27/12/2022 | 5:30:20 PM

A Detailed Guide To Lan Ha Bay Vietnam

Are you looking for a fantastic getaway experience in Northern Vietnam? Lan Ha Bay near Cat Ba island is our favorite choice. Although we’ve been there several times, its majestic scenery, rich biological system, and outdoor activities have always charmed us.

About Lan Ha Bay Vietnam

Located in the south of Ha Long Bay and the eastern part of the Cat Ba archipelago, Lan Ha Bay has become a favorite destination for both domestic and international travelers in recent years.

This archipelago has over 7000 hectares, including over 400 large and small islands, and is famous for its untapped beaches and pristine beauty. The bay has a density of limestone mountains separating the sea surface into groves and small bays. Most of the hills have not been fully explored, so they remain untouched, like Guoc, Doi, Ham Rong, Tung caves Bear, Ca cave, etc. 

There are hundreds of deserted golden sandy beaches in the bay for those who enjoy relaxing and swimming.

Many sandy beaches stretch between two rocky mountains, offering a quiet and exclusive experience. Some popular ones are Van Boi beach, Cat Dua beach, and Monkey Island.

Weather in Lan Ha bay

In general, the climate in Lan Ha Bay is quite fresh and cool, thanks to its surrounding.

The average temperature here is about 25 – 28 degrees C. The weather can reach 30 degrees in the summer while only about 15 to 20 degrees in the winter.

The ideal time to visit Lan Ha Bay

You can visit Lan Ha Bay any time of the year because this place gathers almost all resort-exploring experiences.

The best time to visit Lan Ha Bay is from March to July. There are often storms in the late summer (August – October), so you should consider carefully before visiting.

How to travel to Lan Ha Bay

To get to Lan Ha Bay, you must first travel to Cat Ba Island (Hai Phong). You can travel from Hanoi to Cat Ba by bus for about 3 hours. After getting to Cat Ba center, come to Ben Beo and buy tickets to visit Lan Ha Bay at 80,000 VND per person. There are many options to visit Lan Ha Bay, including motorboats, wooden boats, and luxury yachts. We recommend joining Lan Ha Bay tours and exploring the bay on a wooden ship. 

Best places to stay on Cat Ba island

Many hotels in Cat ba town have been upgraded and repaired recently, offering better services and experiences. 

We enjoyed our stay at Trung Trang Eco Stay. The bungalows were beautiful, with mountain views. We also loved the panoramic view of the jungle from the restaurant. It was fantastic!

Monkey Island Resort offers relaxing stays in wooden bungalows if you seek a private beachfront. We enjoyed the outdoor activities there, especially the trek exploring the island. The view from the beach bungalow is excellent as well.

Things to do at Lan Ha Bay Vietnam

1. See the limestone mountains

Our favorite part of cruising Lan Ha bay is exploring its majestic mountains. 

These limestone mountains stand out on a stunningly clear blue sea. There are hundreds of them, and each is named according to its shape or the local’s imagination.  The density of limestone mountains is impressive, and many caves have not been discovered yet.

2. Try kayaking

We also love kayaking on our trip to Lan Ha. Paddling through the ravines and visiting the caves was a fantastic experience. Some famous caves to explore are Hang Sang and Hang Toi.

You can sign up for the Lan Ha Bay cruise tour and kayak around the bay. The meetup point is 223 Mot Thang Tu street, Cat Ba town.

3. Swimming and watching corals

Depending on your tour schedule, the boat often chooses one of the limestones to stop by and let visitors immersed in the clear blue water.

We enjoyed a swim from the boat to the island, explored the cave, and swam back to a ship.  

4. Enjoy seafood

In addition to beaches, visiting Cua Van Fishing Village or stopping by the local rafting house is an exciting experience. Here, you can try fresh seafood raised on the raft, such as cobia, crab, mussels, abalone, and grouper.

5. Experience the wooden deluxe junks

For those who love luxurious experiences, we suggest staying on an overnight deluxe junks around Lan Ha Bay. 

You will have the opportunity to experience the cruise with space and service comparable to a boutique hotel floating at sea in Lan Ha bay, Halong Bay and Catba Bay

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Tripadvisor reviews

“Best part of Vietnam”

We booked a 3 day, 2 night tour through the Cat Ba Island area with Blue Swimmer Adventure and had a wonderful time! Our first night on the fish farm was quite a memorable experience and something I would highly recommend to anyone in Vietnam. Our second night on a boat docked 50 meters from the fish farm was also nice but very similar to the night on the fish farm. The islands were incredibly scenic and our guide was extremely nice! These were the best parts of the trip. Our trip included a lot of kayaking which we loved, but for those who aren’t as active, it might have been tough. We kayaked probably 3 hours or so on the first day. It was great! In terms of value, it seemed as if the owner is making quite a profit. They were quite frugal with providing us with water and any type of beer, soft drink, or more water was extra cost. This was a bit unfortunate given how cheap everything in Vietnam is and that we paid about $395 per person for the 2 night experience. Although, the food was quite good and we were not hungry. I would recommend this to friends, especially if the price reflected the prices of the goods we were consuming. Thanks Thung for your time and good will as a guide.

Matt Temp (Portland, Oregon)
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