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Introduction to Lan Ha Bay
Situated to the south of Halong Bay and east of Cat Ba Island, Lan Ha Bay is rapidly becoming a favored tourist spot among travelers.
This archipelago spans over 7,000 hectares, encompassing more than 400 islands of various sizes, with many pristine beaches yet to be extensively developed. The allure of Lan Ha Bay lies in its untouched beauty and tranquil atmosphere, making it an ideal destination for those seeking a serene retreat.
Moreover, visitors also have the opportunity to explore the fishing villages of Cua Van and Cai Beo, immersing themselves in the daily lives of the local fishermen.
A glimpse of Lan Ha Bay
The best time to visit Lan Ha Bay
In general, the average temperature here ranges from 25 to 28 degrees Celsius, creating a comfortable atmosphere due to the surrounding sea. During summer, temperatures can reach up to 30 degrees Celsius, and there may be storms towards the end of the season. In winter, temperatures range from 15 to 20 degrees Celsius depending on weather conditions, with the possibility of northeasterly winds.
The ideal time to visit Lan Ha Bay is from April to July, offering beautiful weather suitable for swimming and recreational activities in Lan Ha Bay. It's advisable to avoid visiting during late summer (August to October) due to frequent rain and storms, which may disrupt travel plans.
Packing for a trip to Lan Ha Bay
To have an amazing trip to Lan Ha Bay, the first thing you need to do is to prepare all the necessary luggage for this journey.
Firstly, opt for comfortable sneakers or soft sandals to enjoy walking around the famous landmarks in the bay.
Additionally, prepare your swimwear in advance and don't forget lightweight, comfortable outfits for the best beach activities.
Don't forget wide-brimmed hats and alluring bikinis!
If you visit Lan Ha Bay in the summer, sunscreen is a must-have. Choose a sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher. Also, remember body care products such as shampoo, toothpaste, shower gel, etc. If you're unsure about the products available at the hotel, it's better to prepare them in advance.
And don't forget wide-brimmed hats along with a pair of sunglasses, as the Lan Ha Bay sun is stunning but dazzling. These accessories will enhance your enjoyment of the surrounding nature. Finally, prepare your camera, spare batteries, and charger to capture those memorable moments!
Transportation to Lan Ha Bay
To visit Lan Ha Bay, you first need to travel to Cat Ba Island. From the center of Cat Ba Island, take a taxi to Beo Pier, then buy a scenic ticket for 30,000 VND and board a boat to visit Lan Ha Bay, with boat fares ranging from 1,200,000 to 1,500,000 VND per boat.
Additionally, speedboats are also a popular choice for transportation, costing only about 500,000 VND per boat, suitable for small groups. You can save costs, travel conveniently, and have extremely enjoyable experiences.
Exploring Lan Ha Bay by speedboat
Where to stay when visiting Lan Ha Bay?
Accommodation on Cat Ba Island
Located in the Cat Ba Island area, Lan Ha Bay has limited hotel options, making it difficult to find accommodation near the bay. You can consider some affordable guesthouses and hotels on Cat Ba Island with the most beautiful views listed below:
Cat Ba Lucky Family Hotel: This is the perfect choice for your overnight stay. With full amenities, attentive staff, beautiful views, ... this hotel is highly rated by many tourists. If you're still unsure where to stay when visiting Lan Ha Bay, you can consider this hotel!
- Address: 25 Ngoc Mountain, Cat Ba.
- Room prices start at around 450,000 VND/night.
Little Cat Ba: This hotel is located near Lan Ha Bay and is fully equipped to meet the needs of tourists. In addition, the hotel also offers many other services such as a private beach, playground, sports area, ... promising to be the place where you can have the most complete experience for your Lan Ha Bay trip.
Little Cat Ba offers various room types for you to choose from: type 1 room, type 2 room, dorm room. Depending on your needs, you can choose the room type that suits you best.
- Address: 350 Ha Sen Street, Lan Ha Bay.
- Room prices start at around 700,000 VND/night.
Little Cat Ba
Halong Cruise - Lan Ha Bay
In addition, you can opt for a popular new way to explore Lan Ha Bay, which is the Halong Cruise. Booking a cruise with an itinerary to visit Lan Ha Bay, you will have a completely new experience by eating, sleeping, playing, and participating in various exciting activities right on the cruise.
In particular, there are various luxury cruises with high-quality service ranging from 3-5* for you to choose from, with prices starting at over 2,000,000 VND per guest. Some of the most outstanding and popular 5* Lan Ha Bay cruises this year include Mon Cheri, Scarlet Pearl, Peony, Orchid...
Luxurious and well-equipped Orchid Cruise on Lan Ha Bay
And if you want to fully explore Lan Ha Bay, you can choose a Cat Ba travel combo package including a hotel in Cat Ba and a Lan Ha Bay cruise. With this option, travelers will experience the most exciting things here.
Where to go, what to do in Lan Ha Bay?
Must-visit Destinations
Lan Ha Bay boasts several tourist spots. Below are the most famous attractions in Lan Ha Bay that you shouldn't miss.
Cua Van Fishing Village
Cua Van Fishing Village is a unique wonder of the fishermen. It is a stopover point for boats taking tourists to visit Lan Ha Bay on regular days. The fishing village is located about 12km from Beo Pier (1.5 hours by boat).
Here you can directly participate in rowing boats, casting nets, fishing, and catching shrimp with the local women in the village.
Cua Van Fishing Village - a famous attraction in Lan Ha Bay
Nam Cat Island
To reach this tourist spot, you can travel from Beo Pier towards Lan Ha Bay for about 15 minutes to reach Nam Cat Island. This island is a great choice for tourists, especially for nature lovers.
Nam Cat Beach with its pristine beaches is where you can bask under the sun, immerse yourself in the cool, crystal-clear water. Unlike other beaches, here you'll find small sandy coves creating private spaces just for you.
Beautiful Nam Cat Island
Monkey Island
To reach Monkey Island, tourists usually take a boat from Beo Pier, which takes about 10 minutes passing through Cai Beo Fishing Village, across a few small islands, then straight to Monkey Island.
Monkey Island is the ideal destination for your Lan Ha Bay trip as the water here is incredibly clear and blue, accompanied by two beautiful beaches: Cat Dua 1 and Cat Dua 2. You can also explore the habitat of the monkeys here, which will surely provide many memorable experiences.
Dark Cave
With its charming natural scenery, when you visit Dark Cave, you'll have the opportunity to kayak through the cave and admire the beautiful surrounding landscape.
You can also visit Dark Cave by renting a boat for a day tour on the bay. When exploring Lan Ha Bay, you should try kayaking - one of the exciting activities not to be missed here.
Kayaking through Dark Cave is a fun experience you should try when visiting Lan Ha Bay
Van Boi Beach
Van Boi Beach is located on a small island opposite Turtle Island in Lan Ha Bay. You can rent kayaks or small boats to travel to this beach by passing through the small islands of the bay.
When you're in Lan Ha Bay, don't miss Van Boi Beach, as it is still quite pristine and maintains its natural beauty. This is where you can enjoy a peaceful and relaxing atmosphere that few beaches offer.
Exciting Activities in Lan Ha Bay
Beach Swimming and Coral Viewing
Absolutely! You can't visit such beautiful beaches without immersing yourself in the crystal-clear water, lying on the pristine white sand, surrounded by lush green palm trees, and enjoying the cool breeze. You can indulge in swimming and snorkeling to admire the beauty beneath the ocean's surface.
This service can be booked at the Monkey Island Resort diving center (on Monkey Island). They offer various packages such as a 30-minute guided dive for around 1,000,000 VND, or if you're confident, you can opt for snorkeling with the cost of 600,000 VND.
Kayaking Adventure
It's an amazing experience while in Lan Ha Bay to paddle your kayak through the maze of small islands. Your kayak will take you close to the towering limestone cliffs, where you can admire the unique rock formations and enjoy the serene surroundings. Here are some kayak rental options for you:
- Manh Nu Boat Station (at Ben Beo): Price: 50 - 100K per kayak per person per day depending on type.
- Cat Ba Venture: located at 223 Mung 1 thang 4 street, Cat Ba town.
- Additionally, at Monkey Island, there's a boat rental area where you can rent a kayak for 2 people at 50k per kayak. Enjoy unlimited paddling time.
Mountain Climbing
Mountain climbing in Lan Ha Bay, Cat Ba is an experience that attracts many adventurous travelers from both within and outside the country. You'll conquer rocky cliffs, experience adrenaline rushes, and face challenges while improving your fitness.
Here, you'll find cliffs suitable for both experienced climbers and beginners. Popular climbing spots include Dau Be Island, a 2-hour boat ride from Cat Ba tourist pier.
The second spot is the cliffs at Ben Beo (2 km from downtown Cat Ba), and the last is Ba Trai Dao Island (22 km south from the tourist pier).
Engage in mountain climbing activities in Lan Ha Bay
What to Eat When Traveling to Lan Ha Bay?
When it comes to seaside travel, indulging in seafood is a must, right? In Lan Ha Bay, Cat Ba, there are plenty of delicious fresh seafood options. If you're unsure what to eat, check out these signature dishes of Lan Ha Bay below.
Geoduck Clams
Geoduck clams can be prepared in various ways: grilled, in salads, in soups,... Try geoduck clams and you'll experience their crunchy, chewy, and fragrant taste. This is a specialty unique to Cat Ba and often comes with a high price tag. Prices vary depending on size, with a single geoduck clam typically costing around 50,000 - 70,000 VND when dining at a restaurant.
Grilled Geoduck Clams
Horseshoe Crab
This is a delicacy not to be missed when traveling to Cat Ba. There are many tempting dishes made from horseshoe crab, such as salads, stir-fried horseshoe crab with lemongrass and chili, horseshoe crab salad, sweet and sour horseshoe crab, or even noodles, porridge,...
However, the most enticing dish is still grilled horseshoe crab. Many food enthusiasts enjoy eating grilled horseshoe crab with sour pomelo, pickled radish, mint leaves, peanuts, fried shallots, chili lime fish sauce,... the taste is truly unforgettable after just one bite.
Squid
In Lan Ha Bay, Cat Ba, squid dishes are prepared in various ways such as steaming, boiling, dipping, vinegar, stir-frying, and deep-frying. Dried squid torn dipped in chili sauce, or used as a filling with minced meat for squid cakes, among which the most famous and delicious is still squid cake.
Moreover, Lan Ha Bay, Cat Ba also offers many other delicious dishes such as salt-roasted crab, lobster marinated in wine, lobster baked with egg sauce,...
Tips for traveling to Lan Ha Bay
To make your trip more convenient, here are some tips to keep in mind when traveling to Lan Ha Bay:
- At night in Lan Ha Bay, the weather is often quite cold, so make sure to bring a warm jacket.
- Be cautious of fishing invitations at night if you're unsure. Typically, the price is around 500,000 VND for 6 people to go fishing, and the catch can be cooked or eaten raw directly with lime or dipped in mustard.
- Most services in Lan Ha Bay, Cat Ba, have intermediaries, so make sure to research and consider carefully before renting or buying anything.
- Book your cruise at least 3-7 days in advance to ensure availability.
Above are the most comprehensive Lan Ha Bay travel experiences. Hope you have a fun and economical trip.
Hanh Chu
Image Source: Internet
