Lan Ha Bay is the 7,000-hectare stretch of water on the eastern side of Cat Ba Island, with around 400 limestone islands, 139 small beaches and a fraction of the boats that crowd Ha Long Bay next door. It has been part of the Ha Long Bay–Cat Ba Archipelago World Heritage site since 16 September 2023 and a member of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World club since 26 January 2020. Our family runs boats and a homestay on the village side of this bay; this guide covers when to come, how to reach it, where to sleep, the fixed fees, and what to do on the water.
| Where | East and south-east of Cat Ba Island, Cat Hai Special Zone, Hai Phong — about 30 km from Hai Phong city, 3–3.5 hours from Hanoi |
| Size | Over 7,000 ha of water, around 400 islands, 139 small beaches; more than 5,400 ha lies inside Cat Ba National Park |
| Status | World Heritage (Ha Long Bay–Cat Ba Archipelago) since 16 September 2023; Cat Ba Biosphere Reserve since 2 December 2004; Most Beautiful Bays in the World club since 26 January 2020 |
| Best months | October–November and March–April; May–September is warm, busy and stormier |
| Main harbour | Ben Beo, on the edge of Cat Ba town; speedboat to Viet Hai village about 15 minutes |
| Fixed fees | Bay ticket 120,000 VND adult / 60,000 VND child (free under 6 or under 1.2 m); electric cart at Viet Hai 50,000 VND per person |
| Wildlife | More than 90 Cat Ba langurs (late 2024) on the coastal cliffs; macaques on the islands; fish farms of grouper and cobia |
On this page: What and where · Lan Ha vs Ha Long · Best time, month by month · How to get there · Where to stay · Main attractions · Activities · Fixed fees · What to eat · What to pack · Safety and weather · Responsible travel · FAQ
What and where is Lan Ha Bay?
Lan Ha Bay is the water between Cat Ba Island and the open Gulf of Tonkin, on the Hai Phong side of the limestone seascape that Ha Long made famous. It covers more than 7,000 hectares, over 5,400 of them managed by Cat Ba National Park. The islands — around 400 — are the same drowned karst as Ha Long: steep forested towers, caves at the waterline and pockets of sand at their feet. The bay counts 139 of those beaches, most without a name or a footprint.
Three designations matter. In 2004 UNESCO named the Cat Ba archipelago a World Biosphere Reserve. On 26 January 2020 the bay joined the Most Beautiful Bays in the World club. And on 16 September 2023, in Riyadh, the World Heritage Committee extended the 1994 Ha Long Bay listing to include the Cat Ba archipelago under criteria (vii) and (viii). The combined site has a core zone of 65,650 hectares, 1,133 islands — 775 on the Ha Long side, 358 on the Cat Ba side — and some 4,910 recorded species. Since 1 July 2025 the bay has been administered as part of the Cat Hai Special Zone of Hai Phong.
Lan Ha Bay vs Ha Long Bay
Since September 2023 the two bays are one World Heritage site; the rock, the water and the light are the same. Ha Long has the international name, the port at Tuan Chau and the large ships. Lan Ha has a working harbour at Ben Beo, smaller boats, kayak routes through caves the ships cannot enter, and a village on its far shore. Our full comparison is in Lan Ha Bay vs Ha Long Bay; the short version is below.
| Lan Ha Bay | Ha Long Bay | |
|---|---|---|
| Province | Hai Phong (Cat Hai Special Zone) | Quang Ninh |
| World Heritage | Included 16 September 2023 (extension) | Inscribed 1994 |
| Islands | Around 400; 358 within the heritage core | 775 within the heritage core |
| Departure point | Ben Beo harbour, Cat Ba town | Tuan Chau and Ha Long city ports |
| Boat traffic | Day boats and a smaller overnight fleet | The large cruise fleet |
| Kayaking | Bright and Dark cave, lagoons, empty coves | From the cruise ship, at its anchorage |
| Land base | Cat Ba town or Viet Hai village, both on the water | Ha Long city, a road transfer from the port |
| Best for | Independent travellers, kayakers, a village night | Luxury cruise ships, first-time cruise passengers |
Best time to visit Lan Ha Bay, month by month
The bay has a northern Vietnamese climate: hot, wet summers with typhoons, cool misty winters. Hai Phong records around 116 rainy days a year, most between May and September. October and November are the sweet spot; March and April are a close second. The reasoning is in best time to visit Cat Ba.
| Month | Weather and sea | What it is like on the bay |
|---|---|---|
| January | Cool, 15–20°C on many days; sea around 18°C; low grey sky | Empty water, misty karsts. Kayaking and the village, not swimming. Tet falls in late January or February and fills the island for a week |
| February | Cool and damp; sea 18–20°C | Quietest month outside Tet. Good for trekking and cycling; bring a warm layer for the boat |
| March | Warming; sea 21–23°C; morning mist | Photographers’ month. Boats fill again from the middle of the month |
| April | Warm; sea 23–25°C; clearer skies | Very good. Ferries and rooms sell out around the 30 April holiday — book ahead |
| May | Hot; sea 28°C; first storms | Swimming season opens. Bioluminescence starts on moonless nights and runs to September |
| June | Hot and humid; sea 29–30°C; afternoon storms | Busy with Vietnamese holidaymakers. Storm warnings can close the bay for a day, occasionally three |
| July | Peak heat; sea 30°C; typhoon season | Most boats on the water. Fish stream at Viet Hai at its liveliest (July–September) |
| August | Hot; sea 29–30°C; typhoon season | As July. Keep a spare half-day in case the bay closes |
| September | Still hot; sea 28–29°C; storms tail off | Crowds thin after the 2 September holiday. Last month for plankton |
| October | Warm and dry; sea 26–27°C; clear air | The best month. Warm water, thin crowds, long views |
| November | Mild; sea 25°C; dry | Nearly as good as October. Evenings cooler; swimming still comfortable for most |
| December | Cool; sea 20–21°C; mist returns | Few swimmers, empty bay, extraordinary light on clear afternoons |
How to get to Lan Ha Bay
The route changed in 2026: the old Got pier is closed to tourist traffic, and every crossing from the Hai Phong side now leaves from Dong Bai pier, about 20 km east of the city, landing at Cai Vieng wharf on Cat Ba. The car ferry takes about 15 minutes and runs roughly every half hour; the passenger speedboat crosses in under ten. From Cai Vieng a road runs across the island to Cat Ba town and Ben Beo harbour, where the bay boats leave.
From Hanoi
A door-to-door bus or limousine van collects you in the Old Quarter, runs the expressway to Dong Bai, crosses by ferry and continues to Cat Ba town: 3 to 3.5 hours in total, several departures each morning. A private car reaches the pier in about 2.5 hours and suits families with luggage. Pick-up points and missed connections are covered in Hanoi to Cat Ba in 2026.
From Hai Phong
From Cat Bi airport or the railway station it is a 25–30 minute taxi to Dong Bai pier, then the crossing. Cat Bi’s second terminal is due around 2027 and will make flying in far more practical.
From Ha Long
Ferries cross from Tuan Chau to Gia Luan pier in the north of Cat Ba. Since 20 April 2026, licensed cross-bay routes also allow an overnight cruise to start in Ha Long Bay and end in Lan Ha — some itineraries stop at the mouth of our valley. What has been licensed, and what it means for your route, is in Cat Ba as the gateway to both bays in 2026.
From Ninh Binh
Direct buses link Tam Coc and Ninh Binh city with Cat Ba via Hai Phong; budget four to six hours door to door.
Reaching Viet Hai village
Viet Hai sits on the far shore and no road links it to the rest of Cat Ba — not by regulation, but by geography. From Ben Beo a speedboat crosses in about 15 minutes, then an electric cart runs about 10 minutes through a tunnel in the hill into the valley. Ben Beo has no ticket office and no timetable; boats are arranged, not scheduled, so fix the crossing a day ahead. The other way in is on foot across the national park, 9–12 km and four to five hours, with your bag sent ahead by boat for 350,000 VND. Every option is compared in how to get to Viet Hai village.
Where to stay on Lan Ha Bay
Three real answers: the harbour town, the village on the far shore, or a boat. Each puts you on a different part of the bay at a different time of day, which matters more than the room. The long form is in where to stay on Cat Ba: town or village.
| Cat Ba town | Viet Hai village | Overnight cruise | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where you wake up | Harbour front, near Ben Beo | Farming valley inside the national park, no road out | At anchor among the islands |
| Getting there | Bus or car from Cai Vieng wharf | Speedboat from Ben Beo about 15 min, cart 10 min | Board at Ben Beo, or in Ha Long on a cross-bay route |
| Choice | Hundreds of hotels, hostels, restaurants, ATMs | A handful of homestays, family cooking, no ATM | Cabins from simple to sea-view suite |
| The bay | By day boat from the harbour | Out of the door: kayak, cycle, trek, sunset paddle | All day and all night, on set routes |
| Evenings | Seafood street, bars, the 2026 seafront construction | One long dinner table, a valley that empties when the day boats leave | Dinner on deck, squid fishing, the water going dark |
| Best for | Short stays, nightlife, choice | A night that shows what the bay is for | One special night on the water |
The village is our home: a farming valley cleared around 1930 by two landowners from Hoanh Bo and ten tenant farmers, 87 households and about 295 people today, mains electricity only since 16 August 2009, and since June 2025 Hai Phong’s 13th recognised community tourism site. Lan Homestay has 15 rooms — garden bungalows and mountain-view rooms with private bathrooms — breakfast included, check-in 11:30–13:00.
Our signature trip is 2 Days in Viet Hai: pick-up in Hanoi, a full day on the bay by boat and kayak, the night in the valley and the morning the day boats never see, back to Hanoi the next evening. With a third day, the 3-day cruise and homestay adds a night at anchor and a cooking class before the village and Navy Peak. Both include tickets and transfers; rates move with the season and group size — ask us for the current one.
The main attractions in Lan Ha Bay
Every boat sells a version of the same six stops; what differs is the order and the time of day. We rank them by the time each earns in the best attractions in Lan Ha Bay.
Cai Beo floating village
About 1.5 km south-east of Cat Ba town, and the first thing every boat from Ben Beo passes. What you see is a working settlement of fish-farm rafts; what you cannot see is why archaeologists care. Madeleine Colani identified the site in 1938, excavations between 1973 and 2006 found three cultural layers reaching back some 7,000 years, and it became a national relic in 2009. The rafts have been consolidated in recent years; the view is emptier than in older photographs.
Monkey Island (Cat Dua)
A beach with a troop of macaques and a short, steep viewpoint trail. Swim, climb if the rock is dry, and keep every bit of food inside your bag. These are macaques, not langurs; the langur lives on coastal limestone cliffs and is seen from the water, if at all.
Bright and Dark cave
A rock tunnel you paddle through into an enclosed lagoon, and the best-known kayak stop in the bay. Short, flat and fine for first-timers; by late morning also the busiest place on the water. Boats from the village side reach it early or late, when it is closer to silent.
Ba Trai Dao
Three small coves under limestone cliffs towards the outer edge of the bay, with clear water for swimming. There is some coral around Ba Trai Dao and the southern islets, but visibility varies with tide and season, so treat snorkelling as a bonus. The beaches shrink to nothing at high tide; check the timing before you promise anyone sand.
The floating fish farms
Family rafts with pens of grouper and cobia, often the lunch stop on a day boat. Hai Phong cut the number of cages in the bay by roughly three quarters when it moved the farms into two planned zones at Ben Beo and Gia Luan; the rafts you visit are the ones that remain. Buy what you eat from the family, in cash.
Viet Hai village
The far shore. Day boats give it about forty minutes: enough to cycle the valley road and put your feet in the fish stream, not enough to see why people stay. It is often called an ancient fishing village; it is neither, and the real story — tenant farmers in 1930, oil lamps until 2009, a radar station bombed on the ridge above — is better. Read the Viet Hai village guide before deciding how long to give it.
Things to do on Lan Ha Bay
Kayaking
The best way to see the bay. A day boat carries the kayaks to Bright and Dark cave, a lagoon or an empty cove; from the village side you can also paddle straight out from the pier. Sit-on-top doubles, life jackets on, an hour or two at a time. No experience is needed for the cave; the outer islands need calm water and a guide.
Swimming
Off the boat, off a beach, in a lagoon. The sea runs 28–30°C from May to September, 25–27°C in October and November, and 18–21°C from December to February, when few people go in.
Trekking
Two peaks and one crossing. Ngu Lam, 220 m, is the classic short walk near park headquarters: about 1 hour 45 minutes return through the Kim Giao forest. Navy Peak (Hai Quan), 259 m, is a different hill directly above Viet Hai: about three hours return, a 360° view over the valley, Lan Ha and the southern edge of Ha Long, and the site of a naval radar station built in 1965 and moved in 1968 after repeated bombing. We guide the Navy Peak hike from the homestay. The crossing is the trek from park headquarters to Viet Hai, 9–12 km and four to five hours, past the 3.2 ha swamp forest at Ao Ech. Expect macaques on all three.
Cycling
Viet Hai’s valley road is flat and about 1.6 km end to end, with lanes to the fish stream and the trailheads. Bicycles cost 30,000 VND a day, free for guests who book a tour with us.
Squid fishing
After dinner, overnight boats hang a lamp over the stern and hand out lines; the squid come to the light. It is a pastime rather than a harvest — some nights nothing bites — but a good reason to sit on deck in the dark.
Sunset and bioluminescence
From May to September, on the darkest nights of the lunar month, the water on the village side lights up when a paddle moves through it. We go out at sunset, wait for full dark, and paddle back through the plankton. It needs a moonless night and calm water, so we plan it by the lunar calendar, not the clock.
Cross-bay cruising
Since 20 April 2026 licensed routes connect the two bays, so one overnight cruise can board in Ha Long and finish in Lan Ha, or the reverse. If you want both bays in two days, this is now the way.
Our full-day Lan Ha Bay boat tour leaves from the village side, which puts you in Bright and Dark cave before or after the town boats: kayaking, swimming, lunch on board and a family fish farm, bay ticket included. In plankton season we add sunset and night kayaking on the darkest nights of the month. Rates move with the season and group size — ask us for the current one.
Fixed fees on Lan Ha Bay
These are state charges, the same whoever sells you the ticket. Everything else — boats, cruises, rooms, transfers — is priced by season and group size; anyone quoting a “tour fee” several times the ticket price is adding their own margin.
| Fee | Adult | Child |
|---|---|---|
| Lan Ha Bay ticket | 120,000 VND | 60,000 VND; free under 6 or under 1.2 m |
| Electric cart, Viet Hai pier to village | 50,000 VND per person | 50,000 VND per person |
| Cat Ba National Park, main gate | 160,000 VND | 80,000 VND |
| Park: Kim Giao–Ngu Lam–Trung Trang route | 120,000 VND | 60,000 VND |
| Park: Ninh Tiep–Tien Duc route (village side) | 80,000 VND | 40,000 VND |
| Park: Phu Long mangrove route | 80,000 VND | 40,000 VND |
| Luggage forwarded by boat while trekking | 350,000 VND per load | — |
| Bicycle hire in Viet Hai | 30,000 VND per day | — |
Bring cash for all of them. Cat Ba town has ATMs; Viet Hai has none, and many rafts, boats and small restaurants cannot take international cards. Currencies we accept, the 7% tax and the 3% card fee are on our payment information page.
What to eat on Lan Ha Bay
The bay eats what it farms and catches. On the rafts and along the Cat Ba harbour front: grilled squid, steamed clams, sea snails, mantis shrimp, crab, grouper from the pens, fish hotpot, and in season sea urchin. Horseshoe crab (sam) is the local speciality, grilled or in salad. Three products from the wider archipelago are worth a bottle or a jar: Cat Hai fish sauce, made on the neighbouring island and fermented for over two years; Cat Ba forest honey, a trade that only took off in the 1990s; and, in winter, thin-skinned Gia Luan oranges from the village next to ours.
In Viet Hai the food is Northern farmhouse cooking plus what the bay sends over: free-range chicken with ginger, fish soup, crisp-fried dried fish, garden greens, valley rice, and seafood hotpot or barbecue with a day’s notice. Dinner at our place is one long table and everyone staying that night eats together.
What to pack for Lan Ha Bay
- Swimwear and a quick-dry towel; a rash vest if you burn easily
- Reef-safe sunscreen, a hat that ties on, sunglasses with a strap
- Shoes you can swim in — the rock and the rafts are hard on bare feet
- A dry bag for phone and passport on the kayak
- A light rain layer; from December to February, a warm layer for the boat
- A refillable bottle; the bay collects plastic
- A head torch for the village and for night kayaking
- Cash in VND for tickets, rafts and the cart
- Travel light: bags are carried on and off speedboats by hand
Safety and weather on Lan Ha Bay
Rules on boat inspection and sailing in bad weather tightened across northern Vietnam after 2025, and a storm warning closes the bay to every boat, usually for a day, occasionally three. A good operator tells you before you travel, not on the dock; build a spare half-day into any summer trip. Before boarding, look for life jackets you can reach and a boat that is not overloaded; our Lan Ha Bay boat safety check takes two minutes.
On the water: wear the life jacket in the kayak, stay in sight of the boat, and mind the cave tunnel at high tide, when the roof drops. Tides move fast around the beaches. Mobile signal is good in town and patchy in the bay and the valley, where Viettel and Vinaphone work best and the homestay has Wi-Fi.
Responsible travel on Lan Ha Bay
The bay is a World Heritage core zone, most of it inside a national park. Take every piece of plastic back with you and refuse single-use bottles on the boat. Do not fish; the pens are a livelihood and open water needs a permit. Do not feed the macaques, and do not stand on or take coral or shells. If you see a langur on a cliff, stay on the water with the engine off; there are more than 90 of them and every one matters.
On the village side, Viet Hai adopted a green transition plan for 2025–2030 — electric transport, solar, less single-use plastic, organic farming — and guests who cycle rather than ride, and stay the night rather than pass through, are the ones who make it pay.
Frequently asked questions about Lan Ha Bay
Answered by the Lan family in Viet Hai — the people who run the boats, cook the dinner and pick you up at the pier.
Is Lan Ha Bay worth visiting compared with Ha Long Bay?
Yes. It is the same limestone and, since 16 September 2023, the same World Heritage site, with a fraction of the boats. Ha Long has the famous name and the large cruise ships; Lan Ha has Bright and Dark cave, 139 small beaches and a village at the end of the day. For independent travellers and kayakers it is the better base, and since April 2026 a cross-bay cruise can cover both.
How many days do I need for Lan Ha Bay?
Two days and one night is the minimum that makes sense: one full day on the water and one night on the village side or on a boat. Three days adds a night at anchor, a proper trek or both. A single day from Hanoi shows you the bay from a crowded boat between lunch and the last ferry.
When is the best time to visit Lan Ha Bay?
October and November: sea at 25–27°C, clear air, thin crowds. March and April are a close second. May to September has the warmest water and bioluminescent plankton on moonless nights, but also typhoons and days when nothing sails. December to February is cool, misty and empty, better for walking than swimming.
Can you swim in Lan Ha Bay all year?
You can; most people do not from December to February, when the sea is 18–21°C and the sky is grey. From May to October the water is 26–30°C and swimming is the point of the day. Check the tide before planning a beach: many of the 139 coves disappear at high water.
Is Lan Ha Bay suitable for families with children?
Yes. The boats involve no walking, the kayak into Bright and Dark cave is short and flat, and children under six or under 1.2 m ride the bay free. Put small children in a double kayak with an adult, keep food away from the macaques on Monkey Island, and choose the village or a cruise with an early dinner over the town’s late nights.
How do I book a boat on Lan Ha Bay?
Ben Beo has no ticket office and no timetable; boats are arranged, not scheduled, and the rate on the dock depends on who is free. Booking a day or two ahead with a local family fixes the boat, the route and the rate without the haggling. Send us your dates and group size and we will confirm within the hour.
Is Lan Ha Bay safe, and what happens if a storm comes?
Day to day it is calm, sheltered water. When a storm warning is issued the whole bay closes, usually for a day, and every operator has to wait it out; the risk is to your schedule, not your safety. Choose a boat with reachable life jackets and an operator who cancels rather than argues, and keep a spare half-day in summer.
Is there an ATM on Lan Ha Bay, and can I pay by card?
Cat Ba town has ATMs; Viet Hai and the boats have none, and many rafts and small restaurants cannot take international cards. Withdraw enough in town for tickets, lunch on a raft and the cart. At the homestay we accept VND, USD and EUR; the details are on our payment information page.
Planning a trip to Lan Ha Bay?
Tell us your dates, where you are starting from and how many of you there are. We will lay out the crossing, the boat day and the night in the village or on the water, with current rates, and arrange whichever parts you want handled. WhatsApp +84 363 934 325 or send a message here — we answer in English, usually within the hour.
Read next
- Cat Ba Island travel guide
- Kayaking in Lan Ha Bay: a beginner’s guide
- What to pack for Cat Ba Island
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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.
