Lan Homestay is in Viet Hai village, on the far side of Cat Ba Island, and no road reaches it — so every guest arrives by water. That sounds complicated. It is not, because we arrange the whole chain for you: the car or bus from wherever you are in northern Vietnam, the ferry to Cat Ba, and our own boat across Lan Ha Bay to the village pier. Below is every option, with times, what is fixed by the state and what we quote per booking, so you can picture the journey before you send us a message.
Getting here at a glance
| From Hanoi | 3–3.5 hours door to door by bus or limousine; about 2.5 hours to the pier by private car |
| Ferry | Dong Bai pier (Hai Phong side) to Cai Vieng wharf on Cat Ba — car ferry ~15 min, passenger speedboat under 10 min. The old Got pier is closed. |
| Cat Ba town to the village | Speedboat from Ben Beo harbour across Lan Ha Bay, about 30 minutes, then an electric cart along a flat lane |
| Speedboat to the village | Private speedboat Ben Beo ⇄ Viet Hai: 30 USD per boat for up to 2 people, plus 5 USD per extra person (2026 rate) — bay ticket and cart on top |
| Fixed state fees | Lan Ha Bay ticket 120,000 VND (≈$5) adult / 60,000 VND (≈$2.40) child · electric cart 50,000 VND (≈$2) per person · under-sixes free on the bay ticket |
| Check-in | 11:30–13:00. Late arrivals on the sunset boat are expected — someone is always up. |
| How to book | Send your date, starting point, group size and flight or bus time. One message, one confirmed price, nothing to negotiate at a pier. |
Where are you starting from?
Every route into Viet Hai ends the same way — Cat Ba Island, then our boat. What changes is the first leg. This table is the honest picture for each starting point; ask us for the current fare on the day you book, because bus and car rates move with the season.
| Starting point | How it works | Time to Cat Ba | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hanoi city | Door-to-door bus or limousine from the Old Quarter → expressway to Hai Phong → ferry or speedboat at Dong Bai → bus across the island to Cat Ba town / Ben Beo. Two departures each morning from the Old Quarter, at 06:00 and 07:30 — 350,000 VND (≈$14) per person, one way. We book the seat for you. | 3–3.5 h | Most guests; couples and solo travellers |
| Hanoi airport (Noi Bai) | Private car meets your flight, drives to Dong Bai, crosses as foot passengers, our driver on the island side. Timed to your landing, so a late flight is not a problem. | 3.5–4 h | Families, late arrivals, heavy luggage |
| Hai Phong / Cat Bi airport | 25–30 minute taxi to Dong Bai pier, then the crossing. A second terminal at Cat Bi is due around 2027 and will make flying in far easier. | 1–1.5 h | Anyone flying domestically |
| Ninh Binh / Tam Coc | Direct bus via Hai Phong, or private car on the new Ninh Binh–Hai Phong expressway. Typical bus fares around 350,000 VND (≈$14) per person in 2026. | 4–6 h | Travellers doing Ninh Binh then the bay |
| Ha Long / Tuan Chau | Ferry from Tuan Chau to Gia Luan pier in the north of Cat Ba, then road to town. Or, since April 2026, a licensed cross-bay cruise that finishes in Lan Ha Bay. | 1.5–2.5 h | Combining Ha Long and Lan Ha |
| Sapa | Night or day bus to Hanoi (about 400 km), then the Hanoi transfer above. Most guests sleep a night in Hanoi in between; a through ticket is really two or three vehicles with the changes handled. | 10–14 h elapsed | Mountains-then-bay itineraries |
| Ha Giang | Limousine bus to Hanoi (6–7 h), then the Hanoi transfer. Plan a night in Hanoi; doing it in one hop makes a very long day. | 10–12 h elapsed | After the Ha Giang loop |
Detailed, route-by-route guides: Hanoi to Cat Ba in 2026 and Ninh Binh to Cat Ba Island.
From Cat Ba Island to Viet Hai village
This is the part no other homestay has to explain. Cat Ba town is about 30–40 minutes by road from the arrival wharf, and Viet Hai is across the bay from town. There are three ways to make that last leg, and the best one depends on how much of the day you have.
| Option | What happens | Time | Cost structure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speedboat transfer | Our boat waits for you at Ben Beo harbour and crosses Lan Ha Bay straight to Viet Hai pier. No ticket office, no queue, no dock negotiation — we have already arranged it. | About 30 min on the water, then ~8 min by electric cart | 30 USD per boat for up to two people, 5 USD per extra person (2026 rate), plus the fixed bay ticket and cart fee. |
| Arrive on the full-day bay boat | Instead of a plain transfer, spend the day kayaking and swimming across Lan Ha Bay and step off at the village pier in the late afternoon. Most guests choose this. | Whole day; arrive ~15:30 | Priced as the full-day Lan Ha Bay boat tour; bay ticket included in the quote. |
| Trek through the national park | Walk in over the ridge from the park’s main gate — four to five hours, steep in places — while your luggage goes ahead by boat. Guided or self-guided. | 4–5 h walking | Park entry 160,000 VND (≈$6.50) adult / 80,000 VND (≈$3.20) child; luggage forwarding by boat 350,000 VND (≈$14); guide on request. |
Most guests do this
Turn the transfer into the trip: arrive on the full-day Lan Ha Bay boat tour, sleep in the village, and leave the next day by speedboat — or the reverse. Our 2 Days in Viet Hai package bundles all of it, Hanoi to Hanoi, with every ticket included.
What is fixed, and what we quote
Two kinds of cost sit in every journey here. The first is set by the city and is identical whoever you book with; the second depends on season, group size and vehicle, so we quote it per booking rather than publish a number that will be wrong by the time you read it.
| Item | Amount | Who sets it |
|---|---|---|
| Lan Ha Bay entrance ticket | 120,000 VND (≈$5) adult · 60,000 VND (≈$2.40) child · free under 6 years or under 1.2 m | Hai Phong city — fixed |
| Electric cart, Viet Hai pier to village | 50,000 VND (≈$2) per person each way | Fixed local rate |
| Cat Ba National Park entry (trekking in) | 160,000 VND (≈$6.50) adult · 80,000 VND (≈$3.20) child at the main gate | National park — fixed |
| Luggage forwarded by boat while you trek | 350,000 VND (≈$14) per load | Lan Homestay |
| Bus / limousine / private car from Hanoi, Ninh Binh, Sapa, Ha Giang | Quoted per booking | Season and vehicle |
| Speedboat Ben Beo ⇄ Viet Hai | 30 USD per boat for up to 2 people · 5 USD per extra person (2026) | Lan Homestay |
How the pickup actually works
- You send us the basics — date, where you start, how many people, and your flight or bus time if you have one. WhatsApp is fastest.
- We reply with one plan and one price, usually within the hour: vehicle, departure time, ferry, boat, cart. Nothing is paid until you confirm.
- On the day, a driver meets you at your hotel or at arrivals with your name. You cross the ferry as foot passengers; the car continues on the island side.
- At Ben Beo harbour our boat is waiting. Bay tickets are already handled. About 30 minutes later you are at Viet Hai pier.
- The electric cart brings you to the door. Check-in runs 11:30–13:00; tea in the garden first, bags after.
Going home works in reverse, and we time the boat so the 12:30 or 16:00 bus back to Hanoi is a comfortable connection rather than a run. Every route is compared in how to get to Viet Hai village.
See the journey
One minute from the mainland to the valley — this is what the arrival looks like.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about getting to Lan Homestay
Answered by the Lan family in Viet Hai — the people who run the boats, cook the dinner and pick you up at the pier.
Can I book the transfer without booking a room?
Yes. We arrange transfers for anyone heading to Viet Hai, and the bay-boat day works as a stand-alone trip from Cat Ba town. Rooms are simply where most people end up once they have seen the valley.
What if my flight lands late in the evening?
Tell us the flight number. A private car can meet a late arrival and bring you to Cat Ba town for the night, with the boat to Viet Hai the next morning. Boats do not cross the bay after dark except on our scheduled sunset tour.
How much luggage can I bring?
On the boat routes, as much as you like — it rides with you. On the trek, a day pack; the rest goes ahead by boat for 350,000 VND (≈$14).
Is the speedboat safe in rough weather?
When a storm warning is issued, no boats sail — that rule tightened across northern Vietnam after 2025 and we follow it without exception. If your crossing is cancelled we tell you as soon as we know and rearrange, rather than leave you on the dock. See our boat safety guide.
Do I have to pay anything at the pier?
No. When you book the chain through us, the bay ticket and cart are included in the quote. The only cash you need on the island is for your own spending — and note there is no ATM in Viet Hai.
Can you pick up from Sapa or Ha Giang directly?
We arrange the bus to Hanoi and the transfer onward as one booking, but it is two or three vehicles plus a ferry with the changes handled for you — not a single car all the way. Sleeping a night in Hanoi in between is kinder.
Still have a question? WhatsApp +84 363 934 325 or send us a message — we answer in English, usually within the hour.
Tell us where you are, we will do the rest
Send your date, starting point and group size. WhatsApp +84 363 934 325, email info@lanhomestay.com, or use the contact form. We answer in English, usually within the hour, and confirm every leg before you travel.
Chat on WhatsApp