pham Luc catches the emotions with direct and non-trimmed sketching. The viewers can feel intense emotions in each picture. 

There are about 100 paintings, many of which are created within the year 1965 – 1975 and exhibited on Heritage Cruises. 

Based on the passion, Heritage Cruises connects closely with the artist – Pham Luc from the tourism styles, decorations, cuisines, wines, service arts to music and art as well. All those things represent for Vietnam – the country has an abundance of values in terms of histories, cultures, natures, heritages, and cuisines. That absolutely creates the moments of truth delighting the guests. 

Lan Ha Bay or Halong Bay? Which one is better?

Lan Ha Bay or Halong Bay? Which one do you choose? In the northwest region of Vietnam, there is an increase in a new destination – Lan Ha Bay appealing lots of visitors. It can be seen that Lan Ha Bay makes tourists feel exactly like globally acclaimed Halong Bay yet without a large number of visitors who have blemished the experiences of its magnificent sceneries. Halong Bay, undeniably, is always lied on the list of every Vietnam’s travel itinerary because of its natural beauty. On the other hand, there is no denying that Lan Ha Bay is highly recommended to be a “must-visit attraction” by many visitors as well as travel bloggers. Probably, you find it hard to decide which place you’ll go on a holiday. 

In this article, Heritage Cruises will help you to list out all of the necessary information of Lan Ha Bay and Halong Bay regarding geographical features, how to get to the destination and some differences between the two as well so that you can decide by your own, which one is better. 

  • Geographical features 

It can be true that Lan Ha Bay belongs to the same area with Halong Bay so both of them share similar geographical features and the climate condition. Despite some similarities, there are absolutely different topographies. 

* Halong Bay 

Situated in the northeast region of Vietnam, Quang Ninh Province, Halong Bay is a part of the Gulf of Tonkin. It covers a total area of around 1,553 km2, with 1,969 islands of varied sizes and shapes, including 989 of which have been given names. There are two main kinds of islands which possess different types of topography: limestones and schists. The average age of topography on this island is between 250 and 280 million years old. 

The dense concentration of limestone islands, caves and grottos, magnificent sceneries creates the central area of Halong Bay, one of the World Heritage Sites recognized by UNESCO. The area of 434 km2 including 775 beautiful islands is put under protection. 

* Lan Ha Bay 

Lan Ha Bay is situated in the east of Cat Ba Island (Hai Phong Province), the south of Halong Bay and has around 400 karst limestones island surrounded by evergreen charm and vegetation. By going around this bay, you’ll a have chance to contemplate many islets with small and untouched beaches. Lan Ha Bay is the home of lots of mountains with different names depending on the imagination of tourists, for example, Hon Quoc Islet (Wooden Shoe islet), Dao Khi – Monkey Island and etc. Lan Ha Bay possesses about 139 beautiful sandy beaches and spreads over 7,000 ha including that the area of 5,400 ha is under-managed by The Biosphere Reserve recognized by UNESCO – Cat Ba National Park. 

Geographically and aesthetically, there is no difference between Halong Bay and Lan Ha Bay. Both of them possess thousands of limestone karsts, magnificent islands, plenty of beaches and spectacular landscapes and seascapes. It can be true that Halong Bay has a high level of the density of the islands compared to Lan Ha Bay in which the islands are scattered along the bay. On one hand, Halong Bay is recognized as one of the New Seven Wonders in the world; therefore, it has been opening the gate for tourist visitations and tourism development from the very first time. On the other hand, Lan Ha Bay still keeps its pristine beauty, even unique and attractive ones. Thereby, tourists truly enjoy the beautiful sceneries and immerse themselves in Lan Ha Bay. 

2. How to get there 

2.1 How to get to Halong Bay 

  • From Hanoi: around 174 km from Hanoi City. Due to the new highway, taking 2h50 mins. There are several options below helping tourists to travel from Hanoi to Halong Bay.
  • By road: Coach from My Dinh Station or Gia Lam Station (Hanoi) to Bai Chay Station (Halong City). Ticket fee: VND 100,000 to VND 250,000/person/one way. From Bai Chay Station, you can take a taxi to get Halong Bay, 40 mins. 
  • The shuttle bus is offered by Hanoi local tour operator. Tourists can be picked up and dropped off tourists around the Old Quarter area. Then it transfers the guest to arrive in Halong Bay. Ticket fee: USD 10 – 20/person/ 1 way. It can be included if you book a Halong Bay tour or an overnight cruise. 
  • Going by a private car takes 1.5 hours. It’s more convenient and suitable for a family with kids. 
  • By air: You’ll take a seaplane at Noi Bai International Airport, from Hanoi to Tuan Chau Port (Halong City), only 45 mins. Besides, you’ll have 15 mins to look over Halong Bay from the seaplane. Hai Au Aviation is the only seaplane service-provider in Vietnam up to now. The price is about VND 9,300,000/adult/1 way.  
  • From other places like Ho Chi Minh City, Danang City or Buon Ma Thuot, etc. You can take an airplane directly to Van Don International Airport (Quang Ninh Province). 

2.2 How to get to Lan Ha Bay

  • From Hanoi:  around 134 km from Hanoi City, nearly 2 hours due to the new highway. Common route: Hanoi – Haiphong City (by road) – Cat Ba Island (by speedboat or ferry or cruise) – Lan Ha Bay. Unlike Halong Bay, you can visit right away in Halong City; however, to go to Lan Ha Bay, you have to access to Cat Ba Island by speedboat or ferry. Then you can continue Lan Ha Bay trip. Like Halong Bay, there are also some options to get Lan Ha Bay for the guests to choose: 

By road

  • By sharing tourist bus/a shuttle bus to Dinh Vu Port offered by some companies such as Good morning Cat Ba (VND 340,000/person/1 way). Cat Ba Express (VND 590,000/person/ roundtrip including bus + speedboat); Hoang Long (VND 225,000/person/1 way), Inter Bus Lines (VND 150,000/person/1 way). It can pick up tourists at hotels in the Old Quarter and drops off at hotels in Cat Ba Island. Then get on a speedboat to Cai Vieng Port on Cat Ba Island from Dinh Vu Port, 30 mins. This way costs 3.5 hours.  
  • By private van: taking around 2h. This is highly recommended for a big group of travelers or a family with children. When you reach Got Harbour, following the rest of the route by speedboat to get to Cai Vieng Port on Cat Ba Island. If you rent a private van, it will take VND 2,600,000/one way. 

By air: You can get Cat Ba Island from Cat Ba International Airport. The route is that Cat Bi Airport (Haiphong) – Binh Harbour (by road, 35 mins) – Cai Vieng Pier on Cat Ba Island (by speedboat, 10 mins) – Cat Ba Town (by bus, 40 mins) – Lan Ha Bay. 

By cruise: Hai Phong city – Got Harbour (by road, 45 mins). From Got Harbour, Heritage Cruises offer distinctive tour itineraries to discover Cat Ba Island and Lan Ha Bay. 

  • From other places: Tourists can take a plane to Cat Bi International Airport. Then, you look through common routes mentioned above on how to get to Lan Ha Bay. 

Generally, there are several ways to reach Halong Bay as well as Lan Ha Bay. Those ways are quite convenient and easier to find. 

3. Differences 

3.1 Must-visit attractions 

There is no denying that for quantity, at least Lan Ha Bay matches with Halong Bay regarding the top destinations and unmissable features of each itinerary visiting the gulf. The quality, however, modifies significantly. 

  • Halong Bay 

Titop Island, Soi Sim Beach, Tuan Chau Beach, and Bai Chay Beach are considered as one of the most attractive beaches in Halong Bay. Titop Island has a beach which is the most accessible for guests, so this place can get serious congestion in the peak season. Besides, Soi Sim Beach can offer a panoramic view from the top but it’s in the development process. The beach remains its mystery, probably due mostly to the very recent development and the appearance of the appealing of thatched-roof umbrellas that create plentiful shapes. 

Sung Sot Cave is the masterpiece of uniqueness and natural beauty for its large cavernous areas featured by stalactites and stalagmites. Thien Cung and Trinh Nu are also known for their magnificent beauty. For history, Dau Go (Cave of the Wooden Stakes) brings itself lots of historical proofs, which serves as a vital place to store the wood that would finish preventing Mongol invasion in the 13th century. 

Cua Van Fishing Village still remains its ancient, grace, and retain a distinctive traditional culture. In 2012, It has been listed on the Journeyetc.com tourist website as one of the 16 most beautiful ancient villages in the world. 

  • Lan Ha Bay 

Lan Ha Bay also has amazing destinations to attract visitors to this area. There are  139 beaches lying scattered throughout Lan Ha Bay, which allows tourists to contemplate from the cruises. The trio of Cat Co 1,2 and 3 Beach, Van Boi Beach, Ba Trai Dao Beach (Three Peaches Beach) and Tung Thu Beach are known as one of the most appealing beaches in Lan Ha Bay. Ba Trai Dao Beach has attracted tourists by not only its charming beauty but an interesting myth to explain the appearance of the three rocks that give the islet its name as well. Tung Thu is another attractive one offering on the south coast of Cat Ba Island, while Van Boi offers the chance to engage in scuba-diving to watch the colorful coral reefs underwater. It’s true that Lan Ha Bay has remained more tranquil and pristine beaches than Halong Bay. 

Light and Dark Caves which are the two opposing ones, as their names, show the difference in the amount of light entering from outside. The Dark Cave is longer, so it’s necessary to require torches for discovering meanwhile, the Light Cave has a short corridor opening up into an amazing lake covered by stretching limestone cliffs. 

Hospital Cave is the most interesting cave in terms of historical value since its large grottos made it an ideal place for taking care of and hiding the injured Viet Cong soldiers during the war against the American. Moreover, it’s hard to find the Hospital Cave from the ground and the air, making it perfect to rest up the troops and form attacking plans. 

Viet Hai Fishing Village, which is ecological attractions, appeals to tourists by tranquil and peaceful landscapes as well as hidden charm villages of local people and their lifestyles. 

3.2 Tourism activities

The natural landscapes of both bays make them perfect for some water sport activities, especially kayaking is the most popular activity. Undoubtedly, every itinerary visiting Lan Ha Bay or Halong Bay includes kayaking activity around the gulf, including the day trip. Tourists can realize the importance of being closer to the natural environment from a plastic canoe. 

On one hand, there are many places in Halong Bay for going kayaking such as Cua Van Fishing Village, Luon Cave which can provide the guests with some of the most magnificent and unique views in Halong Bay. Ho Dong Tien offers the tranquility that tourists are supposed to be totally got lost amongst the beautiful landscapes during a 30-minute kayaking session. 

Like Halong Bay, Lan Ha Bay also possesses plenty of spots for tourists to go kayaking, for example, Ba Trai Dao Beach, Tra Bau, and Viet Hai Village. Paddling around Ba Trai Dao Island will be absolutely an awe-inspiring activity. A peaceful area where big kite birds fly above and mountains slope high out of the pristine water in Tra Bau is also an ideal place for kayaking. It can be seen that Viet Hai Fishing Village on Cat Ba Island – a historic community living closer to the water area provides a chance for tourists to get involved in kayaking activity. Undoubtedly, Lan Ha Bay or Halong Bay is an ideal attraction for kayaking activity after all.  

3.3 Numbers of tourists 

As mentioned before, due to the similarities of Lan Ha Bay or Halong Bay, tourists might find it hard to choose between two destinations for their trip. Actually, tourists regularly complain about the huge number of people coming to Halong Bay like them. As a result, some famous spots easily get crowded, especially Titop Island and Sung Sot Cave; however, the bay is extremely enormous so there still has enough space for the guests’ relaxation. 

Regarding Lan Ha Bay, its unique selling point is that it looks exactly the same as Halong Bay but it still keeps the pristine beauty compared to Halong Bay and not many tourists come to this beautiful island. Recently, there is a rising trend for tourists to shift visiting from Halong Bay to Lan Ha Bay. It’s also true since Quang Ninh Province stopped new firms from starting cruise ships in Halong Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay; consequently, Lan Ha Bay becomes the only place in the Gulf of Tonkin to develop. Heritage Cruises is available to ensure the guests have a beautiful cruise trip around Lan Ha Bay and Cat Ba Island.

Which one should you visit? Some aspects of Halong Bay are better than Lan Ha Bay and vice versa. When deciding to choose between Halong Bay or Lan Ha Bay, it’s vital for you to consider what do you want for your trip. If you would like a wide range of tourism activities with many spots to visit, Halong Bay has something suitable for you. However, if you want to seek a peaceful and tranquil place and immerse yourself in pristine waterways in the Gulf of Tonkin, you should pick Lan Ha Bay with more secluded and authentic fishing villages. 

At ITB Berlin 2020, showcases new high-end cruising service

February 28, 2020 By Uncategorized Comments Off

ITB Berlin 2020 now is the foremost global business platform for the travel and tourism industry. In 2019, the number is over 10,000 firms and organizations from 181 countries presenting their products and services to around 160,000 visitors.

At Hall 26C Stand 320, Lux Group introduces the 02 high end-cruising brands – the Heritage Cruises- Vietnam’s first boutique cruises brings Heritage alive in the Gulf of Tonkin, operating in Lan Ha bay from 2019 and the Emperor Cruises- new first-ever all-inclusive cruises in Bai Tu Long bay, Ha Long region which has been operating for 5 years.

In 2020, Emperor Cruises continues attending ITB Berlin for promoting the premium products and seizing for business deals with potential partners. With the elegant royal style, Emperor Cruises Halong is the first 5-star cruise offering all-inclusive service in Vietnam. It is known as the top-notch service with 8 lavish cabins with full ocean views, private balconies, and butler services on board.

In addition, This year, Lux Group is proud of officially introducing to the trade fair the new brand: Heritage Cruises Binh Chuan in Cat Ba Archipelago which is an extension of Ha Long bay & being recognized by UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage site.

Heritage Cruises introduces the first Vietnamese heritage and boutique cruise on the Red River and the Gulf of Tonkin with 20 cabins-picture windows for 40-60 pax. Our fleet of vessels combines classic elegance with comfort, focusing on our country’s history, art, and gastronomy.

The cruise offers guests high-end service in an unforgettable setting that captures the quintessence of North Vietnam and the classic charm of the 1930s Indochina style.

The representative of our cruises, Mrs. Giang Do, Director of Sales will participate in this biggest trade exhibition, ITB Berlin. For further business talk, we would like to welcome business partners to meet our representative as following details:

Representative: Mrs. Giang Do, Director of Sales
Date: 4th Mar 2020 – 8th Mar 2020
Stand: Hall 26C Stand 320
Venue: Messe Berlin
Email: [email protected]

Heritage Binh Chuan Expeditions from South to North

A proud Vietnamese expedition on the heritage-inspired designer cruise ship to celebrate 100 years since the legendary voyage of the Binh Chuan.

Heritage Binh Chuan expeditions offer the highest quality comfort onboard our brand-new exclusive boutique ship, featuring air-conditioned en-suite rooms. Cruising at its finest. Your on-board Vietnamese cruise manager and crew ensure a personalized experience for every guest with exceptional service delivered at all times. Enjoy sophisticated haute cuisine as all meals are prepared using local ingredients cooked and served in traditional style, but with a modern twist.

We pride ourselves on our local partnerships and are dedicated to delivering outstanding customer service. Maintaining our local knowledge and positive relationships within the Vietnamese community is essential to providing each guest with a memorable cruising experience,

Travelers usually travel by road, rail, and air and we are pioneering a cruise along the coastline following the heritage route the King of Cruise Ships, Bach Thai Buoi took 100 years ago. Vietnamese are proud of the legacy of this first ship made in Vietnam, the Binh Chuan, and our expedition, inspired by that ship, allows foreigners to immerse themselves in Vietnamese arts, culture, heritage, and history on this history-inspired voyage.

Be the first on this iconic voyage along the legendary cruise route and unlock the most beautiful bays, beaches, and islands of Vietnam in various day trips from the ports of call such as Saigon, Nha Trang, Danang (for Hue and Hoian), Halong Bay, Cat Ba Archipelago.

Highlights of Heritage Binh Chuan Expeditions

  • Expedition on the very first luxury boutique ship cruising along the stunning secluded Vietnamese coastline.
  • 9 nights onboard our very best ship on an iconic voyage following the coastline of Vietnam for the very first time since the first 1920 voyage of discovery by the King of Cruise Ships, the Vietnamese nobleman Bach Thai Buoi.
  • Experience the natural wonders of Halong Bay and the Cat Ba Archipelago, explore the stunning islands, bays, beaches, lagoons by kayak, and so much more.
  • Discover historic seaside towns and iconic Vietnamese destinations with heritage walk in Hoi An and the former capital, Hue.
  • Sunset cruise in Nha Trang Bay with live entertainment, cocktails, and dinner.
  • Moonlight cruise on the Saigon River.
  • Enjoy a Captain’s Dinner including traditional entertainment.
  • Swim off the ship in secluded, pristine bays just perfect for swimming.
  • Dream, explore, immerse and relax on the iconic voyage of discovery on our proud Vietnamese journey on a heritage-inspired designer cruise ship.

Important Notes:

  • Arrival time at destination ports is in the late afternoon or early in the morning for excursions.
  • Embarcation 9am and disembarcation 4:00 pm.
  • Exact timings may change according to the weather and port conditions.

Luxury Lifestyle Awards

February 24, 2020 By Uncategorized Comments Off

Luxury Lifestyle Awards: Sophisticated and Luxurious — a Voyage With Heritage Cruises Binh Chuan Cat Ba Archipelago

Luxury-lifesyle-awards

 

Vietnam is undoubtedly a magnificent and diverse country, that is why experiencing it by land or air may not be enough. Water opens up new perspectives and reveals unseen treasures, creating lasting exotic impressions. The esteemed experts of Luxury Lifestyle Awards already know that the Red River and the Gulf of Tonkin are great routes for an unforgettable voyage with Heritage Cruises Binh Chuan Cat Ba Archipelago — this year’s winner in the category of The Best Luxury Private Cruises in Vietnam.

Heritage Cruises Binh Chuan Cat Ba Archipelago is Vietnam’s first boutique cruise operator and definitely the industry leader. “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication,” said Leonardo da Vinci more than a few years ago — yet, for Heritage Cruises, this is the philosophy that is proving to be true every day today. Respect for heritage and authenticity, attention to detail, elegance and chic: this is what the team’s mantra is about, and what the valued clients discover on their lavish voyages down the river and the Gulf.

Sometimes, luxury and class manifest themselves in the smallest details — a refreshing scented towel upon arrival, slippers by the bed, or that special meal made exactly how a guest wanted it. Heritage Cruises Binh Chuan Cat Ba Archipelago boast only 20 lavish suites, which is why space will never feel too crowded, and every traveler will feel valued and special.

“The whole team of Heritage Cruises Binh Chuan Cat Ba Archipelago is beyond excited about our victory in Luxury Lifestyle Awards. We are happy that the Award’s experts were able to take a close look at our services and amenities and appreciate everything we have to offer. We firmly believe that, in addition to providing guests with attentive top-notch services, we can show them the true beauty and the fascinating authentic heritage of Vietnam,” Pham Ha says founder and CEO of Heritage Cruises.

With Heritage Cruises, guests can enjoy three categories of suites — Delta, Ocean, and Heritage, all ultimately luxurious. Inspired by Vietnam’s “King of Cruise Ships” and is devoted to the chic boutique concept, the company makes sure the experience is ultra-personal for every voyager: the cruises are pet-friendly, the dedicated team can make special accommodations — and throw a party or create romantic intimate atmosphere equally well. But most importantly, Heritage Cruises leave guests with a rich sense of local flavor and many great stories

Cat Ba National Park: All you need to know before you go

In recent years, Cat Ba Island has become one of the most visited destinations by both Vietnamese and international tourists. The visitors not only contemplate the beaches with pristine waters and white sandy but also have a chance to see spectacular attractions of this place, Cat Ba National Park. 

  1. An overview of Cat Ba National Park 

Cat Ba National Park is located in Tran Chau Commune, Cat Hai District, Hai Phong City. It takes 60 km from the city center of Hai Phong and 15 km from Cat Ba Town. In total, the protected area of Cat Ba National Park consists of 15,200 hectares including 9,800 hectares of forests and 4,200 hectares of the seashore. This national park which is considered as one of the biosphere reserve areas in the world comprises of the marine ecosystem, tropical rainforest ecosystem, coral reef ecosystem and so on.

Furthermore, situated in the northwest of Cat Ba Island, Cat Ba National Park makes a contribution to an ecologically diverse ecosystem of Vietnam in terms of plants and animals. Regarding flora, there are 745 kinds of plants consisting of rare wood namely Lat Hoa, Tri Ly, Lim Set, De Hoa, Kim Giao and white wood which are needed to put under strict conservation.

Interestingly, Kim Giao wood is the material used to make chopsticks for the Kings and nobles in the ancient times since it is stated that the chopsticks will turn into a red color when exposed to poisoned dishes. Regards animals, they can easily find 20 species of mammals, 69 kinds of birds, 20 species of reptiles and amphibians as well in Cat Ba National Park. Many of them are listed in the Vietnamese Red Book and put under solid protection. Especially, Vietnamese langurs or golden-headed langurs ( “Vooc” in Vietnamese) which might be only found on Cat Ba Island, are one of the most seriously endangered primitives on the planet.

Another interesting thing in Cat Ba National Park is a highly toxic type of fruit, called Ma Tien. If a normal person bites a small piece of Ma Tien fruit, he will absolutely die in a short period of time; however, langurs can survive by eating leaves and fruits of Ma Tien.

In addition, some archeological researches reveal that human beings have probably lived on these island for over 6,000 or 7,000 years. With a natural magnificence and various system of flora and fauna, Cat Ba National Park was recognized as one of the four Biosphere Reserves in Vietnam by UNESCO in 2004. 

2. How to get to Cat Ba National Park 

In this article, we recommend you some route options to get Cat Ba National Park. First of all, for those who go by airplane, you can land at Noi Bai Airport and take a taxi directly to Hai Phong City (about 130 km from Noi Bai Airport to Hai Phong).

Another way is taking a bus or a taxi to get Hanoi’s city center and then you catch the shuttle buses or coaches at the city center that transfer you to reach Cat Ba Island within 1 hour and a half. So whether you start from Hai Phong City or Cat Ba Island, you can easily access to Cat Ba National Park by a few available choices such as a private car, a bus, and a taxi. 

Secondly from Hai Phong, tourists can take a speedboat from Binh Port (“Phà Bính” in Vietnamese) to Cat Ba Island and continue getting to Cat Ba National Park on the bus. The second option from Hanoi is taking a train from Hanoi Railway Station to Haiphong Railway Station. Then, you will go to Cat Ba National Park as mentioned before. If you go by a private car from Hanoi, you will go along the new highway 5B to get Got Harbour (“Bến Gót” in Vietnamese), then get to Cat Ba Island and keep going a 15 km journey until to reach Cat Ba National Park. In short, traveling from Hanoi to Cat Ba National Park takes about 3 – 3,5 hours without traffic jams. 

If you are at Cat Ba Town, it takes 15 km to get Cat Ba National Park. Probably, you can rent a motorcycle and stop anywhere you want to enjoy the picturesque landscapes of this park. The budget from renting a motorcycle is quite reasonable, ranging from VND 70,000 to VND 100,000 per day. 

Finally, from Halong City, you will take a Tuan Chau ferry, 45 mins from Halong City to get Gia Luan Harbour and then take a 10 km journey by bus to reach Cat Ba National Park. There have been 5-7 ferries every day. 

If you want to know more information about transportation, you can see this article for more details. 

3. Weather conditions in Cat Ba National Park 

In Cat Ba National Park, the average temperature is 25 – 28oC. In summer, the temperature can be up to 30oC; however, in winter, it can go down, maybe around 10oC. 

Tourists can go to Cat Ba National Park at any time throughout the year. For Vietnamese people, they normally visit Cat Ba National Park in the summer, mainly in June and July which is a great time for them to avoid a scorching hot of summer. International tourists usually go to Cat Ba National Park in their winter holiday, from November to March. Apparently, with a huge number of tourists visiting Cat Ba Island every summer, this would lead to overcrowding at Got Harbour and increasing the price of transportations and accommodations, especially on the weekends and special occasions as well.

If you are planning to visit Cat Ba Island and Cat Ba National Park in particular, we highly recommend that you should go there on weekdays in order to avoid overcrowding, reducing waiting time for transports, running out of hotel rooms and increasing prices for other stuff. 

4. Accommodations around Cat Ba National Park 

Recently, due to a substantial increase in tourism patterns in Cat Ba Island, the number of hostels, homestays, hotels, and resorts which offer tourism services from low to high quality has shown up a lot. Since Cat Ba National Park belongs to protected areas, so you have to go to some places near Cat Ba Town to find proper accommodations. 

If you prefer low priced accommodation but good quality, hostels will be quite suitable for you. 

  • Cat Ba Hostel, at 160 Nui Ngoc and 300m from Cat Ba Island. It has comfortable rooms, a great restaurant serving Vietnamese specialists and international dishes. The price is reasonable, ranging from VND 70,000 – 280,000. 
  • Cat Ba Central Hostel, No.204, ¼ Road, Cat Ba and 1.9 km from Dau Be Island. It has a beautiful view of a garden and a good restaurant. The price is ranging from VND 100,000 to VND 160,000. 

About homestay where you can know more cultures of local people, we highly recommend some homestays. 

  • Cat Ba Central Homestay, 1.4 km from Dau Be Island and No.6, Cat Beo Street. It provides a good quality of accommodation and excellent service from owners. The price is from VND 570,000 to VND 690,000 for King Room with a large double bed. 
  • Cat Ba Santorini Homestay, at No. 12, 4 Lane, Nui Ngoc, Cat Ba. It provides good accommodation and accesses to a garden with children’s playgrounds. The homestay offers reasonable prices, from VND 50,000 for a bunk bed to VND 1,000,000 (10 people)  for 5 double beds with a private bathroom. 

Actually, there are many hotels located around Cat Ba Island, here are some suggestions that may be helpful for you. 

  • Cat Ba Oasis Bungalows, 2-star hotel, at No. 254, ¼ Road, Cat Ba Town. The location is extremely convenient, near Cat Ba Ferry and Beo Harbour. It has an excellent quality of service and facilities, with a garden and terrace. The price is pretty proper, ranging from VND 180,000 for a single bed to VND 728,000 for a deluxe double room with a balcony. 
  • Hung Long Resort, a 3-star hotel, is at 268, ¼ Road, Cat Ba Town, Hai Phong City. This hotel is convenient for tourists because it’s near Cat Ba Port, 10 mins for walking and 15 mins walking for Tung Thu Beach and it takes nearly 5 mins to get the seafood market by car. The price is ranging from VND 350,000 – 450,000 for a twin room. 
  • Sea Pearl Hotel, a 3-star hotel, is at 219, ¼ Road, Cat Ba Town, Cat Hai, Phai Phong City. The price is VND 600,000 – 700,000. This hotel is quite convenient for guests because of its location, in front of Lan Ha Bay, 5 mins walking from Cat Co Beach and also a 5-min walking to Cat Ba Market. It features a magnificent view, good facilities in the hotel room and nice staff as well.  

Last but not least, resorts have been developed a lot to focus on high-end class. Heritage Cruises will suggest some resorts highly recommended by guests. 

  • Cat Ba Island Resort & Spa, a 4-star hotel, is at Cat Co 1 Beach, Cat Ba Island, Cat Hai District, Haiphong City. The normal price is USD 50. This hotel is designed according to the combination of French and Vietnamese traditional architectures. It has been received many positive feedbacks from guests. 
  • Monkey Island Resort, a 3-star hotel, is located in Monkey Island, Cat Hai District, Haiphong City. The minimum price is USD 49.5. The hotel is delighted guests in a beautiful view, professional and friendly staff and is pretty suitable for a long journey. 

5. Cuisines and restaurants around Cat Ba National Park 

When traveling to marine places, like Cat Ba Island, the seafood dishes are the thing that tourists cannot be missed. In this article, we would like to recommend for travelers some must-try dishes around Cat Ba National Park. 

Firstly, geoduck is the kind of meal possessing a high amount of nutrition and sophisticated taste; however, the source of geoduck is quite hard to find as well. Actually, there have been many techniques to cook geoduck but steaming geoduck with aromatic components is the best one. 

The second meal is about Song Fishes which normally have more than 30 species of Song Fishes in Vietnam. In particular, three of them are found in Cat Ba Island namely Song Deo, Song Mo, and Song Cao. This kind of fish might be cooked into varied dishes with its own flavor including salad, streamed, sauce, grilled dishes and so on. 

Another dish suggested for tourists is superb specially King-Crab. Normally, the residents in Cat Ba Island can process King-Crab into seven distinctive dishes. So if you have an opportunity and time, please don’t hesitate to try all kinds of those dishes to taste its superior flavor. 

The food cooked from the sea snake is the next dish. The sea snake is not only famous for its distinct seafood but an effective cure for sick people as well. 

Last but not least, rice vermicelli cooked with shrimp has a unique sense of taste by the harmonious combination of fresh shrimp, the broth, exclusive smell of betel leaves covering pork balls. This dish is also tasted with some herbs and some pieces of chili that makes a bowl of rice vermicelli with shrimp more colorful and appealing as well. 

Along with dramatically increasing the development of accommodation, the restaurant system on Cat Ba Island is also developing in recent years. Here are some suggestions about the restaurants around Cat Ba National Park. 

Firstly, Quang Anh Restaurant which is known as one of the best floating restaurants offers an extraordinary experience for tourists, well-cooked seafood. The address of the restaurant is Cai Bao Bay, Cat Ba Island, Haiphong city. 

Next is the restaurant highly recommended by local residents, called Phuong Phuong restaurant. The restaurant has a varied menu and expansive space for guests to enjoy the meals and the surrounding atmosphere. Phuong Phuong Restaurant is located in 232, 1 thang 4 Street, Cat Ba Town, Cat Hai, Hai Phong City. 

Additionally, if you want to try some restaurants that offer Vietnamese cuisines along with a variety of Western dishes, The Good Bar and Green Mango will be suitable for you. Those places are usually opened to serve breakfast for tourists. The Good Bar and Green Mango lie in 1 thang 4 Street, Cat Ba Town, Cat Hai, Hai Phong City. 

6. Different ecotourism patterns in Cat Ba National Park 

With a breath-taking beauty of the natural landscape, Cat Ba National Park has appealed a wide range of tourists by diverse biologies and the harmonious combination of land and ocean. Whenever you reach Cat Ba National Park, you might choose the varied ecotourism patterns that are offered by the conservation management of the park. Those patterns in Cat Ba National Park include forest ecological ecotourism, marine ecotourism, biological ecotourism, community-based ecotourism (CBT) as well as volunteer tourism. Regarding each ecotourism platform, there will be some tourism activities for tourists to get involved in. 

6.1. Forest ecological ecotourism 

For forestry ecological tourism, you have a chance to choose amongst various trekking routes of distinctive forest ecosystems including tropical primitive rainforest, mangrove forest and karst in Cat Ba National Park. With those geographical features, lots of trekking trails are exploited for tourism purposes such as Kim Giao Forest – Phu Lam Peak; Trung Trang Cave – Uy Ban Grotto; National Park’s Headquarter – Frog Pond; May Bua – Quan Y Cave; Frog Pond – Viet Hai Commune.

If you are interested in enjoying sceneries from the peak, the trekking route from Kim Giao Forest to Phu Lam Peak won’t be missed. It takes 30 mins on the 1.5 km route. You can start from the headquarter of the park to Kim Giao Forest to see the rare and endangered animals in the jungle and then get to Phu Lam peak to enjoy a marvelous landscape of the park and surrounding areas.

Besides, Trung Trang Cave – Uy Ban Grotto routes will satisfy you with a variety of mysterious stalactites and shelters of bat residents. National Park’s Headquarter – Frog Pond will help you to explore the flooded willow jungle and then reach Frog Pond, the largest freshwater area on the island. With the route from Frog Pond to Viet Hai Commune, tourists can explore the astonishing forest ecosystem and the culture of local people in Viet Hai Commune. 

6.2. Marine ecotourism 

Besides forest ecological ecotourism, the seascapes of Cat Ba National Park also have a unique magnificence. With the aim of discovering enormous marine resources, visitors might choose to get involved in some activities such as going sightseeing, going kayaking to explore the gulf and bay systems namely Lan Ha Bay, Viet Hai Bay, Tra Bau, climbing to the cliffs of some marvelous islands, diving under the seawater to see coral reef systems, going fishing and sunbathing near magnificent seashores and beaches and final, participating in several delighting water sporting activities. Each aquatic tour will last about 2 – 6 hours which depends on which activities that tourists take. 

For instance, challenging with deep water soloing which is executed on the slide of hazardous cliffs on the sea is the activity that travelers should try once when they have the chance. The average height for beginners is 10 meters; however, it’s up to 30 meters for the master. It is essential for climbers to have their courage, strength and brilliant calculations. People state that falling deep under the sea brings them a sense of freedom and comfort. Some say that deep water soloing also helps them to find the limits and try to break their own physical barriers. That sounds very exciting. 

6.3. Biological research ecotourism 

Cat Ba National Park is known as for diverse biologies, both flora, and fauna. Therefore, the biological research ecotourism pattern has been promoted actively in recent years. Most international visitors coming to Cat Ba National Park would like to see these rare and endangered animals like langurs, red crabs, deers, butterflies and so on.

Especially, Cat Ba National Park has an endemic original, golden-headed langurs. The thing is that tourists have a little chance to see these langurs due to tight conservation policies. Nevertheless, travelers can easily see other originals, for example, red monkeys in Nam Cat Island, Eo Bua, Me Con, Dong Co or other islands and islets. 

6.4. Community-based ecotourism (CBT) in Cat Ba National Park 

This kind of ecotourism pattern will be suitable for those who want to explore the cultures of local people living in Cat Ba National Park. In this tour, visitors will have a chance to stay at a homestay with local residents in one or two nights.

Moreover, they can enjoy the daily routines of residential people including learning how to make the meals, working and relaxing activities in order to understand more about local cultures as well as appreciate beautiful sceneries on the island. Thereby, community- based ecotourism brings benefits in terms of conservation on the island and economies. In detail, it helps to raise awareness of tourists about conserving the natural environment and cultural values of residents in Cat Ba Island and in surrounding areas and improves the living standard of local people. 

6.5. Voluntary tourism 

For those who are environment lovers, voluntary tourism can be an ideal choice for them. Involuntary tourism, tourists can not only discover natural landscapes of the park but get involved in protecting and conserving the natural environment such as collecting garage, working as volunteers at the conservation center of the park and other activities related to conservation. Nowadays, taking voluntary tourism has become a trend for the youth and therefore, so many people come to Cat Ba National Park for this type of tour. 

7. All the things that you need to prepare before coming to Cat Ba National Park 

In this article, we provide you with something that you might prepare before going to Cat Ba National Park. First of all, due to frequently changeable temperatures on Cat Ba Island, tourists have to ensure that they take a waterproof and windproof jacket with themselves. When you decide to stay overnight on the island, mosquito spray is also a must.

Secondly, a lot of Cat Ba Island activities normally occur around or underwater areas; therefore, taking a quite dry towel is necessary. Moreover, waterproof bags are also needed to keep electronic devices safe.

In addition, if you are planning to visit a cave or a grotto, a head torch is essential as well. Last but not least, you should bring refill bottles helping to avoid using plastic bottles and keep the environment clean. 

Visiting the national park this summer, what do you think? Cat Ba National Park has appealed a huge number of visitors because of its magnificent beauty and biodiversity in recently.

For this article, Heritage Cruises provides the information that travelers need to know before they go to Cat Ba National Park. It includes biological features, transportations to get Cat Ba National Park, weather, accommodations, cuisines and restaurants, ecotourism patterns and necessary items when traveling. Hopefully, this information above would be helpful for you when visiting Cat Ba National Park. 

The opening event of Heritage Cruises in Ho Chi Minh City

On 8th January 2020, the grand opening party of Heritage Cruises Binh Chuan was held in a cozy and luxury space, with the attention of the distinguished guests from travel agents, hotels and media in Ho Chi Minh City. The warm opening event definitely left a great impression on the minds of the attendees as well. 

The opening event of Heritage Cruises

Heritage Cruises Binh Chuan is officially launched in September 2019 and has been received lots of positive feedbacks and a high appreciation from domestic as well as international marketing. According to Mr. Pham Manh Ha, CEO of Lux Group which is the ownership of Heritage Cruises, he states that Heritage Cruises is not only a 5-star accommodation for relaxing and enjoying but also gives the guests a precious opportunity for experiencing Vietnam’s culture, art, gastronomy, and history in the early 20th century. 

The introduction of new brand in Halong Bay, Lan Ha Bay

Between 14th and 16th December 2019, Heritage Cruises was officially opened in Northern Vietnam with the topic of “Touch the heritage”. The launching party which left a good impression on participants’minds featured in a wide range of Vietnamese art performances including Hat Xam, Ca Tru, Hue Royal Court Music, etc. Thanks to the successful launching event at Hanoi, Heritage Cruises continued organizing the launching party at Majestic Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City on 8th Jan 2020. 

The special performance of 4 artists playing different traditional musical instruments

In addition to special performances, the guests would have a great chance to see with their own eyes on how to make egg coffee which is considered as one of the extraordinary points of the culinary space on Heritage Cruises and enjoyed it. 

Presenting how to make an egg coffee

The party in Ho Chi Minh City aimed to introduce a new and unique brand in Halong Bay and Lan Ha Bay like Heritage Cruises, along with that this special event somehow conveyed vividly the values related to art, cultures, history, and gastronomy of Vietnam, especially in Northern area to the attendants. 

Cozy and fun atmosphere at the event

The grand opening ceremony of Heritage Cruises

After one month of coming on stream, Heritage Cruises Binh Chuan has received a wide range of positive feedbacks from the guests due to a series of lavish amenities and services as well as authentic experiences that definitely bring the distinction to them. 

The grand opening ceremony of Heritage Cruises Binh Chuan took place on board from 14th to 16th December 2019, with a distinctive concept called “Touching the heritage”. This special event caught the attention of many VIP guests, representatives from lots of travel agents both domestic and international markets and hotels as well as media agents. 

At the launching ceremony, Mr. Pham Manh Ha, President of Lux Group and Founder of Heritage Cruises said that both domestic and foreign tourists always care much about experiences on the cruise ship when discovering Halong Bay in general and Lan Ha Bay in particular. On Heritage Cruises, we promise to bring our guests not only 5-star luxury accommodation but also a chance to immerse in cultural, artistic and historic spaces of Vietnam in the early 20th century. Besides, Heritage Cruises, which is the first boutique cruise operating in Lan Ha Bay, equipped with a waste treatment system to avoid littering and disposing directly to the ocean and protect the natural environment during the journey with Heritage Cruises”.

Heritage Cruises combines classic elegance with comfort, focusing on our country’s history, art, and gastronomy. With 20 luxurious suites with picture windows offering ocean views, Heritage Cruises also delights the guests in sumptuous amenities and services to serve the guests for relaxing and relishing which includes two restaurants featured in distinctive concepts and styles of Indochine and Tonkin, spa, a heated swimming pool, mini gym, outdoor & indoor lounge, pool bar, art gallery, and many facilities, activities, and excursions. It is true that Heritage Cruises is the first cruise ship to bring the 4 days 3 nights voyage, along with 1, 2 or 3 nights journey.

The artful space on Heritage CruisesFurthermore, Heritage Cruises is famous for the art gallery, which consists of more than 100 paintings of a well-known artist, Pham Luc who is considered as the Picasso of Vietnam. Therefore, the cruise ship is expected to bring a unique and authentic experience for the guests. 

According to Mr. Pham Ha, the launching ceremony is not only an introduction of new branding but also brings different experiences, named “A trip down memory lane” on Heritage Cruises. It can be said that this event made a great impression on attendees’ minds, especially the Show “Heritage By Night” performed by lots of artisans, which carries traditional cultures of Vietnam. 

The Show “Heritage By Night” is the combination of different Vietnamese traditional performing arts and customary instruments, which allows the guest to go back onto and immerse in the cultural and artful values of Vietnam. The show presents the spirits “Touching the heritage” that Heritage Cruises’ team would like to convey during the event.

As scheduled, after the grand opening ceremony on Heritage Cruises, the Launching Party is going to organize in January 2020 in Ho Chi Minh City. 

Top 7 Cat Ba Beach Resorts

Cat Ba Island, known as the largest island in Halong Bay, is endowed with spectacular landscapes and seascapes and nice weather conditions. Obviously, this island has still remained pristine natural beauty and rugged features of Halong Bay. Many tourists recently have shifted to visit Cat Ba Island, which helps tourism on the island more and more to develop. Spontaneously, other services including accommodations, foods and beverages, tourism activities included, spa and so on also have been increasing. It can be noticeable that the accommodations in Cat Ba Island have developed a lot from basic accommodations to luxury ones. So with the aim of helping tourists get a memorable experience, Heritage Cruises will give you brief information on Top 7 Cat Ba Beach Resorts that you want to try when visiting Cat Ba Island. 

1. Cat Ba Sandy Beach Resort

Located on a  private island – Nam Cat Island in the middle of Lan Ha Bay, Cat Ba Sandy Beach Resort, one of the best Cat Ba beach resorts, offers distinctive wooden bungalows. It is endowed magnificent seascapes and surrounded by a wide range of limestones, white sandy beaches of pristine water and diverse flora and fauna. It takes around 30 mins from Cai Beo Pier by junk boat to reach Nam Cat Island. 

This resort distinguishes from others by its architectures and special experiences to the guests. The cozy bungalows are built on stilts and feature with classical wooden furniture and large windows. Those bungalows are quite suitable only for relaxing and nature lovers. Since it’s a remote area, the room facilities are simply basic, no wifi/internet connection and electrical power is limited. Therefore, when coming to Cat Ba Sandy Beach Resort, you absolutely can leave bustling lives and workload behind to enjoy the tranquil beauty of the island. 

Staff at the receptionist desk can arrange activities for guests including diving and visiting the island. Moreover, tourists can taste local dishes in the restaurant and light snacks and beverages served at the bar. The price of meals is reasonable. Lunch/dinner cost from $10/person (5 – 7 dishes), a can of soft drink costs $1.5, a bottle of mineral water – $1, a can of beer costs $2, etc. 

Regarding prices, it offers the best price, ranging from $55 to $95 (around VND 1,300,000 to 2,200,000) per night and the prices depend on the room’s type. 

To book bungalows, you can visit its website. 

Contact information: 

  • Location: Nam Cat Island, Lan Ha Bay, Cat Ba, Hai Phong Province, Vietnam 
  • Tel: (+84) 24 3926 2326 or (+84) 963 500 788 
  • Email: [email protected] 

2. Cat Ba Sunrise Resort

Cat Ba Sunrise Resort is the ideal island paradise featured by uniqueness, luxury and, breathtakingly natural beauties. Located on Cat Ba Island and settled in a sandy bay protected by marvelous karst cliffs, the gardening resort gives its guests panoramic views of a crystal clear water ocean and magnificent islets. It takes about more than 2km from Ben Beo Harbour to Cat Ba Sunrise Resort. 

All rooms have standard facilities and spacious balconies with distinctively sensational sea views. Moreover, outdoor facilities consist of a sparkling pool, Jacuzzis, beachfront bar – The Coco Bar Lounge, and easy access to a soft beach and a magnificent cliff-side walk away. On the other hand, for indoor amenities, the guests can enjoy VOCO Restaurant, 4-star restaurant serving Western cuisines and Asian foods, and fully immerse in spa services and completely relax in Vietnamese theme lounges. Besides, the place is appropriate for meetings and events as well. 

Regarding its recreation, this Cat Ba beach resort offers Karaoke, GYM room, and Kid’s Club. The Kid’s Club provides spaces for children including various toys, games, computers offering games’ offlines to maximize the child’s interests, so it’s a perfect place for family. 

Offering a swimming pool inside the resort and an interesting corner to play for children is the bonus point of Catba Sunrise Resort compared to others. Another thing is that the ideal location is in front of the beach. It must be great for guests to take a few steps to get the seashore and enjoy the sunrise as its name. 

Prices are ranging from around VND 2,700,000 to 4,700,000 for 2 people/night. 

To book rooms, contact via its website 

Cat Co 3 Beach, Catba Island, Hai Phong City, Vietnam

Phone: (+84.225) 388 7360 

Email: [email protected] 

3. Cat Ba Island Resort & Spa

Ideally located on a cove near Cat Ba Island, Cat Ba Island Resort & Spa is considered as a perfect place for tourists to experience relaxing ambiance and enjoy the natural beauty of Cat Ba Archipelago as well. Well, the ocean view resort attracts guests with magnificent beachfront views, the freshwater in swimming pools and sufficient facilities being ideal for a honeymoon, romantic weeks, family vacations and resting weekends.  

Generally, Cat Ba Island Resort & Spa offers 165 spacious rooms and suites designed the concept of island-inspired decorations and modern amenities. The guests can choose amongst rooms with varied views and different types including deluxe suites and condo-style suites. Additionally, all rooms are equipped with flat-screen televisions, free wifi connection and many of them feature private balconies to overlook ocean views or mountain views. Cat Ba Island Resort & Spa also offers friendly lodgings for those who’re traveling with their pets. 

Outside the door room, tourists can immerse rays of sunshine on the Cat Ba seashore or on the deck chairs near two beachfront swimming pools which separates space for adults and family. Besides, you can enjoy Jacuzzi Spa with unique experiences at the relaxing beachfront resort. The resort also invites guests to enjoy tropical cocktails at lively Pirate Bar. The guests are delighted by the 100-square-foot Fitness Center in the resort and some activities like beach volleyball. Moreover, they can enjoy a peaceful garden featured with a green grass cover and a reflecting pond. Cat Ba Island Resort & Spa also offers a shuttle service to reach the city center being famous for friendly local shops, bustling nightlife, and dining. Besides, if you want to discover Cat Ba Island, you can find all kinds of packages at the receptionist’s desk. 

Especially, Cat Ba Island Resort & Spa is a distinctive destination for meetings and events. The resort will overwhelm guests with 6,000 square feet of function rooms and different details creating signature events. Whether you’re planning to organize a conference over 200 guests or a close wedding near the beach, Cat Ba Island Resort & Spa certainly brings you unforgettable experiences. 

Each type of room offers a different price. Prices are from VND 2,500,000 to 3,700,000 for 2 people/night 

To book the rooms,  contact via website

 Here is some information: 

  • Location: Catba Island Resort & Spa Cat Co 1, Catba Island, Cat Hai, Haiphong, Vietnam.  
  • Reception Tel: +84 (225) 368 8686 Fax: +84 (225) 368 8989 

4. Monkey Island Resort

Monkey Island Resort is perfectly located on an isolated beach of Monkey Island (also called Cat Dua Island) in Lan Ha Bay, Cat Ba Island. It’s about 3,2 km far from Cat Ba Town and it takes about 10 mins for guests to get to this resort by boat from Ben Beo Harbour. 

All rooms in Monkey Island Resort are equipped comfortably for your staying with full modern facilities combining with distinctive views from the rooms and private balconies to contemplate hundreds of islets in front. The restaurant’s Monkey Island Resort lying next to the beach and spectacular eco garden serves the guests with Vietnamese cuisines and Western foods. Additionally, there might be great to take part in a daily BBQ party on the beach. 

The unique feature is that Monkey Island Resort is located on a private island in which tourists can see easily and play with friendly monkeys. Playing and feeding for monkeys are absolutely distinctive experiences that the resort brings to the guests. When staying in bungalows, you can feel the cozy atmosphere and be familiar with Vietnamese architecture. Most bungalows and furniture totally made of wood, which brings exceptional feelings for the guests. If you’re interested in watching monkeys and immersing in the natural environment, Monkey Island Resort will certainly be a perfect choice for you. 

For pricing, it offers reasonable prices for the guests. With different types of rooms, it costs different prices which are ranging from around VND 1,400,000 to 3,500,000 for 2 people per night. 

To book rooms, contact via its website 

Location: 25 Lac Trung Street, Hai Ba Trung District, Hanoi 

Tel: 0981 222 029 – Reservation: 0981 222 028 

Email: [email protected] 

5. Cat Ba beach resorts on Nam Cat Island

Being totally isolated from the mainland, Nam Cat Island Resort certainly makes guests satisfied with the preference of discovering and traveling. After 30 mins on board from Beo Harbour, the guests are present at a beautiful islet to explore spectacularly natural sceneries and provided accommodations with wooden houses being surrounded by cliffs. 

For rooms, you can choose rooms with a sea view and no air-conditioning and rooms with sea view and air-conditioning. Rooms with no air-conditioning have big windows and doors which brings a sense of being closer to the environment for the guests.

Nam Cat Island Resort offers the guests a wide range of services including kayaking, submarine diving, firewood camping, fishing at waiting for houses overnight, visiting Viet Hai Fishing Village, exploring Monkey Island and Lan Ha Bay as well. In the evening, you can go to the mountain bar for drinking, singing karaoke with many friends from different places. Maybe you can enjoy dancing before going to bed until midnight or walking with your partner on the beach nearby. 

Regarding pricing, Nam Cat Island Resort offers appropriate prices for the guests. It ranges from VND 1,200,000 to 2,000,000. 

To book the resort, contact its website

Here are some details of the resort: 

Address: CatBa – Hai Phong – Vietnam 

Hotline: Mrs. Diu 0977.157 822 – Mr. Vuong: 0989 555 773 – Mr. Phong: 0989 555 811 

Email: [email protected] 

6. Cat Ba Eco-Lodge Resort

Cat Ba Eco-Lodge Resort (originally Suoi Goi Resort) is approximately 13 km far from Cat Ba Town and it takes 15 mins to get to Cat Ba National Park. This resort is an absolutely different world of tranquility, pure air, magnificently natural beauty, and biodiversity. 

Lying on the top of a private hill in Xuan Dam Village, Cat Ba Eco-Lodge Resort is the most out-of-the-way resort in Cat Ba featured by primitive forests and melodic songs of various wild birds. Moreover, it’s designed and comforted in mind and Muong Ethnic Culture with rooms that are arranged in three separate buildings around the restaurant. 

Rooms at Cat Ba Eco-Lodge Resort are designed as wooden stilt house styles, with a long corridor. The rooms in this Cat Ba beach resorts are spacious and pretty suitable for those who travel in a big group of friends and for a family holiday. It’s noticeable that the resort helps guests immerse themselves with natural landscapes which is totally different from other resorts. 

Tourists are appealed by its friendly-environmentally surroundings and Muong people’s architectures. The bungalows and restaurants have lied deeply in the forest which makes the surrounding temperatures cooler. This helps the resort differentiate from others. Obviously, this resort is constructed as a place of peace and tranquility, providing guests an opportunity to escape from a bustling daily life and the workload. If you’re an environmental lover and seeking for a luxury vacation, Cat Ba Eco-Lodge Resort is an absolutely perfect option. 

In terms of pricing, the resort offers quite competitive, ranging from nearly VND 1,000,000 to 1,900,000. The prices are pretty cheaper than other resorts. 

For booking, contact it via website 

Location: Xuan Dam, Cat Ba, Hai Phong, Vietnam 

Office: 136 Ngoc Tri Street, Long Bien, Hanoi

Phone: (+84) 225 688 966 – (+84) 973238686

Email: [email protected] 

7. Cat Ba Beach Resort

Cat Ba Beach Resort is situated in Cat Co 2 Beach which is known as the most beautiful beach on Cat Ba Archipelago and featured by a primitive landscape and seascape and stretching white sandy beaches. 

The resort consists of 21 bungalows including Seaview Bungalow and Seafront Bungalow which brings a private space and comfort for guests and Duplex Family which provides the guests with a cozy atmosphere and conveniences. 

Additionally, coming to Cat Ba Beach Resort, tourists have chances to enjoy special and fresh dishes of seafood at Rock and Sea which are front beach restaurants. 

Like other resorts in Cat Ba Island, Cat Ba Beach Resort is in front of the beach with clear water and white sandy beach. However, the resort offers a large area for guests to go on a walk and relax under the canopy of coconut trees. This area is full of coconut trees and the path is arranged skilfully by a different piece of rock. 

More interestingly, the guests will have an opportunity to visit The Cannon Fort. From The Cannon Fort at the highest point of 177 meters, you can look forward to farthest distance, the ocean, the high mountain, blue clouds, and the skylines. All huge objects now look tidy in your eyes. Especially, it’s extremely marvelous to see the sunset on the top of Cat Ba Island.

The prices are ranging from VND 1,200,000 to 2,800,000 for 2 people/night.  

To book rooms, contact it via website

Address: Cat Co 2 Beach, Cat Ba town, Cat Hai, Hai Phong 

Tel: +84 31 3888 686

Hotline: 098 659 6363 | Email: [email protected]

All resorts mentioned above offer a good location, rooms with modern facilities and high quality of accompanied service regarding accommodation, restaurant, spa and tourism activities included. So, how can you decide the best place to stay? If you want real comfort, you can also choose to go on a cruise from Hai Phong and have a chance to visit all the major destinations in Cat Ba Island, coming back to the comfort of your room afterward. Unlike other Cat Ba beach resorts, Heritage Cruises offers authentic experiences on the cruise ship with modern amenities in Lan Ha Bay and Cat Ba Archipelago. If you’re interested in living on our cruises, you can contact us for more detail. Hopefully, that information might help you to choose a place to stay for your fascinating holiday on Cat Ba Island. 

Cat Ba Island Nightlife: Best bar, nightclubs & places to visit

Cat Ba Island is one of the largest islands in Northern Vietnam. It’s not only famous for its magnificently natural beauties but also lively nightclubs and bars to visit on this island. Heritage Cruises would like to give you an overview of Cat Ba Island nightlife regarding best bars, nightclubs and amazing places for leisure moments as a whole.

The Bigman Bar Cat Ba (The Good Bar) 

Address: 2nd Floor, The New Noble House, No. 222 1/4 Road, Cat Ba Town

???? +84 934 674 899

Time: 7 AM – 2 AM for every day; happy hour: 9 PM – 12 AM. 

The special space of The Bigman Bar Cat Ba

Since December 2018, The Good Bar changes a new name, called The Bigman Bar. It’s located in the most bustling area, Mot Thang Tu Road in Cat Ba Town. The Bigman Bar will absolutely give guests the best experiences of Cat Ba Island nightlife in terms of cozy atmosphere but also lively, funny moments. You can enjoy quality live music meanwhile relaxing and chatting with your friends and others coming from all over the world. 

The Bigman Bar offers different kinds of drinkings like wine, beer, cocktail, etc and some types of food like pizza, noddle, etc. The music is good and run by two or three DJs per night, playing different genres. Especially, the Bigman Bar serves the combo of balloons and beer with lots of attractive promotions. 

Moreover, the Bigman Bar has an area for guests to play some fun games such as billiards and hockey. If you prefer a quiet area for relaxing, it also offers a wide balcony equipped with tables and chairs for chatting and having fun with friends and families. Watching the sunset is an elegant pleasure indeed when coming to the Bigman Bar. The guests love to watch the sunset not just because it’s so beautiful, but fleeting as well. It can be said that the nature in Cat Ba Island paints it for us and allows us to indulge in the magnificent sunset just a little bit day after day. The Bigman Bar plays a vital role in creating a lively Cat Ba Island nightlife. 

Oasis Bar in Cat Ba Island nightlife

Address: No 228 & No 254, Mot Thang Tu Road, Cat Ba Town. 

???? 096 377 11 55 

Time: 7 AM – 2 AM. 

Chatting space for the guests in Oasis Bar

Since 2012, Oasis Bar which is the first bar in Cat Ba Town, has friendly waiters, fresh food and amazing music. That absolutely brings good moments for the guests when coming to this beautiful island. It belongs to the series of restaurants, hotels, bars, gardening coffee, and supermarkets which have been established since 2011. There are 2 branches of the Oasis Bar in Cat Ba Town. The first bar is located at 228, Mot Thang Tu Road. The second one has been opened since March 2018, with an area of 1000m2 including gardening coffee, bar, and outdoor swimming pool. 

The Oasis Bar has a spacious area and combines with other kinds of services like restaurants, hotels, coffee shops and etc. So it can meet various needs of customers as a whole. Moreover, the Oasis Bar is suitable for gathering, meeting as well as organizing outdoor parties for large corporations thanks to its large space. The cuisines and drinkings served in the Oasis Bar are diverse from Vietnamese cuisine to the Western one. Like other bars, the Oasis Bar also has the space for playing fun games and tables and chairs to chat with friends. 

Rose Club 

Address: No. 210 Nui Ngoc Street, Cat Ba Town, Cat Hai, Hai Phong. 

???? 84 94 859 88 59

Time: 6:00 PM – 4:00 AM

Sunday Open 24h  –  Monday – Friday 5pm – 3am  –  Saturday 5pm – 12am 

Outside space for the guests in Rose Bar

Rose Club is located in Nui Ngoc Street, Cat Ba Town. It’s considered one of the best bars on Cat Ba Island because of its nice staff, awesome people and great prices on drinkings. Like other Cat Ba Island nightlife clubs, the Rose Club also serves different kinds of drinkings like beers, wines, etc and laughing gas at reasonable prices. 

Rose Club has limited spaces for guests to sit down and chat with their friends like others. It just has space for playing some funny games and for dancing and drinking as well. Rose Club also has a DJ to delight the guests with lively music and remix tracks. Rose Club is more lively and limited spaces compared to other Cat Ba Island nightlife clubs and bars. 

Which bar do you choose amongst Cat Ba Island nightlife clubs? If you want to choose a medium bar for your happy hours with sufficient drinkings and spaces for gathering, the Bigman Bar is a proper choice. The Oasis Bar has more spaces and combines with other kinds of services that might be interesting for you. The Rose Club has a smaller space but is more lively and sparkling than other bars. Those bars and clubs will bring you distinctive experiences of Cat Ba Island nightlife.