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.
