The famous Cat Ba beaches — Cat Co 1, 2 and 3 — sit right below the town, and in 2026 that is exactly their problem. The town is in the middle of a large reclamation and construction project, parts of the seafront are fenced, and the beaches closest to it have taken the worst of it. The good news is that the best swimming on this archipelago was never in town anyway. Here is which beaches still deliver and how to reach them.
Are the Cat Ba town beaches worth it?
| Beach | Access | State in 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Cat Co 1 | Walk or taxi from town | Partly affected by construction; busy in summer |
| Cat Co 2 | Cliff path from Cat Co 1 | Quieter of the three, small |
| Cat Co 3 | Cliff path / resort access | Most developed, resort-adjacent |
The cliff walkway that links them is the nicest part — a path cut into the rock above the water. Cannon Fort is the classic viewpoint above these beaches. Access has been unreliable in recent seasons, so check locally before making the trip up.
Which Cat Ba beaches are worth taking a boat to?
Lan Ha Bay is full of small sand coves at the foot of limestone islands, most of them reachable only by boat or kayak. They have no facilities, no vendors and often nobody on them. This is the real answer to “where are the good beaches on Cat Ba”.
Two things to know. First, many of them disappear at high tide — a cove that is thirty metres of sand at 10:00 can be gone by 15:00. Second, there is no shade on most of them. Take water and something to sit under.
Getting here is the part most guests worry about. Tell us your arrival city and date and we will put the whole chain together — bus, boat and the cart from the pier — and meet you at Viet Hai. See how the transfer works, or just send us the dates.
When is swimming best on Cat Ba Island?
| Months | Sea | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| May–Sep | 28–30°C | Warm as a bath. Storm risk in the afternoons |
| Oct–Nov | 25–27°C | The sweet spot: warm water, clear air, no crowds |
| Dec–Feb | 18–21°C | Cold. Most people do not swim |
| Mar–Apr | 21–25°C | Warming up, often misty |
Are there jellyfish or currents on Cat Ba beaches?
Jellyfish appear at certain times, mostly in the warmer months, and are usually a nuisance rather than a danger. The bigger risk is distance: the bay is calm and inviting and it is very easy to swim or paddle further from the boat than you intended. Wear the life jacket on kayak trips even though the water looks harmless — see our boat safety guide.
How do you reach the quiet beaches on Cat Ba?
Two ways. A bay boat that includes swimming stops will take you to several in a day — that is what most of a full-day Lan Ha Bay trip is. Or, if you are staying on the village side, kayak to them: from Viet Hai there are coves within an easy afternoon’s paddle that the day boats out of town never reach, because they are on a schedule.
Boat rates move with the season and the size of the group, so ask us for the current one rather than working from a number you read somewhere.
What should you bring to a Lan Ha Bay beach?
- Water. No vendors, no taps.
- Shade. A sarong and a hat; most coves have none.
- Reef-safe sunscreen, and none at all on your hands if you are night paddling later.
- Shoes you can swim in. Limestone and oyster shells cut.
- A bag for your rubbish. There is nowhere to leave it, and plastic in this bay is a real problem.
Frequently asked questions
Answered by the Lan family in Viet Hai — the people who run the boats, cook the dinner and pick you up at the pier.
Are the Cat Co beaches ruined?
Not ruined — diminished. They are still swimmable and still pretty in the early morning. They are simply no longer the best thing about the island.
Which is the best beach on Cat Ba?
An unnamed cove in the bay, reached by kayak, at about 16:00 with nobody else on it. That is not a dodge — the whole point is that the good ones are not on the road network.
Can I swim in winter?
You can. At 19°C most people manage about four minutes.
Are there lifeguards?
At the town beaches in high season, sometimes. Nowhere else.
Is the water clean?
In the bay, yes and noticeably so away from the town. Close to construction and harbours it is less appealing.
Want a day built around swimming?
Tell us your dates and we will work out the tides and put the beaches in the right order. WhatsApp +84 363 934 325 or message us here.
Read next
Where to stay in Viet Hai
If this trip brings you into the village, the rooms and bungalows at Lan Homestay are a few minutes on foot from the centre: the garden bungalow (triple) works well for families, and the mountain-view double room for couples.
