About 15 kilometers from Cat Ba town (Cat Hai island district), Trung Trang cave has a mysterious beauty because of its creation of nature and historical legends that you should not miss when exploring and experiencing Cat Ba Island.
Discovered by Vietnamese – French archaeologists in 1938, Trung Trang cave with the length of 300 meters passes through the mountain, surrounded by rich and diverse vegetation creating fresh air for people to visit. Trung Trang cave is called by many different names.
Formerly known as Bat Cave(Hang Doi) because the inside cave is home to many bats. During the period of anti-American war, from 1964 to 1968, the cave was chosen to be the basement of the Navy High Command with the signal and information connecting mission, so-called the Navy Cave(Hang Hai Quan). At present, the inside cave also keeps a few traces such as community room, meeting room, water tank … to serve daily life for the soldiers.
In front of the entrance cave, tourists will immediately see a mermaid statue bowing to guests with an exciting journey. Due to the rain and soaking through the rocks, there are quite a lot of beautiful stalagmites appeared in the Trung Trang Cave. According to the research of scientists, stalactites and stalagmites here are about 6 million years old. Especially in the cave, there are also stone pillars created when stalactites and stalagmites meet, but when you tap your hand, you will hear the sound like the music.
Going deep into the cave can feel the magnificence of karst topography created by nature. Stalactites remain the sharpness and iridescence like crystal which are imagined tourists as different shapes of eagles, crocodiles, football trophies, crowns…
The highest dome of the cave is compared the gold warehouse of the lady of Trung Trang Cave with sparkling stalactites of different colors like treasures on sunny days.
Discovering Trung Trang Cave makes visitors extremely excited, feeling like lost in paradise in the earth.
WTM London 2019: A precious business opportunity for showcasing high-end cruising services
Heritage Cruises, a member of Lux Group as well as other attendants are looking forward to the largest event of the tourism and hospitality industry to be held on 4th – 6th November 2019 in London. Our Lux Cruises are obviously seen that World Trade Market (WTM) London is a not just a trade fair that introduces tourism products and services in the global market but is a precious business opportunity for enhancing the relationships and partnerships and staying connections amongst tourism organizers and partners.
Heritage Cruises – Vietnam’s first boutique cruise in the Gulf of Tonkin and the Red River, a member of the Lux Group, will participate in WTM London 2019. The founder as well as the owner of Heritage Cruises, Mr. Pham Ha, Director of Sales and Marketing of Luxury Travel, a member of Lux Group Mr. Thang Phan and Director of Sales of Heritage Cruises Mrs. Giang Do will be participating in WTM London at Stand AS880 with the main focus towards “Experiencing our masterpiece in the natural wonders”. With the high expectation to present the cruising services and stay connections amongst business alliances, Mr. Pham Ha stated that WTM London was always the most essential business event for the global tourism industry to introduce new tourism products and services and enhance the business alliances and corporations with existing and new companies. He continued that this was a precious chance for enterprises to expand their brand awareness and high-end travel services to various audiences in more effective ways. So WTM 2019 will become a great opportunity to introduce luxury cruising services in Vietnam.
Mr. Pham Ha said that boutique cruises were similar to boutique hotels that offer intimate ambiance and elegance. It’s obvious that Heritage Cruises and Emperor Cruises are distinguished them from other cruise lines by the accommodation sets, customized services, and a real story or a historical person to narrate.
At WTM London 2019, Heritage Cruises will be introduced with the culture-related concepts and design aiming to bring the heritage alive. In fact, Heritage Cruises is the third cruise of Lux Group and the first 5-star boutique cruise ship featured in floating art gallery, 20 luxurious suites, two restaurants with distinctive concepts, four seasons swimming pool, wine cellar and other lavish facilities and amenities in the Gulf of Tonkin, Vietnam. The cruise mainly focuses on Vietnam’s history, gastronomy, and culture, especially in Northern Vietnam.
The Lux Cruises will be present at WTM London from November 4th – 6th, 2019 to introduce lavish and luxurious cruising services in Halong Bay and Lan Ha Bay, Cat Ba Archipelago and seek for strategic business partnerships with the UK as well as European markets.
Best food in Cat Ba Island you should not miss
Imagine that you’re traveling to a beautiful island without tasty food and specialties in that area. That sounds so boring, isn’t it? Not only tourists have chances to discover and explore the natural landscapes but also do they enjoy fresh seafood and specialties in Cat Ba Island. In the article, we’d like to recommend the best food in Cat Ba Island you should not miss when visiting Cat Ba Island.
1. Horseshoe Crab – best food Cat Ba
The horseshoe crab can be processed into many delicious and nutritious dishes which have specific aromatic flavours of the ocean including the raw horseshoe crab, sweet and sour horseshoe crab, boiled horseshoe crab or grilled, in particular, grilled eggs of horseshoe crab have a greasy taste and contain a high level of protein. Besides, the meals made from the horseshoe crab are very healthy since it helps to relieve the body heat.
Particularly, the horseshoe crabs always go together. Fishermen usually say that one crab dies between the two crabs going together, the other also dies. If one crab dies, the other doesn’t then the crab left will become a toxic horseshoe one and live alone forever.
Horseshoe crabs are crustaceans and cold property seafood so when processing, it must be very careful. The head, legs, edge fins, and crab shells are discarded. The guts are cleaned carefully to avoid exposing to crabmeat. The crab meat is very tasty and has a distinctive flavour as the concentration of salt is quite high, the seafood in this area has a higher level of protein and nutrition than that of other areas. So the horseshoe crab is one of the best food in Cat Ba Island that you cannot miss. In recent years, the price of horseshoe crab has been high, about more than VND 500,000.
Amongst the best food in Cat Ba from the horseshoe crab, the raw horseshoe crab is highly recommended for tourists. After being grilled until turning yellow color, the meat of horseshoe crab is torn into small pieces and then mixes with eggs of crab, persicaria, peanut and some herbs, which creates a sweet and aromatic flavour of the raw horseshoe crab.
2. Vietnamese Geoduck Clam
Vietnamese Geoduck Clam, which has another name called Elephant Trunk Clam, is known as rare and highly nutritious seafood with a special flavour. Recently, Vietnamese geoduck clam can be seen in many areas and regions but the best place to taste the geoduck clam is Cat Ba Island which is a suitable place for its growth.
The geoduck clam is a two-piece molluscous which is considered as a wonderful remedy for men. It’s not common amongst tourists like cockles, shells, oysters, etc but when you’ve tried the dishes made from the geoduck once, probably you’ve forgotten this flavour.
Vietnamese geoduck clam could be processed into different dishes such as raw geoduck clam, grilled geoduck clam, geoduck clam rice gruel, etc. You can soak the geoduck clam into hot water (about 80oC – 90oC) within 2-3 minutes, then clean the shell with water and finally, use a knife to slit vertically along the heliotrope of the geoduck clam. It’s a little hard to bite, tasty, soft and combined with various spices for cooking.
Especially, steamed geoduck clam is notably recommended for tourists as the best food in Cat Ba Island. After steaming within 15 mins, the geoduck clam is displayed in the dish, its flavors combined with many spices make a perfect dish.
3. Lobster – best food in Cat Ba
Lobster is considered as the king of seafood with a high level of nutrition and vitamin. The meat inside exoskeleton is firm and exquisitely sweet that you’ve never forgotten when eating once. You can eat all parts of the lobster, except for the shell and its stomach. The most delicate and sweet part of the lobster is the meat near the head and lobster’s tail rather than the meat in the claw and knuckle. The chunky meat of those tails is wonderfully tender and light in flavour.
Lobster can be cooked many delicious meals including lobster rice gruel, grilled lobster, steamed lobster, boiled lobster, hot pot of lobster, roasted lobster with salt, raw lobster, etc. In addition to this, lobster can be variably processed into different dishes like stewed lobster with shiitake mushroom, seaweed roll lobster, steamed lobster with wine, etc. The lobster is really rare and valuable seafood that nature endows in Cat Hai District. So this is one of the best food in Cat Ba you should know as traveling to this island.
4. Sea Snake
Cat Ba Island has a lot of valuable and rare specialties from the ocean and sea snake is one of the best food in Cat Ba. The sea snake has a small and slim body with a length of 1 – 1.2 meters and has specialized in flattened tails which acts as a paddle for swimming. The smallish head has horns and its teeth are venomous. People usually say that the sea snake has a high value in gastronomy and medicine.
The sea snake is simply prepared by washing with water and cutting from the throat to its tail and discarding its gallbladder and suet. You have to wash the blood snake by 90oC alcohol, not using water, then dry it. The sea snake meat contains a high amount of prostate and acid amine such as arginine, taurine, cysteine, tyrosine, etc. Besides, medicine from the sea snake helps to cure rheumatoid arthritis, bone degeneration, and spinal pain, etc. Moreover, the gallbladder will help to relieve the pain and act as a tranquilizer. With a high value of nutrition and medicine, the meals made from the sea snake are considered as one of the best food in Cat Ba Island.
5. Fried Snail Hai Phong
The snail is processed as the cooking manners of Hai Phong people, which is combined with fresh ingredients like coconut, chill, ginger, lemongrass, tamarind, etc. Those ingredients are harmoniously combined to make a perfect dish of a fried snail. One thing making Vietnamese dishes differentiate from other cuisines is the way people combine and mix different spices, herbs, and ingredients.
Especially, the shell snail is kept while frying. When eating the snail, you have to use something like sewing needles to make the snail meat more accessible. Restaurants will mixture various snails for cooking so tourists can have a chance to choose which is your favourite. So fried snail Hai Phong is one of the best food in Cat Ba Island that travelers should try.
6. Lobster Rice Noodles Cat Ba
One of the simple and best food in Cat Ba is lobster rice noodle. Until now, lobster rice noodle has become attractive and famous for not only the flavor but its ingredients and unique cooking tips as well.
The main ingredient playing an important part to make a great dish is fresh lobsters in Cat Ba. Those lobsters are steamed and cooked with other special herbs and ingredients. The lobster rice noodle is more tasty and delicious due to the aroma of fresh lobsters, exquisitely fatty bouillon, along with vegetables and spices. You can eat the noodles with some kinds of fresh and raw vegetables and a little chili. So all the things are harmoniously mixed to make it one of the best food in Cat Ba Island.
7. Garrupa
Garrupa is known as a kind of grouper that has a great flavour of the ocean owing to its greasy skin and delicate and exquisitely sweet meat compared to other fish. On Cat Ba Island, there are 3 types of garrupa including greasy grouper, black grouper, and fox grouper. Garrupa can be processed into different dishes which are nutritious and yummy like raw garrupa, garrupa rice gruel, grilled garrupa, steamed garrupa, etc. So garrupa is one of the best food in Cat Ba Island.
8. Toasted Mantis Shrimp With Salt
When mentioning the best food in Cat Ba Island, toasted mantis shrimp with salt is always listed for tourists. The mantis shrimp could be processed into many dishes, especially being toasted with salt. In fact, there’s a huge number of mantis shrimps in Cat Ba which are usually big.
When processing the toasted mantis shrimp with salt, the chef normally fries through a little bit of cooking oil, which makes it greasy but not too fat. This meal is elaborately cooked by combining harmoniously different spices, so it has a delicate and exquisitely sweet flavour.
9. Oysters – best food in Cat Ba
One of the best food in Cat Ba that you should try is oysters, which can be processed into many dishes like a roasted oyster with tamarind, roasted oyster with salt, grilled oyster and oyster rice gruel. The roasted oyster with tamarind has sweet and sour flavour and should be tasted when it’s still warm. Fresh oysters and the mixture of tamarind, chili, water, sugar and fish sauce make it one of the best food in Cat Ba.
The roasted oyster with salt which has a different flavour from the roasted oyster with tamarind is also the best food in Cat Ba. The meal is more spicy and salty. The grilled oyster is a specialty in Cat Ba as well. It’s extremely easy to cook and eat. You just need a stove, raw and fresh oyster and special sauce only used for the grilled oyster. After that, you’ll have a chance to taste the best food in Cat Ba. The oyster rice gruel is delighted guests with an aromatic taste and its highly nutritious value when traveling to Cat Ba Island. It should be eaten with some herbs and an amount of pepper.
In the article, we’d like to recommend to you some restaurants to enjoy the best food in Cat Ba:
1. Bamboo Cafe, which is located on April 1st Road, is the best restaurant in Cat Ba for tasting fresh seafood both Vietnamese dishes and European ones. Price is from VND 80,000 – 120,000/ dish.
2. Vien Duong Restaurant, No. 12 Nui Ngoc Street, is famous for its tasty seafood as well as a hot pot of seafood. Price is reasonable, from VND 100,000/dish.
3. Phuong Nhung Restaurant, No. 184-185 April 1st Road, mainly serves noodles, pho, rice, and seafood.
4. Yummy Restaurant – Cat Ba, No. 180 Nui Ngoc includes noodles, fried rice, pho, nem, etc. which are quite similar to those dishes in Phuong Nhung Restaurant, but its price is cheaper.
5. Family Bakery, No. 194 April 1st Road, you should try different kinds of bread as Turkey styles and marzipan. Here has the best caramel in Cat Ba, price is from VND 80,000 – 120,000/dish.
Besides, there are some places serving drinkings for tourists:
1. Green Mango, April 1st Road, VND 15,000 – 220,000 offers many drinkings like wine, cocktails, espresso and other European food.
2. Flightless Bird Cafe, April 1st Road has New Zealand’s style of decoration.
3. The Good Bar Cat Ba, April 1st Road also serves excellent drinkings.
Amongst the ton of best food in Cat Ba, which one do you choose for your trip? Heritage Cruises has just listed out the best food in Cat Ba as well as specialties from seafood regarding horseshoe crab, garrupa, lobster, geoduck clam, sea snake, mantis shrimp, oyster and etc which cannot miss when visiting this magnificent island. Besides, we also suggest some restaurants taste and enjoy the best food in Cat Ba. Now we have the best food in Cat Ba, how about a detailed package for tourists to travel any corner of Cat Ba Island? So you can read more about Heritage Expedition – Cat Ba 2N1D, contact us now, please!
If being crowded in Halong Bay, let’s find a luxury cruise in Cat Ba Island
Find a luxury cruise in Cat Ba Island, what do you think? Recently, people have tended to choose Cat Ba Island over Halong Bay owing to many reasons. Tourists are seeking for exploring something new or even they prefer the place quieter and less polluted yet sharing the same geographical features with Halong Bay. In this article, Heritage Cruises will provide you some information on how to find a cruise in Cat Ba.
An overview of Cat Ba Island
Nestled on the edge of Vietnam’s magnificent Halong Bay, Cat Ba Island is the largest among 367 islands spreading out 100 square miles making up Cat Ba Archipelago. Cat Ba’s landscapes are rugged and spectacular with a wide range of natural ecosystems which are totally perfect for exploring by bike, motorbike or boat.
Cat Ba Island is home to 6 communes with a population of about 13,500 inhabitants. This beautiful island encompasses two distinctive parts regarding Cat Ba Town with a concentration of tourism services and Cat Ba National Park featured by dense forests and its biodiversity.
The national park and its surrounding area of Cat Ba Island are naturally and internationally recognized for the importance of biodiversity preservation. In 2004, Cat Ba Archipelago was declared as a UNESCO Man and Biosphere Reserve Area to protect the multiple terrestrial and marine ecosystems. Especially, Cat Ba Langur (Golden-headed Langur) which has only 60 individuals living in the park is the existing population of the primates in the world.
Why go on a cruise in Cat Ba Island
Recently, there have been hundreds of cruise ships which are operating in Lan Ha Bay and Cat Ba Island are designed with different concepts and styles of service from 3 stars to 5* stars or more. Regarding the facilities, each vessel has suites from standard to luxury, restaurants, bars, lounge, etc and sundeck, balcony with a beautiful view where guests can watch the sunset or sunrise, sunbathe and simply relax. Additionally, the ship also provides guests with other services like spa & massages and professional staff are always ready to meet any requests from the guests with a smile on their faces and good All are considered as a floating hotel on the ocean.
Instead of looking for a hotel to stay, transportation and destinations to go sightseeing, nowadays, you just need to book a cruise. So thanks to cruise ships in Cat Ba Island, Halong Bay, and Lan Ha Bay, the relaxation combined with experiences becomes more convenient and easier for the guests than ever.
How to choose luxury cruises in Cat Ba Island
The number of international and domestic tourists traveling to Halong Bay have been increasing and even experienced in a stable situation, so there are too many people in Halong Bay and surrounding areas leading to overcrowding in tourism spots. Why don’t you find a luxury cruise in Cat Ba Island for yourself to discover and immerse instead of Halong Bay? Here are some details to help you find a luxury cruise in Cat Ba Island.
1. Best time to go on a cruise
So how to know what is the best time to go on a cruise in Cat Ba Island, we need to have a look over Cat Ba weather through each season of the year. In general, Cat Ba weather is typical of the tropical monsoon climate, so there are 2 main seasons including wet season and dry season. It’s more likely to be a hot and humid climate with many infrequent summer storms between May and September, but it seems dry and cool from October to March. The weather in Cat Ba Island is pretty easy to separate into different seasons with its climate.
Spring
Cat Ba Island in the spring is featured in a foggy sky and a high level of humidity. This kind of weather seems perfect for plants and flowers to grow and develop, however, some tourists might find it hard to be convenient and keep their clothes dry.
Spring falls into February to April. The weather in February can be hazy in the morning so it’s hard to go sightseeing and the temperature is a bit cold and cool for tourists to join in water activities. Domestic tourists travel to Cat Ba Island in March is fewer due to office stuff and it’s warmer than the previous month. So this is a great chance for tourists who want to get out of the crowding. Usual rains and storms start in April so the weather is a little humid and wet for people. Spring will be a great time for traveling to Cat Ba Island if you want to avoid congestion and overcrowding.
Summer
Summer starts from May to July when the general weather is hot, moist and more regular rains and storms. If you are interested in beaches and water activities, Cat Ba Island will be an ideal place for you. It is probably too hot and moisty for international tourists yet Cat Ba Island in summer is still attracting clear skies and cool water. As reaching Cat Ba Island in summer, you should be aware of the possibilities of storms and rains.
Besides, the demand for traveling and entertaining in June and July is quite high, so it’s considered a high season for the domestic market. Through its landscapes under summer are pretty nice, not many foreigners want to deal with a high volume of Vietnamese travelers.
Autumn
Autumn from August to October is warm and has irregular rainstorms. The weather makes Cat Ba Island more attractive than Spring & Summer, especially for foreigners. It starts the high season. So the time between August and October is the best for tourists traveling to Cat Ba Island. The weather is featured in slight temperature and blue skies which are ideal for water activities such as scuba-diving, watching coral reefs, kayaking, fishing and so on. Moreover, you’ll have chances to enjoy perfect moments on the beach and stunning sceneries on the island.
Winter
Winter regularly ranging from November to January is mainly featured in a little cooler, but still slightly warmer and clear skies. If you prefer cooler and temperate weather, you should visit Cat Ba Island during this time. The weather becomes more satisfying with little rain and moisture, so makes it perfect for relaxing on the beach. However, water becomes colder so it’s hard to swim or engage in some water activities. Due to the convenient conditions of the weather, tourists have a high demand for traveling to Cat Ba Island in winter. As a result, the high season would lead to overcrowding on transportations, hotel rooms, and increasing prices.
You can read more about Cat Ba weather: Everything you need to know
2.How to get there
Many kinds of transportation that transfer you to get to Cat Ba Island regarding by air, by road, by train, by ferry, and by hydrofoil. In this article, we’ll advise all of you the most convenient and suitable way to embark on the cruise in Cat Ba Island. In recent years, cruise services in Halong Bay, Lan Ha Bay, and Cat Ba Island are more and more developing and have attracted lots of tourists. Each cruise will decide which harbour they choose to escort their guests to go onboard. So if you book a cruise in Cat Ba Island, the cruise always offers limousine services from Hanoi to the harbour at Hai Phong City for cruising. It’s the easiest way to go on a cruise in Cat Ba Island.
If you live in Hai Phong City or surrounding areas, you can go to the harbour in Hai Phong by car on your own. It’s quite convenient for those who have own vehicle and go with a group of people. In case, you’re foreigners or currently living in other provinces along Vietnam, the fastest and easiest way is by plane and then get to the harbour in Hai Phong for cruising.
You can get more information about how to reach Cat Ba Island, visit How to get to there
3. What activities are included in a cruise in Cat Ba Island
Staying overnight in a cruise in Cat Ba Island helps you to get closer to the natural environment as well as engage in various water activities like swimming, kayaking, scuba-diving, etc. In the article, we suggest what activities should be included in a cruise in Cat Ba Island. However, those activities will depend on your itinerary and the day of your cruise.
Most of the cruises will escort you to visit famous destinations in Cat Ba Island, Lan Ha Bay including Cat Co 1,2,3 Beaches, Monkey Island, Cat Ba National Park, Dark and Bright Cave, Quan Y Cave, Three Peaches Island which has magnificent beaches, Ba Ham Lake, Da Chong Islet, Cannon Fort, Ngu Lam Peak, etc. Most beaches on Cat Ba Island still keep its untouched beauty so swimming or simply sunbathing along those beaches will bring unforgettable moments for the guests. Those feelings are something that makes you more relaxing, be closer to nature and a bit private, no one’s here but you.
Kayaking is a must-try activity in Cat Ba Island. Going on a kayak helps you to discover and explore every corner of this beautiful island, even you can touch and immerse yourself amongst spectacular sceneries here.
Besides, the cruise crew takes the guests to visit the fishing villages in Cat Ba Island where you can have a chance to know more about the culture and daily lives of residents. For example, you’ll find how they can build a floating house and understand their daily activities like fishing, cooking, etc. That will bring you lots of interesting experiences.
Moreover, watching the sunrise or sunset on a cruise in Cat Ba Island is another must-have activity. Imagine that the shallow of the sun above the water makes you feel peaceful and tranquil or even something that can’t describe by words. All things will be combined to make a memorable experience for your trip.
4.How to book a cruise
Many online channels helping you to book a cruise in Cat Ba Island including Bestpricevn.com, Booking.com, Expedia.com, Agoda.com, Tripadvisor.com, etc. Those online platforms show you the number of cabins or suites available when booking time, the prices, what is included and excluded in the package, types of suites, etc. It’s easy to use and follow the online platforms but in case, travelers want to get more advice from the cruise operators or they need to set up for a special occasion so it’s hard for them to do that.
Besides, you can book a cruise in Cat Ba Island via travel agents. They play as sales of the cruise ship who’ll provide you advice and information if needed but it takes a little time for you to find a travel agent that you can trust.
You can book directly at the cruise operators without any online channels or travel agents via their websites. If you have any decorations or advice or recommendations from them, just ask. It takes less time than before.
5. How long do you want to stay on a cruise
Cruise operators in Cat Ba Island, Lan Ha Bay or Halong Bay chiefly offers 3 main types of cruising packages regarding a day cruise, 2 days 1-night cruise (2D1N), 3 days 2 nights cruise (3D2N), and some cruises offer 4 days 2 nights cruise (4D3N). Even when you want to have the cruise package more than 4D3N cruise, it’s OK. The cruise operators will design the package that meets your demand if you ask them.
A day cruise is a short journey designed to help you have a little taste of feeling immersed in the natural landscapes and seascapes of Cat Ba Island, Lan Ha Bay. You can book the day cruise trip with no overnight accommodation on the cruise.
Overnight cruises have become more common and classic choices for travelers and allowed them to have more time to truly discover and immerse amongst the spectacular sceneries in Lan Ha Bay, Cat Ba Island. You’ll get to sleep on board among the natural wonders and then wake up in the early morning to watch the sunrise that’s absolutely a gorgeous view. The 1 day 2 nights package exactly lasts 24 hours which allows tourists to visit and travel to the main spots in Cat Ba Island, Lan Ha Bay so it’s quite suitable for most travelers who have not much time. Longer cruise itineraries are recommended for those who have time and are seeking for unwinding and tranquility and explore more isolated areas in the gulf. The 3D2N and 4D3N cruises allow travelers to explore closely to the residents, the natural landscapes here. In the longer packages, you’ll be moved to a small speedboat to visit other places and engage in other activities, back the cruise ship in the evening.
How long you stay on a cruise depends on your time, you need/want to explore the gulf and your budget as well. The longer you stay on board, the more time you have for navigating the areas far from the crowds and still keep unspoiled beauty and engaging in outdoor activities.
Recommendations for a luxury cruise in Cat Ba Island
– Heritage Cruises, 20 luxury suites, and other contemporary facilities.
Launching in 2019, the cruise offers unique and authentic experiences and overnight accommodation on an architecturally designed vessel. The cruise differentiates with others from high-end services and distinctive concepts derived from a historic character in Vietnam and describing the lives of Vietnamese in the North dating back to the last century.
– ERA Cruises, only luxury 18 suites, and modern amenities. The cruise offers cruise tours that will show you a different side of the beautiful country that is Vietnam. This is a luxurious cruise ship boasting state-of-the-art modern design features. It’s famous for its elegance styles.
If being crowded in Halong Bay, let’s look for a luxury cruise in Cat Ba Island, Lan Ha Bay for yourself, which belongs to the further parts of Halong Bay still keeps its pristine beauty. Hopefully, this article somehow helps you have an overall picture of how to find and book a cruise in Cat Ba Island for your trip. Let’s discover, explore and immerse in Cat Ba Island with Heritage Cruises – Vietnam’s first boutique cruise, contact us now.
How to rent a kayak in Cat Ba Island…
With geographical features and incredibly natural landscapes similar to Halong Bay, Cat Ba Island has become a rising trend as a pristine heritage site that there are not many tourists stepping on. When visiting Cat Ba Island, you can stay at some resorts and enjoy magnificently pristine waters, white sandy beaches under the sun. More interestingly, if your hands really want to touch upon marvelous beauties of the island, hiring a kayak never makes you feel disappointed. Beside contemplating natural sceneries, taking a kayak to visit every corner of Cat Ba Island on your own makes you have an unforgettable adventure during the holiday. The article below will give you the details about how to hire a kayak in Cat Ba Island.
1. The best time for kayaking
As we know that Cat Ba Island – the range islands of the farthest end of Halong Bay – now is taking into consideration as the World Natural Heritage about diverse biologies. So, the natural landscapes and climate features of Cat Ba Island have close similarities to that of Halong Bay. If Halong Bay – one of the new seven world natural wonders, is too crowded and cramped, why don’t you move into Cat Ba Island for relaxation?. People are always asking that what is the best time to travel and take part in a kayaking tour on Cat Ba Island? That absolutely depends on how you define a perfect vacation. Since visiting Cat Ba Island at any time throughout the year inevitably brings different feelings and experiences. However, if you go to Cat Ba Island for kayaking, you should pay attention to weather conditions carefully.
The time from June to August starts summer and also is the outbreak of the domestic tourism market in Cat Ba Island. Traveling to Cat Ba Island at that time, it’s extremely crowded and accommodations always run out of. In addition, between June and July, it’s time for storm seasons in some Northern Vietnam coastal provinces. The unexpected storms coming and going have a significant impact on your journey in terms of transport and sightseeing. Especially, kayaking services on Cat Ba Island might be prohibited by local government due to unfavorable weather conditions.
Except for the months that have the potential for storms, other months are always an ideal time for you to visit Cat Ba Island. Domestic tourists normally travel to Cat Ba Island from April to October since this time overlaps with many holidays of Vietnamese. However, international tourists usually come to Cat Ba Island from November to March as it’s the best time for them to go traveling. Furthermore, at this time Cat Ba Island is quite deserted, you can comfortably choose to take a kayak trip on Cat Ba Island to explore fully the heritage site by yourself.
2. The places that you can’t neglect when kayaking
Cat Ba Archipelago, an area of 345 km2 and including 367 islands with different sizes, creates a limestone area emerging from the ocean. Cat Ba Island is the biggest island as well as has the largest number of residents living on. Most tourists coming to Cat Ba Island always seek for an extraordinary experience like going kayaking. Certainly you would never forget the feeling that you take a kayak and go out to sea on your own where there are many breaking waves. Those surging waters will lead to some islands or even isolated beaches for sunbathing, swimming or just relaxing. If not, you can sail your boat to reach fishing villages, ravines in the gulf. Some professional tourists state that: “Lan Ha Bay and Dark & Light Cave are the two most ideal spots to go kayaking on Cat Ba Island”. Besides, there have been magnificent destinations for kayaking that you can’t neglect such as Lan Ha Bay, Dark & Light Cave, Three Peaches Beach, and Vem Cave.
Lan Ha Bay – the coquettish primitive pearl on Cat Ba Island
Lying in the south of Halong Bay, Lan Ha Bay has been attracting plenty of tourists to go sightseeing because of its pristine beauties. Lan Ha Bay is considered as a neglected paradise in the Gulf of Tonkin, taking a kayak in Cat Ba Island to discover Lan Ha Bay is the fascinating experience that you should have once in your entire life.
With different routes of going kayaking around Lan Hay Bay, you will have a chance to visit Cua Van Fishing Village featured by an interesting reef system. From this place, you’ll come across a small ravine, called Luon Cave (“Hang Luồn” in Vietnamese) which is considered as one of the most narrow caves in Vietnam for visiting. With stalactite architectures and turquoise waters, Luon Cave always brings a tranquil feeling for those who want to go kayaking by themselves on Cat Ba Island. There are other islands and islets, characterized by varied cliffs with unique shapes that all are waiting for you to visit on Cat Ba Island. The price for sightseeing on Lan Ha Bay is VND 40,000.
Dark & Light Cave – Sung Sot Cave underwater of Cat Ba Archipelago
Dark & Light Cave belongs to the cleft palate cave with the cave floor submerged in the water; however, the ceiling above the water. To discover Dark & Light Cave, you will take a kayak in Cat Ba Island instead of climbing up slippery stone steps. When going on kayaking, you’ll get a chance to get accessed to the base of the mountain and understand more about an interesting phenomenon that the base of limestones is corroded by water. Besides, you are likely to contemplate various vegetation around the base which makes you exclaim that why the greenery can survive under a strange and harsh limestone topography. As tapping the stalactites ceiling in the cave, you can see different classes of stalactites on the ceiling and on the cliffs. Certainly, you will be impressed by magnificently natural beauties featured by the stalactites and limestones system in the cave.
Three Peaches Beach – A pristine place on central Cat Ba Island
Although Three Peaches beach belongs to Halong Bay, it’s pretty close to Cat Ba Archipelago. This place includes 3 small mountains with a height of 20 meters like 3 giant peaches petrified close together. That’s why people normally call it’s Three Peaches. That’s so amazing if you are able to go kayaking to go around blue beaches and natural mountains in the middle of the ocean or suddenly startle when there are waves splashing slightly on the boat.
Discover Vem Cave, Ang Thinh Linh
If you are planning to go kayaking on Cat Ba Island, certainly that you shouldn’t miss the area around Vem Cave – Ang Thinh Linh (“Hang Vẹm – Áng Thình Lình” in Vietnamese). According to local spoken-language in Cat Ba Island, people usually use “Áng” for valley area lying amongst ranges of mountains in the distinctive regions. More especially, the lake in Vem Cave – Ang Thinh Linh area brings the biological features of brackish water. Undoubtedly, some of you must have understood the feeling when adventuring amongst special valleys on kayaking by yourself, aren’t they? If you’re a big fan of kayaking, please don’t miss a chance to go kayaking in Vem Cave – Ang Thinh Linh on Cat Ba Island.
3. How to rent a kayak in Cat Ba Island
3.1 Coming to Cat Ba Island and rent a kayak on your own
Going kayaking on Cat Ba Island on your own is an amazing experience to discover the entire island. Nevertheless, if you want to do this by yourself, you should go with a group of people; otherwise, you must have detailed information about Cat Ba Archipelago. This helps to ensure tourists’ safety since Cat Ba Archipelago lies in the Gulf of Tonkin and the East Sea where there are a few waves suddenly crashing or limestone reefs might crash into your kayak. Moreover, you may get lost in a cave or on an isolated island. All those things can put tourists in danger. However, If you are an adventurous person, certainly that going kayaking on Cat Ba Island will bring an extraordinary experience for you. The price of renting a kayak depends on the number of tourists in your group. Most service providers of the kayaking concentrate on Beo Harbour.
* If you go with a large of people (>15 people), get to Beo Harbour to buy a ticket and then, hire boats to reach floating-house in Lan Ha Bay so as to go kayaking. Normally, the price for hiring boats from Beo Harbour to Lan Ha Bay is ranging from VND 1,000,000 – VND 4,000,000. At the floating-house in Lan Ha Bay, you can rent a double kayak with VND 50,000 – VND 100,000 and there is no limitation for using time. However, if you go with a large of tourists, the time for using a kayak will be limited due to the time of the tour package.
* If you go with a small of people, hire a big kayak will cause waste. So from Beo Harbour, there are many fishers’ small boats transferring tourists to Lan Ha Bay. The price of a boat is VND 200,000 – 300,000. Please note that there is no life jacket for tourists in the boat of fishers. When reaching Lan Ha Bay, you can hire a kayak to visit the whole island. Otherwise, you can go around Beo Harbour and make an offer with a group of people to share a big boat. Of course, when getting the island, you freely discover the gulf by a kayak.
3.2. Kayaking tour combined with other experiencing patterns on Cat Ba Island
If going on kayaking is only one of the tourism experiences that you want to explore on Cat Ba Island, you should take part in a kayaking tour combined with other tourism activities such as swimming and scuba diving to watch coral reefs. Let’s spend a whole day on Cat Ba Island to enjoy various experiences and relax for relieving the pressures of a normal life.
- Kayaking tour 1 day on Cat Ba Island:
- Price: VND 350,000 – VND 700,000; depending on the attached services and activities.
- Several prestigious travel agents offering a kayaking tour:
| Travel agent | Contacts |
| Cat Ba Express | +84 84 824 4999 |
| Du lich Canh Dieu (Kitetravel) | +84 038 999 8081 |
| Goodmorning Cat Ba | +84 914 607 571 |
Kayaking tour (2 days 1 night): If you have much time and want to go on a kayak, you should take part in some kayaking tours offered by travel companies or kayaking services on Cat Ba Island via hotels, homestays or hostels.
- Price: VND 1,500,000 – VND 2,500,000 depending on the attached services and activities.
- Some prestigious travel companies:
| Travel agents | Contacts |
| Vietsense Travel | +84 916 172 338 |
| Du lich Canh Dieu (Kitetravel) | +84 038 999 8081 |
| Du lich Khat Vong Viet | +84 962 70 5533 – +84 934 507 489 |
3.3. How to rent a kayak on Cat Ba Island via Heritage Cruises – offering accommodations in the gulf
Tourism on Cat Ba Archipelago has become trendy as the second heritage site in Northern Vietnam. Cat Ba Archipelago possesses a primitively natural beauty which is not less than Halong Bay. Finding the cruise that offers overnight accommodation on Cat Ba Island is quite easy since all of the cruises operating on Cat Ba Archipelago provide kayaking service to visit and contemplate the natural landscape around the gulf. They usually offer the kayaking service for free or if have, it’s only a little free so you don’t need to worry. You just need to choose the cruise that you like and enjoy your vacation. If you pick Heritage Cruises as your partner along the trip, you will probably have an unforgettable experience since we’ll help you go back with Vietnamese nautical stories of the early 20th century or you can touch completely the heritage.
How to choose Cat Ba Island Hotels
1. An overview of Cat Ba Island.
Cat Ba Island, the largest island, is featured in breathtaking landscapes and seascapes and a good condition of climate. The beautiful island still keeps its pristine beauty and many tourists have shifted to visit Cat Ba Island, Lan Ha Bay rather than Halong Bay. That helps to stimulate other services regarding accommodations, food, and beverages, tourism activities, etc have been developing. With the aim of bringing visitors unforgettable and fascinating experiences in Cat Ba Island, Heritage Cruises will you some information on how to choose Cat Ba Island hotels when coming to the island.
2. How to choose Cat Ba Island hotels
Being considered as the pearl of the Tonkin Gulf, Cat Ba Island possesses the untouched and impressive beauty so recently, Cat Ba Island has appealed thousands of visitors from both the domestic and international markets. Moreover, it has a cool and fresh climate so tourists can visit Cat Ba Island all-round years, in any season và time. Domestic tourists mainly travel in summer but international ones visit the island from December to March. So you should go to Cat Ba Island on weekdays to avoid overcrowding and running out of hotel rooms or even lowering in service quality.
2.1 Criteria for choosing Cat Ba Island hotels
When choosing Cat Ba Island hotels, it’s essential for you to consider the following criteria.
* Location of Cat Ba Island hotels.
You should stay at the hotels that are located in or around Cat Ba Town and not too far from the center of town. Since Cat Ba Town area concentrates lots of tourism services and is convenient for you to move around the destinations. Some tourists want to stay in hotels that are near the beach, the seaport. etc.
* Facilities and amenities in Cat Ba Island hotels
If you want to check the facilities and amenities of that hotel, go to the website or ask the reservation department. It depends on which types of the hotel that you choose and you should check with hotels before booking.
* Service quality
Service is delivered by human beings. It is different from different hotels and hard to check. If you want to know whether the service quality of this hotel is good or not, you should revise via the feedback on the website or social media. However, there’s no certainty that all of the feedbacks are true, so let be a clever customer.
2.2 Website providing essential information on Cat Ba Island hotels
Due to the non-stop development of the internet, tourists now can book directly hotel rooms through some online channels such as booking.com, Agoda, Hotel84.com, etc rather than through travel agencies as before. So those websites will provide necessary information on hotels in terms of room types, room rates, facilities and amenities, location, benefits included, etc. Tourists can revise and compare the prices amongst those websites prior to booking online or booking directly with Cat Ba Island hotels. Your holidays would be never easy and convenient without the presence of online platforms. They’ll help tourists to choose a good location as well as the price that is suitable for your payment ability, just only login in the website and review the information and finally, book the rooms. Hotel84.com, Agoda, Booking.com, Trivago, My tour, Ivivu, and chudu24, etc.
Besides, you can go directly the website of hotels and make reservations with that hotel. The bonus point is that you can leave your information and the staff will give you some advice based on your case or maybe you can chat straightforward with the online staff for more details.
2.3 How to book online Cat Ba Island hotels
Most of the online platforms provide the same service but the price and supporting services make the difference. Agoda and Booking also have a competitive price yet do not support the customers as much as local booking services in Cat Ba Island. Cat Ba Island hotels have various standards from low to high. Sometimes, tourists will find a better price on online platforms than other sources.
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How to use online booking services
The online booking services on the website will provide a variety of information that is objective and sincere for the users. That information is based on the data that previous customers provided.
Hotels on the online platforms are categorized in terms of prices, locations, customers’ evaluations, etc. The images and feedbacks provided by previous customers would help new customers to evaluate the quality of the hotel.
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Read information about hotels and conditions and terms
Locations and policies of hotels can make a big difference amongst hotels. When booking hotel rooms, you also have to acknowledge the hotel policies since they can be different, for example, the extra fee for the children. The feedback from previous customers on the booking platforms or the hotel websites will provide useful information for those who want to book.
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Booking process and payment
Booking services require the guests to make full payment after making a reservation, which makes sure that you’ll be held bookings until time for check-in. Ensuring the booking process is completed, you need to use an exact email address and phone numbers.
The promotions that offer attractive prices usually go with complicated cancellation processes. For instance, you have to deposit about 50% of the price and then finish your payment before 10 days for departure. It’s highly recommended that you should read carefully cancellation policies and payment procedures of the booking service providers and hotels before making your bookings and make sure that your payment is made on time.
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Comparing prices of different hotels
With lots of online booking services in recent years, tourists will not know which platforms they should use amongst various online booking websites. Besides, the websites used to compare the prices, locations and services of hotels have been developing very fast to deal with this problem. You can search for information on hotels’ prices provided on Agoda, Booking.com, Hotels.com, etc on HotelsCombined to find the best price for your trip.
2.4 Name some Cat Ba Island hotels that you should know
In this article, Heritage Cruises names some Cat Ba Island hotels that have a good location and service, a reasonable price as well as receive lots of positive feedbacks from customers.
* Heritage Cruises – 5 stars
Heritage Cruises provides accommodation services, together with spa, restaurants and outdoor activities for the guests around Cat Ba Island and Lan Ha Bay. The cruise ship offers 1,2 or 3 nights options which bring the guests an opportunity to discover and contemplate the natural landscapes and seascapes here. With modern facilities and high-end services, Heritage Cruises is considered one of the luxurious cruises in Lan Ha Bay, which creates unforgettable and unique cruising experiences for tourists.
* Catba Island Resort & Spa – 4 stars
- Location: Cat Co 1, Cat Ba Island, Cat Hai District, Cat Ba Town.
- Price: VND 1,500,000 – 3,000,000/night
Catba Island Resort & Spa, which is a harmonious combination of the architectures between France and Vietnam, has a good location and a great view and restaurant as well. The Cat Ba Island hotel consists of 165 rooms with an ocean view, which are equipped with wooden and bamboo interiors and modern facilities and furniture regarding mini-bar, offices table, sofa, wardrobe, safe, etc, creating a cozy atmosphere.
Besides, staying at Catba Island Resort & Spa, tourists can contemplate the sea and taste yummy dishes from the restaurants combining between Asian and European gastronomies. Moreover, they can enjoy wines at Fun Pub and Bar or cocktails and relax with professional spa services and other entertaining services. Last but not least, Catba Island Resort & Spa also organizes meetings, events, and conferences. You can search for more information on its website.
* Sea Pearl Hotel – 3 stars
- Location: No. 219, 1.4 Road, Cat Ba Island
- Price: VND 700,000 – 1,500,000/night
Next, we’ll introduce the next Cat Ba Island Hotels is Sea Pearl Hotel. This hotel is near Cat Ba seaport and 800 meters far from Cat Co Beach on foot. The price of Sea Pearl Hotel is a medium-range compared to that of other Cat Ba Island hotels but in terms of facilities, it’s fully-equipped and has a small room space, with an area of 20 – 35m2.
Beside an outdoor swimming pool, the Cat Ba Island hotel also provides guests with other services such as massages, spa, night club, sauna, and other entertainment services.
You can read more on its website Sea Pearl Hotel
* Hai Long Cat Ba Hotel – 2.5 star
- Location: No. 234, 1.4 Road, Cat Ba Town.
- Price: VND 600,000 – 1,300,000/night.
Hai Long hotel has been received lots of compliments from customers due to a good location that is near Cat Ba seaport, a magnificent view and great food. You can book hotel rooms on Agoda without a credit card. There’s an outdoor pool in the Cat Ba Island hotel, along with other services like massage, sauna, etc. However, this hotel is near the main road and crowded with many tourists so sometimes it causes a little bit of noise.
* Cat Ba Green House – 3 stars
- Location: No. 249 Nui Ngoc, Cat Ba Town
- Price: VND 500,000 – 800,000/night
Cat Ba Green House – one of the Cat Ba Island hotels, is known for its reasonable price and beautiful hotel rooms. The hotel rooms in Cat Ba Green House are fully-furnished with modern facilities and amenities including cable TV, air-conditioner, fridge, etc, which brings the guests the feelings as they are home.
* Hai Son Hotel
- Location: No. 27 Tung Dinh Street, Cat Ba Town
- Price: VND 300,000 – 500,000/night
Hai Son Hotel, which focuses on those who have a low and average income, is highly recommended by the tourists due to service quality and hotel rooms. Although this Cat Ba Island hotel isn’t located near Cat Ba seaport or Cat Co Beach, it takes a few minutes from Hai Son Hotel to those places. Interestingly, you will be received warmest greetings from the well-trained staff at the hotel. All rooms are spacious ranging from 20m2 to 28m2 yet cheap.
Do you know how to choose Cat Ba Island hotels? The development of the internet encourages to book Cat Ba Island hotels more convenient and faster through online booking platforms such as Booking.com, Agoda, etc. In this article, Heritage Cruises will give you some useful information about how to book Cat Ba Island hotels online and list out some hotels that are highly recommended by tourists. Hopefully, it will help much with your trip.
Touching Vietnam’s heritage on a masterpiece in the natural wonder of Halong Bay.
Positioning itself as Vietnam’s first boutique cruise, bringing heritage alive with its own stories to tell, the Heritage Cruises fleet aims to provide guests with an authentic and unique cruising experience to showcase Vietnam’s culture, history, and cuisine on the country’s very first art cruise in the natural wonder of the Halong region.
What
Deriving the inspiration for its boutique concept and design from the heritage ships of patriotic entrepreneur Bach Thai Buoi, who was considered as the “King of Cruise Ships” in Vietnam in the early 20th century, Heritage Cruises consists of 20 suites ranging from 33m2 to 80m2, divided into three different categories (Delta, Ocean, and Heritage Suites) with a maximum capacity of 60 guests.
On board, there is a range of luxury amenities including two restaurants, L’Indochine and Le Tonkin, for Vietnamese gourmet cuisine, Vietnam’s first infinity swimming pool, a pool bar, sophisticated wine cellar, and the Red River Lounge for relaxation and contemplating the traditional art form of Hang Trong, unique to Vietnam.
Heritage Cruises hosts a floating exhibition, L’Art de l’Annam, which showcases the first designer art gallery of artist Pham Luc, known as the Picasso of Vietnam, as well as the works of many famous Vietnamese artists. The Bach Thai Buoi Library is ideal for reading and relaxation surrounded by pictures depicting the daily lives of people in northern Vietnam.
Why
Apart from offering a cosier atmosphere, the small size of this ship allows easy access to remote, less-visited places that larger vessels just can’t reach.
This boutique cruise company categorises its ships not using a star rating but by character, quality, style, and the overall unique experience. Each guest is treated like nobility and can experience the finest things in life, in private, and with every tiny detail attended to. Travelers spend their time spotting local wildlife, snorkeling, boating, kayaking, embracing Mother Nature, and passing time with their fellow passengers and crew.
Cruising is all about places, experiences and memories. The Heritage Cruises team ensures that their guests enjoy every single moment on board by providing the chance to cruise the Gulf of Tonkin (Lan Ha Bay, Bai Tu Long Bay, and Halong Bay) complemented by personalized service.
Heritage Cruises combines warm hospitality with a lovely ambiance to make our guests stay a cruising experience to remember.
When
Launching on 7 September 2019, with 1-, 2- and 3-night options, Heritage Cruises will offer authentic experiences on an architecturally designed boutique river and ocean cruise ship departing from Haiphong – only 90 minutes from Hanoi.
Bach Thai Buoi was an inspirational entrepreneur of the early 20th century for many Vietnamese generations. Everything he worked on was aspirational, visionary and for the nation, with profits as an afterthought. He even created a dictionary and a newspaper for the Vietnamese. In the early 20th century, Bach Thai Buoi was ranked among the “four bourgeois tigers” by Hanoians. He was one of the richest, most respected men and the first Vietnamese person to own a car. He had many names, such as the “Lord of the Rivers in Tonkin” and the “King of Ocean Cruise Ships.”
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the launch of the Vietnamese Binh Chuan cruise, which in 1919 became the first ship to cruise along the coastline of Vietnam from Haiphong to Saigon.
How
The Heritage Cruises ship has 20 suites including four Heritage Suites, ten Ocean Suites, and six Delta Suites. The two King and Queen suites are the largest, at 46 sq m, and all suites blend heritage design with the elegance of 1930s Indochina. Heritage Cruises epitomizes the art of cruising with its state-of-the-art suites with floor-to-ceiling windows for panoramic views, 2 restaurants, 3 bars, a year-round infinity swimming pool, 2 spa treatment rooms, fitness center, sauna, hot tub, library, shop, art gallery, and other facilities.
Heritage Cruises is a popular choice amongst travelers to Cat Ba Island, whether exploring or just passing through. Offering a variety of facilities and services, guests enjoy free wi-fi in all rooms, 24-hour room service, 24-hour security, and daily housekeeping. Comfortable guestrooms ensure a good night’s sleep with some rooms featuring facilities such as complimentary tea and coffee and free welcome drink.
Where
Halong Bay is one of the New Wonders of the World and tourists flock to sail on its karst-dotted waters in the Gulf of Tonkin. A few miles away, however, is another bay that is just as beautiful but with fewer tourists. Heritage Cruises provides guests with a unique twist in the natural wonder of Lan Ha Bay in the Cat Ba Archipelago, easily reached from Haiphong.
The Heritage Cruises route sails through the unique landscape of the Cat Ba Archipelago. 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 its national park, which is the home to the highly endangered Cat Ba Langur. The Cat Ba Archipelago boasts pristine beaches, secluded lagoons, coves, tropical forests, and lakes, allowing holidaymakers to swim, kayak and bike to fully experience the Gulf of Tonkin. The itinerary also includes the fishing villages of Lan Ha Bay, and watersports such as kayaking, squid fishing, and snorkeling as well as wildlife spotting.
Who
Heritage Cruises is available for FITs (free independent travelers), small groups and charters. This top-notch cruising experience is perfect for repeat travelers to Vietnam wanting something out of the ordinary and exotic.
The exclusive cruising experiences are highly recommended for heritage travelers, seasoned leisure travelers, active holidaymakers, honeymooners, families, fine-art enthusiasts, nature lovers, photographers, groups of friends, VIPs and celebrities.
Heritage Cruises operates from Got Harbor in Haiphong, on a daily basis for the day cruise, with scheduled 1-, 2-, 3- and 4-night programs. In addition, Heritage Expeditions is the first cruise line to offer a 4-night option in the Halong region as well as special event cruises. Private air or helicopter charters for leisure and professionals are available upon request.
Verdict
From October 1 to December 30, guests can discover, explore, and relax in the natural wonders of the Cat Ba Archipelago and Lan Ha Bay, one of the most beautiful marine areas in Vietnam, on cruises starting from VND3.99 million ($170) per adult per night for maiden voyages, valid until 30 December 2019.
The rate includes accommodation in a Delta Suite for two, with ocean views from a private balcony, a light breakfast, lunch and dinner, drinks from the minibar, roundtrip transfers between Hanoi and Got Harbor, and use of the four-season swimming pool, sauna, gym, and kayaks.
Two children under 12 years of age can sleep with their parents for free. For more information, contact 088 603 6668 or email [email protected], or discover more at www.heritagecruises.com.
Trung Trang Cave or Quan Y Cave with the beauty inside
The Quan Y cave, or Hospital cave, in the heart of the Cat Ba mountains is a source of pride for the Vietnamese military since it was used extensively during the American War. The hospital is no longer active, but the historical value of the cave remains as it still contains many traces of its activities.
Located between Gia Luan port and Cat Ba town, a major stopping-off point on the 4-day Heritage Cruises expedition, Quan Y Cave is located in Tran Chau commune, belonging to Cat Ba National Park. The entrance to the cave is located up in the mountain, hidden by dense forest on both sides. The cave has a unique topography with stalactites, stalagmites, and coastal limestone formed by sediments.
Previously, Quan Y cave was named Hung Son cave, as it was discovered by a General from the Tran dynasty who participated in a battle on the historic Bach Dang River. During the American War, in the 1960s, the cave was turned into a hospital for wounded soldiers as well as a shelter from the bombing for the local people who had escaped from Bach Long Vy island. The hospital could treat over 100 wounded soldiers with 17 treatment rooms and ancillary rooms. There was also a swimming pool, cinema and fitness center in the heart of the cave. Even after the war, every time there was a storm, people headed to the caves to take shelter.
Through the intervening years, the structure inside the Quan Y cave remained quite intact as it is totally self-contained, the reinforced concrete structure making it effectively bomb-proof. The cave is 200 meters long with the entrance facing west and the exit facing east on Cat Ba mountain.
Through the three thick doors at the entrance, the hospital is spread across three floors. The first floor is the main area containing operating theaters, waiting rooms, and medicine stores. The cinema and fitness center are on the second floor as well as a treatment area. On the third floor is a reception hall, a guard room, and an office. Due to the nature of the wartime hospital, Quan Y cave is also equipped with a perfect ventilation system for fresh air as well as an efficient drainage system.
There are still traces of the medicine cabinets that were fixed to the walls as well as an emergency exit from the third floor down to the first floor to escape through the exit which was hidden behind large stalactites. The construction of a large, fully equipped wartime hospital in a cave with wards and operating theaters is still impressive.
Many visitors are drawn to such a historic place on Cat Ba island as this lovely cave was used to create a place of safety for wounded soldiers.
Visitors participating in Heritage Expenditions (4 days & 3 nights) will get the chance to discover and contemplate marvelous beauty of Trung Trang Cave or Quan Y Cave.
Experiencing A Masterpiece In The Natural Wonder
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COMPLIMENTARY A ROUND-TRIP TRANSFER HANOI – GOT HARBOUR
Are you ready to cruise artfully with historical Heritage Cruises – Vietnam’s First Boutique Cruise Brings Heritage Alive. Read More
Ba Ham Lake
Situated on the southwest side of Halong Bay, Ba Ham Lake is found on Dau Be Island (Calf Head Island) in Lan Ha Bay, Cat Ba Archipelago.
This island is part of the range of islands at the farthest end of Halong Bay, bordering the immense Long Chau archipelago, home to the oldest lighthouse in Vietnam. Ba Ham Lake is situated in the middle of a narrow, rectangular area, with all four sides enclosed by vertical cliffs.
Ba Ham Lake still retains it mysterious and unspoiled beauty, thanks to its hidden location which make access quite difficult. The only way to explore this amazing attraction is by kayak or rowing boat through a cave at low tide, the stalactites hanging down in clusters, forming many strange shapes.
The lake is a system comprising three wide, round pits, linked together by narrow and meandering tunnels. Stalactites hang from the ceiling in a myriad of strange, colored forms. The silence is disturbed only by the sounds of the boat’s oars. Surrounded by cliffs, Ba Ham Lake is completely quiet, and the only sound is the whispering waves and birdsong.
On the island are many species of plants such as orchids, benjamin figs, banyans, and cycads, which blossom throughout the year. It is also the home of yellow-haired monkeys, colorful birds, flying squirrels, and bats. Beneath the deep blue surface of the water it is teeming with fishes and shrimps.
Ba Ham Lake is also famed for its ecological diversity. On the limestone cliffs surrounding the lake, you can see the intense green color of the tropical vegetation which is rich in indigenous species. The lake is home to three endemic plant species of Halong Bay including Halong Cycad (Cycas tropophylla), Halong palm tree, and Halong Paplliopedilum, which is yellow in color. Don’t be surprised if you catch sight of monkeys, squirrels, or rare birds because they have called this place home for many years.
Although only 25km from Got Harbor, it is another world and the beauty of Ba Ham Lake has attracted the attention of explorers and nature lovers for a long time. In the book “Merveilles de Monde – Wonders of the World” published in 1938, it introduced the landscapes and described the lake as follows: “Arriving at Ba Ham Lake, the first impressions are of its beauty, just like Hang Luon or Sung Sot cave, but the scenery here is even nicer. The entrance to Ba Ham Lake is not as easy as that of Luon Cave, but it is interesting to explore. The semicircular entrance is in the sheer cliffs of the northwest of the island, 4 – 5m above the surface of the sea”.
Visitors participating in Heritage Explorer (3 days, 2 nights) will have the opportunities to discover and contemplate the charmingly natural beauty of Ba Ham Lake.
The float-out ceremony of the first 5-star boutique cruise
On 18th June 2019, Nam Phat Shipbuilding and Shipping JSC cooperated with Heritage Cruises JSC to organize the Float-Out Ceremony of the first boutique cruise in the Gulf of Tonkin in Quang Yen Town, Quang Ninh Province. It’s true that Heritage Cruises is completely invested by Heritage Cruises Joint Stock Company, which is the member of Lux Group.
Heritage Cruises is the third cruise of Lux Group and the first 5-star boutique cruise ship in the Gulf of Tonkin, Vietnam.
Deriving the inspiration for its boutique concept and design from the heritage ships of patriotic entrepreneur Bach Thai Buoi who is considered as “King of cruise ship” in Vietnam in the early 20th century, Heritage Cruises consists of 20 suites ranging from 33m2 to 80m2, divided into 4 different categories with a maximum capacity of 60 guests. Besides, there have been luxury amenities including two restaurants related to Indochine and Le Tonkin for Vietnamese gourmet cuisine, Vietnam’s first infinity swimming pool and pool bar, luxury wine cellar, Red River Lounge for relaxing and contemplating the original arts of Hang Trong. Heritage Cruises, especially, offers a floating exhibition, L’Art de l’Annam which shows the first designer art gallery of artist Pham Luc, known as the Picasso of Vietnam, as well as the works of many famous Vietnamese artists and Bach Thai Buoi Library for reading and relaxation which displays the pictures depicting the daily life of people in Northern Vietnam before The August Revolution.
In the float-out ceremony of Heritage Cruises, Mr. Pham Manh Ha – CEO of Lux Group 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 a 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 Halong Bay, equipped with waste treatment system to avoid littering and disposing directly to the ocean and protect the natural environment during the journey with Heritage Cruises”.
In the float-out ceremony, there is a special guest – Mrs. Bach Que Huong, who is the great-granddaughter of patriotic entrepreneur Bach Thai Buoi. She is considered as the godmother of Heritage Cruises. She said: “By 2019, Heritage Cruises floats out, there have been a full 100 years (1919 – 2019) since my great-grandfather floated out Binh Chuan Ship. I’m really emotional when I can see with my own eyes a part of the family’s history which is partly reconstituted on Heritage Cruises. I would like to say thank Mr. Pham Ha, who is imbued with the spirit “Vietnamese people boarding Vietnamese cruise ship” which my great-grandfather takes the initiative in the early 20th century. Heritage Cruises seems to bring guests not only the style but the spirit of Bach Thai Buoi as well”.
The first voyage of Heritage Cruises is expected to start on June 2019, with an initial price from VND 10,000,000/cabin for 2 days 1 night trip.
Contact us at website if you need any further information.
