Between July and October a storm can close every boat on Lan Ha Bay for one to three days at a few hours’ notice; we tell you the moment the port authority does, and Viet Hai is one of the few places on the island where that is not a lost day. Cat Ba typhoon season is real, but it is not a reason to stay away for four months. Most weeks in that window pass without a warning at all. When one does come, the question is not whether your boat trip is cancelled — it will be — but where you are standing when it happens. We are the Lan family in Viet Hai, and we have sat out every storm of the last years in the village with our guests.
| Storm window | July to October, with most storms reaching the north in August and September |
| How often | The northern coast from Quang Ninh to Thanh Hoa sees about one and a half storms a year on average — some years none, some years three |
| What stops | Every tourist boat, kayak and cruise on Lan Ha Bay and Ha Long Bay, the Ben Beo crossings and often the Hai Phong speedboat |
| Who decides | The port authority. No boat sails under a storm warning, ours included |
| How long | Usually one to three days, from the warning to the all-clear |
| Latest example | Storm Narra, 22–24 August 2026: Ha Long and Lan Ha tourist boats moved to storm shelters, bay services suspended |
| Our tours | A weather cancellation is rearranged or refunded |
What actually happens when a storm is coming?
A tropical storm that reaches our coast almost always forms out in the South China Sea and curves north into the Gulf of Tonkin. That gives two or three days of forecasts before it arrives, and the national weather service names it and tracks it in public. The first thing you will notice on Cat Ba is nothing at all: the sky is often clear and the water flat the day before a storm.
Then the port authority issues its order, and everything that floats stops. Cruise ships come back to harbour, day boats stay tied up, and kayaks are pulled out of the water. On 22 August 2026, ahead of Storm Narra, tourist boats in Ha Long were moved into storm shelters and lashed together with crew on board; Lan Ha Bay, Ha Long Bay and even the boat trips at Trang An in Ninh Binh suspended services until the storm had passed. That is the normal pattern, not an exception.
The ban usually lasts one to three days. The day of the warning is often dry; the heavy wind and rain come on the second day; the third day is for clearing up and waiting for the official all-clear. Boats run again as soon as the order is lifted, and the bay the morning after is often the clearest you will see all summer.
We read the same warnings you do, but in Vietnamese and from the local channels, which are usually a few hours ahead of the English news. As soon as an order is issued we message every guest who is with us or on the way.
Which months have the most storms on Cat Ba?
We would rather give you a plain picture than a false number for each month. Storms are counted over decades, and the averages hide a lot: 2024 brought Typhoon Yagi straight over Quang Ninh and Hai Phong in early September, while other years pass with no storm reaching the north at all.
| Month | Storm risk in the north | What usually stops | What still works in Viet Hai |
|---|---|---|---|
| May–June | Low; heavy showers more likely than storms | Short delays on windy afternoons | Everything, with a rain layer |
| July | Storm season begins | All boats for a day or two when a storm is named | Village walks, bikes, cooking, the family dinner |
| August | Peak — one of the two busiest months | All boats, sometimes the Hai Phong speedboat and Dong Bai ferry | Village life, the forest on dry days, a long lunch |
| September | Peak — the other busiest month | All boats while the warning lasts | Same as August; the day after is often perfect |
| October | Easing; a late storm is possible | Occasional one-day closures | Almost everything |
| November–April | Very low | Fog or wind can delay a boat, rarely a storm | Everything |
If you want month-by-month weather rather than storms alone, our best time to visit Cat Ba guide covers temperature, sea and crowds, and Cat Ba when it rains explains the difference between a wet day and a storm day.
Why a storm day in Viet Hai is not a lost day
Most people who come to Cat Ba come for the boats. If the boats stop and you are in a hotel in Cat Ba town, the day turns into waiting: the room, a café, the construction noise, and the same view of a harbour full of tied-up boats.
Viet Hai is different because the village is the place, not the departure point. It has 87 households, rice fields, a school, and a valley ringed by forest. On the first day of a warning, before the wind arrives, you can still cycle the village lanes — bikes are 30,000 VND a day — walk to the edge of the fields, or go up towards Navy Peak if we judge the trail safe that morning. When the rain comes, the kitchen is where the day happens: cooking with us, a long family dinner, and the noise of the storm on the roof.
There is an honest flip side. Viet Hai has no road in, so while the bay is closed nobody crosses to or from the village either. If you are already here, you stay until the boats run again. If you are due to arrive, you wait in Cat Ba town and we bring you over on the first boat after the all-clear. Keep a spare day at the end of any trip in August or September — especially if you have a flight to catch from Hanoi.
We message you the moment the port authority orders boats to stop, and again when they run. If you are booked on one of our trips — the full-day Lan Ha Bay tour, sunset and night kayaking or a longer two-day trip — we move it to the first clear day or refund it. If you are on the way, we tell you where to wait and pick you up at Ben Beo when crossings reopen. Rates move with the season and the size of the group, so message us.
How to plan a trip in storm season
You do not need to avoid July to October. You need a plan that survives one bad day.
| Do this | Why |
|---|---|
| Put the boat trip early in your stay, not on the last day | If a storm closes the bay, there is still time to move it |
| Keep one spare day before an international flight | A two-day ban can hold you on the island |
| Book tours with a clear weather policy | “Rebook or refund” is the answer you want; see our Lan Ha Bay boat safety guide |
| Give us a WhatsApp number that works abroad | That is how the warning reaches you |
| Pack for rain, not for a hurricane | A light rain layer and sandals cover almost everything; our packing list has the rest |
| Check the crossing before you leave Hanoi | Buses and ferries can stop too; our Hanoi to Cat Ba guide lists the options |
If your room was booked through a booking site, its cancellation terms are the ones on your confirmation. Message us first either way — moving dates is usually simpler than cancelling, and we can tell you whether the forecast actually touches your stay.
For the crossing itself, Ben Beo harbour is where boats to Viet Hai leave, and our transfer page explains how we collect you. The speedboat takes about 15 minutes, then about 10 minutes by electric cart — 25–30 minutes in all.
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.
What happens to my Lan Ha Bay tour if a typhoon closes the bay?
It does not sail. No boat leaves while the port authority’s storm order is in force, ours included. We move your tour to the first clear day of your stay, and if there is no clear day left before you go, we refund it.
Do you refund if boats are cancelled by the port authority?
For our own tours, yes: a weather cancellation is rearranged or refunded. For a room booked through a booking site, the site’s cancellation terms apply, but message us first — moving the dates is often possible and simpler.
Which months have the most storms on Cat Ba?
August and September. The season runs from July to October, and the northern coast averages about one and a half storms a year. Many weeks in those months pass with no warning at all.
Can I leave Viet Hai during a storm?
Not while boats are stopped. The village has no road in, so everyone stays until the all-clear, usually within one to three days. Keep a spare day before an international flight in August and September.
Travelling to Cat Ba between July and October? Send us your dates and we will tell you honestly what the forecast looks like and how to arrange the days. WhatsApp +84 363 934 325 or message us here.
Read next
- Cat Ba when it rains
- Best time to visit Cat Ba Island
- Lan Ha Bay boat safety guide
- Cat Ba itinerary: 2, 3 or 5 days
Where to stay in Viet Hai
If you want storm days to feel like part of the trip, the guide to staying in Viet Hai explains the rooms and bungalows at Lan Homestay, and our tours page lists what you can do from the pier.
