A full day trekking – climbing to National park, Viet Hai Village, Lan Ha Bay

One-Day Hiking and Mountain Climbing Tour of Cat Ba National Park, Viet Hai Eco-tourism Village, and Lan Ha Bay

Departure: Daily 8:00 am; Return: 5:00 pm

Cat Ba National Park is a unique national park within Vietnam’s national park system, encompassing both forest and marine ecosystems. Located within the core of the Cat Ba Archipelago World Biosphere Reserve and a Special National Scenic Landscape, Cat Ba National Park exemplifies typical tropical and subtropical marine-island ecosystems of Asia, such as: primary tropical rainforest ecosystems on limestone islands, mangrove forests, coral reefs, tidal flats, caves, saltwater lakes, bays, and lagoons… all interconnected to create an incredibly rich landscape and habitat… It is the only conservation area in Vietnam and the world preserving the Cat Ba langur population.

7:45 – 8:00 AM: The bus and tour guide will pick you up at the designated meeting point on the cross-island route to the entrance of Cat Ba National Park.

8:15 AM: Upon arrival at the National Park entrance, the tour guide will provide an overview of the biodiversity, routes, and attractions of Cat Ba National Park, then you will receive your tickets… and begin your walking tour.

9:00-11:30 AM: Along the forest trail, you will immerse yourself in nature, observing animals such as civets, squirrels, monkeys, birds, and various butterflies. If you’re lucky, you might even spot the Cat Ba langur – a rare and endangered species listed in the world’s Red Book, found only in the Cat Ba archipelago. After a two-hour walk, crossing three mountains with local names: Ang Vat, May Bau, and Ang Phay (approximately 6 kilometers), you will arrive at a stop called Frog Pond.

11:30 AM: Arrive at Frog Pond, the largest natural freshwater lake on a limestone mountain within the National Park. From the bottom of the pond, thousands of Water Hyacinth trees rise up – a species found only at Frog Pond and nowhere else in Cat Ba. Besides frogs, the pond also contains many types of fish and freshwater crabs. You will have 30 minutes to relax and rest here.

12:00 – 1:00 PM: Continue your journey from Ao Ech to Viet Hai village (approximately 4 km), climbing to the summit of Ang Phay mountain, to reach Viet Hai Ecotourism Village. This is a small village of local residents with about 100 households.

1:00 PM: Enjoy lunch with typical seafood dishes and relax at Viet Hai village.

2:00 PM: Free time to experience and explore the local life. Afterwards, walk or cycle 5km to Viet Hai port.

2:30 PM: Board a boat to explore Lan Ha Bay, admiring the chain of 388 islands in the world’s most beautiful bay; the boat will stop at a floating raft, where you can participate in kayaking to discover the beauty of Lan Ha Bay;

After kayaking, the boat will move to a natural beach in Lan Ha Bay for swimming and immersing yourself in the clear blue waters of this world biosphere reserve.

4:30 PM: The boat will take you back. Before arriving at Cai Beo tourist pier, you will visit Cai Beo Fishing Village, a floating fishing village that has been established for hundreds of years, associated with the migration of ancient people from the forest to the sea to find food from the ocean.

5:00 PM: The boat docks at Cat Beo pier, and a vehicle will take you back to the Cat Ba tourist center. The tour ends, and we look forward to seeing you again.

Services included in the price:

Transportation

Forest trail guide

Drinking water (1 bottle of 1.5L/person)
Entrance tickets to Cat Ba National Park
Lunch at Viet Hai village

Bicycle (or electric bike) from Viet Hai eco-tourism village to Viet Hai port

Kayak on Lan Ha Bay

Travel insurance
Boat transfer from Viet Hai port to Ben Beo pier

Services not included

Other drinks
Personal expenses during the trip.

Tips for guides and crew

Items to bring:

Hiking shoes (long pants are recommended).

Mosquito repellent (or cream).
Drinking water (prepare an extra bottle on hot days).
Swimsuit, towel (when the boat stops at Lan Ha Bay).
Hat (to protect your hair from leaves, dew, and insects).

Useful information:

After rainy days, forest trails can be slippery, so please follow your guide’s instructions and be careful when walking or climbing.
Do not separate from the group or go alone without a guide; there are many small side paths in the forest where you could get lost.
When walking in the forest, please maintain order to avoid disturbing the wild animals in the primary forest and comply with other regulations of Cat Ba National Park during your exploration.
The primary forest exploration journey covers approximately 10km of forest trails crossing 4 mountains, taking about 4 hours of walking and climbing. Participants are required to be in good health, so please consider this before registering for this trip. It is recommended that the elderly, children under 12 years old, pregnant women, and those with a history of cardiovascular or respiratory problems should not participate in this trip.
When swimming in Lan Ha Bay, please wear a life jacket (available on the boat) for safety.