We watch people unpack every week, and the same items are missing every time. This is not a generic tropical packing list — it is what actually matters on an island where the weather changes fast, half the days involve a boat, and the nearest shop may be an hour away by water.
The five things guests most often forget
- A dry bag. Boat days and kayaking both end with spray. A 10–20 litre dry bag protects a phone, passport and camera and costs almost nothing.
- Cash. There is no ATM in Viet Hai village and card acceptance is patchy outside Cat Ba town. Draw money before you get on the boat.
- Mosquito repellent. Dusk near the rice fields is when you need it, and village shops do not stock it.
- A head torch. Village paths are unlit and the valley gets properly dark.
- Any medication you actually rely on. The nearest pharmacy is in town.
Clothing by season
May to September — hot and humid
- Light, loose, quick-dry clothing — cotton stays wet all day
- A long-sleeve sun shirt: cooler than bare arms on a boat and better than reapplying sunscreen
- Swimwear × 2, so one is always dry
- Hat with a chin cord — the bay is windy
- A light rain jacket. Afternoon downpours are heavy and brief
October to November — the best months
- Everything above, plus one light layer for evenings and boat mornings
December to March — cool and damp
- A proper warm layer. A damp 17°C feels colder than the number suggests, and rooms here are not heated
- A windproof layer for boat days — this is the one people underestimate
- Closed shoes; trails stay muddy for days
Footwear — the one thing worth getting right
- Trainers or light hiking shoes with grip. Cat Ba National Park trails are limestone rock and tree roots, slippery when wet, and genuinely steep in places. People attempt them in flip-flops every week and some of them get hurt.
- Sandals with a heel strap for boats and kayaks. Flip-flops come off in water.
- That is it. Two pairs.
For boat and kayak days
- Dry bag (again — it is the single most useful item)
- Sunglasses with a strap
- Reef-safe sunscreen, high factor
- A microfibre towel
- More water than you plan to drink
- Motion sickness tablets if you are prone — small boats in choppy water are a different experience from a ferry
What not to bother bringing
- Heavy hiking boots. Overkill for these distances and miserable in humidity.
- Formal clothes. There is nowhere on this island that requires them.
- A hairdryer. Nothing dries in summer anyway, and rooms have limited sockets.
- Large amounts of toiletries. Cat Ba town has everything.
- A drone, unless you have checked. Much of the bay and the national park is protected and flight rules apply; ask locally before you launch.
Documents and practicalities
- Passport — needed for hotel check-in everywhere in Vietnam
- Travel insurance covering kayaking and trekking; medical evacuation from an island is slow and expensive
- An eSIM bought before arrival — coverage is good across most of the island
- A photo of your passport stored offline
- Cash, and enough of it. Many local restaurants, small shops and boat operators have no card machine at all, and those that do often cannot take international cards. Withdraw what you need in Cat Ba town before you travel on to the village
One last thing
Do not worry about packing perfectly. Cat Ba town has shops for almost anything you forget, and the walk from the pier into the village is short and flat, so travel light and enjoy the trip. If you are not sure whether to bring something, message us before you pack and we will tell you honestly whether you will actually use it.
Staying with us in Viet Hai
Lan Homestay is a family-run guesthouse in Viet Hai village, inside Cat Ba National Park. We have thatched-roof garden bungalows and mountain-view rooms, all with private bathrooms, at a fair village rate — message us for the current one.
Bicycle hire is 30,000 VND per bike for the whole day (a little over one US dollar). No road links our valley to the rest of the island, so there is no through traffic — most guests only understand what that means once they are riding it.
Evenings here are a family dinner: one long table, everyone staying that night eating together — garden vegetables, island seafood, our own herbs. If you would rather eat on your own schedule, our quick-food menu is available all day with 20 minutes’ notice. For something special — seafood hotpot or a seafood BBQ — tell us one day in advance so we can buy fresh from the boats that morning.
We also arrange what is awkward to organise from abroad: boat transfers from Cat Ba town or Ben Beo pier, full-day Lan Ha Bay boat tours, kayaking, night kayaking to see bioluminescent plankton in the warm months, and guided treks in the national park.
Book or ask us anything:
Website: lanhomestay.com
WhatsApp: +84 363 934 325
Email: info@lanhomestay.com
Find us: Thon 2, Viet Hai Village, Cat Ba Island, Hai Phong, Vietnam
Keep reading
- Best Time to Visit Cat Ba Island: A Month-by-Month Guide
- Cat Ba National Park: Hiking, Wildlife & the World’s Rarest Primate
